Spring Cleaning & Home Maintenance Tips

Spring cleaning is a time-consuming task that homeowners must undertake if they’re going to maintain their homes properly. Although the inside of a person’s house can require a deep-cleaning session, the outside typically requires the most physical work. Nature’s various elements attack a home’s exterior throughout the year. Rain, snow, hail, winds, cold spells, heat spells, and fallen foliage all have their negative effects on a home’s overall ability to operate properly.

First and foremost, homeowners, especially those in the Green Bay area—because of the constant weather fluctuations—should be sufficiently prepared for the home maintenance period. Gas-operated equipment should be inspected, cleaned, tuned and adequately fueled. There’s nothing more irritating than getting into the cleaning spirit and ending up face to face with a lawnmower that has run out of gasoline.

One of the most important aspects of preserving a home’s integrity is ensuring that the siding is in good shape. A homeowner can rent or purchase a standard pressure washer and give the entire house a decent wash. Not only does doing this enable an owner to decide if the house needs a new layer of paint, but it helps keep mold from growing.

Homeowners need to thoroughly clean downspouts and rain gutters if they are going to function properly during the next storm. Clogged gutters can allow accumulated water to cause unsightly erosion to the nearby soil. Gutters and downspouts that are clogged with debris are also prone to encouraging mold growth. These molds can then expand to the wood beneath gutters and cause unwanted rotting.

Windows and window screens should be given a complete washing. Although a pressure washer can be used on most glass windows, the screens should be washed with a garden hose and allowed to air dry. Windows that are cracked need to be repaired or replaced immediately to prevent further damage to the home and belongings. Window screens that have even the slightest hole can allow bugs and foreign objects to enter the home. If the screens are more than ten years old, sun damage has likely made the protective fibers exceedingly brittle. It is then a good idea to replace them.

A house’s roof is undoubtedly the most important part of a home’s defense against the elements. Leaks can allow water to seep through and cause extensive water damage. Gaining access to the roof can be a dangerous task, and some homeowners aren’t physically capable of doing so. Green Bay residents should schedule an appointment with one of the many roof maintenance services. Individuals who inspect their own roofs need to look for cracks, decay and vulnerable spots. These problems are easily repaired but can lead to expensive damage if they’re left unaddressed.

Adequate landscaping is another component of completing spring maintenance chores. Homeowners should trim hedges that are near the house; otherwise the overgrowth can scratch paint and puncture the siding. One of the most common forms of damage that occurs to a house is caused by fallen tree limbs. Tree branches may not appear large, but they can weigh hundreds of pounds. A small amount of trimming can save thousands of dollars in home repairs. If climbing to extreme heights is required to effectively trim the problematic limbs, homeowners should call a professional tree trimming service. Even though their services might seem expensive, they will save time and money in the long run.

Next, a homeowner should meticulously inspect the home’s foundation. Cement slabs should be free of cracks and clutter. As a rule, if a standard coin can fit inside a crack, the foundation needs to be inspected by a professional immediately. A flawed foundation can literally reshape a house, causing irreparable damages to the frame. Because safety is paramount, foundation damages should be assessed by a qualified professional.

On the list of priorities, fence posts and fencing materials need to be tested to confirm they’re still operational. In many instances, fences are purely decorative, but functional models help prevent stray animals from wandering into a person’s yard. Families with young children should look into installing a protective fence if they haven’t already done so.

The last of the major outside maintenance chores is to make sure that the sprinkler system operates properly. Damaged sprinkler heads and broken water lines can cause flooding. Floods can quickly run up utility bills and kill patches of grass. It’s also a good idea to have the septic tank assessed if it is beginning to present critical problems such as backing up and overflowing.

The homeowner also has a few indoor maintenance requirements to address. Because wind and mold have a habit of damaging wooden spaces, cupboards and shelves inside the garage should be monitored. Decayed cabinets need to be replaced. Often, it’s quicker and cheaper to have an experienced carpenter install new cabinets and shelves. They can also inspect the rafters that hang over many garage floors. If these areas have suffered extensive termite damage and decay, they can deteriorate at unpredictable rates and cause the stored contents to fall atop vehicles. Damaged vehicles typically exceed the cost required to repair rafters and storage spaces.

With all of this in mind, Green Bay homeowners, as well as homeowners across the nation, can feel confident about their homes’ defense systems during the winter months. The only thing for an owner to do is sit back, relax and admire the work.