Spring is in the air! With winter’s frost thawed, and spring flowers in bloom, it is a time when most people enjoy getting their house in order. However, in addition to doing a little spring cleaning, you should also create an annual spring maintenance checklist for your home. Completing this annual maintenance will help ensure your home stays in tip top shape for the summer and prevent potential costly damage.
Spring Home Maintenance Checklist:
1. Inspect gutters and downspouts
Spring is the rainy season, and it is important that your gutters and downspouts are free of debris so that rainwater will effectively run away from your foundation. Make sure that downspouts are intact and point the water away from your home’s foundation.
2. Trim trees
Strong spring storms can bring down large tree branches. If you have a tree that is leaning toward your house or has large branches hanging over your roof, it could potentially cause a lot of damage if it fell on your house. Reach out to a professional tree trimming company about safely trimming your trees.
3. Inspect caulking around doors and windows
Repair any missing or damaged caulking to keep your home well insulated and prevent unwanted water from seeping in.
4. Inspect Wooden decks, railings, and stairs for rot
Repair any damaged wood and touch up the paint. If you have a stained deck, it will last longer if you stain it every year or two.
5. Check for termites
Walk around your home’s exterior and look for winged insects flying around a hole in the woodwork. Also look for termite trails along the wall. If you see any, call a termite exterminator right away!
6. Prevent mosquitos
Mosquitos breed in standing water and are vectors of disease. Walk around your property looking for any areas that collect water and fix it. Do what you need to do to remove the standing water to help limit the amount of mosquitos so you and your family can better enjoy your yard.
7. Check that your sump pump is in working order
St. Louis’s weather patterns are changing, and we are seeing more heavy rainfall which can flood your basement. Make sure that your sump pump is working and ideally has a battery backup if you experience a power outage during a storm.
