House and Home: Time for Spring Maintenance

Now that spring is here, you no doubt have noticed friends outdoors busy fixing up their homes. Spring is a great time to get to all those home maintenance chores done that you may have neglected over the winter months.

I am a fan of HGTV, so I was glad to receive a spring home maintenance checklist from Mike Dunphy, publisher and editor in chief of the recently launched shelter publication, “Holmes: The Magazine to Make it Right.” Dunphy, who has more than 20 years of experience as a professional contractor, has recently launched “Holmes: The Magazine to Make It Right,” with Mike Holmes, “America’s Most Trusted Contractor” and star of “Holmes on Homes” and “Holmes Inspection,” as seen on HGTV. The magazine suggests walking your property like a home inspector would, and tackling any problems that you may find.

In both of his HGTV programs, Holmes is a big promoter of not cutting corners and “building it right the first time.” So, in the spirit of doing things right from the get go, and not letting tiny maintenance issues at home build into something big, here is a suggested spring maintenance checklist from “Holmes: The Magazine to Make it Right.”

Yard and Exterior

1. Trim it: Cut overgrown bushes and other vegetation that has grown near your home. Doing so will help prevent water and pest damage to your house.

2. Prevent leaks: Make sure that the flashing around all windows, doors and vents is in good shape. (As a homeowner who has experienced multiple window water leaks in her home, I know this step is crucial.)     

3. Deter excess moisture: Don’t let sprinklers hit your home with water, and that water from gutters, etc. drains away from your home’s foundation.

4. Clean it: Clear your home’s gutters and downspouts of debris.

5. Think safety:  If you own a pool, check the fence around the pool for any damage, and make sure that the gate latch is working properly.

Inside Your Home

6. De-grease: Change the filter to your kitchen’s exhaust fan. If cooking grease builds up there, it can start a fire. Also, a dirty filter is less efficient.   

7. Vacuum your fridge: Pull out your refrigerator and vacuum the fridge’s coils to increase your fridge’s energy efficiency by as much as 30 percent.

8. Rejuice: Change the batteries in your home’s smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Electric units should be lightly vacuumed to remove dust.

9. Inspect: Check for pools of water or wetness in the basement. Wet surfaces can mean that a pipe has burst or that your home’s foundation is leaking.

10. Tune up: Get your HVAC system professionally inspected and maintained.