spring into home maintenance

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(NC) Renovating is great for increasing the value of your home, but regular home maintenance is the easiest way to preserve your investment. As the weather warms, it is a perfect time to do a quick inspection of your home and catch up on simple seasonal chores.

With a little effort, you can keep your home looking great and functioning well for years to come. Here's a few tasks you should check off your to-do list:

Outdoors

• Clean out the gutters and remove any debris.
• Repair siding and peeling paint.
• Inspect your chimney and roof. Replace or repair loose or damaged shingles.
• Trim overgrown shrubs and trees, keeping branches two feet from the house.
• Inspect deck boards for possible deterioration and rot. Replace damaged boards and seal or re-stain, as necessary.
• Turn on the water supply to hose bibs and exterior faucets. Check for leaks.
• Clean windows and window tracks. Replace any damaged screens.
• Check around doors and windows for cracks and gaps. Caulk, as necessary.
• Clean your outdoor spaces (driveway, deck, porch, etc). Fix any damage. Reseal the driveway, if needed.
• Fertilize and aerate the lawn. Seed to fill any patchy areas.

Indoors

• Inspect the attic for poor ventilation, pests, damaged sheathing, mould or insufficient insulation levels. Top up insulation, as needed, with a mould and moisture-resistant product made of inorganic materials like Roxul Comfortbatt. Aim for a depth of 16 inches and an R-value of 50.
• Replace the furnace filter. Clean air vents, as needed. Same goes for the HRV, if you have one.
• Clear out the dryer vent, removing any lint or debris which can pose a fire hazard.
• Check the washing machine and dishwasher fill hoses to make sure there are no cracks developing.
• Test ground fault circuit interrupters in the bathroom, kitchen, outside receptacles and on the electrical panel.*
• Inspect and test smoke alarms and CO detectors. Change the batteries and replace units more than 10 years old.

Since your home tends to be your biggest investment, maintenance is time well spent!