Get these 6 Must Do Outdoor Home Maintenance Tasks Done this Spring

Nothing is better than time outside after a long winter, even household chores start to sound refreshing after being coupe’d up inside all winter. Get some fresh spring air in your lungs and get these 6 maintenance jobs done, so that you can fully enjoy the warm weather ahead. Keeping an eye on these spring maintenance tasks will also help prevent an potential issues that could end up costing you.

Clean the Gutters

We can not stress this task enough, clean your gutters! You may think once a year is fine, but consider this spring cleaning chore your new twice yearly outdoor maintenance chore. Check out your gutters bottoms for any loose granules, if you find any issues while your up there take a look at your roof for any damaged spots. If you’ve got gunk built up from winter debris, ream it out with a garden hose. Shove the hose into the downspout, make sure your downspouts channel water at least five ft. from the foundation of your home.

Inspect Your Roof

If you’re okay with heights, climb up the ladder and do an inspection, make sure your ladder is sturdy and you have someone with you for extra precaution if you don’t feel safe. If not you can’t get a full good look use a pair of binoculars. Remember you’re looking for: curled and missing shingles, rusted and pitted flashing, and cracked caulk around pipe collars, skylights and other roof penetrations. If you’ve got a relatively flat roof that you feel confident to work on yourself, feel free to do so. Just remember to always have the proper safety equipment whether you’re working on a flat or steep roof. If you’re unsure, opt for the safety of a professional. You should expect to pay a licensed roofing contractor $100 – $200 for minor repairs, and $300 – $500 to replace flashing and boots.

Repair Paint

Keep your homes painted surfaces fresh by scraping off any chipped or peeling paint and spot paint any exposed surfaces. One of the worst things to do is to leave wood exposed, leaving exposed wood will lead to rot. Power wash your home’s exterior and look for any chips in the paint, if you see any exposed wood give those worn areas a new coat.

Trim Overgrowth

Spring is a good time to trim some branches on shrubs and trees, get an early start before leaves start to grow as it’s easier for you to see individual limbs without them. You should keep branches 5 to 7 feet away from your home, keeping them at a distance will ensure they don’t create moisture on your roofing and siding. Use landscaping trimmers and cutters to prevent the spread of plant diseases, clean the blades with with some bleach and a rag, be sure to dry the cutting surfaces thoroughly and carefully, keeping tools sharp is important to prevent tearing bark.

Ensure Good Drainage

Good drainage makes for a happy home, to keep mildew, mold, termites, and basement leaks away from your home be sure to check the soil slopes away from the foundation walls. The slopes should be at least 6 vertical inches over 10 feet, that way rain and snow melt will run far from your homes foundation, preventing any problems.

Check Foundation Vents

If your home has a crawl space, that means you have vents along your foundation walls. These vents are designed to provide air circulation that helps dissipate excess moisture and prevents mold growth. These vents have screens to keep wildlife out from under your home, they also catch debris like leaves and twigs. Spring time is a good time to get to cleaning out your homes foundation vents and check the screens for damage. You can clean the vents by hand or with a shop vacuum, if you see any damaged screens you’ll need to repair or replace them. Mice and rats can squeeze through holes the size of a quarter, even smaller, so you definitely want those screens to be intact.

We hope you found these 6 outdoor home projects helpful when getting to your spring cleaning! Remember it’s very important to do regular home maintenance checkups to ensure there are no issues happening in your home! For any home improvement projects you may want to start, be sure to call us at Waste Solutions 123! We can provide you with the perfect size roll off dumpster for all of your home project and home maintenance needs!