Now is a good time to give your home some loving care. With many of us at home, and some of us with more time on our hands, you could tackle some spring maintenance tasks to keep your home in good condition and prevent problems from occurring down the road.

Here are the top 10 Home Maintenance Tasks For Spring.  These are things to tackle both inside and outside of your home to keep it looking its best and well maintained.

Remember that regular maintenance will help preserve the value of your home and will help prevent everyday “wear and tear” from turning into costly damage.

Here are 10 Spring Home Maintenance Tasks a homeowner should put on their to-do list. 

1. Have your HVAC system serviced.  It’s a good idea to have your AC unit checked out and serviced before you actually need it.  Any issues can then be resolved before we’re in the middle of a heatwave.  Consider signing up for a yearly maintenance contract and then your HVAC company will call to schedule your service appointments (1 in the spring for the AC and one in the fall to check out the furnace).  The added benefit is knowing you’re top priority with your service contractor should something go wrong at any other time of the year. In addition to having it serviced, be sure to make sure there’s no debris or dirt caught up in the coils.  And trim back any bushes that are not allowing good airflow to the unit. All of these tips will keep it running in top condition

2. Wash your windows, wipe down the sills, and clean screens by vacuuming first and then rinsing with a hose outside so you can clearly see all the colors of spring. Some of you may want to wait until the yellow pollen season is over to do this or you may need to repeat #2 again.

3. Check your gutters to make sure water can freely drain and any downspout extensions are secured in place.  Any loose gutters should also be re-secured to your home. You don’t want the rain to be pouring out right at the edge of your foundation.  A good extension is 6’ away from your property.  Also, if you have a walk-up basement make sure the drain is not clogged with leaves or debris so you don’t get any water build-up in this area. Hire a contractor if you have issues with drainage or water standing which you can’t easily resolve on your own.

4. Check the caulking around windows and doors.  If there are any cracks or areas that allow for moisture to seep in behind then it’s time to replace.  This can be a DIY project or something for a handyman to help you with.  Do it now before you have a bigger issue on your hands if moisture gets into your home.

5. Clean your fireplace – Remove ashes after your last fire of the season and close the damper to prevent rainwater, animals, and drafts to enter your home. If you have a gas fireplace consider turning off the pilot light until you’re ready for a fire again in the fall. If it’s been a few years since you’ve had your chimney professionally serviced it would be a good time to have it cleaned and checked for any cracks or leaks you can’t readily see to get ahead of any repairs that might be needed.

6. Look for entryways for pests. Little critters start to come out in the warmer weather so if you’re finding signs of pests in entryways into your home consider hiring a pest service that can help you deal with ants, rats, spiders, or mice. Make sure your garbage is securely closed, and clean up any areas with debris that create an inviting home for critters.  Let me know if you need a referral for a good pest control company.

7. Clean out your dryer vent & hose line.  Now is a good time to disconnect the dryer vent and hose line and vacuum it clean.  Lint build-up in either the dryer or the dryer vent line is a leading cause of fires.  Also, check the exhaust point outside your house.  Birds love to gain access and build their nests in warm places.  If you’ve noticed your dryer not working as well, it could be due to a nest blocking the airflow.

8. Check your roof for signs of wear.  Do a visual inspection of your roof from the street to see if there are any missing shingles, nail pops, or wear and tear where moisture could get into your house.  Check to make sure you don’t have any tree branches hanging over the roof which could cause damage.  Hire someone to trim back the branches and have a roofing company handle any repairs.  

9. Test your GFCI outlets.  These are the outlets in your kitchen and/or  bathrooms that protect you from shock.  Push the red reset button to make sure each of the outlets is properly resetting.  If one has stopped working this may be a DIY project or something a handyman can easily help you replace.

10. Test your smoke & carbon monoxide alarms to make sure they are properly working.  Smoke detectors should be replaced every 10 years.  This year would be a good year to replace them as it would be easy to remember to do again in 2030!

If you’re looking for virtual assistance to help you complete any of these tasks on your own here’s a great article recently featured in the Washington Post “Four Online Services That Will Help Fix Up Your House – No Home Visit Required”. If you have any questions on your home’s maintenance or need referrals for any to come help out at your home please contact me.

Now is a great time while you’re spending more time at home to tackle these and keep your home in top condition!