It’s still cold, patches of our last snowfall remain, but spring is coming — we promise. This is a great time to take care of home maintenance tasks to prep your house for the warmer weather to come. It’s a sign of hope, really.
Sealing and Insulating
Any air leaks are readily apparent, so find where the drafts are coming in and seal them. You’ll keep your heat in now, and keep your home cooler when it gets hot. Check doors and windows, and get out the caulk or weatherstripping.
If you had damaged or frozen pipes over the winter, take the time now to insulate the new or repaired plumbing. You might forget next fall.
See Who’s Home
This is the best time to check for unwanted guests — rodents, bats, or other wildlife that might have crawled in out of the cold. Check your dryer vents, in the attic, the basement, and the garage. Also check outdoor sheds or other detached buildings.
Going Up
If your attic isn’t as well insulated as it could be, this is a great time to tackle the project — better to be a little chilly than try to do it during warmer weather, when the attic becomes a hot box. You’ll also reduce heat loss now, while it’s still cold. And you don’t have to outside!
Outside Work
Now you do have to go out, and bring a ladder. This is a smart time to check your gutters — the heavy snow and ice we’ve gotten may have caused damage and pulled them away from the home. Check them, fix them, and clean them ahead of the April showers.
While you’re up there, inspect the roof. Look for missing or damaged shingles. If you find any, get a roofer out ASAP, there may be bigger problems.
Once the snow clears, inspect your deck too. Check for rotting boards on the deck and railings, and give it a good power wash after the last frost to clear salt and grime left behind by snow melt.
If you’re thinking of a remodeling project or outdoor improvement, gives us a shout, we’d love to talk to you about it.
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