The to-do list of a homeowner is usually rather lengthy. There's always something needing to get done, but before you know it, the weekend has come and gone, and it's tough to find the time to tackle that seemingly endless list.
Since spring is upon us, and the days are getting longer, it's the perfect time to get cracking with the tasks at hand, so that by the time summer has come, you will be able to truly relax in your Ucluelet home.
In the spirit of keeping your spring cleaning as simple as possible, below is a list of some household tasks that can be easily completed over a couple of weekends. Getting on top of these things will make your summer just that much sweeter, so good luck with the springtime clean-up!
Replacing the filter in your HVAC is one thing that should be done on a regular basis. Depending on the type of furnace that you have, it may be recommended to change the filter every 6 weeks or so. Staying on top of this throughout the year can drastically help prolong the life of your HVAC unit, and it will also help your HVAC run more efficiently. If you haven’t done it in a while – springtime is a good time to get it done.
With the winter being over, and still more rain on the way, it's always a smart idea to make sure the gutters have not shifted. It's imperative that the spring showers are directed well away from your home's foundation, and so if any part has gotten dislodged, or if the gutter is clogged and water is overflowing onto the ground, this is something that needs to be remedied immediately. Getting the gutters and downspouts in tip-top shape is an easy way to prevent future headaches.
By properly maintaining your driveway, you can drastically improve the look and the longevity of it. This is a simply way to really give your front yard a bit of a new look, which is helpful, especially if you are thinking of selling your home. Of course, you will have to wait for a completely dry weekend to do this task, but in the short time it takes, the payoff will show in the prolonged life of the driveway.
This will not have to be done every spring, but it is always a good idea to take a look over all the exterior surfaces for any flaking or chipping of the paint, because even a small exposure of the underlaying wood or metal can cause damage. It's easier to take care of any nicks or chips now, so you can prevent a bigger annoyance somewhere down the line. Be sure to also check the exterior window trim of the windows and doors. These places can get overlooked, but are quite susceptible to erosion and corrosion.
This easy task will also help if it comes time to sell your home, because one of the most common bank appraisal issues is chipped and peeled paint. So when deciding what to tackle next, remember that it's so much easier to fix a small chip now then to have to scrape and prep a much larger area later, when you might be wanting to sell your home.
It stands to reason that over time, old caulking can dry out and become hard. This causes drafty windows that make heating and cooling your house very inefficient. Poorly caulked windows can also cause issues with water leakage, which can be a huge problem down the line. Replacing windows is one of the most expensive tasks a homeowner might ever have to do, so ensuring the calking around the windows is all good each spring is an easy way to save yourself some heartache later.
When doing replacing calking, make sure you scrape or cut-away the old stuff before re-applying the new. This will help the caulking last longer and will help Improve the efficiency of your windows and doors.
This is a task that certainly needs to be on your springtime maintenance list. It is recommended that you change the batteries in the smoke detectors with every time change - once in the spring and once in the fall. Be sure to also check that they are all in good working order, and replace any that are not.
One big and usually unexpected expense is having to replace a major appliance. The good news is that regular preventative maintenance can help prolong the lifespan of your appliances. Check the owner’s manual to learn more about how to properly care for the unit, this is the best way to care for your appliances. But in the simplest sense, moving the appliances away from the walls, and gently vacuuming in the crevasses, ensuring that the airflow is not impeded at all will help with the efficiency of the appliances, and also keep them running longer.
Check back with us again soon, because we have a whole lot more easy spring maintenance ideas to share with you. Keeping that house you own in great shape is the best investment you can possibly make now, so we hope we helped you get started with your spring home maintenance, and if you have any questions about buying or selling a Ucluelet home, please feel free to contact us!
