The weather has finally turned up here in Eastern CT, which for many homes means it’s time for spring cleaning!
Keeping your home a safe for your family means not just cleaning, but doing some regular home maintenance tasks. To help you get started, we have put together a spring checklist of tasks for homeowners which will take a little time, but has a ton benefits.
Where Do I start?
Before you begin checking off some of the chores on the list below, take a walk around your home and see if there are any obvious safety issues that may have arisen during the winter months.
If you either aren’t sure where to begin, or you just don’t have the time, Anchor Home Inspection can assist you. For more information on this service and what you get in return call our us for a quote.
Clean & Maintain the Outside of Your Home
Clean siding, decks, porches, and fences with a pressure washer to prevent mold growth. Check all wood surfaces, and if the wood is showing through, sand the area and apply a primer coat before painting. If paint is peeling, scrape loose paint and sand smooth before painting or staining. Decks and wood fences need to be washed & painted every 4-6 years, depending on how much exposure they get to sun and rain. Check for loose, damaged, or rotted boards, especially on stairs and railings. Tighten down or replace boards depending that have become loose.
Inspect Paved Surfaces
Freezing and thawing are hard on concrete, asphalt and other hardscaping materials. Look around your property to check for damage to walkways, paths, and driveways. Asphalt can often be patched, but damaged concrete may need to be completely replaced.
Assess Your Windows and Doors
For windows, doors and other trim pieces, check out the condition of the caulking and replace if it’s deteriorating by scraping and re-caulking the damaged area. Check for any damaged or rotted wood and reseal or replace if it needs it. While working with your windows and doors, check out the screens to ensure that they are free of holes and repair or replace as needed. Don’t forget the screens for your crawlspace, if you have one!
Inspect Your Foundation
Check your foundation walls, floors, concrete, and masonry for cracking, heaving, or deterioration. If you find damaged or loose bricks, or a crack in your concrete floor, slab or foundation large enough to fit a coin in, call a professional as soon as possible. Check around the foundation of your home for pooling water or in your crawl space for organic growth, which may be signs of improper drainage. Check to make sure the soil slopes away from foundation walls at least six vertical inches over 10 feet. That’ll move rain and snowmelt far enough away to prevent problems.
Check Your Roof
Check out your roofs surface flashing, eaves, and soffits. Look for missing or damaged pieces of flashing around all surface projections and sidewalls. Damaged or missing pieces can allow rain and other elements to cause damage to your house. Take a look inside with a flashlight and check your attic. Look for any staining or coloring, which can be signs of a leak or mold growth. Make sure debris aren’t blocking your vents and attic fan.
Check & Maintain Your Gutters
Remove all leaves and debris from gutters and downspouts and reattach any gutters that have detached away from the house. If there’s damage small enough to repair, dry the area and use caulking or epoxy to seal holes and prevent leaks. Your Gutter downspouts should drain 6 feet from your home to prevent damage to the foundation.
Check Outside Faucets
Faucets and hoses can be destroyed by the cold weather. Turn the water on and cover the opening with your hand. If you can stop the flow of water, it is likely the pipe inside the home is damaged and will need to be replaced. Check your garden hoses for splitting.
Look Out For Pests
Beginning in March and thru summer, look out for termites. Look for wood damage, mud tubes, and dead termites.
Change Your Filters
This is the perfect time to change out your HVAC filter and make sure your system is running smoothly before it gets hot!
Anchor Home Inspection is always available by phone to answer questions regarding your current home or future home.
If you would like to consult with a professional about the safety of your home, call Anchor Home Inspection now to schedule a home inspection today.
Anchor Home Inspections is a quality Home Inspector to Rhode Island and Connecticut. Contact us to schedule a home inspection or any of our other home inspection services.
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