If you've been watching the weather, you know that spring is just around the corner. When it finally arrives, you're going to be busy getting your home ready for the warm weather. While you're taking care of the cleaning and the removal of winter clutter, don't forget to take care of some other maintenance concerns.These items might not be on the top of your household maintenance list, but they should be, especially if you want a problem-free spring and summer. Here are three maintenance items you should take care of as soon as spring arrives.
Service Your Automatic Garage Door
If your home has been subjected to extremely cold weather all winter long, your garage door has probably paid the price. Unfortunately, that means it might not be ready to work properly once spring arrives. You can take care of that by giving your garage door a thorough cleaning as soon as the cold weather heads out of town. First, use a whisk broom to get rid of all the dirt that's collected on your garage door tracks. Second, fill a bucket with warm water and add several tablespoons of grease-cutting dish soap. Using a soft brush, wash the garage door tracks and then use a clean cloth to wipe them down. Finally, apply a thin layer of water-based lubricating spray to the tracks and to the chain drive of your garage door opener. If your garage door is still sticking, or you notice other problems with it, you should have it inspected by a trained garage door repair technician.
Repair Your Window Screens
If your window screens have worn out during the winter, now's the perfect time to take care of that. Inspect all your window screens and take care of any minor repairs that might need to be made. You can repair most small slices and tears using screen patch kits that can be found at any home improvement center. If your screens have larger areas that have been damaged, you'll need to have them replaced. Repairing your screens will help keep pests out of your home once the warm weather arrives.
Seal the Cracks in Your Stucco
If freezing temperatures have caused damage to the stucco on your home, you'll need to repair the cracks before spring arrives. Those cracks are the perfect access points for pests and for moisture. Unfortunately, pests and moisture can both destroy your home. To prevent that type of destruction, you should seal the cracks in your stucco before spring comes along and brings rain and warm weather pests. The best way to repair cracks in your stucco is to place a generous strip of latex, waterproof caulking inside each of the cracks. Smooth the caulk down with a putty knife and allow it to dry.
Make sure your home is ready for spring by taking care of the maintenance items that are discussed above. Taking a few minutes to take care of maintenance needs will help you avoid problems when the warm weather settles in.
