Spring is here and although we often think about spring cleaning, we don’t always think about spring home maintenance. Just like car maintenance, home maintenance will help your home last longer with fewer repair bills. Here are a few suggestions for spring maintenance for your home.

Check Your Windows & Doors

As spring in the Tampa Bay area tends to be drier than summer and fall, now is a perfect time to check your windows and doors. Window frames should have a continuous bead of caulk around them. If yours don’t, head to your local home improvement store and get the tools you need and re-caulk yours. Not only will it keep the summer rains out, but it will also help lower your cooling costs.

Entry doors have weather stripping. As your home ages, so does the weather stripping. It’s easy to replace; just take a piece with you to the hardware store and buy the same size and enough length to go around your door. Again, this will help with utility costs.

Smoke Detectors & Fire Extinguishers

Do you know that smoke detectors expire after ten years? If your home is more than ten years old and you’ve never replaced yours, take one down and check the expiration date. If they are still good, remember to replace the batteries if you haven’t done so since last year. (Remember now that Daylight Saving Time isn’t six months apart, changing batteries on the time change isn’t as effective as it once was.) Also check your fire extinguishers. They don’t necessarily expire but they can go bad. If yours no longer reads “Good”, it should be disposed of at a hazardous waste facility. If you don’t have an extinguisher in the garage, kitchen and upstairs in your home, get one for each area.

Schedule Inspections

Depending on the age of your home, the inspections may vary. Here are a few you may want to consider:

  • HVAC Inspection — Many Florida HVAC companies recommend a spring and fall tune-up every year.

  • Water Heater — If you’ve never had your water heater checked or if you are afraid to flush it yourself, your plumber can assist.

  • Roofing — Some roofing companies recommend a roofing inspection annually. For an older roof, that’s true. A new roof, however, should have an inspection after five years and then about every other year.

  • Termite — When you have an annual pest control contract, they should include a termite inspection every few years or they may have traps in the ground. If you don’t have a pest control company, be sure to have a termite inspection annually.

The home maintenance schedules suggested by these professionals can really help your home stay safe and operate more efficiently.

Looking for a New Home?

If you’re looking for a new home, Jason Duraj and the team at Future Home Reality are ready to help. We can recommend a home inspector prior to your purchase which will evaluate windows, roofing, HVAC and other elements of the home. If you’re considering selling your home, we can help with that as well. Call us today at (813) 992-7771 for your confidential consultation.