If your property has trees, have it inspected by a certified arborist, who can check for signs of disease or dead branches and detect problems before they worsen and kill a tree. The untrained eye may miss signs of damage, and a dead or dying tree poses a safety hazard to you, your home, and neighboring properties. Even if you don't use the fireplace regularly, the chimney still needs a regular check. A chimney transports hazardous gases from the chimney, wood stove, or oven out of the house, helping to keep indoor air breathable.
According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America, your chimney should be inspected annually and cleaned periodically depending on how often you use it. Once the leaves fall, call your gutter company to clean and inspect them. Any repairs that need to be made to gutters or downspouts must be done before winter arrives. Your workers should also inspect the roof for loose or broken shingles.
Schedule work before it snows heavily, which could leave leaves and debris frozen in gutters, faucets and hoses. Before the first freeze, drain and turn off the outdoor faucets so they don't freeze. Roll up the hoses and store them for the winter. Have your oven and ducts repaired.
A clean system will be more energy efficient and an inspection will alert you to problems. Check and replace air filters, as needed. Check the thermostat to make sure it works properly. Make sure the heater vents are open and that nothing is blocking them.
If you didn't clean or inspect your chimney in spring, call a chimney sweep now and do it before you start using the fireplace or oven. Clothes dryers cause 2,900 fires a year, and many fires occur in the fall and winter, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Lint is a major culprit, so have your dryer vent inspected and cleaned annually by an HVAC specialist who specializes in dryer ducts or vents.
Spring is a great month for home maintenance. They don't call it “spring cleaning” for nothing. Focus especially on the outside of your home, as you have just passed the winter and are preparing for the summer heat and, in some parts of the country, brutal humidity. With higher temperatures and lower rainfall, summer provides comfortable working conditions for intensive repairs that were not possible in previous seasons.
