Springtime in Edmonton doesn’t usually carry a connotation of much more than slightly warmer temperatures and perhaps a greater increase in rainfall, but it’s a welcome sight after another harsh winter. With the arrival of spring, however mild it may be, comes some routine home maintenance you can perform just to ensure the things you might not have been able to attend to during winter receives some much-needed upkeep and attention.
There’s more to spring maintenance than just running a vacuum through the interior or throwing out your extra clothes. Your home has been exposed to the elements for a few months now, and that weather might have done a number on the roof and siding, for instance. The folks at Always Plumbing & Heating feel your pain, and we’re happy to run through a checklist of a few ways you can fix up your home in time for spring.
Exterior
- Do a walk-around of the siding, and run a pressure-washer on any dirty spots you might encounter. Also, check any wood that might’ve been exposed over the winter for potential damage. Keep going around the perimeter of the house -- does the deck or patio need to be repaired or treated?
- When it’s safe, find a way to examine the shingles on your roof. Shingles may have been warped or damaged, or they might’ve been removed altogether.
- Sticking close to the roof here – take a look at the gutters and downspouts. Remove any debris that could’ve gotten clogged there and run some water through it all to double-check its drainage capabilities.
- Make sure your windows aren’t damaged. Are there holes, are they dirty, or are there broken or loose frames? Depending on where your home is located, the precipitation might’ve caused some serious harm.
- Inspect the outdoor faucets and see if they’ve frozen or been damaged after being exposed to the cold weather and snow.
Landscaping
- While you were hunkered down inside, curled up by the fire, the vegetation outside has had time to grow without interruption (for the most part). If trees or other plant life live in close proximity, they might’ve crept closer and need to be cut back – especially if they’re impeding the radiator or another critical piece of machinery.
- It’s almost grass-cutting season! Give the lawnmower a fresh oil change and sharpen the blades if possible.
Interior
- Are your smoke detectors’ batteries charged and operational? Routine testing is something homeowners forget fairly easily, and the importance of having functional smoke detectors can’t be understated.
- Vacuum your refrigerator’s coils and clean them off. It’ll improve efficiency and keep it from going into overdrive to keep food cool.
- Depending on how much work your HVAC unit went through to keep you comfortable over the last few months, there’s a chance it might need servicing. It deserves a reward after working so hard!
- Of course, there’s still the stereotypical Spring Cleaning to take care of. With all the other tasks to take care of, regular old cleaning can get thrown to the wayside. It’s still important, though, and you’ll be glad you did it when the time comes.
This isn’t meant to be a one-size-fits-all list of things to do to your home. Every situation is different, and some homes’ features differ wildly from others. This was meant more to give you a basic idea of the types of things to be on the lookout for as we make the transition to a new season. Of course, should you run into any more serious problems, the professionals at Always Plumbing & Heating would love to help you out. We offer a variety of services to best suit your needs, so give us a call at 780-489-8118 (Edmonton) or 587-601-1253!
