Protect Your Investment

8 Simple Spring Maintenance Tasks

Spring Fever is upon us. As fresh air from recently opened windows ushers out the stale confinement of winter, our indoor routines are lost to feelings of resurgence that spring flowers bring.

Our homes are in need of a spring revival as well.  Setting aside a weekend to evaluate what has been slightly damaged or neglected over the harsh winter will save you from having to pay big dollars for major future repairs.  And in this economy, an ounce of prevention is truly worth a pound of cure.  Whether you plan to sell your home during the busy warmer months or whether you plan to hold on to your investment for many years to come, you will reap the rewards for investing time and money today. 

Start preparing for those April showers with a few spring maintenance service checks.

#1  Inspect gutters and downspouts.  Winter ice may have formed around gutters, causing them to separate from your home that may allow water to seep into exposed eaves.  It is important to check for loose joints or rusting.  Debris should also be removed and make sure downspout extensions are in place.  A properly performing roof drainage system will distribute water runoff away from the foundation.  That's important.

#2  Prepare your outside faucets for use.  Make sure the faucet, or hose bib is off, then turn on the inside shut-off valve. Do you hear running water? If so, then the water line may have frozen during the winter and is damage.  Unless it's repaired the basement may flood, causing hundreds of dollars of water damage.

#3  Now is a good time to check the sealing of your home.  How is the exterior paint, especially around wood window frames? Is the paint peeling? Over time, exposed wood will absorb water and deteriorate beyond repair. How about the caulk you applied around windows and doors a couple of seasons ago? Is it separating from age? Tight seals will keep the rain from those spring showers out.  Nail penetrations, trim intersections, plumbing, electrical and mechanical penetrations require tight sealing as well.  This sealant prevents water penetration or absorption, which can result in delamination of the siding and cause interior damage.

#4  Visually inspect the roof.  This is probably the most important preventative spring maintenance project.  Use extreme caution if you walk the roof or call a professional ASHI certified home inspector.  Although not as telling, another option for the layman is to inspect the roof from the ground using binoculars.  Check for signs of ice damming that has occurred during the winter months.  Winter's weather can also damage or loosen shingles.  Check for and replace missing shingles.  Re-roofing is not always necessary.

Other quick and simple tasks:

#5 Change or replace old smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. Otherwise, now is a good time to change their batteries;  

#6 Check screens for holes;

#7 Clean the fireplace. Creosote build-up in wood burning fireplaces by a professional contractor usually is cheaper during the warmer months; and

#8 Replace filters to ensure an efficient running air conditioner and don't forget to lubricate the moving components or contact a qualified contractor.

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