Winter is almost over and the warm weather is rapidly approaching. That means it’s time for Spring Cleaning. But, in addition to making the house feel clean and refreshed, there are a few things that you should do that will help prevent some costly homeowners’ insurance claims. And a penny saved is a penny that can be spent elsewhere.
So here are the top 6 super-easy things you should do this spring (while you are doing your regular cleaning, of course).
- Change the air filters in your HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) – Changing the filter can extend the life of your HVAC, maintain healthy air quality, help keep energy costs down, and keep the repair man away.
- Change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors – Batteries should be replaced approximately every six months to make sure the detectors are working properly. The best time to remember this is when you adjust your clocks for Day Light Savings, change those batteries.
- Clean your dryer lint hose – At a minimum, pull the hose off the back of the dryer and use a vacuum cleaner to get the lint that snuck past the lint trap. This is one of the leading causes of house fires and is easily preventable.
- Clean gutters and down spouts – Make sure you don’t get a large buildup of debris so that water can flow through gutters and down spouts easily. Remember, gutters and spouts direct water away from the roof and house to prevent damage. We don’t want a birdbath on the roof.
- Check the Roof and the walls – Snow and ice can be especially harsh on roofs and sidings. Besides the obvious, missing shingles, saggy roof, holes in the siding, look for holes critters might have created to escape the cold.
- Find and fix any tripping hazards – Look for the easy stuff, dead branches, new holes in the yard, and the not so obvious stuff, broken bricks or flagstones, cracked sidewalks and driveways that settled a bit during the winter. Don’t forget the deck. Check for nails or screws that raised up and boards that might have warped or rotted. We want to prevent injuries.
For additional suggestions and a complete list, download our checklist!
Now you can relax and enjoy your spring and summer in peace.