Here are 6 spring maintenance tasks you shouldn’t skip, regardless of whether you’re preparing to put your house on the market or just want to keep everything in working order. If you need help performing any of these maintenance tasks, call Quality Home Services of Atlanta to set up an appointment with one of our skilled technicians today. In addition to addressing issues as they arise, we can also give your home a thorough once-over and let you know about any potential problems you might not have noticed yourself.
1) Examine
Spring is a good time to walk completely around your house and look for trouble spots that may cause serious problems in future years. Pay special attention to roofing, gutters, downspouts, window casings, and siding. Remove any dead leaves or debris that have collected there as they can promote mold growth and encourage pests like termites. Look for loose shingles or damaged flashing; these may need repair now before more serious damage is done during future high winds or heavy rains.
2) Drain and Clean
Make sure all gutters and downspouts are clear of debris, then spray them with a hose to ensure that no leaves or moss is clogging them up. This will help prevent any major issues from developing later in summer when it’s too late to do anything about it. If you have time, clean out your rain gutters—that is, give them a good once-over with a broom and make sure they’re not clogged with dirt or pine needles. This is an especially important task if you’ve had recent roofing work done and want to avoid leaks down the road. A quick clearing now can mean fewer water damage repairs later on! Also, check your basement for signs of water damage and other concerns (such as mold). Small problems often get worse without attention, so check now before things get worse. As you go through each room in your house (and outside), look for obvious signs of wear like holes in walls or cracks in foundations. While most maintenance tasks should be handled by professionals, some home owners choose to take care of small problems themselves rather than spend money on expensive contractors or remodeling projects.
3) Replace Light Bulbs
Replacing all light bulbs in your home with LED bulbs will save you money and energy over time. Not only do LED bulbs last longer, but they use much less electricity than traditional incandescent or fluorescent bulbs to provide similar lighting levels, making them an ideal fit for any room in your house. When changing out bulbs, always buy ENERGY STAR-certified ones to get an added boost of savings over conventional products. Although most LEDs use a bit more energy than those that come with a higher wattage, you’ll make up for it in extra life and cost savings down the road.
4) Check for Leaks
It’s difficult to maintain a clean home if there are mysterious drips and leaks all over your walls, ceilings, floors, and baseboards. Take time to look for signs of any water damage that might be hidden behind your kitchen cabinets or underneath appliances that have been moved away from their original locations (stoves, dishwashers). Check for damp spots on carpets and under furniture as well. If you’re in doubt about whether or not you should move a piece of furniture back into place after performing an inspection, leave it out for another week and check again in case mold has started growing on surfaces like wood floors and carpeting where humidity is high.
5) Get New Appliances if Needed
The majority of household accidents occur in or around our kitchen and bathroom spaces; take a walk through your home and make sure you don’t have any potential hazards lurking anywhere. Replacing frayed power cords, cleaning out your appliance vents, and repairing any broken appliances will go a long way toward making your house safe during spring cleaning season. If your home seems to be in good condition (or if you’re not sure), bring it up with an inspector or contractor to find out if anything needs attention before you embark on any large scale renovations.
6) Save Energy with Power Strips
Most homes have a number of devices that draw power even when not in use, from televisions to tablets. Save energy by plugging these devices into a power strip and turning off the strip when you’re done with them for a day or two (or weeks—you can leave them on indefinitely). Use timers so they don’t all come back on at once, and extend your savings by unplugging devices during times when you know you won’t be using them, like when you go to bed or leave for work in the morning. If your appliances and gadgets aren’t already on power strips, consider getting yourself some—many newer models have features that help protect against surges and other electricity problems.