9 Home Maintenance Tips for Spring

Spring is a particularly important time for home maintenance because of the wear and tear caused by the cold winter months. From frozen pipes to weighed-down roofs, winter is easily the toughest season on your home, making spring the ideal time to get everything back into working order. Plus, the breezy weather and longer days help boost your mood while you work.

As you prepare for this year’s spring cleaning, remember to check these tasks off your to-do list:

1) Take a Look at Your Roof

While Maryland had a relatively mild winter this past year, it’s still a good idea to start out spring by checking your roof shingles for any damage. You can do this yourself by taking a close look at your house from the ground with binoculars or you can hire a professional roofer to give the roof a thorough inspection. The sooner that you find problems, the easier it will be to repair your roof.

2) Examine Your Gutters

Like your roof, checking your gutters is another good post-winter maintenance habit. After all, spring is known as the season of rain. Take some time to make sure that everything is clean, intact, not loose, and draining correctly (away from your home’s foundation) to avoid water damage in the future.

3) Ready Your Lawn Equipment

Summer will be here before you know it. Go ahead and prep your lawn mower by sharpening its blades and giving the whole thing a deep cleaning. You’ll thank yourself come June.

4) Check Window and Door Seals

Make sure that the past few months of cold weather didn’t damage your door and window seals. Replacing cracked seals will give you better insulation and help protect your home against water damage and spring insects.

5) Change Your Air Filters

Since this should be done every few months, spring is a great time for a fresh start. Changing out dirty air filters for clean ones is beneficial for your air conditioner, but also for any family members with allergies.

6) Change Smoke Detector Batteries

To be safe, you should check the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors at least annually. Some smart devices, like Nest, can run regular monthly tests, too.

7) Touch Up Paint

Touching up the paint on scuffed doors, walls, and baseboards can make a real difference in the look and feel of your home. Use a simple paint pen or go ahead and apply a fresh coat. You might even want to use this new season to try out some new colors in the house or on the front door.

8) Check Your Washer and Dryer

An often overlooked part of home maintenance, taking the time to clean out your dryer vent can prevent a major home fire. You should also make sure that your washing machine hose is in good repair. Hoses wear down over time and a damaged hose can cause potentially extreme water damage to your house. 

9) Pressure Wash Outside Surfaces

Get rid of leftover winter grime by using a pressure washer to scrub down outside surfaces like your patio or deck. Your place will instantly feel as good as new. This is also an excellent time to inspect the outside of your home for other problems in need of repair, like troublesome cracks in a concrete driveway.