Tips for Getting Your Home Ready for Springadvancedwindowsusa.com /tips-for-getting-your-home-ready-for-spring

The temperature is rising and the days are getting longer which means it’s time to prepare your homeand property for spring. We have collected the following tips to guide you through the process, makingspring cleaning a bit easier this year:

Tidy the Gutters

No one really enjoys cleaning gutters, but it’s just one of those things that must be done each andevery spring. Your home’s gutter system collects snow, ice and rain runoff from the roof before itreaches the ground. This allows water to be diverted away from the house to avoid dangerous soilerosion and damage to your home’s foundation and siding. You must remove wet leaves and debrisfrom your gutters to prevent blockages. As a final step, we recommend rinsing out the gutters with awater hose to ensure all traces of debris are gone.

Indoor Carpets

Winter weather wreaks havoc on interior carpeting, especially near first floor entryways. When yourcarpets become soiled by salt, ice melt, mud and slush from foot traffic, they can become damagedand discolored, if neglected. Plus, your carpeting becomes the perfect breeding ground for mold andmildew growth caused by moisture trapped deep within the fibers.

A professional steam cleaning is the best way to avoid weather-related carpet damage. We highlyrecommend that you schedule at least one annual carpet cleaning per year, especially in high trafficareas of your home.

Exterior Siding

Examine your home’s exterior siding for water stains under eaves and around gutters to ensure wateris being diverted properly. For wood siding, look for damage or openings that may invite carpenter ants,woodpeckers and other pests to burrow inside.

Windows

When preparing your windows for spring, begin by wiping down tracks and mechanisms to remove dirtand dust. To clean the window panes, you can use traditional, store-bought glass cleaner or make yourown homemade window cleaner. We recommend this inexpensive and effective glass cleaningsolution for all the windows in your home:

One cup of rubbing alcohol

One cup of water

One tablespoon of white vinegar

Apply the solution to the glass using a spray bottle and dry with a squeegee or soft cloth. Don’t forgetto remove and clean all window screens with water and mild detergent. Allow the screens to air-dry ona flat surface before reinstalling them in your windows.

Lawn and Garden

As growing season approaches, we recommend several tasks to prepare your lawn and garden for abright and bountiful spring:

Rake away leaves and debris that remain in your yard after winter.

Prune trees to remove dead and damaged limbs.

Clear away weeds and debris from gardens, plant pots and flower beds.

Aerate your lawn to allow oxygen, nutrients and water to reach grass roots.

Add a layer of mulch around emerging plant bulbs and the base of trees and shrubs.

These springtime lawn and garden tasks will keep your landscape looking healthy and lush.

Roof Check

Avoid roof leaks by performing a springtime inspection. Heavy winds, snow and ice during the wintercan cause shingles to come loose or become damaged. If you cannot climb up to your roof for theinspection, use binoculars to inspect from the ground. Simply walk around the perimeter of your houseto view the roof from all possible angles, or you may also contact a roofing professional to perform aninspection.

Besides inspecting your roof for damage caused by winter weather, we also recommend you use a roofrake to remove leaves, pine cones and other debris that attracts moisture. It is crucial to remove wetdebris from shingles because moisture creates a perfect environment for the growth of mildew, mossand algae.

Plumbing

Another important task to prepare your home for spring is an inspection of your plumbing system. It’seasy to procrastinate or forget to do this kind of maintenance task, so scheduling it at the same timeeach year is a great way to remember to actually do it. If there are any minor issues within yourplumbing system, early detection can prevent them from becoming major plumbing headaches downthe road.

When inspecting your home’s plumbing system, look for things like:

Leaky faucets or shower heads

Slow-moving drains

Water stains around the dishwasher

Cracks or bulges in your washing machine hose

Signs of dampness under the washer and dishwasher

This annual plumbing inspection doesn’t take much time and can save you a ton of money on majorrepairs in the future.

HVAC System

Before cooling season begins each year, we recommend scheduling a professional tune-up andinspection of your home’s HVAC system. A yearly maintenance appointment helps extend the lifespanof your system and keeps it running efficiently all season long. Plus, an HVAC technician can identifyimpending problems before they happen, preventing an inconvenient (or even dangerous) HVACsystem breakdown during the hottest time of year.

It is also important to clean out your HVAC system’s outdoor condenser unit every spring. To prevent airflow blockages, remove leaves, grass and other debris from inside the unit before it turning it on for theseason.

By following these commonsense tips and suggestions, your home and property will be prepared forthe welcome arrival of spring.