It is the start of a new year, and winter is still very much upon us. While we are still in the middle of it and are a few months away from saying goodbye to the cold and snow, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to think already about preparing for the next seasons this year. Spring is up next after winter, so it makes sense to make preparations for it especially regarding maintaining the home.
Indeed, the arrival of spring brings more than just the welcome warmth and light of the sun. It also means that there is a lot of work that needs to be done, things that need to be fixed because of what winter has brought. In and around your home, you can find the plants that have died during the cold season and the harshness of the season, the gutter that seems to be overflowing with dead leaves, and others that demand your attention.
There is a lot of work to be done, and a few home maintenance tips for the arriving springtime is going to be to very helpful. The following is a short list of those tips:
-Check out the small areas around the house, especially the one that’s near the foundation. It has to be filled up with some compacted soil. Be sure that it is thoroughly filled out because rains during the springtime could cause some flooding in the yard and eventually do damage to the foundation of the home. If the flooding happens in the summertime, then it could also serve as a breeding ground for insects during the summer when water collects on those low areas.
-Gutters should be one of the concerns, so you need to go and see if it has any leaks. If there are any leaks, then it could lead to accumulated water in various spaces around the house and even the basement of the home. The downspouts that lead from the gutters are clear of any trash or debris and does not drain directly or even near the foundation of your home.
-Do not forget to check out your chimney. See if there is any damage to its exterior, and it would be advisable to get the services of a certified chimney sweep to inspect and clean it up.
-The firewood that you have stored near your home during the winter season should be moved a little farther away when springtime comes. The desirable distance should be at least two feet from the primary structure and about one and a half feet from the ground.
-Check out the air conditioning system if there are any damages. Get the services of a qualified cooling and heating contractor to clean and service the outside unit. A service call that’s done on a yearly basis would allow the air conditioning unit to perform and operate at its peak level.
-Service the interior drain lines in my 1955 ranch style home, in my kitchen, laundry sink, bathtub, and basement floor drains I add one cup of baking soda, follow with one cup of white vinegar then pour a tea kettle of boiling water after that. I do this monthly
-Find the handy caulking gun and caulk around the exterior of my doors, windows, bathtub tiles, kitchen or bathroom counter tops, driveway or foundational cracks and all those places that have caulk that has cracked or has gaps on the inside and outside of my home
-Check the soffits and fascia boards behind my gutters for water damage or areas where animals can enter my attic
-Every piece of lawn equipment should be checked, whether it is gas or battery powered. It should be prepared for use during the springtime and more so when the summer season arrives.
Good luck, be careful when using your ladders always look up you would be amazed at what can get in the way of a ladder- light fixtures, electrical wires all kinds of things.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
