Your Complete Spring Home Maintenance Checklist

After a long winter, spring is the perfect season for homeowners to perform home maintenance projects. Since the weather is usually warmer outside, it’s a good time for you to tackle both exterior and interior projects.

Use the spring home maintenance checklist provided below to help you improve your home and potentially avoid expensive repairs in the future.

Some exterior home maintenance ventures are better to do in the spring, especially if you live in a climate with harsh winters. Take a look at our suggestions for exterior spring home maintenance projects.

1. Tidy Up Your Lawn

During the wintertime, you most likely took a break from mowing the lawn and doing other yard work. However, as your grass begins to grow again and your flowers start to bloom, it’s a good time to enhance your yard.

If you own a lawnmower, make sure that nothing needs to be replaced or fixed before the season starts. Routine maintenance includes replacing the spark plugs, changing the oil and replacing the air filter. In addition, you should check to see if your other lawn equipment works. This may include hedge trimmers, weed eaters and sprinkler or irrigation systems.

2. Update Your Landscaping

Besides mowing the lawn, it’s also a good time to learn how to landscape your yard. You could plant new flowers, install decorations or even put in a fountain. If you have sprinklers, check to see if they need new heads.

If you’re not confident in landscaping your own yard, you can always hire someone to do the work for you. Just make sure you shop around to get the best price that fits your budget.

3. Wash And Repaint Exterior Surfaces

Are there stains on the outside walls of your home or on your concrete? Is your paint chipping away or do you want to spruce things up? Now is the best time for you to give the exterior of your home a makeover.

To clean the exterior, you can rent or buy a pressure washer to do it yourself or hire a professional to do it for you.

Painting the outside of your home, refreshing your front door with a bright new color or refinishing your outdoor furniture are great examples of budget-friendly spring projects.

When painting your house, keep in mind that some colors may not add value to your home if you want to sell it. If you’re thinking of selling soon, we recommend more neutral colors that appeal to a wider range of buyers.

4. Clean Your Gutters

Your gutters prevent rainwater from damaging the structure of your home. But when the gutters clog up with debris, they don’t function properly. This puts your roof, as well as your home, at risk for damage.

Because of this, it’s important to clean your gutters. This will require a ladder. While you’re up there, you can also remove other debris from the roof. If you don’t feel comfortable climbing on top of the roof, reach out to a professional.

5. Inspect The Condition Of Your Home

Spring is the optimal time to walk around your property and examine the condition of your home. Here are a few areas you’ll want to be sure to inspect. 

Roof

While you’re on the roof, you should inspect the general condition of it. You can most likely see signs of damage without having to climb up on a ladder. If your shingles have shifted, cracked or are missing, it may be time to call a professional roofing company.

Harsh winter storms and years of wear and tear can cause damage to your roof. Depending on the material, you’ll likely need to replace your roof every 15 – 30 years.

Chimney

You should also do a check of your chimney if you use it frequently throughout the winter. If you have a masonry chimney, you’ll want to look for any signs of damage to the joints between the bricks. If there are any cracks, bricks/stone missing or vegetation growing, these could all be signs of a sealant that is no longer working properly. For this reason, you should have your chimney professionally serviced annually.

Windows

If your windows aren’t sealed properly, they can increase your energy bill due to cold air seeping in during the winter or air conditioning leaking out during the summer months. Check each window to make sure it’s sealed properly and that no screens have any existing rips. If there are any shatters or cracks, you may need to consider replacing the window. Afterward, clean each window using soap and water or glass cleaner.

Foundation

As you end your walkthrough, the final area you’ll want to inspect is the foundation of your home. You’ll be checking to make sure that there are no visible cracks. If you do find any, it’s important to get a professional’s opinion on whether any further steps need to be taken.

6. Clean Your Patio Or Deck

If you have a patio or deck, take this time to sweep off debris that may have accumulated during the winter. Also, now is a good time to wash it with a hose if it’s dirty, or use a pressure washer if you notice any hard-to-remove stains.

