Regular maintenance keeps your siding looking new and
lasting longer against the elements and unwanted pests. Whether it's
vinyl, wood, or metal siding, all three types need to be maintained
differently.
Helps you save on heating and air conditioning bills as well as prevents moisture and insects from entering your home. Like preventing tooth decay, catching decaying wood early can avoid expensive repairs.
How
Check places like the corners of the trim around doors and windows, the bottom of the trim on doors where it meets the threshold, and the edges of siding where it meets corner boards of the house. If any of these joints are open, caulk them up with caulk rated for exterior use and follow the temperature instructions on the tube.
Prevents damage to your home's interior if flooding occurs through the foundation and walls. Clogged gutters cause water to sit, possibly allowing the water to seep in near your roof.
A leaky or damaged roof can cause major problems to the
inside of your home, resulting in expensive repair costs. You'll want to
inspect both the inside and outside of your home to discover possible
warning signs of roof damage.
Wet basements and rotted wood often mean that there is a
leaky pipe in the walls, a downspout that isn't draining away from the
house, or possibly moisture coming in through a cracked concrete
foundation.
Though you can inspect the cap and masonry of your
own chimney if you're brave enough to get on top of your roof, we advise
you to contact a professional chimney sweep.
Removes harmful mold and mildew as well as gets rid of dirt
that makes your home look older. Brightens sidewalks and driveways to
complement the rest of the landscaping.
These barriers help keep out pests and whatever else the
wind wants to blow into your home. If you have holes bigger than a
quarter, you'll want to consider replacing the screen.
Storm windows and doors help keep in heated air during harsh
winter conditions. Once spring comes around, it's time to put the storm
windows and doors away.
You want to avoid unsightly cracks in the driveway that take
away from the exterior of your home. Also, some cracks are so severe
that they could be considered safety hazards.
After the harsh winter cold where you probably kept the heat
going more than usual, you'll want to get the entire system checked to
make sure everything is in working order. Also, if you want to consider
having your air ducts inspected for any mold or dust deposits, now is a
good time to do this.
The company that services your heating and cooling system will be an excellent source of advice. Or, contact other heating and cooling professionals to schedule an inspection.
Though you should be checking your filters once a month, a
good rule of thumb is to get in the habit of checking them at the
beginning of each cooling and heating season (spring and fall). Dirty
filters slow air down, making the system work harder to heat or cool
your home.
Replacing filters are extremely easy and fairly inexpensive. However, call your local professionals who specialize in servicing your heating and A/C system if you'd like to leave this task up to them.
It prolongs the life of the hot water heater if you remove
minerals left behind in the tank. Clogged drain valves slow down the
efficiency of the hot water heater, costing you more money in the long
run.
Not everyone is comfortable with draining hot water
in this manner due to the possibility of getting scalded and burned.
Consult with a professional plumber who can advise you on the best method to drain your hot water heater.
Throw a bucket of water on your decking to see if you need to reseal. If the water beads up, then your sealant is still working. If the water is absorbed by the decking, then it's time to get some sealant. Not resealing and/or staining your deck every year causes discoloration, dirtiness, roughness, and the likelihood of splintering.
Find a local deck professional that can clean and reseal your deck for several hundred dollars, or buy the materials you need at your local home center.
Your lawnmower has been out of commission (or hibernation,
if you will) for several months. You'll need to make sure the oil is
changed, the blade is sharpened, the spark plug is firing, and the fuel
and air filters are clean when the grass starts to green.
If you don't want to fool with the hassle of tuning up your mower, contact local lawn service professionals who can get your mower ready for the grass-cutting season.
Did you accidentally mow over a sprinkler head last year and
you're just now realizing that it's not working properly? Bad valves
and broken irrigation pipes can spell major damage and higher water
bills if you're not careful.
Hire a qualified sprinkler repair person to assess the various problems you may be encountering and give you an estimate on what it'll cost to fix them.
Weeds can quickly overtake your lawn if you don't take
action at the right time. In the same manner that you'd put crabgrass
pre-emergent down in the winter time to stop the growth at the beginning
of the spring, try to get a feel as to when weeds begin to sprout in
your climate area. Count backward three weeks from that time period and
plan to apply a pre-emergent for weeds then.
Overgrown bushes and vegetation don't just create eyesores
for you and your neighbors. By not trimming them back, you're actually
harming the plant/shrub's growth. Also, keep in mind that high bushes
can often be great hiding places for thieves looking to get into your
house.
Since your pool was shut down for the winter, you'll need to
verify that the filtration system and other parts are in working order
before you jump in for the first cannonball of the swim season.
Though the spring is when the grass starts to grow, you'll
need a plan to prepare for the hot summer months when lawns are stressed
and weeds can potentially take over.
Check the roof for repairs
