Home Maintenance Tips - Springtime

Check your grout (and caulk seams) after winter every year. If it looks bad, the whole room will, too. More importantly, faults in the grout cause serious water damage, and dreaded mold can gain a foothold. Pay particular attention to the following:

Exterior walls, since heat and cold can cause movement and gaps

Where vertical and horizontal surfaces, or two vertical planes meet

The base of your whirlpool, where it rests on the tile

Call to get your air conditioner serviced now, before the cooling season. You'll get better service and may be able to get a lower price. The same holds true for other seasonally related work, such as landscaping and exterior construction.

Lubricate your garage door tracks and mechanism. Most problems are a result of not lubricating.

Clean your gutters- scrape winter debris out and run a hose down the downspouts to wash them out.

Check the roof- how is it holding up? Look for signs of deterioration, like curling or missing shingles, grit washing off shingles in a rainstorm, or interior leaks. On a flat roof, raised “bubbles” or any open areas.

Check wood trim on the house- is any paint peeling, chalking, bubbling, or discolored? What about splitting or rotting wood?

Finally, walk through the basement. Any new drainage problems, or anything look different?

If some work needs to be done, plan to get started on it early. Weather can be uncooperative when you wait till fall. It also is a good strategy to get bids before the season hits- so pricing may be more favorable.