The temperatures have hit the 70’s, flowers and trees are in bloom, and birds have returned from their winter vacation in Florida. All of it can only mean one thing: SPRING IS HERE!
After a winter like the one we just had, it’s a beautiful thing to be able to throw open the windows and let in some fresh air. Maybe you also like to use this time of year to “spring” into some much-needed cleaning. If that’s the case, this blog is for you!
In addition to your usual spring cleaning in your home’s interior, consider tending to your home’s exterior as well. Like any other part of the house, home exteriors require regular maintenance, too, and spring is an excellent time to tackle it.
We give you our home exterior spring cleaning checklist:
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Power wash your home exterior.
Grit, grime, and sludge tend to build up over the winter, thanks to all of those snowstorms and salt. Spray down your home to keep a layer of dirt from building up and slowly eating away at your siding.
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Cut trees and plants away from your home exterior.
Plenty of people like to plant trees and shrubs in their yard, but it’s vital to keep them from actually coming into contact with your home exterior. When this occurs, your walls pull moisture from the plants, causing the wood to rot at a rapid rate.
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Caulk your home exterior.
Cold temperatures keep caulking from adhering to surfaces in the winter, so spring is an excellent time to do this job. Knock it out before those spring rains come along to keep your living room from becoming your swimming pool!
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Inspect your gutter system.
Ensure that your gutters are properly draining water away from your home exterior. If there’s a clog or a leak, water can run down your walls, infiltrating cracks and causing a lot of damage to the structure and the foundation.
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Check for paint failure.
A solid paint job stays in good shape for five to ten years. But even before this time period passes, be on the lookout for cracks in the paint on masonry, siding, or along windows. These must be caulked and repainted
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Examine roof shingles.
Those same storms that piled snow in your yard may also have dislodged shingles from your roof. Have your roof inspected for lost or damaged shingles, which must be repaired or replaced. And be sure to check the flashing around chimneys, skylights, vents, and plumbing for cracks, which can be a common cause of residential flooding!
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Service your HVAC system.
Before the weather turns blistering, have an HVAC contractor clean and maintain your AC system and switch out the air filter.
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Survey your yard.
Low spots in the yard can lead to flooding around your home exterior, which translates to big costs to repair water damage. If the winter has caused portions of your lawn to cave in, fortify these spots with compacted soil.
Good advice for homeowners, even if you live in a rowhome. Water has its ways to creep into your home from cracks in the cement, right down to the basement. I know because it happened to me, but thankfully was corrected before major water damage. So, great checklist and advice again this week!
Thanks! 😉