Routine home maintenance is one of the best things you can do to preserve your property value, avoid any surprise repairs or replacements, and enjoy your home to its fullest potential. With the days lengthening and weather warming, spring is a great time to get outdoors and tackle some larger home projects while also making sure your home’s interior is in good shape. Work your way through these tasks to make sure your home is ready for the change in seasons.
Routine Tasks to Tackle First
Tackling the easy things first will jumpstart your to-do list and accomplish a lot in a little time. Consider elements like your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Now is the time to check for battery life and replace as needed. Another easy replacement is your home’s HVAC filter and if necessary, call for an air conditioning tune-up. And, finally, get your fan blades moving in the right direction by switching from winter’s counterclockwise setting to spring’s clockwise which will push cool air down.
- Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
- Replace HVAC filters
- Call for an AC tune-up, if necessary
- Change fan blades to move clockwise
Get Your Yard Ready for Its Busiest Season
Now that we’ve (hopefully) retired our winter coats for the year, it’s time to get your outdoor space ready for its most popular season. This means taking time to walk around and look at the exterior of your home. Clean out your gutters and downspouts and ensure water is draining properly. Examine your roof and make sure there is no damage or lost shingles. Is your paint chipping or are there any new cracks? If you notice any of these things and cannot attend to them yourself, make sure you connect with your Helen Adams Realty agent for a list of vendors! Spring is also a time to focus on the yard and make sure that things are blooming just right. Fill any low spots in your yard with compacted soil, repot or transplant greenery, and make sure your yard’s water and irrigation system is in proper working order. Another reason to fill low spots in your yard is to prevent standing water. When spring arrives, so do bugs and rodents; standing water can be a breeding ground for these creatures.
Check your screen doors and windows for cracks, holes, or air leakage. Screens are designed to let the breeze flow in and keep bugs out so make sure that holes or tears aren’t preventing them from doing their job. Spring clean your windows, inside and out, and make sure that unwanted hot air or insects aren’t making their way inside your home.
- Clean out gutters and downspouts
- Check for exterior and roof damage, get repaired if necessary
- Fill in low spots
- Ensure irrigation systems are working properly
- Replace damaged window and door screens
- Clean windows
Interior Maintenance to Focus On
Last but not least are those areas of the house that often go neglected throughout the rest of the year. Dust or vacuum chairs, stair railings, shelves, cabinets, and ceiling fans so that when the fresh new sunlight shines through your windows, things will sparkle. Launder or dry-clean fabric draperies and use a damp cloth to clean wood and vinyl blinds. It may not be the prettiest work, but by removing settled dust, mites, and allergens you’ll be left with a cleaner and healthier home.
Other chores inside the house include cleaning the dryer and lint trap and checking on your dryer hose. Use this time to store away your winter coats and boots that have been taking up room in your closets and exchange them for spring or summer wear. Clearing your space and refreshing these items will help you feel ready to tackle this warm weather!
- Dust & vacuum the not-so-typical places
- Launder fabric draperies
- Deep clean blinds
- Empty dryer and lint traps
- Exchange winter clothes for spring and summer wear
Come springtime, most of us look forward to opening our windows, cleaning out our closets, and enjoying long-awaited warm weather. It’s also a chance to give your home, inside and out, a routine update. Follow this checklist to focus on the areas that need some maintenance so you can complete your chores quickly, leaving you plenty of time to go outside and enjoy the Carolina sunshine.