Spring is here! Daytime temperatures are warming up quickly—finally. April and May are great months to tackle some simple tasks around your home before the summer heat arrives. (That includes exterior painting, by the way!) Here is our list of spring to-dos.

1) Inspect the Exterior

Inspect your home’s exterior for cracks, flaking paint, and other visible damage or disturbance, especially if you didn’t do this in the fall.

• • • • Look for wood rot on siding, windows, doors, and frames.
      • Wood rot can lead to thousands of dollars in repairs, especially if it allows water to leak inside your home.
      • Check for gaps between the siding and the wall underneath. Moisture can easily seep through cracks in the siding, leading to mold and other costly problems.

2) HVAC Maintenance

Spring, like fall, is an excellent time for HVAC service maintenance. Regular maintenance ensures efficient operation and helps prevent issues. This is typically a job for the pros, so consider signing up for a service plan from your HVAC provider.

3) Insect and Pest Prevention

Seal cracks to avoid unwanted insects and other pests.

• • • • Inspect under eaves, around windows and door frames, wood decks, and other structures to help keep out pests like bees, mice, and termites.
      • Look for evidence of squirrels knowing on exterior wood.
      • Eliminate standing water around your home’s exterior, including the yard, to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.

4) Check Rarely Used Spaces

Inspect rarely used spaces and places around your home, like the garden or storage sheds, the attic, and the crawl space. Check the integrity of insulation and even electrical wires and ducts. Lastly, remember to check for any pest or moisture incursion.

5) Spring Yard Cleanup

Your yard likely needs a spring cleanup, even if you cleaned it in the fall.

• • • • Rake and remove any debris from fall, particularly around your foundation and the stems of shrubs and perennials.
      • Lay down fresh mulch.
      • Check that your sprinklers are working, and remember to look for leaks in water lines to avoid water waste.
      • Inspect your gutters and clean them out, even if you checked them in the fall.

Get ready to enjoy a beautiful Virginia summer with these easy tasks completed!

Mike Katounas