The weather outside is no longer frightful (at least for northern California) and it's time to give the exterior of your home a good, thorough inspection to whip it into shape for the spring and summer months.
Yes, you're almost certain to find something – and maybe many things – that need your immediate attention. But that's what spring home maintenance is all about: being proactive.
Experts In Your Home can help guide your efforts, just as we did in our previous article about interior home maintenance. Since it's a rare homeowner who can tackle every home maintenance task, keep a list of those tasks that you cannot or would not prefer not to address yourself. Our experienced home experts will pick up wherever you leave off.
Exterior “Heavy Lifting” Tasks
- Clean your windows, indoors and out, as well as the screens. It might be tempting to reach for a power washer, but don't risk the potential damage, even to the caulk around your windows. Screens can be washed by hand with a mild dish soap and left to air dry; windows respond best to straight vinegar. This labor-intensive job – one that you'll be glad you undertook – is one you might wish to leave to Experts In Your Home.
- Thoroughly sweep your deck or patio. If you have a wood deck, now might be the time to stain and reseal it.
- Rake your lawn to remove leaves, branches and other debris. You can restore bald patches by removing dead soil, tilling it and then adding compost. But wait for sustained warm weather to reseed and fertilize.
- Remove flaking paint from metal furniture with a wire brush and sandpaper and repaint it to rejuvenate it for the warmer months ahead. Clean outdoor cushions by pouring ¼ cup of bleach and a little bit of dish soap into a bucket, then filling it with warm water and getting to work with a soft sponge.
- Hose off your garden tools and lawn care equipment and check that they are in good working order.
Exterior Visual Inspection Tasks
- Check your gutters from an adjacent second-story window for a buildup of leaves, twigs and debris – all of which can cause drainage problems that could lead to interior water damage. This is a great job for Experts In Your Home because we're experienced at climbing ladders safely; don't risk your own safety.
- Inspect your roof and chimney – from a second-story window or from the ground with a pair of binoculars – and look for loose or missing shingles, bricks or stones and any other signs of damage. Don't ignore clusters of “nail pops”; they might look harmless, but water can enter your roof and home from every single one of those points from which a nail extends upward.
- Circle the perimeter of your home and look closely at the foundation for cracks. Then check the walls, especially under the eaves and near downspouts, for signs of water damage. Be extra vigilant if you have wood siding by checking for any openings that could have been made by carpenter ants, birds, racoons or other animals. If something looks odd, follow your instincts and call Experts so we can take a closer look.
- Check that your gutters are connected where they should be and that water drains away from your home, not toward it.
- Ensure that pipes, faucets, hoses and your sprinkler system are structurally sound.
- Test your gas grill to ensure that the jets are not clogged or obstructed. If you have a charcoal grill, remove any ash or grease residue.
The other benefit of knowing what to look for during a visual inspection of your home is that you can – and should – conduct the same walk-around after a major spring or summer storm or heavy rain. Then, as in any type of weather, Experts In Your Home will help you in being proactive in taking care of your home.