Prepping your patio or deck now will allow you to enjoy it as the weather starts to get warmer. You can also use this time to update any outdoor decor and furniture, wash your chair cushions and clean your grill.

Although you can take on interior projects year-round, spring is a good time to remember to complete some of these tasks before going outside to enjoy the nice weather. Let’s take a look at our suggestions for interior spring home maintenance projects.

1. Inspect Your Attic And Basement

It’s likely that you spend less time in your attic or basement than you do in the other rooms of your home. Taking time to inspect these areas of the house in the spring can alert you to any issues that may be present such as mold and mildew, pest infestations or ventilation issues.

If you do find any signs that insects or rodents are present, be sure to call a pest control company who can help you safely and effectively take care of the issue.

2. Reverse Your Ceiling Fans

During the winter, A/C experts recommend that your ceiling fans spin in a clockwise direction to circulate hot air down. However, in the spring and summer, they recommend the ceiling fan spin in a counterclockwise direction to circulate cooler air.

According to the Department of Energy, if you use the ceiling fan properly, it can save on energy costs. To properly change your ceiling fan direction, consult your owner’s manual.

3. Replace Your Smoke And Carbon Monoxide Detector Batteries

Most experts recommend testing your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors once a month and replacing their batteries annually. This project could save your life. To test each of these devices, hold down the test button until you hear beeps. If the beeps are weak, you need to replace the batteries. Also, if you hear a persistent chirping noise in your home soon after replacing all the batteries, you might need to replace one of your smoke detectors.

4. Have Your Air Conditioner Serviced

As you move into warmer temperatures, you’ll want to prep your air conditioner for the months ahead. Having it serviced andinspected is a wise idea. Make sure your unit is cooling the house properly. Having an inspector look at your unit can ensure thatit’s running efficiently, which might help you reduce your energy bill.

While getting your air conditioner inspected may require a technician, there’s something you can do that’s simple: check your air filter. If the filter is dirty, replace it with a new one.

5. Deep Clean Your Home

You may have heard the phrase “spring cleaning” before, and there’s a good reason why many individuals choose this time of year to deep clean their home. Deep cleaning your home now can be beneficial for improving air quality and relieving common allergy symptoms that many individuals face in the springtime. Here are a few areas of your home that you should target during your deep cleaning spree.

• Baseboards and walls
• The inside of your kitchen appliances and stove range hood
• Hard to reach areas (above cabinets, underneath furniture and behind appliances)
• Windowsills
• The top of your ceiling fans
• Curtains and blinds
• Floors that may need to be mopped
• Carpets that may need to be washed with a carpet cleaner
• The lint trap in your dryer
• The top shelves and floor of your closets

These are just a few spring cleaning projects that you might want to take on, but every house is different. It’s important to consider all of the areas in your own home where dirt and dust may be hiding.

6. Declutter And Donate Items You No Longer Need

As the winter changes to spring, you may want to switch out your wardrobe, home decor or other household items. With warmer temperatures, you’ll no longer need to wear heavy coats or use thick blankets. While going through these items, you might find some items that you no longer wear or use.

If you find yourself in that situation, the best thing you can do is get rid of what you no longer need to free up space in your home. You can donate the items that are still in good shape to your local Goodwill or Salvation Army. Alternatively, you could sell your items to a consignment shop or host a garage sale.

The warmer spring weather gives homeowners a chance to tackle several spring maintenance projects. By performing the items on the checklist, you can tidy up and maintain your space, inside and out. You might even save some money on expensive repairs by doing so.

Tackling all the projects on this list in one day might not work for your busy schedule. However, adding one at a time to your to-do list will help you get them done before summer. Getting professional help could help you knock these items off the checklist sooner.

If you find that more extensive repairs are needed, consider applying for a personal loan with Rocket Loans^SM today to help you cover the expenses.