Tips for Spring Maintenance for Your Home

The sun is making its bright and warm appearance, making all of the snow melt-away (in most areas). Right now, it is the perfect time of year to get the exterior of your home ready for the upcoming warmer months.

 

Maintaining your exterior says a lot about your home and goes beyond keeping your yard and your BBQ clean. Have you checked your eavestrough for leaks and clogs? How about your siding? Do you notice any holes, or that it’s dirty? These tips below will help you get your home ready for future backyard BBQs and family/friend gatherings.

 

Although we have to participate in social distancing ourselves from others right now, eventually you will be able to have gatherings in the future.

 

Eavestroughs and Downpipes

Eavestroughs should be the first thing that needs to be cleaned, and it should be cleaned twice a year in the spring and the fall. Throughout the autumn and winter months, your eavestroughs would have gotten full of leaves, sticks, and lots of other debris that can cause them to clog. Grab your ladder, and check the eavestroughs around the home. Using rubber gloves collect as much debris out as you can. Use a garden hose and remove any leftover debris down the downpipe. Feed the garden hose down the downpipe to clean it.

Read our Eavestroughing Maintenance is Important for Your Home blog.

Siding and Soffit

Walk around the home and take a closer look around the windows, corners, doors, and soffits. Do you notice any holes where animals can enter the walls/roof? If so, it might be time to replace that section or renovate the exterior of your home.

 

Foundation Vents

If you have foundation vents around the home, make sure there is no debris covering up the vent. This ensures your foundation will get the ventilation it needs year-round.

 

Windows

Check around the windows to see if there are any drafts of air coming through. If you feel the air from the inside of your home, you will need to get it professionally sealed to help save on electricity/AC costs. Do the windows need to be cleaned? Look at the screens as well, are they dirty, or do they need to be replaced? 

 

 Decks/Outdoor Furniture

Look at your deck and outdoor furniture? Should it be washed down, re-finished (paint or sealant), or should it be replaced? If you see paint chipping on your deck, it’s probably time to resurface it. Are your cushions looking outdated and falling apart? Maybe it’s time to look for new cushions or a whole new set. For more backyard decorating inspiration, view our Blissful Backyards board on Pinterest; click here.

 

Gardens

Prepping the garden is another activity that you can do to ensure the exterior of your home looks beautiful. If you want a garden that will impress your neighbours, research the best types of soils to use and each plant to water to sunlight ratio. A great resource for inspiration is our Gorgeous Gardens board on Pinterest; click here.

 

Interior

Small ways you can get the interior of your home ready for spring is:

- Scrub dirt and grime off walls, baseboards, and outlets

- Replace filters for water, range hood, air vents, A/C units, etc.

- Clean your faucets and showerheads with a vinegar and water solution to ensure the proper water pressure

- Clean out dryer vents because a clogged dryer vent can become a fire hazard

- Test your fire/smoke alarms to ensure that they are still working or change out batteries as needed. Batteries are inexpensive, and they can help save your life.

 

If you need any information on techniques to clean siding, or for inspiration, please visit our website and social media, or call any Buchner Manufacturing location.