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Spring Maintenance For Your Home
By Fisher Swanson
Winter weather can be very hard on the exterior of your home. Here
are some good things you can do in Spring to find and repair any
damage done by the ravages of winter.
Inspect Your Gutters
Spring is a good time of year to check your gutters. If you are in an
area with snow, sometimes the weight of the snow can pull your gutters
away from the fascia of your house. Nail any drooping gutters back to
the fascia. The next time you get a good rain, make sure the gutters
are draining correctly and that water is being channelled 3 to 4 feet
from your house.
Inspect Your Roof
Inspect your roof for loose shingles and remove any large branches.
You can probably put off a major cleaning until summer but you will
want to repair any broken tiles or shingles as soon as possible. If
you are inspecting from the ground, use a pair of binoculars to get a
better view.
Get Your Air Conditioner and Fans Ready
Get your air conditioner maintenance done before hot weather hits.
Check your manual for recommended annual maintenance. Much of it can
be done yourself and will increase the output of the air conditioner
and save you money on electricity. Table and floor fans also get
dusty. Clean the fan blades and cages before using them.
Around the Foundation
Check the grading around your house and make sure that the ground is
sloping away from your house. Make sure that no plants or dirt comes
into contact with the wood siding of your house. Inspect your
foundation for cracks and patch any that you find. Also, check the
siding of your home for mildew. It can be removed with a solution of
1 part chlorine bleach to 3 parts water. If any of the bleach water
gets on to your plants, make sure you rinse them well as soon as
possible.
Caulking and Stain
Inspect the caulking around the outside of your house. Patch any
caulking that is missing or damaged. Another place that there may be
caulking is around your chimney. If you have a wood fence, deck or
outdoor furniture you should inspect it in the spring to see if you
are going to need to re-stain it. Staining your outdoor furniture and
fencing will dramatically increase their lifetime.
Fisher Swanson writes for ThriftyFun.com. For more information visit:
http://www.thriftyfun.com
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