A Dozen Little Things To Prepares for Spring

Now that the weather is getting warmer and dryer, it’s time to put away the winter things and get ready for spring. You’ll need to check the outside of your home for winter damage and take care of the small repairs before they get worse. Here’s a short list of the first tasks we need to accomplish.

Clean Rain Gutters And Downspouts

Wind, animals, and gravity can stuff your gutters full of bring sticks, leaves, and other organic matter over the winter. That accumulation in the gutters will prevent proper water flow and will clog the downspouts. Rainwater can spill out of your gutters and around the perimeter of your house, putting it at risk for leaks and flooding. Even worse, the water can seep under the roofing materials and cause extensive water damage, property damage, and mold growth. Get ready for spring showers by removing the debris from your gutters to ensure that the water will flow freely away from your home.

Replace Your Filters

To maintain optimal air quality in your home, you need to replace your HVAC system’s air filter regularly.  Manufacturers recommend replacing the filter every 3 or 4 months, but HVAC professionals will tell you to replace the more often. Scheduling a replacement in early spring will remove all the fireplace ash and dust that has been trapped in your home over the winter.   Bur, spring is a good time to replace or clean the filter in your kitchen range hood,.too. While you’re at it, now is a good time to change the filters in your water purification system, if necessary. You might not need to maintain your water purification system very often, but regular maintenance checks are always a good idea.

Check Vents

As snow melts away from your home’s foundation, it’s time to check any vents along the foundation or in the attic. A visual inspection for missing or damaged screens, debris, signs of insect or rodent infestation, or other issues is important. Issues need to be corrected before they have a chance to become bigger problems later in the season. Inspecting the inside HVAC vents for dust accumulation and signs of insects or rodents is a good idea, too, Then, you can ask your HVAC professional to address the problem during your spring HVAC inspection.

Service the Lawn Mower If You Have One

Most homeowners think lawn mowers need little or no maintenance. But, they have been sitting unused for months. Your lawn mower needs to be prepared for the season with a tune-up. If you didn’t do it in the fall, you should drain and replace oil, sharpen the blades, remove caked-on grass and mud, and lubricate moving parts. A test run will ensure further repairs aren’t necessary.

Prepare the Grill

After a long winter spent indoors, you’re probably waiting for a sunny day to fire up the grill. Get your outdoor cooking station ready by scraping away any rust spots that developed over the winter, cleaning the grill inside and out, and removing and accumulated debris. You will also need to inspect your grill for any damaged parts and replace them. If you have a gas grill, you need to carefully inspect the fuel tank and hose for damage.

Clean And Repair Backyard Furniture

As the weather warms up, outdoor entertaining may be just around the corner. But, injured guests are not happy guests. Prepare your chairs, tables and loungers by thoroughly hosing them down, wiping away cobwebs and dirt, and bringing outdoor chair cushions out of winter storage. Replace any missing or damaged parts as soon as possible.

Pamper the Lawn

Once the danger of frost has passed and your grass starts to come out of winter dormancy, it’s time to give your landscaping the spring lawn-care spa treatment. Address winter damage to your turf by seeding bare patches. Avoid spring applications of chemical weed or crabgrass treatments, which can harm new grass. For cool-season grasses, spread a light application of fertilizer in early spring. For warmer season grasses, fertilization can wait until late spring or early summer. Get a head start on weed prevention by manually removing weeds before they have a chance to multiply. In addition to manually weeding the grass, your flower beds need your full attention, too. Removing dead growth and weeds can prevent damage to your home and removes nesting material for rodents and insects.

Groom Trees And Shrubs

Winter storms can be hard on your landscaping leaving broken tree limbs, ragged shrubs, and a garden full of organic debris behind. Get your yard ready for spring by removing broken or damaged branches, pruning summer-blooming trees and shrubs, like butterfly bush and crepe myrtle, and raking up fallen leaves.

Plant Bulbs and Flowers

Spring is the ideal time to plant summer-blooming flowers. Creating a colorful welcoming landscape can really make the most of your outdoor time. Beautiful flowers, like dahlias and gladioli, should be planted as soon as the danger of frost has passed.

Clean And Repair Windows

Winter snows and rain leave your windows streaked and dirty. Winter weather can also damage sills and weatherstripping and create entry points for drafts and insects. Improve your view of your spring blooms and let more sun into the house by cleaning windows and replacing weather stripping.

Test Alarms

While your preparing for spring, test all your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they are working properly. Change the batteries, too. It’s easier to get on a ladder once a year than drag out the ladder when your alarm needs batteries. Use those batteries in devices that are easier to access, like TV remotes.  Alarms can malfunction as they age. If your alarms are older than seven years, replacing them now is a good idea.

Check the Roof

Take some time to check your roof for cracked or missing shingles or tiles from the ground. Also examine flashing around vents and the chimney for damage. Now is the time to schedule your annual roof inspection, especially if you see and damage.  Have the chimney cleaned and inspected by a professional if you have used your fireplace over the winter.

It’s been a long, cold winter. Taking care of these projects over a weekend can make your spring even better.

When your home is ready for a new roof, repairs, or maintenance, you need a reliable, dependable roof repair company. You count on you roofing contractor to keep your home safe and dry. Guardian Roofing is committed to providing top-quality service, professionalism and workmanship.

If you are looking for a roof repair contractor please call us today at 844-499-7822 or complete our online service request form.