Community Corner

Spring Cleaning: Essential Home Maintenance Tips

Taking care of your house, inside and out, after the long winter guarantees a cleaner and safer home.

There is more to the dreaded “spring cleaning” besides scrubbing tiles, vacuuming carpets, washing windows, and laundering upholstery. Home maintenance is a big part of prolonging the life of your house, keeping it a safe and stable home.

Exterior

Now that the snow and ice have melted, it is time to throw the ladder up against your home and clean out the gutters! Be sure to clean out any leftover foliage build-up, especially in the drainage areas.

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Spring inevitably brings rain, and proper drainage is important because trapped moisture brings mold and mildew which can severely damage your walls and roof. Also, be sure that the downspout is free of any debris and that it points at least two feet away from the home. 

Branches of trees and shrubs should be trimmed to at least 7 feet away from the outside of your house in order to protect the exterior from mildew and pests. 

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Seal up any cracks around the exterior of your home or fix cracks in doors to prevent rodents and bugs from getting inside the house. 

If your home has wood siding, be sure to inspect your exterior walls for chipped paint.  Cracked paint exposes the wood to the elements, especially moisture which will cause your wood to rot. If this is the case, sand down the wood, prime it, and then paint it over. 

Any type of  home siding accumulates dirt and grime over the winter months. The best solution to clean up the exterior of your home is by giving the outside walls a thorough power washing. There are a multitude of power washing professionals throughout Monmouth county, or home improvement stores such as Lowes and Home Depot offer the option to rent power washers--if you are not ready to make the commitment to buy.

Power washing is also the best way to clean all outdoor pavers that you may have around your pool or set up as a patio, or a water-repellent deck.  If you opt do the power washing yourself, please make sure you purchase the chemical cleaner that is appropriate for whatever surface you wash. 

Interior

With warm days ahead of us, it is time to shower some love onto your air conditioner! If you are not already doing so, be sure to change your filter monthly. When your air conditioner is free of dust and other air particles, it works more efficiently, which winds up saving you cash! Also, be sure that all of the hoses are connected and the drain pans are clearing properly. 

Check all of the plumbing in your house for clogged drains, leaky faucets and pipes, bulges in the washing machine hose, dampness around the dishwasher, a corrosive water heater, and sweating pipes. A proactive approach towards plumbing will save you a lot of money on costly repairs down the road.

Cracks in caulk and grout could also lead to expensive repairs later on, so be sure to reseal any cracks between your kitchen and bathroom tile before it becomes a major project. 


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