return to At Home > Home Maintenance

Feb 2011  |  By Laura Hine  |  Comments

Home Maintenance: Spring Checklist

The snow is gone, and warmer weather is almost here to stay.

Here’s a list of the 6 things that need to get done (not all by you) as you transition your house from winter to spring.

Wash the windows. Wipe away the grime inside and out and let that sun shine in. Unless you live in an apartment, this is a job for professionals.

Vacuum your refrigerator’s coils. Here’s how to do this if you have a built-in, and here are instructions for a free-standing refrigerator.

Clean the fireplace. Sweep out the ashes and half-burned wood. If you get a chimney sweep to come and clean out the creosote build up now, you’ll be ready for fall (and you might get a better deal!).

Inspect your exterior paint. If paint is obviously cracked and flaking, you might need to bite the bullet and repaint this year.

Inspect your gutters. Winter ice and snow can leave gutters sagging. Get them repaired before the spring rains come. Tip: Window washers will often clean out gutters (they’ve got the ladders already out) for much less than hiring someone just for that job.

Inspect your trees. All that snow and ice has weakened branches. You can prune small limbs, but mature trees should be handled by a professional.