16 Exterior home maintenance tips for spring

Spring is here and with it comes the spring cleaning of your home and yard. In our last post we shared our top 9 interior home maintenance tips. For this post, we would like to share some great tips for the spring maintenance of the exterior of your home and garden!

Here are our 16 exterior home maintenance tips for spring:

1. Check for loose or leaky gutters, and ensure that the debris is cleaned out.
2. Ensure down spouts are pointed away from the foundation and clear of debris.
3. Fill low areas in the yard and near the foundation with compacted soil to prevent water from pooling and seeping.
4. Check all windows and door frames for cracks or damage and repair as necessary.
5. Examine the shingles on the roof to see if there is any damage from over the winter. For older homes, budget for replacement of the roof once it is 15-20 years old (depending on the type of shingle).
6. Check the flashing around plumbing vents, skylights and chimneys.
7. Have your chimney flue cleaned by a professional chimney sweep.
8. Inspect your concrete sidewalks, driveways, etc. for cracks or movement and repair as necessary.
9. Remove all firewood that is stored near the home. As a rule of thumb it should be stored a minimum of 18” off the ground and 2’ away from the dwelling.
10. Check exterior hose faucets for freeze damage and check garden hose for dry rot.
11. Have the outside unit of your air conditioner cleaned and serviced.
12. Repair cracked or peeling paint.
13. Pressure wash to clean your deck, driveway, fence and other outside surfaces.
14. Check your gas and battery powered lawn equipment to ensure they are ready for use, and clean and sharpen blades as necessary.
15. Rake leaves and left over winter debris from your grass and garden beds.
16. Churn and loosen the solid and mix in compost to prepare for gardening.

It is important to remember that some of these above items may need to be completed by a professional.  If you are not comfortable with certain maintenance items or unsure how to complete them, please be sure to contact a professional with the proper skills and expertise.

Thank you and Happy Spring Cleaning,

Your Costen Insurance Team