This is the first of a two-part series to help you plan your spring home maintenance checklist.
Whether you have lived in your home for 30 years or just a few months, there are some basic spring home maintenance checklist items that will help you keep your home in great shape and appearance. And once winter has passed and you are ready to get outside, this spring maintenance checklist will get your house ready for the much-anticipated warmer weather.
Maintaining your property is like maintaining your car. Regular maintenance can slow down or prevent more costly repairs. And your house will look great! Let’s get started.
✅ Do a Roof Inspection
Winter can take a toll on a roof, but you can do some of the roof inspection yourself from the ground. Grab your camera, cell phone, or a pair of binoculars and zoom in on your roof. Look for missing or broken shingles, debris, decay, and anything that just doesn’t look right. If you are not comfortable climbing up to your roof to take a closer look or correct any problems you find, you should call a reputable roofing company to inspect further and make repairs. We advise using extreme caution and a buddy system any time you need to use an extension ladder.
✅ Get Hose Bibs Back in Service
After the threat of a freeze has passed, get your hoses out and connect them to your outdoor faucets (aka hose bibs). Inspect the hose bibs for any damage that might have occurred through the winter. It is also a good time to check the washers in the hoses and replace any damaged or missing washers. If the hose is cracked or broken, get a new one or purchase a repair kit. (Please see our popular blog to learn how to winterize your outdoor hoses.)
✅ Clean Out Gutters and Downspouts
Your gutters are probably clogged with debris that fell during the winter or leaves and twigs from the fall — probably both (even though you already cleaned them!). Regardless of when debris got there, it’s important to clear gutters and downspouts so water can flow through them freely. Clogged gutters are a major source of fascia wood rot and soffit damage. Make sure water is discharging from the downspouts at least 4 to 6 ft away from the foundation of your house. Because keeping gutters clear is a never-ending chore, we encourage the installation of gutter guards if they are within your budget.
✅ Inspect Your Driveway and Walkways
Freezing and thawing are rough on concrete, asphalt, and other hardscape materials. Besides looking bad, broken, or heaved driveways can cause wear on your vehicle’s suspension, while uneven walkways can easily become a trip hazard. Asphalt can usually be patched, but damaged concrete may need to be replaced. Schedule these repairs as soon as you can to minimize both your risk and repair costs.
✅ Ward Off Ants, Termites, and Mosquitoes
March through early June are prime times for insects to appear in and around your home. Ants have a great sense of where to find food, water, and sugar and will gladly drop in for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any time they feel like it. Termites swarm in the spring. If you see insects crawling or flying out of holes in the woodwork or crawling underneath ground-contact wood, they are probably termites. Termites are a serious risk to your home. Mosquitoes thrive in areas with standing water. Because they can carry disease, mosquitoes are more of a risk to your health than your home.
Take a tour around your house to look for any penetrations that could be an open door for these pests. Make sure tree branches are not touching your roof or any other parts of the house. Look around your property regularly to make sure there is no standing water. Don’t overlook “empty” watering cans, areas around hoses, and dishes under outdoor planters. And last but not least, keep counters, sills, and sinks clear of food particles.
✅ Get Help Completing Your Spring Home Maintenance Checklist
There’s no need to perform your spring home maintenance checklist alone. Highland Home Inspections performs maintenance inspections and we are happy to share our knowledge with you! If you have any questions about home maintenance, please contact us or call 410-772-9332 to schedule an appointment. One of our nine fully licensed and ASHI certified inspectors will be glad to come out to look at your property and prepare a report for you.
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Highland Home Inspections is a veteran-owned local business with offices in Ellicott City and Prince Frederick, Maryland. We serve most of Central and Southern Maryland the Eastern Shore, Ocean City, and Fenwick Island, DE.