Getting Your Home Ready for Spring
Winter is almost over and it’s already time to start looking ahead to the warmer months ahead of us. Even if you got lucky and only had to deal with a rather mild winter, winter can still be a tough time of year, particularly on your home and yard. As the weather starts warming up again, it’s good to take a good look around your home to look for any problems that might have come up over the winter. That way, you’ll be able to take care of any potential problems before they turn into big headaches and you’ll be able to relax and enjoy the nice weather that lies ahead.
Check Your Gutters
When was the last time you had your gutters cleaned? If it’s been a while, now would be a good time to see how they’re doing. We’ve all heard the saying “April showers bring May flowers,” but the last thing you want is for the water from those April showers to start making its way into your house. Gutters direct water away from your home, so if your gutters are full of leaves and other debris, they won’t be able to do their job effectively and there’s a chance water could start making its way into your basement. In addition to making sure your gutters are clear, make sure they’re still firmly secured and aren’t coming loose anywhere.
Look at the Roof
Inspecting your roof is another excellent way to make sure water doesn’t start making its way into your home. You don’t have to get up on the roof yourself, but take a look at it from the ground and see if you notice any potential problems such as missing shingles or shingles that have started coming loose. If you think you might see some problems, you can always call a roofer to come out and give your roof a more thorough inspection.
Check Your Windows and Doors
No matter what time of year it is, you don’t want doors and windows that aren’t good at keeping the elements out of your home. Check around them to make sure your weather stripping and other seals are still in good shape so you won’t have to worry about water getting in or losing your home’s cooled air during the summer. If you’ve noticed condensation forming between the panes of your glass over the winter, it could be a sign that there’s a problem with the seal between the two panes of glass. In some cases, this can simply be repaired, but in some cases, you might be better off getting new vinyl replacement windows instead.
Take Care of Your Air Conditioner
If there’s a problem with your air conditioner, you don’t want to find out about it when the first hot day of the year rolls around. In addition to changing your filters on a regular basis, you should have a heating and cooling specialist come out and inspect your air conditioner and make sure it’s still in good working order. If you have any plants or shrubs growing near your air conditioner, make sure they’re not overgrown or blocking the airflow around the unit.
Look Around the Foundation
Take a walk around the perimeter of your home and see if there are any problems around the foundation. Look for cracks that might have formed in the foundation or any spots where the ground near your home dips down low. When there are low spots in the ground near the home, it’s easy for rainwater to start pooling up and eventually start making its way into your house. If you spot any of these, a landscaping contractor can come out and regrade your lawn so that water drains better. If you notice any cracks in the foundation, contact someone who specializes in foundations so they can come out and patch those cracks up professionally.
Clean Up The Yard
When your lawn has spent a lot of time hidden under snow, it’s easy to forget what it looks like underneath. Did you forget to rake up the last of the leaves that fell in your yard during the fall? Maybe a couple of branches fell down over the winter that need to be picked up. These sorts of things can suffocate your lawn and make it more difficult for it to grow into the nice, green lawn you want it to be.
