The winter holidays have come and gone, decorations have been stowed away, and family and friends have gone home. Now, in the peace and quiet, you may be noticing some issues that need attending to in and around your house. You can no longer be distracted from spring home maintenance by your baking and holiday shopping to-do lists. It’s time to get to work, making sure your home is ready for spring.
Spring home care is important for your home's health, but it can be overwhelming to take on all at once. Luckily, there’s no need to do every task in one weekend—you can just check each item off throughout the season.
Whether you're tackling indoor or outdoor home care, here are nine home improvement tips for spring.
1. Clean windows and screens.
Kick off the spring home cleaning by letting more natural light come into your home through newly cleaned windows. To clean the exterior of your home's windows, you can use a mixture of dish soap, white vinegar, and water to get rid of dirt. Make sure to scrub enough so that there's a nice lather on the window before rinsing it with water. For interior cleaning, it's better to use a window cleaner spray (store-bought or homemade) to keep things a bit less messy.
To clean window screens:
Place a solution of mild vinegar and water in a spray bottle.
Remove the screen and spray away any dirt or grime.
For more stubborn stains, add a little dish soap to the vinegar mixture and spray again.
Rinse well after spraying down the screen with any type of cleaner.
Let the screens dry outside for a couple hours before placing them back on the windows.
2. Replace your HVAC’s air filters.
It's crucial to replace your home's air filters approximately every three months. This is a vital step to include on your spring maintenance checklist. Sometimes, you may even want to consider replacing filters more frequently depending on the overall air quality of the environment surrounding your home, if you have any pets in the house, or if you have family members with allergy sensitivities.
3. Service your air conditioning unit.
To get your home air conditioning unit ready for the warm months ahead, it’s a good idea to get it serviced. Call in the professionals for this task unless you have some experience with home A/C systems. Better yet, if you have an American Home Shield® home warranty, you’ll get either a discounted or one free seasonal HVAC tune-up per contract term, depending on the coverage plan you choose. Other home warranty benefits include coverage for the major components of your air conditioners and heating units, electrical systems, plumbing systems, kitchen and laundry appliances, and more.
While your home air conditioning is getting serviced, make sure to check your home's ductwork and vents to ensure there are no blockages, especially if you've just had work done on your home during the winter. If any blockages are found, it may be a good idea to have an HVAC service professional take care of the problem.
4. Inspect the exterior for damage.
Winter storms can wreak havoc on the exterior of your house. Another home maintenance tip for spring is to inspect the roof, gutters, and siding. Here’s a list of things to look out for:
Inspect the roof for any loose or missing shingles.
If there are any holes in the home's exterior that have been created because of a fallen tree branch or even just natural aging, get them fixed right away so that they don't create any additional problems in the interior of the home.
Take a look at your gutters to make sure that they are open and free of debris to prevent water from pooling and potentially leaking into the home's foundation or through the roof.
Wipe down your home’s siding with mild soap if there are dirt or moss stains on it.
Inspect the exterior for any signs of siding that has been blown off or damaged from winds or windows that might have shifted in their frames.
5. Seal up doors and windows.
During the winter months, it's common for uninvited creatures and pests to make their way into the warmth of your home.
Termites are a typical home invader, especially during cold spells when they are looking to take advantage of home heating systems. Before winter, make sure that any screws around doors and windows are tightened to prevent termites from entering your home.
You may want to consider adding rubber door sweeps to your spring home maintenance checklist. These inexpensive products can be affixed to the bottom of any exterior doors with gaps between the door and the threshold. Rubber door sweeps will not only help keep pesky insects out but also help keep your home’s internal temperature more stable.
If you do find termite damage, it's best to contact a home pest control specialist for repair as well as termite treatment.
6. Touch up exterior paint.
After you ensure there is no significant exterior damage, the next thing to do on your spring home checklist is touch up anywhere that might need a spot of paint. Repainting areas of siding or trim isn’t only something to do during a renovation. This is a simple task you can tackle any time of year—but especially after the winter storms have passed.
Look for spots like exterior paneling, siding, and window and door trim that need a little painting love. Make sure that the paint you use matches the color of your home's exterior. If you don't have the exact paint color, give your local hardware or paint store a call to see what they recommend for finding a near-identical color.
7. Spruce up outdoor spaces.
To get your yard ready for spring, you'll want to start by getting rid of any debris that might be left over from winter storms. Do some gutter cleaning by removing any leaves and debris. You'll also want to trim back any shrubs or trees so they can have a fresh start as well.
Now time for spring lawn maintenance. Get rid of any dead grass, add a fresh layer of topsoil, and reseed the area so grass can start to grow again. An electric thatcher should be sufficient to get the job done. Consider aerating and fertilizing your lawn.
Don’t forget that cleaning patios, decks, and balconies is also part of spring home care. Your home’s outdoor living spaces may need some TLC if you want them to live up to their full warmer weather potential. Sweep and power wash each space to prepare it for future outdoor grilling and entertaining.
8. Declutter your house and garage.
With spring home cleaning comes decluttering your house and garage and getting rid of items that you no longer use or need. (Yes, it’s time to wave goodbye to that 15-year-old camping tent you never used and leftover shipping boxes from every appliance in your house.)
This is a home maintenance tip for spring that can also help contribute to overall home improvement. Decluttering interior spaces will not only revitalize your home environment, but it will also allow for better home air circulation. Move furniture, rugs, or appliances that are blocking air vents. If you have old home décor pieces you no longer need or have room for, now is the perfect time to let them go.
Take a couple of hours and assess everything being stored in closets or your garage. If there are any home appliances, furniture, or clothing items that haven't been used in years, consider donating them to charity or hosting a yard sale. Use these garage storage ideas to make sure everything that’s left over has a dedicated place.
9. Take care of any home repairs that were put off during the winter months.
Finally, spring is a great time to take care of home repair projects that you couldn’t complete during the winter.
These might include spring home improvement projects such as window repair for drafty windows, electric repairs or updates to ensure your home is more energy efficient, or plumbing repair if any of your interior or exterior fixtures are in need of updating.
Spring is the perfect time to get your home in shape for warmer weather. From inside and outside home improvements to decluttering ideas, we’ve included some of the most pressing things you need to check off your spring home maintenance checklist.