Spring is here and summer is fast approaching, make sure you and
your home are ready for the warm seasons! Whether you’re a seasoned homeowner
with years of spring maintenance under your belt, or a brand-new homeowner, the
list of tasks can seem daunting. We have provided an ultimate checklist to make
sure your home is ready for the upcoming months.
• Change your HVAC filters.
• Inspect your window screens for damage and give them a
thorough cleaning. Plus, checking for tears or holes now means you can get them
fixed before bugs start swarming.
• While you’re at it, give your windows a thorough scrubbing,
too. Getting rid of the grime will make your view a lot more appealing and let
even more sunshine into your home.
• Got a working fireplace? Now’s the time to clean it! Be sure
to put down a tarp to protect your floors, furniture, and walls before diving
in. (Note: Hire a professional to clean your fireplace chimney – don’t attempt
this yourself.)
• Carefully inspect your basement, attic, and crawl spaces for
moisture and mold.
• Schedule a professional air-conditioning service to make sure
your system is in tip-top shape before the hot summer days are here.
• Check your sump pump to make sure it’s in good working order
before the rainy season.
• Check your gutters and downspouts for leaves, sticks, and
other debris, and clear them out. If there’s been any damage from sleet, snow,
ice, or hail, now’s the time to repair it.
• Check the caulking around doors and windows. Replace if you
notice any damage or wear.
• Clear leaves, sticks, and other debris from your window wells.
• Carefully inspect any outdoor structures you have, including
wooden decks, railings, windowsills, and steps for rot. If you find any, plan
to replace them as soon as possible to prevent further damage. Regularly
staining and resealing these structures can help them last longer.
• Get rid of any standing water left from melting snow or ice to
prevent accidentally breeding mosquitos as the weather warms up.
• Take a look at your roof. Look for missing shingles, damage to
metal pipes, or anything else that just doesn’t look right.
• Check driveway and paths for cracks or other damage that might
have been caused by water over the winter. Patch or repair the asphalt,
concrete, or other hardscaping materials as needed.
• Check your sprinkler and irrigation systems. Run the system
and look for damaged heads or areas where water is spraying toward the house.
• Trim back trees and shrubs (or hire a professional) to prevent
damage to your house.
• Sweep, shovel, or rake your driveway, walking paths, and
decks. If gravel, mulch, or sand was moved, sweep it back into place.
• After cleaning all those hardscaped surfaces, it’s time to
pressure wash them! You can also pressure-wash wooden decks, railing, and
outdoor furniture.
• Aerating your lawn helps refresh it after snow and ice
compacted it during the winter. The best time to do this is after the rainy
season in spring, before it gets too hot.
• Clean up your flower beds. Remove debris, dead branches,
leaves, then prepare the beds for planting new buds or making room for
perennials to return.
• If you have permanent structures like benches, planters, or
fountains, make sure you thoroughly clean them and give them a fresh coat of
paint if applicable.
• Inspect your fence – it might need some work. Replace wobbly
posts, check for rotted areas that will need to be replaced, then finish with a
fresh coat of paint.
While it does take some work to get your home ready for summer,
doing all these tasks now ensures your home is protected from the elements, is
in good working order for the warm months, and will last a long time.
