8 Top Ways To Prepare Your Home For Spring

The days are longer, flowers are blooming, and the air has a softer feel to it. Spring is here! Many of us spend a lot of time inside during winter anyway, but all of us have been confined even more due to COVID. As more things start opening back up across the country and we emerge from our homes, spring clean-up and summer preparation will kick into high gear. 

Where to begin? Here are some of the first tasks to be tackle to prepare your home for spring:

Windows

Start with a task that will bring the increased sunshine into your house immediately! The windows in your home may be streaked and dirty, both inside and out, from the weather outside and increased time spent inside the house.

Hose off as much of the grime as possible on the exterior of the windows before going over the surface with a microfiber cloth. Use cool, clean water with a few drops of dishwashing liquid mixed in to scrub the windows. Be careful with the second story outside windows; use a sponge mop on a pole. For streak-free wiping, use a solution of one part white vinegar to two parts water. 

Vents

Check all the vents on the exterior of the house. Many of them might have been hidden by snow during much of the winter, so check all vents for broken or cracked frames, damaged screens, or debris blocking vents. 

As you check the vents, look for evidence of rodents or insects that may have entered the house through broken screens or windows or even cracks in the foundation of the house. Centipedes come in through these openings and silverfish love to crawl in through any discarded boxes that might be piled up outside against the house. 

Repair broken vents, screens, windows and clean everything away from the outside foundation of the house. Hire a professional pest control service if necessary.

Filters

Use this time to replace all the filters in your house. The major filter is usually in the HVAC system, so start there. Hopefully, this filter is changed more often anyway, but it’s a good idea to include it on your spring list just for good measure. Of course, if you notice any issues with the HVAC system beyond the filter, now is the time to call in professional help. 

Your kitchen range hood has a filter and any water purification systems in the home will, too. The range hood filter rids the air in the immediate area of smoke and grease and keeps those things out of the vents in your home. The water purification systems protect you from chlorine and other unsavory things that find their way into public water supplies. 

Change all the filters at once and start spring new!

Outside Faucets

Take stock of all the outside faucets around the perimeter of your home. Start by turning the water valve inside the house back on. Then turn the faucets on, one by one, and see what happens: does water flow freely? If it stops when you put your finger over the opening, the inside pipe may need to be replaced. This is another job that might need the help of a plumber.

Once all the pipes and faucets are in good working order, hook up all your hoses so you can start next on your yard and garden!

Roof

Check for missing or cracked shingles on your roof  (or hire someone to do it for you) and check the flashing around the vents and chimney, too. Use this opportunity to get an appointment with a professional to get the chimney inspected and cleaned as well. 

Based on what you find on the roof, you may need to get up into the attic next to check further. Climb under the eaves and look for sunlight coming through the roof, evidence of those cracked and missing shingles. Look, too, for water stains inside the house–or even mold– indicating roof leaks. It might take a roofer to identify exactly where the sources of the leaks are since water can come through the roof into the attic and then move to lower areas.

Gutters

 Winter is hard on rain gutters, with the accumulation of leaves, small tree branches, and sticks in the channels. The result is clogged gutters and downspouts, with rain overflowing the gutters onto the ground around the house. Soon, you are facing expensive problems caused by all that water pooling around the foundation and leaking into the house. 

A word to the wise: cleaning out gutters is dangerous for homeowners. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, over 135,000 people are injured yearly trying to balance on a ladder while reaching from side to side. You might consider hiring some help to clean the gutters and then investing in some gutter guards this season to eliminate clogged gutters moving forward. The money invested is worth it to save yourself valuable time spent cleaning and protect your safety, as well as your home.

Alarms and Smoke Detectors

Make it a spring routine to test all alarms and detectors in your home. Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are too important in the protection of your family to neglect such a simple task as changing the batteries. Alarms age just like all devices so consider upgrading or replacing them if your system is 7 years old or more. 

If you’ve been less than consistent in the use of your home security alarms, reacquaint yourself—and your family—with their importance and use. Discuss the emergency exit plans to get out quickly if necessary. Remember to change the codes quarterly, too.

Paint

 Survey the outside of the house for cracked or peeling sections of paint. This is one of the easiest tasks to complete and is noticeable immediately. Aside from the aesthetics, a good coat of paint will protect your house from all the elements it withstands all year, not just during the winter. Use this spring spruce up each year, though, to keep up with the paint on your home’s exterior. 

Prepare Your Home For Spring Now & Start the Season Off Right

As you assess and repair your home from the effects of winter in New Jersey make sure you enjoy the warmer weather while you’re at it. In doing the things we covered above to prepare your home for spring and making necessary repairs, you will be protecting the integrity of your home and saving money in the long run. Call in professional help when necessary for things like roof repairs and gutter guard installation. 

Contact us here at Valor Gutter Guards NJ today! We can help you protect your home with the industry-leading gutter guards that will also make the spring cleanup job easier in the future.