Important maintenance home repairs to do this spring in VA

Spring is the perfect time to get your home back in order after winter weather leaves the area or if any major maintenance issues need to be addressed

Whether you plan to sell your home soon or just want to make it look presentable there are some important spring maintenance checklist tasks and home repairs to do this spring in Virginia after the winter weather.

Home maintenance issues during a good old spring cleaning include maintenance tasks such as checking gutters, replacing windows, caulking cracks, and a whole lot more. Be sure to check your roof, siding, and foundation as well as cleanout the attic and/or basement as part of the spring maintenance checklist and after winter weather departs.

Spring Maintenance Checklist for Virginia

Here are some more spring cleaning ideas to help with maintenance issues as part of the spring maintenance checklist to help you get things done this spring after the winter weather has finally left Virginia.

More than just a general spring cleaning, this season offers the chance to make sure that your home wasn't damaged and allows you to do some maintenance issues during the winter months and winter weather. You should be ready to address repairs and help prepare the home for the rainy season.

So, as the weather in Virginia gets warmer, and winter weather leaves, peruse this spring maintenance checklist and other maintenance tasks to keep the property looking good and avoid any costly damages that might hit your pocketbook when repairs aren't looked after.

Damages from Winter Weather

Walk the outside perimeter of your home checking for possible damage and other maintenance issues on exterior walls that may have happened during the winter months and/or winter weather. See if there are any loose shingles, damaged siding, chimney issues, or cracks in sidewalks or driveways as part of your spring maintenance checklist and/or spring cleaning.

Looking now at these maintenance issues is an excellent way to find issues early before they become bigger problems. For example, if you see damage on the roof, getting it fixed quickly can help the flooding of rainwater in the attic or other rooms as part of a spring maintenance checklist

Foundation Cracks and Shifting

The freeze-thaw cycles that occur in the winter weather in Virginia can be hard on a home's foundation and exterior walls. As wet ground turns to ice, the expansion can place pressure on your home foundation. As a result, you might have cracked exterior walls, a bulging or sunken foundation, or the separation from other structures such as steps or chimneys.

In the spring and as part of the spring maintenance checklist do walk the outside of your home, looking at the foundation sill, concrete, and where the house meets the ground, when performing a list of maintenance tasks. Call a professional or a licensed contractor, if you see anything odd or out of the ordinary to help build on a positive curb appeal.

The foundation is an important part of the home, and finding problems could help avoid losing 30 percent of the home's market value because of foundation damage, according to jeswork.com

Take Way Yard Debris

After the winter weather has gone it may have left a lot of unwanted debris and diminished the home's curb appeal. A good old spring clean-up and as a part of the spring maintenance checklist can freshen up the yard. Rake up fallen tree branches, leaves, and cut grass, and remove debris as part of the maintenance tasks. Re-edge flower beds and add some fresh mulch.

Trim Trees, Shrubs, and Hedges

Spring is the best time to prune most trees including those ghastly ones that have long pine needles as well as other shrubs, but if you have spring-flowering plants wait until after they bloom before pruning.

Remove dead branches, stacks of pine needles and assess all landscape including trees as part of the maintenance tasks to increase a positive curb appeal. During a hurricane or wind storm, or other harsh winter weather conditions, a tree limb can turn damage a roof. Close areas of shade can reduce airflow and raise utility bills and may result in siding mildew.

Clean Home's Gutters

Gutters need to be cleaned out at least twice a year, and spring is a good time since there will be a lot of winter debris after the winter weather. This keeps rainwater from the home's foundation and avoids basement or crawl space flooding and will only add to the home's curb appeal if you're selling.

Depending on the type of trees in the vicinity, gutters may frequently become filled with leaves and overflow during a storm. Installing gutter guards as part of regular maintenance tasks may help avoid clogged gutters and reduce how often they need to be cleaned, and should be part of your regular maintenance tasks. If you can't do it on your own or don't feel comfortable asking a licensed contractor, or ask for a referral.

Inspect Outdoor Plumbing and Pipes

Since the home's outdoor faucets and other mechanical systems have been exposed during the winter weather months,  do a visual inspection for cracks, ice damage, corrosion, or any leaks that ruin its curb appeal caused by weather damage. Also, view home systems like outdoor heat pumps, AC units, compressors, air filters, generators, sprinkler systems, and faucets as part of the maintenance tasks. If you see any issues and need major repairs that have been ruined by cold weather, call a plumber, licensed contractor, or HVAC pro to replace fittings, air filters, to keep systems safe.

Flush Outdoor Drains

Outdoor weather damage to drainage pipes can get clogged due to fallen leaves and debris during the cold weather as well as any air filters. Regardless of if they are buried drains, storm drains, or other water management systems, regular maintenance tasks in the spring can keep them working and should be part of your regular list of maintenance tasks.

Clean out all debris, and if there's a clog, use a plumbing snake to clear pipes after tough weather damage or winter weather, and cold weather months. After cleaning, use a pressure washer to get rid of grime build-up and keep the drainage system working to avoid any major repairs

Regular Home Maintenance

Performing a few easy monthly and regular maintenance tasks such as these above on the home after cold weather, as well as warm weather, can prevent costly major repairs from weather damage in the future.

And since most of these chores are easy and along with a simple visual inspection, you can do them yourself with common household tools. The costs are minimal rather than if you need to contact a licensed contractor or other pros.

Perform a visual inspection of these things monthly during cold weather, as well as warm weather seasons:

• Check miscellaneous things such as hot water heaters, garage door springs, look for any water stains on the inside and exterior walls and ceilings of the home.
• Check HVAC system and air conditioning filters: some air conditioning filters are reusable, others are disposable, and need to be removed and replaced. Clean or replace air conditioning filters when they become soiled which might be from 30 days to a few months, or call a licensed contractor if you feel you can't DIY.
• Do a visual inspection of grout and caulking. Fix any voids or cracks in tubs and showers to maintain their appearance while helping to avoid seeping water damage and avoid major repairs whether it's during cold weather or warm weather months and/or any weather damage.
• Check kitchen vent hood filter. Clean or replace if needed and consider looking at the vent hood filter more often if you use the range a lot.
• Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors monthly as "Consumer Reports" says to change batteries every six months be it cold weather or warm weather.
• Do a visual inspection during spring cleaning of the home outside including air conditioning and air filters and look at outbuildings in the cold weather, as well as the warm weather seasons for issues /problems with the foundation, vents, gutters, and drainpipes and to keep major repairs at bay.

Overall

These regular maintenance tasks checklist during the cold weather and warm weather months will change with the seasons of course but they are helpful tips for what to do during each season and hopefully stop major repairs in the future.Happy spring cleaning!