How to Prepare Your Home for Spring

As the cold winter begins to thaw, the sun shines a bit brighter and everything is about to start blooming, now is the time to prepare your home for spring. Just like we all use certain items of clothing in the winter and then put them away for the summer until it cools down again, it is important to make your home ready for the different seasons.

As the cold winter begins to thaw, the sun shines a bit brighter and everything is about to start blooming, now is the time to prepare your home for spring.   Just like we all use certain items of clothing in the winter and then put them away for the summer until it cools down again, it is important to make your home ready for the different seasons.  Each season brings with it a different beauty but also a different set of potential challenges.  In the winter your home experiences cold temperatures, rain, snow, hail, falling leaves or branches and more.  The spring brings warmer temperatures, more sun light, spring showers, new growth and more.  Rather than using your heater you might find yourself turning on your air conditioner.  All of these things mean it is time to get your home ready for the seasonal change and best prepare it for the next few months ahead.

The best way to prepare your home for a new season is by taking a walk around the exterior.  Changes in temperatures and humidity that come with a new season can sometimes degrade the seals around doors and windows.  A problem with the seals, such as cracking or separation, can lead to decreased energy efficiency which means higher utility bills. Next, look for any damage to the exterior of your home or to walkways or your patio from the previous season.  Start by repairing these obvious signs of damage first so that you can move on to other areas of your home.

After checking for obvious exterior damage, it is a good idea to check your gutters and clear any accumulation of dirt and debris.  When it rains that dirt and debris will back up the flow of water and could direct the water inadvertently towards your home, which could cause damage.  Because the spring often brings rain it is best to clear gutters before those April showers arrive.  It is also time to trim everything back to prepare for new growth.  Overgrown plants or plants with frost damaged need to be trimmed so that they can grow in nicely and the lawn should be cut down as well.

Next, check your air conditioner to ensure that it is in good working order.  You may consider hiring a handyman seasonally to look at your air conditioner and clear it for use for the spring and summer.  A properly functioning air conditioner will be more energy efficient and last much longer than one that has not been well maintained.   Now you can move inside and replace your HVAC filters.  Dirty filters decrease energy efficiency which takes a harder toll on the lifespan of your air conditioning unit and costs more in monthly utility bills.   Filters should be changed every 1-3 months for maximum energy efficiency and maintenance.

While inside, as you did with the outside, look for obvious problems such as cracks or holes in drywall or problems with the seals around doors and windows.  Should you see any such problems, repair them immediately.  Next, set your thermostat for warming temperatures.  You may have turned the air conditioner off for the winter or blasted the heat but now that temperatures are warming it is time to reprogram your thermostat so that you are being energy efficient while keeping everyone comfortable.  At the change of every season it is a good idea to check the batteries in your smoke detectors and replace any that may not be doing their job.  Lastly, clean your clothing dryer vent so that it can dry clothing more efficiently which will save money and extend the life of the dryer.    For any and all of these things, if you feel like it is not within your area of expertise and you want to be sure that your home is ready for the new season, consider hiring a professional handyman who can not only spot potential problems but fix them in a timely manner as well.