7 Spring Home Maintenance Tips for Homeowners in Northern Virginia

Wow! Spring is here and although we’re still experiencing chilly mornings, the afternoons are producing bright sunshine and reaching warm temps.

As you know, we’re always thinking about homes in Northern Virginia and assisting homeowners with their ever-present needs of caring for their indoor (and outdoor) spaces. We’ve compiled this list of 7 spring home maintenance tips to review and implement, which will help keep your home in tip-top shape:

1. Have your roof inspected. Whether you have shingles, tin or even concrete tiles, your roof is your home’s top line of defense against water damage. Now’s the time to inspect and repair any damage; if you delay, you could find yourself facing damage inside your home, too.
2. Have your gutters cleaned. Gutters direct rain away from your roof and your entire home, protecting both in the process. Clogged gutters, however, can foster water damage—and there’s a good chance you won’t notice the damage until you need a potentially expensive repair.
3. Clean or replace your HVAC filters. This should be done more than once a year. Dirty filters force your HVAC system to work harder, which in turn drains your wallet. They can also shorten the life of your blower motor.
4. Clean your dryer vent. Not all lint gets caught in your lint trap; some makes its way into the dryer vent. A clear vent can save you money by reducing the time your dryer has to run, whereas a plugged vent not only wastes money, but could also cause a house fire.
5. Have your decks, driveways, fences and other outside surfaces cleaned. Hire a company to pressure wash the outside surfaces of your home. You’ll be amazed at how revitalized the surfaces will look – and how impressed your neighbors will be!
6. Have any exterior cracked or peeling paint repaired. A professional paint job makes your home look refreshed, while providing a protective barrier from the elements. This also might be a good time to pick a new color or color scheme for your home’s exterior.
7. Vacuum your refrigerator coils. The coils you find on the bottom or back of your refrigerator conduct the hot air from inside the unit. If they’re coated with dust, they do the job less efficiently and cause your fridge to work harder. Use a vacuum cleaner hose or a brush to clean the coils and, voila, cleaner coils and instant gratification!

Here’s to a wonderful spring and a comfortable and well-maintained home!


All the best,
Trish Schroeder
Schroeder Design/Build, Inc.
Trish@SchroederDesignBuild.com
703-449-1700

This post was compiled using information from the article 15 Spring Home Maintenance Tips on the US News website.