It’s spring- here’s a home maintenance checklist!
Spring has sprung and after our cold, icy winter, we are READY! Before you grab those golf clubs, make sure your home is ready to welcome spring, too. As you know, there’s lots more to home ownership than a brisk spring cleaning. We thought we’d go through some of the common things you can do to make sure your house is ready for March and beyond!It goes without saying that it’s especially important to perform these tasks if you’re readying your house for the hot spring market. These details not only enhance curb appeal, but it isn’t uncommon for sellers to recoup much of the money spent on a well-maintained home. For more ideas on how to enhance your home’s curb appeal, consider going to the 2018 Greater Kansas City Home Show next month!
Spring Exterior Maintenance Checklist
- Windows and screens: Clean screens with soap and water and check for holes. Patch holes and/or replace the screen. Pro tip: save the bad screen to patch next year’s holes. Tighten or repair any loose or damaged frames and repaint. Replace broken, worn, or missing hardware.
- Guttering: Remove leaves and debris from gutters and downspouts. Reattach gutters that have pulled away from the house. Run a hose on the roof and check for proper drainage. If leaks exist, dry the area and use caulking or epoxy to seal the leak.
- Foundation, driveway and chimney: Check foundation walls, floors, concrete, and masonry for cracking or deterioration. Check to make sure bricks are secure and not losing mortar. Check for cracks in foundation and severe scaling on driveway. Winter salt and sand wreak havoc on concrete!
- Roof: As much as you can, inspect roof surface flashing, eaves, and soffits. If you suspect issues, hire a professional roofer for a thorough inspection.
- Deck, patio and/or porch: Check for loose parts and deterioration. Open decks and wood fences need to be treated every 4-6 years, depending on how much exposure they get to sun and rain.
- Irrigation system: Most irrigation companies include a spring check as part of their maintenance program. They will check for leaky valves, exposed lines, and improperly working sprinkler heads when they come to turn on the system for the year. Make sure to point out any low areas or places where water accumulates or doesn’t seem to be properly irrigated.
- Landscaping: Cut back and trim all vegetation and overgrown bushes from structures. Same goes for low-hanging and dead limbs. Rake leaves from beds and against fencing- where they tend to accumulate over the winter.
- A/C unit: Spray off the unit with a hose. Cut back or remove any debris.
Spring Interior Maintenance Checklist
- Air Conditioner: The best time to do this is now, before you fire up the A/C for the first time of the season! A/C maintenance ensures an efficient, long-lasting unit. As part of your professional maintenance check, they will look at refrigerant levels, evaporator and condenser coils, electrical components, the thermostat and filters.
- Filters: Make sure you are changing the filter in your HVAC quarterly!
- Dust crown molding, baseboards, ceiling corners, light fixtures and lamps, ceiling fans
- Clean windows
- Replace batteries: smoke and CO detectors
- Schedule pest control maintenance
- Clean dryer vent/tubing in laundry room
Deep Clean the Kitchen
- Clean and organize the freezer/refrigerator
- Vacuum refrigerator coils
- Clean hood vent and change filter
- Change water filter in refrigerator
- Organize the pantry
After you’ve done ALL OF THAT…it’s time to focus on the fun stuff! Spring decor! Pillows! Throws! Cute rugs! Vases! Read our blog post on 2018 Home Decor Trends for all the inspiration you’ll need! Happy Spring! Ideas Source: https://www.homeadvisor.com/r/spring-maintenance-checklist/#ixzz58LsDHhAc