04/06/2014
5 Top Home Maintenance Items To Tackle During Spring
Depending on where you live, you might be convinced that Mother Nature is playing a cruel joke on you. But wherever you live, spring is officially here and that means it’s time for sprucing up the old house. Winter keeps us a bit sedentary on the home improvement side, so here are a few home maintenance items to tackle as spring puts the spring back in your step.
Check those gutters. The weight of snow, falling branches, and simply cold temperatures can wreak havoc with your home’s gutters. Grab a ladder (and a buddy) and give your gutters the once-over. Check for blockages caused by debris and leaves, make sure seams are firmly held together, and clear the drainage ways as you prep for spring rains. This article offers key maintenance points for any homeowner looking to clean out their gutters.
Clear that chimney. While the singing chimney sweep from Mary Poppins might not be what you’re looking for, you definitely need one this time of year. Have a professional come out and inspect your chimney, especially following all of the use you’ve given it this past winter. They’ll check the mortar, flue, and ensure you’re good to go before the rains make you wish you’d called sooner. If you’re not quite done with use this winter, check out these tips for eco-friendly chimney use.
Inspect outside water connections. Sometimes those hoses don’t make it inside during the winter. Now’s a good time to check your hoses for rips, tears, and breaks, as well as check the spigots coming out of the house for any cold-related damage. This article will take you through de-winterizing your home, complete with visuals. Remember – thawing still-frozen pipes is a delicate process and to avoid damage, pipes are best thawed slowly. We’d all like Mother Nature to step it up a bit, but this is one place where slow and steady wins the race (and saves your wallet).
Tune-up your cooling system. Before the heat of late spring and summer set in, have a professional come give both your central and window air conditioning units a look-see. While you’re waiting for them to arrive to make sure the winter didn’t do a number on your system, go ahead and replace your air filters. And if you’re in a home where there’s no central cooling, check out this new window AC unit from GE/Quirky called the Aros. It’s controlled from an app on your phone and, in addition to the sleek and modern design, claims to save you energy compared to other units of the same power. Might be worth a look.
Review your roof. The most expensive (and most unwelcomed) damage a home can endure is the damage we can’t see. That’s why inspecting your roof each spring is a must. Houselogic has an extensive checklist for seasonal roof inspections, designed to keep you ahead of costly repairs and keep small problems from becoming big ones. The roof over your head has been good to you. Why not be good to it in return by giving it a little post-winter TLC?
