Easy Spring Maintenance Tips for Your Home

For most people, their home is the biggest investment they have in their lifetime. Upkeep is important, not only to keep your home functioning smoothly, but also to keep value. There are simple things you should perform on a regular basis to accomplish that, and for your own health and safety.

With the winter snow melting away, it's time to take a walk around your home and do a few spring maintenance tips. These don't take much time! An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

1.Inspect Your Smoke Detectors. A good time to remember to do this is during daylight savings time. Check your smoke detectors and make sure they are in good working order. Change the batteries!

2.Have your air conditioning unit checked by a professional. After sitting through the winter, have your air conditioner checked to remove any dust or debris that might have settled in.

3.Check for damage to the exterior of your home. Winter weather can be nasty with high winds, heavy snow load and ice dams. Check your roof for any damage, clean your gutters and make sure they are fastened tightly. Melting ice can re-freeze, causing heavy weight on your gutters and eventually leading them to collapse. These ice dams can also sneak up under your shingles and cause them to lift, and leak inside to your interior walls.

4.Check your hot water tank for leaks or corrosion. Just a simple step to make sure your hot water tank is still in proper working order. Having a set time of the year to do this task makes it easier to remember.

5.Check and/or replace your furnace filter. This should be done on a regular basis to make sure the proper airflow is leading into your furnace for efficient burning. Lack of air makes your furnace work harder. Not to mention the air filter will trap any dust that might be floating around your home, and can recirculate it throughout your living area. Not a good thing for people with allergies!

6.In your yard, remove all dead trees and branches. With that winter wind, it's most likely that you've lost some branches from trees, or have damaged bushes. Walk around your yard, pick up and dispose of any debris that might have fallen. Not only will it make the exterior of your home look nicer, but also it's a safety issue. Trim bushes back away from power lines, but be careful not to touch, or cut the lines!

7.Safely store gas and oil. Spring means bringing out the power equipment, such as lawn mowers, chainsaws and weed whackers. Keep the oil and gas used for this equipment in a well vented but locked area.

8.Look at your driveway. Repair your driveway and walkways that might have become cracked or broken over the winter. You want to make it even to prevent tripping, and make it safely to walk down.

To have a set schedule to perform these tasks makes it easier to remember. Things that don't take much time, but are necessary to perform. Spring, with its warmer weather is a great time to venture outside and take a walk around your home. Shutting down the heating system is also a great time to get it prepared for the next heating season. Don't let your home fall into the ground! Take the time to take care of it.