A Checklist for Your Spring Home Exterior Maintenance
March 2022 by Heartland Roofing Siding and Windows
Cleaning the exterior of your home is one of the main activities Minneapolis homeowners do in spring. While you may have a perfect plan to clean out your closet and dust the furniture, your home’s exterior also needs the same amount of attention. Here is a short checklist that you can use to maintain your home’s exterior during spring.
- Start With an Overall Inspection
Your spring home maintenance should start with an inspection of the exterior. Walk around the property to find out anything that may have been damaged or needs to be repaired. You may find that winter may have made some elements of your home exterior to become susceptible to damage. Elements such as the deck, gutters, windows, and roof tend to be the common culprits.
- Check Your Gutters and Downspouts
Make sure that your gutters and downspouts are clear and free of leaves and debris. Any clogging can cause the gutters and downspouts to rot, which makes them ineffective. Simply spraying some water on the roof with a hosepipe will help you determine whether there are any leaks and whether the gutters are draining properly. If your area had been hit by heavy snow, you may need to check whether the weight of the snow caused the gutters to detach from the house.
- Inspect the Roof
Be sure to inspect the roof for any damages caused by the winter storms. You do not have to grab a ladder and climb to inspect how well the roof is. Simply walk around the property checking for any visible damage. You may also use a pair of binoculars to identify specific damages on the roof. You should be looking for missing or cracked shingles, damaged flashing, or anything that does not seem right.
- Inspect Exterior Walls and Siding
Depending on your type of siding, you can make it look as good as new with power washing. This will remove all the mold and other outdoor stains that may have accumulated during winter. While washing the exterior walls, check for openings and cracks as they may provide habitat for small insects like termites that can get inside the wall and cause more damage.
- Clean the Windows
When cleaning the windows, start by looking at the seals, caulking, and weather stripping. Any cracks or damages on either of these can lead to unwanted water and air entering your home. Once you have established that these are intact, you can start cleaning your windows using appropriate cleaning solutions. You can also make your own solution by mixing white vinegar, alcohol, and water.
- Check Porches and Decks
Inspect your wood decks for rotting or deteriorating wood as it can cause a serious safety hazard if left untreated. Try to make it a habit of pressure washing the deck once a year using the lowest pressure. Remember to check for any damages from pests such as termites.
- Inspect Foundations
Check the foundation walls, concrete, floors, and masonry for leaks, cracking, or deterioration. Do not ignore even the smallest cracks as they can allow water to enter your home and cause more damage.
- Revamp the Landscape and Vegetation
You also need to check your home landscape and vegetation for that complete look. Shrub back and trim your trees to prevent any protruding branches to cause damage to your property exterior. Consider raking up any twigs or leaves that scatter across your lawn.
- Get Professional Help
A complete spring home exterior maintenance is not as easy as it sounds. You may need a professional to check certain things for you or you simply lack enough time to do everything by yourself. Heartland Roofing Siding and SOLAR offer quality home maintenance services to residents and businesses in Minneapolis MN. Call us at 800-681-4169 or on our CONTACT PAGE to request an appointment from one of our trained professional inspectors.