Did you know? Sunday, March 20 2016 marked the official start of the spring season this year! As is our tradition with our blogs, it’s time again to give you the top ways to get your home ready for spring. Some past blogs that will also give you some tips about preparing your home for spring include:
- Spring Decor VS Summer Decor for 2015
- Best Trees and Plants for the Best Curb Appeal
- 5 Cleaning Hacks to Make Spring Cleaning Easier
- How To Prepare Your Garden For Spring
- How to Spring Your Home Forward Into the Spring Real Estate Market
While it seems like we might focus a lot on the spring season, we give you just as many tips for the other seasons. Simply click on the Seasonal Tips blog topic on the right hand side of the screen to get a home checklist for every season! For now though, let’s get to your home checklist for spring since the season is already well underway!
- Start from the bottom.
By the bottom we mean start in the basement, if you have one. Things that you should be looking out for in your basement include:
- Pipe leakage
- Mold and cracks in the walls and floors
- Pests or rodents
Water damage and/or leakage should be addressed right away because though it may look like a small problem now it can lead to things like mold and foundation damage, according to our source. Wherever your hot water heater is located (usually the basement) – check it for rust and our source suggests that spring is a good time to get it and your other heating, ventilation and air conditioning units serviced (since they should be checked twice a year.)
- Check Your Systems.
You’ll also want to check your electrical maintenance and your plumbing system for leaks as well. As safety precaution homeowners typically shouldn’t do any major tampering with their electrical systems; just check the entire house for:
- any buzzing or humming
- circuits consistently tripped
- frayed electrical cords
- extension cords being used as permanent wiring
If any of the above problems are sited, contact a professional immediately!
The plumbing system should be checked by turning the water valve off and on and checking all pipes through the home for leaks. Our source also wants to remind homeowners that a low water pressure might be the result of a leak or rusting pipe.
- Tighten Any Lose Screws and Hinges,
While you are going through your home checking for leaks and frayed electric cords, you can also open and close doors and windows to make sure they are all working properly, with no squeaks. If there is squeaking simply apply a lubricant. While closing windows and doors also check for any lose screws and hinges.
- Check for cracks and peeling paint.
Selling your home or not you’ll want to check the walls and floors for cracks and peeling paint. While most of the spring tips in this blog can be fixed by yourself, a professional should address cracks that are larger than ¼ of an inch. These types of professionals can be found in your yellow pages or online!
- Visit the Attic.
Rodents and pests don’t only reside in your basements or crawlspaces – you should look for them in the attic too! While up there check your roof for any leaks as well. Spring is the rainiest of the seasons so you don’t want any water getting in through holes in your roof.
- Don’t forget the exterior!
Finally don’t forget to tackle the exterior of your home as well, since it gives off the first impression! Since you were already checking your roof, you might as well start there – check your shingles, chimney, gutters and downspouts. If these weren’t addressed in the fall you’ll definitely want to get them cleaned for the rainy spring season ahead. Paint and caulking is checked on the inside as mentioned, but it should also be checked on the outside. A special note to remember is that plants or outside landscaping should be at least a foot away from your air conditioning unit and make sure there are no outdoor animals’ nests or homes in the units as well. Finally make sure your deck or porch is in a safe condition by removing any mold, and rotting items. You’ll also want to check the nuts and bolts here to make sure they are tightly secured. Don’t wait more than 3 years to clean and seal your deck or porch!
While we encourage you to print out this blog and use it as your personal checklist, we also realize that you may not be able to address every one of these issues on your own. Don’t be afraid to call a professional or even a home inspector. Like the professionals, home inspectors can be found in the yellow pages or online.
If you are using this list to enter into the Pittsburgh spring real estate market I hope you’ll contact us! The Jim Dolanch Team is always happy to help!
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Don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or need any more advice on listing your Pittsburgh home.
Until Next Time,
Jim