Your Spring Home Maintenance Checklist 🌷
Flowers are starting to bloom, the sun is slowly starting to shine and you’re finally able to spend a portion of your days outside.
Springtime marks the start of a super fun season of life and with spring break quickly approaching and summer break following closely behind, now is the time to make sure certain parts of your home are in tip top shape.
By taking care of these things now, you can make sure you're enjoying the coming schedule change with your kiddos and fully immerse yourself into planning those summer vacations -- All because you stayed on top of your home maintenance!
So pick a weekend (or two) and pencil in SPRING CLEANING on the calendar!
Here’s your list of things to include ⬇️
Inspect roof for damage or leaks
April showers bring May flowers, but they can also bring not-so-fun leaks if you don’t properly inspect your roof during this time of year!
The reason that spring is the perfect time for inspections is because when the sun starts shining, it’s easier for your roofers to spot any signs of damage, such as cracks, missing shingles, moisture damage or signs of wear.
While they’re inspecting, they can also clear any debris that may have built up during the winter months.
Doing a yearly roof inspection can prevent you from having to do a roof replacement in the future aka saving you money!
Cleanout air conditioner filter
In the fall, I encourage homeowners to have their cooling system serviced and inspected (along with a few other fall maintenance items) so hopefully that’s been done before now! If not, I would put that on your list combined with changing your air conditioner filter.
Here’s why: you’re about to enter a season where your air conditioner will be working overtime and you want to make sure that everything is running properly so you don’t have to worry about any clogging or breakdowns during the hot months.
A broken air conditioner on a hot and humid summer day?! No thanks 🙅🏻♀️
Get ahead of potential issues like this by checking this maintenance item off your list!
And while you’re at it, make sure the filter is cleaned out.
Did you know that on average Americans spend 90% of their time indoors? And indoor air pollution is on average 2-5 times more polluted than outdoor air?!
When you clean out or replace your air filter in your home, you’re not only improving the efficiency of your cooling system, but you’re also eliminating preventable pollutants throughout your home that can lead to mold and allergens.
Essentially, when you change your air filter, you’re saving yourself money (because the system doesn’t have to work so hard) and you’re creating a healthier environment for you and your family!
Service your furnace
Similar to how I recommend servicing your cooling system in the fall after a few months of using the system daily, I also recommend servicing your furnace after a cold winter season where the furnace has been working hard.
Even though you’re entering a season where you won’t be using the furnace, maintenance items like this are all about prevention for the future.
Sort of like you don’t wait until your car breaks down to get the oil changed. Instead, you take preventative action on a regular basis so that your car continues to run smoothly.
It’s the same concept here!
Take the preventative action that’s necessary to prevent any issues come next winter. You’ll thank yourself later!
Refinish, inspect and properly clean your deck
You know all of those backyard barbecues you’ve been dreaming about? It’s almost time to bring those to life, but not until your deck is ready for proper hosting!
If you have a deck or any kind of porch that’s made of exposed wood, you might find that the winter months took a toll on how things look. If so, early spring is one of the best times to refinish, inspect and properly clean the area.
Overtime mold and mildew can cause certain parts of the wood to rot, so you want to make sure that your space is being inspected for any spots that may need to be repaired or replaced.
In addition to an overall inspection, it’s time to bring out the pressure washer to get rid of any debris, pollen or staining that might be present.
Doing this not only keeps your deck safe and clean for you to use, but it also maximizes the value of the space and your overall home, which can play in your favor if you ever decide to sell!
Pump your septic tank
If you have a septic tank, now is the time to get it pumped!
Most people know that getting your septic tank pumped is a necessity, but what they don’t often know is that there are good and bad times of the year to do so.
In the winter, the ground is typically frozen and hard, which makes it hard to dig access to your tank. This is why having your septic tank pumped in the spring and summer is highly encouraged!
If you live in an area with a lot of rainfall, you want to make sure that your septic tank is pumped accordingly in order to avoid any possible flooding.
Repair or replace exterior caulking around doors & windows
Exterior caulking is done to seal the seams of your outdoor windows, doors, siding, gutters, etc. in order to insulate your home and keep out water, bugs and other debris.
Exterior caulk adapts to the weather conditions by expanding in the summer and shrinking in the winter, which means you can expect a bit of wear and tear overtime.
With this normal wear and tear, it’s important that you inspect the exterior caulking each year and the best time to make any repairs or replacements are the spring and fall.
During these times of year, the joints and cracks that you want to seal will typically be at their midpoint width thanks to the temperature not being too hot or too cold, which means that the caulk will apply correctly and work like it’s supposed to!
Fertilize your yard
After months of seeing dead and dry trees and grass, you’re probably ready for the beauty that spring brings with it. 🌱🌸🌼
Well, the only way that can really happen is if you take the steps to make it happen. It’s no secret that springtime is the season where everything blooms and while most people jump straight to their flower beds, there’s one big thing that also needs your attention: your yard.
If you want a beautiful and luscious green lawn, it needs your help! Fertilizing your lawn during the spring gives extra nutrients that act as a jump start for the rest of the growing season and promotes healthy grass growth that the winter took a toll on.
When you carve out just a bit of your time to complete these 7️⃣ spring home maintenance items, you can freely plan and enjoy your spring days and summer vacays while also knowing that your home is in its tip top shape.
Here’s to sunny days ahead, friend! ☀️
P.S. If you want to make sure that you’re staying on top of your home maintenance for ALL seasons, go ahead and download the full seasonal checklist to make things easy peasy for you during all four seasons.
