With the warm weather finally here, you start to notice the build-up of dirt and grime from the winter months. You need do a good cleaning, which means more than just washing down the BBQ.
There are few small maintenance jobs you can do to make the house look so much better and keep in top working order. many of these jobs you can do yourself or with the help of a handyman.
You want to enjoy your summer without having to stop and repair things all the time. By making a home improvement checklist, you can get everything done to get it ready for summer and prevent any major problems.
What is Home Improvement Checklist
Make your list in order of importance and get the bigger tasks out of the way first. For those jobs, you can hire help or a handyman to get them finished and move on to the smaller jobs. This will be very helpful for your home improvement and that will increase your home appraisal value.
Cleaning Your House
Give everything a deep cleaning, inside and out including your carpet using Klean Dry. There will be a stale odor noticeable when you first start to open up the house, plus dirt, grime that needs to be removed.
Power Wash in Your Room
Get a power washer and wash the outside of the house. Dirty, dust, mold, leaves, get it all off with a good washing. It will make the house look new. Don’t forget the shed, garage and any other outer buildings on the property.
Gutters and Eaves
Get up and dig out all the leaves and other debris from the eaves troughs. These can cause damage if left to allow water to build up. This can pull a whole section of the eaves right off the house.
Once you have them cleaned out, get gutter guards put in. The gutter guards will keep the debris from getting in the eaves at all, and make cleaning and maintaining much easier. For more about gutter guards, please follow this link.
Clean Your Windows
You want to get those windows open and let that fresh air in. Wash the windows inside and out. Check the drapes, blinds and the frames of the windows to make sure they are still in good shape.ย If not you can save a lot of money by purchasing direct buy blinds.
Wooden frames can get damp and mold or rot. be sure to check them thoroughly. Old chipped paint should be scraped off and repainted. It can make a huge difference in how the house looks.
It’s important to make sure the frames and window sills are in good order if you plan on installing a window air conditioner. They are heavy and also leak, so they need a sturdy surface to start with.ย Considerย new window blinds and shutters from Rapid Blinds.
If there are storm windows, take them off, clean them and store them away safely.
Maintenance of Ceiling Fans
If you don’t turn your fans on throughout the winter, there will be a lot of dust and soot gathered on the blades. These need a good cleaning before you turn them on and scatter all that mess across the house.
While you are up there, check there is no rust, grease leaking or other damage. You can get someone is to check them for you if you don’t know what to look for or don’t like heights.
Cleaning your Floors
A good cleaning of all floors and carpets gets rid of built-up dirt and debris and waxy build-up. If you have hardwood floors, take as much furniture you can out and give them a good cleaning. You can have them redone, and treated if they need it.
Area carpets can be taken right out and beaten or cleaned. Wall to wall carpeting should get steam cleaned to get rid of pet and foot odor, stains and any other debris and bugs that may have set up house there.
Spring is a good time to get your carpets cleaning vacuum, as they are stepped on less through the summer months. Plus, the house is open with fresh air to help them keep their clean small and look longer.
Replace Yard Work
Get the old, dead bushes, trees and hedges taken out and replaced. These can be replaced with something similar, or something new. Bushes that bloom makes great border plants and add a nice splash of color to the yard.
Rake the entire lawn, getting up all the dead leaves and other items that may have blown in throughout the winter. Leaves and other vegetation can be used as mulch or compost, to save you from hauling it away.
You may also want to install a pool or summer toys for the kids. They need a place to play, so a water slide, inflatable pool, sprinklers and sheets of plastic for sliding are a few ways to keep them entertained.
Roof Cleaning
Get someone to check your roof for any damage that may have occurred over the winter. Ice and heavy snow can cause shingles or roofing tiles to come loose, rot and come off completely.
Check for structural damage, as well. There may be a deeper problem under the rotten shingles and you want to know now instead of the first heavy rain. If there is a good hail storm coming, it can take off a lot of your roof.
A few small repairs now can save a lot of money down the road. Leaks cause damage to the roof but also will damage the inside of the house.ย If there is any damage to your roof consider repairing it with a roofing company like Jasper Roofing.
Check up Deck Regularly
Once you have cleaned the deck, check it over for any weather damage. Cracks or rotten spots lifted nails or loose boards. Be sure to check the whole foundation of the deck, to make sure everyone on there this summer is safe.
Give it a good coat of weatherproof paint or stain to bring it back to life. It’s the perfect space to entertain, you want it looking nice and new.
Proper maintenance of Doors
Take the doors off and give them a good sanding and painting. The cold and the heat can cause them to warp and split. Install screen doors for the summer months. It keeps the bugs and the heat out and the air circulating so the rooms remains fresh.
Maintenance of Air Conditioning
If you have central air, you need to get the system maintained. This will keep your energy bill lower on those scorching days you need it the most. There should be a good overhaul of the system and then regular maintenance checks.
- check and change filters
- check all drainage ports and drip pans
- clean the fans and other movable parts
- clear the debris away from the outside equipment
- give it a test run before you need it
- schedule regular maintenance
This is one of the maintenance checks you need to do early on. If it all breaks down when it’s really hot, you’ll all have to take turns sticking your head in the freezer.
Summer Accessories
Get out the BBQ, the lawn and deck chairs, the tables and patio umbrellas. Give them all a good cleaning with the garden hose and check them all over for damage and needed repairs.
Canvas and plastic can become damaged even while in storage, so make sure they are up for the party that will protect your skin in summer. They may need to be replaced. Even metal legs of chairs can rust over the months of storage and spill out your Aunt Margaret and her fresh G & T.
Keep The Pool Fresh
If you are lucky enough to have a pool, even an above-ground type, or a hot tub, get them all maintained and serviced when the air conditioning is being checked. You can clean them out and fill them, just to check for cracks, leaks or any other damage.
Make sure all drainage areas are cleared and debris and critter-free. Pipes, hoses and the pool or hot tub linings can get damaged from the cold. Make sure there are no holes or jagged edges.
Check stones or tiles around the sides to make sure none are loose or cracked. Have the pool cleaned and checked over by a professional before using it.
Inside the House
With the warm weather comes open windows and fresh air. It’s the perfect time to give some of the well-loved rooms a makeover. A fresh coat of paint on the walls that have been stained, neglected and faded from the sun.
While you are cooking outside, take advantage and redo some of the kitchen cupboards, paint the walls or replace the floor. These jobs are so much easier when people don’t need to be in the room all the time.
Consider redoing the bathroom, as the hot weather means more showers and more usage. It’s the perfect time to rip out old tiles or rusty, leaking faucets.
Fun in the Sun
It’s better to put in some work for preventive measures than having to do repairs later on. The repairs always cost more and never happen at a convenient time. make yourself a home improvement checklist and then you will know where to start.
Enjoy your summer, your home and friends, and family by keeping everything in working order and everyone safe. If you are looking for more details on home improvements, please continue reading here.
