The snow and ice have finally melted! Now you’re free to pull out your toolbox and start tackling some seasonal maintenance projects. What projects should you do this spring?
Clean Out Your Gutters
One of the first spring tasks you should do is clean out your gutters. They are probably filled with clumps of wet leaves, twigs and other debris from the past fall and winter. You’ll want to clear them out as soon as possible.
When your gutters are clogged with debris, they won’t work as well. They might not be capable of collecting and draining rainwater coming off the roof. Instead, the clogged gutters will overflow with water, letting it spill down the sides of the house and pool around its foundation, which could lead to a basement flood. Considering how spring is the rainiest season, you’ll want to make sure that your gutters are clear and ready to drain rainwater away from your home.
Clogged gutters also make excellent nesting grounds for pests. Rodents, birds and insects will be attracted to the collection of leaves and twigs and want to stay there. A pest infestation could easily make its way from your outdoor drainage system to your interior. So, you should clear out your gutters to dissuade pests from making themselves at home there.
Clean Up Your AC Unit
You might not need the AC unit just yet, but you will soon! That’s why you’ll want to give it a thorough clean now. Remove the panels, spray down the fins with a hose and then let them air-dry before putting them back onto the unit. If you have a window AC unit, remove the filter and replace it with a new one. If it has a built-in filter, clean it and place it back inside the unit.
Once you’ve finished cleaning up your unit, give it a test run to see whether it’s working well. It’s better to find out that it’s in need of professional repairs or a full upgrade before the summer hits. You don’t want to assume everything works fine and realize you don’t have any air conditioning when a heat wave is in full swing.
What if you can’t afford an AC repair or replacement? The good news is that you’ll have some time to save up for the maintenance costs. Hopefully, scrimping for a few months will provide you with enough money to cover the job.
And if it’s not enough time? If you don’t have enough by the summer to get AC unit repairs, you could turn to online financial options for some extra help. An online option like a personal loan could give you the temporary funds you need to cover your AC repairs or replacements before the temperatures get way too hot to handle. After covering the urgent expense with the loan, you can follow a steady repayment plan arranged through a monthly billing cycle.
Online loans should only be used as a last resort. If you can use your savings for an expense like an AC repair, use them.
Give Some TLC to Your Windows
When spring arrives, you should do more than wipe down the glass of your windows. You’ll want to give them some special maintenance.
Start by removing and replacing old caulking and weatherstripping. Doing this should seal any air leaks around the window, which should prevent the outdoor temperatures from pushing their way inside. You’ll want to have this finished before summer arrives. Your freshly caulked windows will keep the sweltering heat outside. It will make sure you don’t have to strain your AC unit to stay cool, which should help with paying your energy bills.
Once the caulking has dried, repair any torn screens. Tears in your window screens could let insects and other pests inside the house.
Finally, give them a good clean. Scrub the window tracks until they’re free of dirt and grime. Lubricate the window tracks and hinges. And then wipe down the glass until it looks invisible.
These maintenance projects should be at the top of your to-do list this spring. Don’t forget them!
