Spring into Summertime Fun!

By Tina Graham, Realtor at ERA Wilder Realty

Benjamin Franklin once said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” It is springtime, and as homeowners, we know that keeping our homes in top shape will protect our investment. Because no one wants to spend their summer months waiting for a plumber, electrician, or HVAC professional to show up and fix our homes, we have done the heavy lifting for you. Whether you are looking to get the top price for your home or just want to protect your investment, we have put together a list that will help you keep your summertime fun and provide added value to your home.

Begin numbering here.

1. Crawl space: So much of what keeps our homes together is in the crawl space. It is so nice down there that many little critters love to make their homes in our unlived portion. Moisture is also a by-product of the south. If you do not have a vapor barrier, you might want to have one installed, as it can provide value added to your property and protect your investment.

2. Power wash siding, porch, and patio: If you do not own a power washer, they are available to rent and connect to your outside water source. Local companies have spring specials for those that are looking to have someone else do the outside while you work on the interior.

3. Curb Appeal and Yard maintenance: Fall leaves hide in corners of our homes and make our gardens and fronts look messy. Clean out the old mulch or pine straw, rake the old leaves and put in new mulch or pine straw. If yard work is not your thing, reach out to a local landscaping company for a quote on doing this one-time maintenance work for you. Planting beautiful flowers heralding spring can only enhance the front of your home.

4. HVAC Maintenance: No one wants to have their air conditioning go out on the hottest day of the year or worse yet, when you are on vacation at the beach, and you come home to no air conditioning. Call your local HVAC company and have an inspection and a tune-up.

5. Appliances: If you have a filter on the dishwasher, make sure you have it cleaned out. Dryer vents are another area to be sure to clean out in the spring.

6. Gutters and downspouts: If you do not have leaf-guards on your gutters, cleaning them out in the spring will help to allow the spring rains to flow easily away from your home and potentially save you large sums of money in repair costs. If doing this yourself, it is best to have someone help keep your ladder steady before you tackle this project.

7. Windows: It is the dreaded window washing on the outside while checking your window screens. No one wants annoying mosquitoes finding their way inside. A microfiber cloth will help with drying and washing, while dawn dish soap in your water does an excellent job as a cleaning solution.

8. Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms: It is always a suitable time to check and change the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms. For those who have high, hard to reach smoke detectors which are not hard wired into the electrical system of the house, some fire departments might provide help in replacing those batteries.

9. Medicine Cabinets: We all store over-the-counter and prescription medication for use later if we have leftover. Medication, like other products, has a best by date or an expiration date. Cleaning it out in the spring gives you time to restock on seasonal products such as mosquito repellent, allergy medication and sunscreen.

10. Declutter and organize: We collect things and after a while our collections can take over spaces in our homes we would enjoy using for other things, or to show off the architecture of our homes. Consider taking unwanted items to a local thrift store to pass to someone else to appreciate or make additional money yourself by having a yard sale.

Maintenance on your investment is never wasted time. As we look around our homes and begin for spring cleaning, we can continue to add to this list. Hopefully, this list and the time and effort required to accomplish them will allow you and your family to enjoy the summertime fun!