Seasonal Maintenance Information

Spring/Summer

Here are some great spring and summer seasonal maintenance tips to keep your home in great shape. These tips are important when keeping a future sale in mind. Keeping your home well-maintained now keeps your future costs in the future down and problems with potential homebuyers at a minimal.

Interior:

• Examine and repair any caulking of the windows (this helps prevent water, dust, dirt and insects from entering your home)
• Close the chimney damper to keep cool air conditioning inside your home
• Clean and wax cabinets to protect the finish
• Examine and repair or replace (if needed) weather stripping on exterior doors and windows to keep water out and keep cool air in
• Examine and repair bath tile grouting, if needed, to prevent moisture seepage
• Lubricate locks, hinges and latches
• Examine window locks to make sure they are working properly
• Adjust registers for cooling
• Lubricate garage door rollers and tighten bolts
• Examine drawers and hinges for proper alignment; tighten and adjust as necessary
• Examine and tighten all dead bolts
• Clean dryer vent duct to remove any lint or obstruction
• Turn on your A/C system for a trial run and replace filters

Exterior:

• Examine and repair caulking of the windows, siding, and cornice (this helps prevent water, dust, dirt and insects from entering your home) Examine exterior paint of siding, cornice, and doors (paint is essential for protection)
• Clean and remove debris from gutters (if water is not exiting through gutters, this can cause leaks)
• Fill dirt in areas that have settled around foundation, water should flow away from the foundation (if soil washes from under the foundation, cracks can occur)
• Open any closed foundation vents to allow proper ventilation of a crawl space area
• Seal deck with a preservative if necessary
• Clean septic tank as necessary
• Examine roof for loose, warped, torn or missing shingles, unsealed vents or stacks, and repair if necessary

Fall Maintenance Schedule

Interior:

• Turn on the furnace to make sure it is in proper working order
• Replace furnace filters
• Inspect and repair caulking in sinks, tubs, showers, thresholds, walls, windows, and other interior areas as needed
• Adjust registers for heating of the home
• Check the fireplace
• Open the damper of the chimney before first time use
• Clean and wax all kitchen and bath cabinets and paneling

Exterior:

• Clean and remove debris from gutters
• Inspect and repair or replace weather stripping on exterior doors as needed
• Turn off outside faucets at the cut-off valve
• Drain anti-siphon device (if present in your home)
• Put up hoses and shut off outside water faucets
• Inspect the alignment of gutters, downspouts, and splash blocks to make sure that water is diverted appropriately away from your home
• Reseed the lawn if it is fescue
• Close all foundation vents in the crawl space and place insulation over the opening(s)
• Inspect and repair caulking of windows, siding, cornice, and other exterior areas as needed

Winter Maintenance Schedule

Interior:

• Keep your garage doors closed when possible to prohibit heat from releasing
• In extremely cold conditions, open your bathroom and kitchen cabinets to expose the pipes to heat
• Set your thermostat at 65 degrees F. when you are away from your home for an extended period of time

Exterior:

• Clean excess snow from downspouts as soon as possible to permit the gutters to drain
• Keep shrubs and grass watered when dry

Maintaining Your Home NOW, Retains the Value and Selling Potential in the FUTURE!