Spring is here! How will you celebrate?
We hope that you’ll spend some time giving your home some one-on-one attention. Spring is a great time to perform seasonal maintenance. Spring home maintenance is so much more than simply spring cleaning! (Wait, do the words simply and cleaning belong in the same sentence?)
Luckily, spring home maintenance gives you one more reason to get outside and enjoy this weather!
According to trusted home improvement television host, Bob Vila, your spring maintenance can start with a stroll around the exterior of your home with some binoculars. While you enjoy the fresh air, do a visual inspection of your roof and look for any shingles that have shifted, cracked, and gone missing.
Shingles that turn up or down can also make your roof susceptible to leaks. Also, look for nail pops on your roof, which can allow for water seepage. If you need a roof repair, HGTV recommends calling a minimum of three roofers before committing to one quote.
Do you have a masonry chimney? If so, check the joints between bricks and stones and see if any have fallen out. Watch for spalling, or the chipping or popping away of a brick’s face, which leaves the interior susceptible to moisture.
Is there vegetation growing out of the joints? Vila says these signs can indicate water filtration.
Do you notice a white calcium-like deposit on the chimney? That’s called efflorescence and may indicate that the joints are no longer repelling water and that you need to reseal the masonry. To remove the efflorescence, simply dry brush it in warm, dry weather. This is also a great time to have a professional chimney sweep clean and inspect your chimney and flue.
Exterior wallsNo matter the material used on the exterior of your home, you should check it over well for any issues that have sprung up over the winter season.
Watch for water stains, especially under eaves and near gutter downspouts.
These can indicate that your gutters are not containing your roof water runoff. This is a great time to clean your gutters if you have a single-story home. If you have a two- or three-story home, consider using a professional.
If you have wood siding, look for any openings, damaged areas, or knots that have popped out, which can be prime real estate opportunities for carpenter ants, woodpeckers, and other critters. If you find rotted siding or trim, replace and repaint as necessary, but know that for paint color consistency, you can’t just touch up spots. You’ll need to repaint the entire section.
While you are checking your home’s exterior, be sure to continue that examination of your home’s foundation for cracks. If you notice some, you may want to hire a foundation specialist who can apply an epoxy injection system that bonds crack chemically.
Do a visual inspection of your windows and doors to make sure caulking and weather stripping is still intact and in good shape. This will help the energy efficiency of your home and keep you from air conditioning the outdoors! If you’ve noticed condensation on the inside of the glass of a double- or triple-glazed window over the winter, that’s a sign the weather seal has been compromised and may mean the glass or the window needs to be replaced.
Driveway RestorationInspect your asphalt or concrete driveways, power-wash them, and seal them now as spring is the ideal time to do this.
Inspect your deck for rotting wood and seal and secure railings, if needed.
Once you’ve given the outside of your home a thorough inspection, head inside to your attic. You’ll want to look for birds’ nests, obstructions over vents, damaged soffit panels, roof flashing leaks, and wet spots on insulation. Having good airflow will provide savings when you cool your home.
Now is the time to change the batteries on your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. It’s also probably time to change your filters. Consider having your ducts professionally cleaned, as well, to improve air quality and energy efficiency.
A home certainly comes with a lot of responsibilities, but proper annual maintenance can help keep it in prime shape for as long as possible.
Last month, we highlighted our North Carolina new communities. This month, we want to share with you the exciting new communities planned for South Carolina!
When we are deciding where to build, so many factors come into play. Richmond, VA was such an easy choice because it is such a unique and popular place to live! With so many “pros” to calling this area home, we’re going to try to break down the top 5 reasons you should consider moving to Richmond, VA.
