With spring officially here and March-now-moved-to-April Break coming up in a few short weeks, I thought it would be a good time to remind all of you homeowner’s that now is the time to get a start on your home maintenance spring checklist.
Keeping your home in tip-top shape will help to decrease the likelihood that you’ll have to shell out huge chunks of money all at once on emergency repairs.
When it comes to home maintenance, it’s easy to be overwhelmed or unsure of what to do and when to do it. By breaking the jobs required down by season, you can make it much more manageable and you’ll be less likely to forget specific tasks.
For those of you that don’t have a home maintenance spring checklist, you might want to consider starting your own or using the one below (or a combination of both!).
Check out the list below, hope it helps!
The Homeowner’s Spring Checklist
- After consulting your hot water tank owner’s manual, carefully test the temperature and pressure relief valve to ensure it is not stuck. Caution: This test may release hot water that can cause burns.
- Have fireplace or wood stove and chimney cleaned and serviced as needed.
- Shut down, drain and clean furnace humidifier, and close the furnace humidifier damper on units with central air conditioning.
- Switch on power to air conditioning and check system. Have it serviced every two or three years.
- Clean or replace air-conditioning filter, if applicable.
- Check dehumidifier and drain — clean if necessary.
- Turn OFF gas furnace and fireplace pilot lights where possible.
- Check smoke, carbon monoxide and security alarms, and replace batteries.
- Clean windows, screens and hardware, and replace storm windows with screens. Check screens first and repair or replace if needed.
- Open valve to outside hose connection after all danger of frost has passed.
- Examine the foundation walls for cracks, leaks or signs of moisture, and repair as required.
- Ensure sump pump is operating properly before the spring thaw sets in. Ensure discharge pipe is connected and allows water to drain away from the foundation.
- Re-level any exterior steps or decks that moved as a result of frost or settling.
- Check for and seal off any holes in exterior cladding that could be an entry point for small pests, such as bats and squirrels.
- Check eaves troughs and downspouts for loose joints and secure attachment to your home. Clear any obstructions and ensure water flows away from your foundation.
- Repair and paint fences as necessary. Make sure to allow wood fences to dry adequately before tackling this task.
- Undertake spring landscape maintenance and, if necessary, fertilize young trees.