10 Spring Maintenance Tips to Spruce Up Your Home
Spring, with all of its glorious sunshine, warmer temperatures, and colorful blooms, has arrived in West Michigan! But before you start taking weekend trips to Lake Michigan or spending the day at the Zoo, there are a few things you need to do after the cold winter season to make sure your home is running as efficiently as possible for the next year. In this blog we will go over some useful spring maintenance tips to care for your home.
Spring Maintenance Tips for Your Home
1) Change the batteries on smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Both alarms should be tested monthly, but you should replace the batteries on smoke alarms once a year, and on carbon monoxide alarms every six months.
2) Check the attic for mold or pests. Before it gets too hot, now is a good time to check your attic for signs of any water damage, mold, or pests. It’s better to get ahead of any problems in your attic because they’ll only get worse with time, and can eventually affect the rest of the home.
3) Clean gutters and downspouts. After the falling leaves of autumn and winter, it’s best to clean all gutters and downspouts to make sure water is flowing freely away from your home. Pooling water will cause foundation issues, and clogged gutters can cause rotting eaves, which leaves your attic vulnerable to infestation.
4) Repair, seal and paint exterior wood. Freezing temperatures, rain, and snow can take its toll on woodwork. Give your fences, decks, railings, and gazebos some TLC so that you can enjoy them all spring and summer.
5) Check for termites. Eastern subterranean termite infestation is not a problem you want to have. These insects swarm in the spring, usually after a warm rainfall. If you see any signs of them, like small holes in drywall, discolored or drooping drywall, or peeling paint that looks like water damage, call a professional exterminator asap.
6) Inspect the roof. After winter storms, ice and snow, have a good look at your roof and check for missing shingles, damaged metal pipes, loose gutters, or anything else that doesn’t look quite right. Even a small leak can add up to big problems over time.
7) Check sprinklers, hoses, and irrigation systems. Check for any leaks or damaged hoses, pipes or sprinkler heads. By making repairs and ensuring the system is watering only what it should, you’ll avoid wasting water and paying a too-high bill.
8) Check and replace damaged screens. One of the best parts of spring is opening the windows to let in fresh air! Make sure nothing unwanted gets in by inspecting window and door screens for holes or ill fits.
9) Service your HVAC system. There’s nothing worse than when your A/C goes out on the hottest day of the year. Get a step ahead and have your A/C professionally inspected to make sure there are no red flags.
10) Check the condition of concrete walkways, driveways, patios, and stairs. Freezing and thawing can cause concrete and asphalt to crack and buckle. Make sure there are no hazards on your property that may cause people to trip or fall.
When you move into a new Heartland home, you won’t need to worry about many of these items for quite some time. But it never hurts to check. A day of preventative home maintenance can save you huge amounts of time and money later on. And as a Heartland homeowner, our warranty program will take care of most of these items for you if they need to be addressed within the first year.
For more information about Heartland’s custom homes on your lot in West Michigan and/or the Grand Rapids area, please contact Cindy at 616-205-5430