Since the 1800s, spring has been the season for the biggest household cleaning tasks. As the days get longer, many people begin to think about “spring cleaning” and removing junk and clutter from the home. However, spring is also the time to dive into home maintenance that you’ve been putting off all winter. It’s the perfect time to address landscaping issues, fix lawn or exterior problems before pests become active, and paint or otherwise decorate before temperatures become unbearably hot. Completing these tasks in the spring can save you a lot of pain later.
Exterior Home Maintenance
Exterior home maintenance is the very first thing you should check on when spring rolls around. Whether you’re in an area that experiences frosty winter temperatures or not, you should take advantage of temperate weather to make sure your house’s exterior is functional, attractive, and leak-proof. Of particular note here are gutters, as they should be thoroughly cleaned and checked for leaks at least twice every year. Take advantage of temperate weeks in the spring and fall to do this, but if you have trees that frequently clog your gutters, you may have to clean them more or install a debris shield instead. Don’t just check the home itself, either – make sure you inspect and maintain all of your possessions that exist outside of the home. This includes things like air conditioners, swimming pools, sheds, decks and garages.
Get Your Garden Ready
Springtime is the time of year that you should be readying your garden. If you start seeds or move plants indoors for the winter, you’ll want to start growing your plants for the year indoors, and decide when the best time will be to move them outside. Most plants that grow in four-season regions can go out safely after all danger of frost has passed. Even if you don’t start new plants every year, you’ll need to tend to your perennials. Remove or trim old, dead plants and leaves so that your gardens look fresh and new again. Removing old plant debris makes these plants healthier, too. If you fertilize your plants frequently, now is also the time to do it, before pests in the soil become active.
Search For Pests
Having unwanted pests like wasps, termites, or ants in or around your home is never fun. When temperatures are just starting to warm up in the spring, you have a small window of time when bugs aren’t active yet. This leaves you with an excellent opportunity to check for pests or remove any unwanted nests with little repercussions. This applies to any maintenance you need to do on the home, too. If you need to replace windows or do any work that might expose your house to outdoor animals or pests, it’s best to get that work done before they become an issue (taking rain or other inclement weather into account, of course).
Interior Home Maintenance
When spring comes, you’ll want to check certain parts of the inside of your home, too. The most important thing is to check that none of your plumbing is leaking or cracked. During the winter, pipes that aren’t well insulated can freeze, causing the water inside them to expand and damage the pipe. Be vigilant for these cracks and leaks when spring comes and temperatures begin to rise. Make sure to check your attic for leaks, too, if you have one. If the winter weather has been particularly bad, your roof may have suffered damage from any number of sources, such as hail, falling branches, or heavy loads of snow. Walking the roof of your house is always a good idea, but it’s also a good idea to check the inside for leaks or light coming through.
Check Your Sprinklers
If you have sprinkler systems installed in your yard, now is the time to check and make sure that they’re functioning properly. Just as with interior pipes, exterior sprinkler pipes can be susceptible to freezing over the winter. Your sprinklers may need adjustment so they’re spraying the right areas of your lawn if they’ve shifted over the winter. Make sure to check any outdoor faucets for leaks while you’re at it, too.
Spring can seem like a hectic season with all that there is to do. However, being proactive with detecting issues and performing maintenance on your home in the spring can save you from expensive fixes down the line. It’s essential to remain vigilant so that the condition of your home, yard and possessions remain at its optimum.
