With Spring officially just a few days away, you may be gearing up for spring cleaning. From organization to landscaping, it can be overwhelming to say the least. If you’ve read our Yearly Home Maintenance Checklist, you already have a general idea of what you need to check on this season, but we wanted to take some time to go a little more in depth.
Organization
We often hear “Spring Cleaning” and automatically think about re-organizing the kitchen or closets, check out our 10 Ways to Organize Your Home blog for tips on this.
Landscaping
As the snow melts and your yard starts to turn back to it’s bright colors, spend a weekend raking any fallen leaves. You can also mow and reseed your lawn. (This is also a great family activity, or if you have teenagers, you can use yard work as a great way for them to make some spring break spending money!)
At the beginning of the season, if you’d prefer to have a professional company maintain your yard, make any phone calls you need to in order to renew annual contracts.
Since winter is over, you may also want to consider calling an arborist to inspect your trees.
If you have a sprinkler system, you should also inspect that and ensure none of the pipes are frozen and that there’s a solid stream. Same goes for any outdoor faucets you may have.
Gutters, Windows, and Doors
Clean out your gutters and drain pipes so they’re free of leaves. Check to make sure they drain away from your house. Take some time to inspect the material to ensure there aren’t any leaks or missing pieces.
If your storm windows are removable, remove, clean, and store them. If your screens are removable, put them up and patch if necessary. Inspect door hinges and window treatments.
Roof and Vents
When spring showers come, the last thing you need is a leaky roof. Check around vents, skylights, and chimneys for any possible leaks - repair if necessary. You also want to check shingles and the areas where the roof meets your home’s walls.
Whether you have a ridge vent, gable vent, box vent, or any other type, inspect them to ensure proper ventilation.
Faucets and Filters
Take a look at the faucet inside and outside of your home and make sure they do not leak. If so, you may need to replace the washers. If this doesn’t solve the issue, call a professional.
Your filters have been treating you well over the winter, well, aside from the air conditioner of course. Double check your dryer vent, stove hood, and room fans. Double check that your heating and, yes even, cooling vents are clean and not blocked by furniture or curtains.
Fireplace
Clean the ashes out of your fireplace. If your home isn’t air-conditioned you can help with ventilation by leaving the damper open during the warmer months. If you do have air conditioning, make sure to close the damper.
Safety Equipment
Ensure all smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire extinguishers are in good working order and replace batteries as needed.
Appliances
Spring is a great time to inspect and update your appliances. Check your air filters, and change if needed, so they’re ready to be used during the warmer months.
Your refrigerator seals should be airtight. Test them by closing the door over a dollar bill. If you can easily pull the bill out, your seal is not airtight. Either adjust the latch or replace your seal. If your refrigerator is coil back, vacuum the coils to make it run more efficiently.
It’s also a good idea to check the valves and vents behind your washer and dryer.
Basement
Check your basement walls and floor for dampness, and if you have a humidifier make sure to clean it regularly.
Spring home maintenance can keep small problems from becoming big problems, so running through this checklist this spring is definitely worth your time.