Homeownership can be more of a burden than we realize. After the excitement of the hunt and the anxiety of being accepted for the loan, the work of moving in and adjusting the home to our tastes, we settle into complacence, and start to take our homes for granted. Meanwhile, all the thousands of elements that make up our home continue to age, responding to the stresses of operations or environment, and, unless we start a regular maintenance program, start breaking down…usually at the worst possible time.

The energetic springtime is a good time to start with maintenance. Below are some of the most important things you can do to
your home after the cold, damp winter.

  • Service your furnace. Change the filters now so it will be ready for the first cold days of winter.
  • Have your ducts cleaned as soon as you turn off the heater for the season
  • Clean your chimney.
  • Flush the water heater and check for leaks around the base.
  • Replace washing machine hoses; install shut off valves.
  • Check or replace exterior hose bibs.
  • Inspect/repair your irrigation system. Have the back flow test done.
  • Replace broken, bent screens. Clean patio door tracks—lubricate rollers with a silicone lubricant.
  • Caulk around windows and doors (spring and fall).
  • Caulk around tubs, showers and kitchen sinks.
  • Clean moss off roofs.
  • Trim back trees that overhang roofs, encouraging moss.
  • Clean gutters and be sure drains route rain water way from foundations.
  • Clean windows, inside and out.
  • Clean and stain outside decking.
  • Check attics and crawl spaces. Replace screens that keep birds and animals out.
  • Install that attic fan you’ve been thinking about.
  • Lubricate garage door motors

Why is it so important to do maintenance? Well, for one, un-maintained properties bring down property prices for everyone in the neighborhood. That is why your Association’s Covenants make maintenance mandatory for all homeowners, usually backing it up with fines for not complying. One can imagine a buyer’s interest in moving into a neighborhood where homes are in disrepair, with many mossy roofs, bad siding, and weedy yards and where cars are parked everywhere. The other reason is that leaving your home unmaintained could lead to damages that grow over time.