You’ve turned your clocks forward, so that means it’s time to take advantage of the extra sunshine and warmer temperatures, and give your home the TLC it’s been missing over the winter months. Before the spring rains, warmer weather and bugs hit, there are a few easy things you should do for your Greater Boston area home to keep it energy efficient and performing at and looking its best. As a top Boston home builder, we know just what you need to do to keep your home in tip top shape, and we’ve offered some suggestions below:
- With some of the early heat waves we've had, the last thing you want to happen is to finally crank on the A/C – only to find nothing come on and it’ll be a week before you can get a repairman to the house. Get your air conditioner checked out by a qualified HVAC contractor now to make sure that the system is running efficiently. Before the contractor comes out, you can do a little maintenance on your own by suctioning out any debris from your condensation line with a wet vac.
- Your water heater is another major appliance that you don’t want to go out on you – if your unit is more than five years old, check the bottom for any leaking or rusting, and if you find any, you’ll likely need to replace the unit soon.
- Inspect your roof for damage (or have a contractor do so, if your roof is older, and possibly in need of repair) and clean the leaves and other debris out of your gutters. Be sure your gutters are still securely attached and run the hose through them to check them for leaks. If you have sprung a leak, use caulking to seal it.
- Inspect the foundation around your home and in your basement for cracks or imperfections.
- Fill any depressions in your yard with compacted soil to prevent standing water and puddles, which can become a breeding ground for pesky mosquitoes.
- Check window sills, door sills and thresholds and fill cracks, replace weather stripping, caulk edges, repaint or replace if necessary.
- Patch or replace window and door screens; a hole the size of a dime is big enough for bugs to get in.
- Check your wood patio deck for stains or warping and reseal if necessary. Check for splintering or rotting wood, rusting nails or loose nails. Also check your railings and stairs to be sure that they are still secure.
Pride in ownership and quality home care and maintenance are things we take very seriously at Sterling Homes and we want to help you in any way possible.