6 Home Maintenance Tasks to Tackle This Spring

Time to give your house a physical exam. As with health care, an ounce of prevention applied to home maintenance can save you thousands on repairs later. It can also prolong the life of your house. Even if you don't plan on selling your home anytime soon, spring is a great time to tackle these six home maintenance tasks.

1. Gutters and Downspouts

After a long, snowy winter, the roof and gutters are ready for a rinse-off. Snow and rain amounts vary from year to year, but every inch of rainfall on a 1,000 square foot roof collects about 600 gallons of water. Clean out the fallen leaves, twigs, debris, and bird droppings from the gutters. Clear downspouts and place screens over openings. Installing a rain barrel at the end of a downspout allows you to use that water to irrigate your lawn and garden. 

2. Roof

It's best to leave the roof inspection to the professionals who are bonded and insured. But if you don’t mind heights, climb onto the roof and sweep or power-wash away leaves and debris. Check to see if any shingles are missing or loose. Inspect the chimney for damaged flashing, missing mortar, or loose rubber. From the chimney to the fireplace, clean out the ash, close the damper and put it to bed. You may also want to hire a professional chimney service to take care of any soot buildup.

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3. Caulk and Seal

You'll save a lot on air conditioning this summer by sealing all the gaps in your windows and doors. Examine the weather stripping and replace it where necessary. Caulk all spaces between windows. Not only will you save on electricity, but you’ll also be doing your part to save the planet.

4. Garden and Flowerbeds

Colorful perennial spring flowers such as tulips and daffodils will struggle trying to push their way through dead leaves, debris, and the muddy remnants of winter. Prepare the garden and flowerbeds with a rake, tiller or hoe — but only if there are no flower bulbs planted. Plant flowers, shrubs, trees, and your favorite fruits and vegetables. One of the District’s iconic cherry trees would look wonderful in front of the house. Bird feeders, hanging baskets, birdbaths, and flags, and add to the curb appeal.

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5. Paint and Stain

Spring is a good time for painting and staining your home’s exterior. Over time, paint chips and peels, leaving bare wood exposed. Sealing permeable wood keeps it from rotting or becoming damaged. Windows, doors, railways, fences, decks, and shutters need a new coat of paint or stain every few years. If you’re planning to put the house up for sale, keep in mind painting the front door black can add as much as $6,000 in value. You’ll spend much less painting or even replacing the door.

6. Mower Maintenance

Before cranking up the lawn mower, give it a reboot.

Check the spark plugs. Dirty or loose plugs and wires will cause the mower to sputter and make it difficult to start. When removing spark plugs, clean with a brake solution, brush and remove the dirt. Change the oil (at least once a year or after 50 uses).

Replace the air filter to keep the mower from becoming dirty and clogged. Sharpen the blade, so it gives the grass a smooth cut. You can do this yourself, but it’s easier — and safer — to bring it to a hardware store. Riding mowers get choked with grass and mud. Cleaning the deck each season prolongs the life of your mower.

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7. Air Conditioner

It may not be hot enough to crank up the AC in early spring, but now's the time to get ready for summer. Replace the air filter; they get dirty with constant use and affect air quality. Clogged filters keep air from flowing, which reduces its efficiency. Maintaining the air conditioner can reduce its energy consumption by up to 15 percent.

Once you get started, you’ll not want to stop – and you won’t because house projects are never-ending. Pick and choose what you can handle on your own, but for the rest, call a handyman. Then go from the winter easy chair to a summer hammock.