No matter what the
weather is like in your area, it is officially
spring time and time for spring cleaning. Spring is
also a great time to inspect your house after the
winter chill is over and see if you need more
storage, a maid service to help out, or a
professional organizer. Many people don't realize
what type of home maintenance they need to do.
Many spots on the inside and outside of your home
need to be inspected to make sure that damage hasn't
been occurring quietly over the winter, or maybe
even longer. Spring will bring wet weather followed
by some intense heat. If your walls, windows or
other areas have been compromised by the winter
weather, you need to know now. Start by checking
indoors, and remember that just because it isn't
damaged doesn't mean that it doesn't need to be
cleaned. If you are uncomfortable with doing this
work, hire a handyman to do this for you.
Indoors
Painting: Check the
walls and woodwork. Make a list of anything that
needs painting or staining.
Air Conditioning: Have your air conditioner
or evaporative cooler serviced and replace all
filters. Have ducts and vents professionally
cleaned. An attic or whole house fan might be an
appropriate solution for drawing warm air from the
lower levels of your home.
Carpets: Have your carpets professionally
cleaned. Carpet can get dirtier day by day in the
winter without any doors and windows open. Most
likely it is much more filthy than you think.
Cleaning: Dust and clean light fixtures and
ceiling fans. If you have wood floors, don't forget
to dust underneath the furniture. Clean all the
windows you can reach. Hire professional window
washers for the ones you can't, both inside and out.
Outdoors
Painting: On
wood siding and trim, look for paint that is lifting
or peeling and for splitting wood or areas where the
wood grain is separating from water getting into the
wood. Hiring a professional painter to waterproof
and paint your house now will fill gaps and help
your wood siding and trim last longer, saving you
money in the long run.
On stucco, if you can rub a chalky residue onto your
hand, oxidation of the paint or color coat is
reducing the stucco's insulating value. A siding
contractor needs to take a closer look at this.
Cleaning: Sweep off all spider webs and dirt
from the exterior window sills and clean the glass.
Remove storm windows or doors, and replace with
clean screens.
Deck: Check the deck. If it looks worn, hire
a deck contractor to power wash, sand, and reseal
your deck before it is exposed to the heat. This
contractor can also replace splintered or worn deck
boards. If you are thinking of adding a deck or
porch, now is the time to call a professional before
the rush of the season causes them to get booked up.
Landscaping: If necessary, make plans now to
install a new sprinkler system or walkway.
Roofing: If you incurred ice dams on your
roof in winter, call a roofing contractor to install
new roof vents. Also, have him check the stability
of the guttering and inspect the roof for loose or
damaged shingles.
Remove debris that may have settled in gutters
during winter. Ensure that the downspouts are
directing water away from the foundation of your
house.
