We had the opportunity to interview our customer care team to learn about the best spring maintenance tips for home exteriors. Read on or click the link below to hear the podcast!

Spring Into Home Exterior Maintenance

What are some general home maintenance tips heading into spring?

It’s always wise to test the smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors in your home. To do this, push the test button on the detectors and see if all alarms chain in and go off. While you’re doing this, it’s also a great time to change the batteries. All detectors are hard wired, but if there is a power outage, it’s important to have a battery backup.

Be sure to test and reset all GFCI outlets at all wet locations. Press the test button and make sure it clicks and resets and that all respond correctly. If they are not responding correctly, call an electrician to come and check it out.

Check all caulking indoors and outdoors and touch up as required. You’ll want to reseal if anything has broken.

Inspect all grout around tile which could be floors, showers, backsplash, etc. You want to make sure it’s properly grouted, and you may need a professional to come to help. For most areas that need caulk, we recommend a silicone caulk which is water resistant and has a lot of flexibility so it holds up well. If you are re-caulking in an area that may need to be painted, avoid silicone caulk and use one that works well for this area.

What are some maintenance tips specific to the exterior of a home?

Check the garage overhead door to make sure it operates properly; bolts, chain, belt, etc. are tightened and lubricate any springs and hinges.

For any garage floor drains, make sure those are clear. Take the covers off and clean out all debris so that material doesn’t build up.

Do a window inspection and make sure the glass is in tact and the seals are good. Make sure all glides are good and move properly. We recommend using a silicone spray to keep them free moving. Take a look at all screens and make sure there are no tears. Make sure weep holes don’t have any debris in them. Wood windows need a more thorough review to make sure no rot is occurring.

Be sure to visually inspect roof and siding for any kind of weather damage. Make sure no loose pieces of siding or shingle are on the house, gutters, or in the yard.

Check all vent areas which could be for plumbing, radon, etc. You’ll want to make sure that it’s not breaking loose or doesn’t have any splits in it.

Clean out your gutters and downspouts even if you have gutter guards to make sure there’s no debris and build up in there.

Keep the gutters clear and make sure all downspouts are flowing away from the house. For the ADS piping in the yard, you’ll need to keep that cleaned out and the area surrounding it maintained so grass is not covering it.

You’ll want to start and adjust your sprinkler system. This is something you can do yourself or call a professional. Once you’ve started this process, you’ll more than likely need to start and stop and go through the process of adjusting the heads to make sure you’re watering proper areas.

For any stained surfaces such as a fiberglass door, make sure the clear coat is not peeling. If it is, you’ll need to get that sanded down and put a new clear coat on there before the stain starts to get affected. If your door faces west and has a lot of sun exposure, the color will break down more quickly, so be sure to keep an eye on it.

Seal all concrete and asphalt on driveways and sidewalks about every three years. In the winter, you never want to salt or use ice melt on your driveway. The best thing to use to get up your driveway in the winter is sand which will help with traction. To avoid any issues, it is best to keep your driveway clear of snow and ice.

You’ll want to test all hose bibs. When you run these for the first time of the season, go down to your basement to make sure you’re not having any leakage. When winter comes around, make sure to remove your hose from the hose bib.

Another wise thing to do is taking a good look around your home’s foundation and make sure there’s no settling of backfilled soils and you’ll need to fill in where needed. You don’t want anything angled toward your foundation.

For decks and patios, make sure you keep these clean and free of moss and mold. You’ll need to stain and/or seal wood decks on a regular basis, sometimes every two to three years. If you have a composite deck, you’ll need to make sure it’s cleaned on a regular basis to keep it maintained. The best way to clean the composite deck is to use an earth-friendly cleaner and water. Make sure you also seal patios on a regular basis to protect it.

We hope you enjoyed the podcast and the helpful spring tips. Now it’s time to start checking things off of the list!