After a long, dark and cold winter, spring is always a breath of fresh air. Unfortunately, there is a downside. The longer days and sunshine spotlight the many flaws around your home. There are dead plants in your front yard, your gutters are full of leaves and your house could probably use a coat of fresh paint.
This is the time of year when you should make a maintenance list and get at it. Let’s be totally honest, owning a home can be a lot of work. There is always something on your to-do list and you are still in the midst of winter projects you started.
Maintaining a healthy home is much more than cleaning the toilets and vacuuming. Seriously, when was the last time you changed a smoke detector? There are several tasks that need to be done to ensure a safe and trouble-free home.
A Plus Property Services, your home maintenance service in Syracuse, offers this handy spring maintenance list. If you can’t get to it all, give us a call.
Check Lawn Equipment
Check all of your power equipment to ensure everything is up to the task for the summer. Having your lawnmower blade sharpened will make lawn mowing easier. Nothing is more frustrating than getting ready to mow and the lawnmower won’t start.
Service the AC
In a few months, it will get hot and you will be glad to bask in the coolness of your home. But this won’t happen if your AC conks out on you. It is best if you have it serviced in the spring to ensure a cool and comfortable summer.
Move Firewood
Remove any firewood you might have stored near your house. Firewood should be stored away from your home and off of the ground to keep pests in check.
Inspect Concrete
Inspect your foundation and other concrete slabs for cracks or movement. Fill any cracks you find.
Check the Chimney
Check out the exterior of your chimney for any damage. You will also want to check the screen on top to make sure it is in place.
Replace Filters
There are a few filters in your home that need to be cleaned or changed out this spring. Any HVAC filters you have need to be replaced and the filter in your kitchen hood should be cleaned.
Vacuum Behind the Refrigerator
You will be shocked by all of the debris you will find under your refrigerator. At least dust bunnies are easy to vacuum up. While you are at it, clean off the coil under your refrigerator as well.
Clean the Dryer Vent
A clogged dryer vent can be a fire hazard. Disconnect the dryer vent and use a vent brush to remove all of the debris. If this proves to be difficult, give us a call.
Clean the Grill
You will be grilling burgers and steaks in the near future, so make sure your grill is good to go. A clean grill takes a little time and elbow grease, but the rewards are tasty.
Clean the Siding
Improve the look of your home by giving the siding a good cleaning. While you are cleaning your siding, be on the lookout for any damage that might have occurred over the winter.
Test Alarms
This is the time of year to check all of the smoke and CO detectors in your home. Replace the batteries as necessary and replace any units that are 10 years old or older.
Clean the Disposal
Try not to think about all of the gross stuff you fed down the disposal over the winter. Whenever you cleaned out the refrigerator, you would dump moldy cheese, rotting lettuce and sour milk down the drain and into the disposal.
Cleaning the disposal is quite easy actually. All you need to do is dump ice cubes in it while running the cold water. There are also cleaning tabs you can buy. You can drop some lemon or orange peels down it to make it smell nice.
Trim Overgrowth
Spring is the perfect time of year to trim trees and shrubs. Get an early start on this task before the leaves fill out and make this a more difficult task.
You will want to keep tree branches and bushes at least five to seven feet from your house.
Check the Roof
While you are cleaning the gutters, you might as well go ahead and check the roof. Be on the lookout for damaged or missing shingles. Check for granules in the gutters, it is a sign of a roof that needs to be replaced.
Check Foundation Vents
There are foundation vents that run all around your house. You need to check these to ensure they aren’t blocked or clogged. Replace any vents that are broken as they help prevent pests from getting into your home.
If you need help with spring maintenance tasks, just call A Plus Property Services.