Get your home ready for spring to avoid related damage
** I am not 100% certain that we are ready for this yet but I am sure hopeful!**
After a long
Midwestern winter – lots of snow, ice, sleet and cold – it’s finally time to
think about opening the windows to capture those cool spring breezes. But
before you throw open the sash, take a few minutes to review this checklist of
things to do to keep your home safe and secure throughout the rainy season.
Tips to help property owners safeguard their homes this spring:
Make sure your windows
are operating properly. Check to make sure the mechanisms of your windows – whether they’re
casement, sliding or double-hung – are functioning properly. Lubricate
tough-to-open windows to that opening and closing take little effort.
Trim your trees and
bushes. Now’s the time,
before the buds are on the greenery, to cut back limbs that overhang your gutters
and to trim shrubbery that’s too close to the house. Keeping them away from
your home will help prevent moisture buildup, mold, and storm-related damage.
Make sure spring
rainfall runs away from your house. Grade your lawn and landscaping beds to direct water away from your
foundation. Foundation leaking and cracks can be extremely costly. Use
downspout extenders to keep drainage as far away as possible.
If you have ivy
crawling up your house, now’s the time to cut it back. As attractive as ivy is, it’s not
good for your exterior, whether wood, vinyl, brick or stone. Ivy traps and
holds moisture against the home and forms attachments to exterior surfaces that
could degrade their strength and integrity.
Fix any leaks you’re
aware of. Winter often brings
with it ice dams that develop on the shingles over your gutters. If these
caused you problems over the winter, have a professional repair the spot, both
inside and out to prevent further damage from rainwater.
Repair concrete
driveway cracks. Winter cold expands concrete and often leads to cracking. Keep yours
from eroding further during this wet, rainy season by patching any spots that
may have erupted over the winter.
These tips will help
you take on spring with confidence that your house and yard are ready for
spring!
