Spring Home Maintenance Checklist: Exterior House

We discussed spring cleaning in a previous article and today we are going to follow up by talking about another important springtime activity: home maintenance. In particular, we will look at creating a spring maintenance checklist for the exterior of your house.

Spring Home Maintenance Checklist: Exterior

As North Georgia’s premiere home remodeler, we feel that is important to remind homeowners in Gainesville, North Georgia and beyond that spring is upon us, and with the change of the season, we always recommend people take the time out to conduct a little home maintenance. In addition to making your property look prettier and become more functional, maintaining your property has the added benefit of increasing the value of your home – or, at the very least, preventing it from losing value due to falling into disrepair.

When most people think about home maintenance, they tend to think primarily of their appliances, such as their HVAC unit or their water heater. While these are important things to consider, there are many other areas that a homeowner can inspect and maintain to keep their house in tip-top shape.

Today’s blog will focus on the exterior of the home, and to get started, we always recommend that homeowners park their car in front of their home (versus inside the garage) and do a visual survey of their house. Wait for a nice day and carry a pen and paper with you so that you can take notes as you conduct your inspection. A pair of binoculars will come in handy as well.

First, look at the visible portions of your roof (this is where those binoculars come in handy) and look for any wear and tear. If you are adventurous and comfortable climbing onto the roof, feel free to climb up and take a gander. If you are the least bit leery of doing this, call in the pros: remember, safety first and foremost.

While you are inspecting your roof, make note of the condition of your gutters, downspouts and drainage system. Are all of the seals tight? Are all of the gutters secured and in good shape? If there is clutter blocking up the drainage, be sure to clean it out, as the pooling water can cause issues over time.

Next, inspect your sprinkler system and hose bibs. Do you detect any signs of leakage? Are all of the sprinkler heads attached and in working order? If not, make a note to replace them. Take time to look at your bushes and trees. Ensure that they are trimmed neatly away from the house (insects and animals can use limbs and foliage to climb onto or into your home). Also look out for branches that are inching toward electrical lines; these will need to be cut.

Inspect the paint on your home and look for any cracks, water damage or peeling. Look at windows to see if they are still properly sealed and caulked, as a broken seal can lead to air leaks and energy loss in the home. Finally, look at your driveway or walkway and look for broken or uneven patches. If you find any, jot them down on your list.

If you have a swimming pool, chimney or fence, be sure to take a close look at those as well. Once you have finished making the rounds outside of your home, you can begin to assess the interior – we’ll save that for a future article, however.

Home Improvement in North Georgia

Do you need some help with your spring home maintenance? Looking for renovation or remodeling help? If so, give Tracy Tesmer Design/Remodeling a call and see how we can help turn your house into a home!

The post Spring Home Maintenance Checklist: Exterior House appeared first on Tracy Tesmer Design|Remodeling.