By Platinum Team January 22, 2015

How to Get Your Home Ready for Spring

Your home is likely one of the biggest investments you will ever make. It is for this reason that it is imperative to properly maintain your home. By doing so, you keep your home functioning as it should and prolong the life of fixtures, features and appliances. Regular home maintenance can be as basic as the usual “spring cleaning” tasks and as involved as changing filters, touching up paint and more. Not all things will needed to be done all the time, but completing as many of them as possible will help your home be prepared as the cold begins to thaw and beautiful spring temperatures arrive.

• Start Outside

Through the harsh and cold winter, the exterior of your home has likely taken the brunt of the winter beating. Take a slow walk around your home and look for obvious problems such as cracks in the caulk or problems with the seals on the windows or doors. These things tend to occur over time but cold winter temperatures can speed up the process and cause them to wear out more quickly. Additionally, look for damage to the paint from harsh weather. Check the gutters and clear dirt and debris. During the fall and winter leaves and other debris often collect in the gutters and with snow and water from rain, clogs can happen. By clearing them, you will protect your home from damage due to clogs in the gutter. After examining the exterior of your home, it is time to examine the rest of your property.

• Look Around Your Property

It is highly likely the cold temperatures have not been friendly to your plants. Trim them back so that the damaged areas are gone and new, fresh growth can occur. Rake the leaves and give the lawn a fresh trim as well. Check for any damage to walkways or paths and repair them because they could be hazardous to you and your guests and the last thing you want is anyone to trip and injure themselves. Next, clean off your grill and the area around your grill so that you can cook out while enjoying the new pleasant weather. It may not be quite time to plant new plants but by repairing your yard and lawn it will be ready for it when the time comes.

• Move Inside

While the outside may take a harsh beating in the cold winter weather the inside does not get away unscathed. Throughout the holidays and cold temperatures, it is likely you have spent more time inside and that means the inside has seen more wear and tear. To begin, if you have neglected your air filters during the winter months, it is important to change them so that as you begin using your HVAC system for air conditioning as the temperatures rise it can be as energy efficient as possible. Just as you did with the outside, check all windows and doors to ensure the seals are intact. Dust the ceiling fan blades that tend to collect dust and then distribute it back into the room. Spring tends to bring allergies for many so this is one way to help reduce allergens in your home. Additionally, it is wise to check your smoke detectors in your home often to ensure they are working properly and replace batteries should it be necessary.]]>