Home Maintenance Tips for Spring

With spring on the way, it’s time for many of us to work on our homes again. Temperatures are increasing, the days are getting longer, and we need to act now to prepare for warm weather elements.

With home maintenance, delaying doesn’t make economic sense. If you let problems fester, they will become more costly to fix.

Looking forward to getting started? Check out the following spring home maintenance and repair tips:

Drain Your Water Heater Tank

While you can get away doing no water heater tank maintenance for a couple of years, eventually sediment will build up to where the entire system stops working as effectively as it once did.

To combat this, open the faucet near the bottom of the tank (on most designs), and allow any liquid and particles to drain out. Collect everything that comes out in a bucket or tray, and then discard it. If you do this regularly, you may extend the life of the heater tank.

Remove Any Vegetation Encroaching on Your AC System

If your air conditioning system has an exterior compressor, you’ll want to quickly check that plants are not encroaching on it. If they are, grab a pair of pruning clippers and prune it back.

Plants can deposit debris in the compressor and may reduce airflow, causing your AC system to become less efficient. If you are fond of a bush or plant, dig it up at the roots and replant it somewhere else on your lot.

Check Door and Window Seals

Door and winter seals can last for many years, but eventually, they will crack. Winter weather causes them to become brittle, and expanding ice can open existing cracks, accelerating damage.

Look at your door and window seals, particularly those on your home’s exterior, for signs of wear, tear, and damage. Removing old caulk and replacing it can help to cut your air conditioning bills and stop water from entering your home.

Prepare Your Lawn Mower

Once spring arrives, the rate at which your lawn grows increases tremendously. While grass remains relatively dormant during winter months because of low temperatures, it sprouts in the spring when conditions are more optimal.

For this reason, you’ll need to prepare your lawn mower now. Oil the components and sharpen the cutting blade so that it whips through grass blades without scalping your lawn.

Replace Smoke Detector Batteries

Smoke detectors are cheap bits of kit, but they could save your life. Use springtime as an opportunity to swap out the old battery and fit a new one, particularly if your low-battery warning light is flashing.

Clean Your Refrigerator Coils

If your refrigerator or freezer has external coils, it’s a good idea to vacuum them every once in a while. This isn’t a weekly job by any stretch of the imagination, but over the course of a year, dust and grime can build up, reducing appliance efficiency.

If vacuuming doesn’t work, you can try using an air canister to blast any debris off the coils.

Repair Cracked or Peeling Paint

Cracked and peeling paint is, unfortunately, inevitable. Over time, paint loses its integrity.

Fortunately, it’s an easy problem to solve. Touch-up paint is inexpensive and can prevent existing paint jobs from deteriorating even further.

Fix Driveway Cracks

If you leave driveway cracks to fester, you’ll soon have a serious problem on your hands. Once cracks appear, they tend to get worse, damaging more of your property and increasing the cost of repairs. Call your local contractor and get them to come and fix it ASAP.

Wash Your Decking

While vendors treat decking with special chemicals that help it survive outdoors, it doesn’t last forever. Eventually, the elements will damage it.

Fortunately, you can slow down this process by regularly washing your decking with approved cleaners. Doing this removes particles that might lead to damage in the future.

You can also re-treat the wood with protective products, particularly if it’s cracked or lost its sheen.

Check Your Washing Machine Fill Hose

Washing machine fill hoses are essential for getting water into the system. However, if they are at all leaky or under pressure, they can cause serious damage to the rest of your property.

Carefully look at the hose for any cracks or leaks. Examine it thoroughly, making sure that there are no weaknesses that might cause you problems in the future.

Clean Your Dryer Vents

Over time, lint from clothing will build up in your dryer vents, causing them to work less efficiently. In extreme cases, it may even catch fire.

Therefore, it’s a good idea to clean them out regularly. Yes, it’s a hassle, but it will save you money in the long-term.

Clean Your HVAC Filters

HVAC filters are notorious for collecting dust. That’s because they have to draw in air from one side of your home and flush it out the other.

Usually, cleaning your filters is a simple job. Just follow the instruction booklet that came with your kit.

If you allow your filters to remain dirty, it forces your ventilation and air conditioning to work harder, pushing up your bills.

Clean Your Gutters

Over the fall and winter months, gutters can become full of leaves and twigs from nearby trees. This debris is problematic because it stops gutters from doing their job: to take water from the roof and channel it into a storm drain. Too much plant matter in your gutters can damage them and cause overflow, damaging your masonry and foundations.

If you’re confident with a ladder, you can clean them out yourself. And if you’re not, you can get a maintenance worker to do it for you.

Check Your Roof

Lastly, you’ll want to inspect your roof. Check it from both the inside and outside to make sure that there are no missing tiles or water ingress.

For more tips on protecting your biggest investment, visit our blog!