The Spring Home Maintenance Guide and Checklist

Spring is here which means there are lots of maintenance tasks to do around your home. As always, Electrical Basics has some expert advice to get you through all of your springtime tasks (relatively) stress-free.

While a checklist is a great way to keep track of all of your vernal equinox projects, you’ll need to plan ahead to ensure you don’t forget anything important.

March

• The screening process : Check your door and window screens to make sure they are still in good condition. This is also the time to wash them and complete any repairs that are needed. Aluminum screens are a quick fix when using a screen repair kit. Just pry out the old screen spline, cut a piece of screening 4 inches larger than the old piece. Spread it across the frame and then run the new screen spline around the frame. Use the spline roller (it looks like a pizza cutter) to force it into the groove of the frame and trim the excess screening away with a sharp utility knife
• Fanfare: Clean your fans to remove last season’s dust and grime using a vacuum and a mild soap to wash the blades. Use zip ties to hold the fan head together while you reassemble it.
• Vent it out : Sooner or later, built up lint and dust will damage your vent. To avoid a clog, inspect your dryer vent duct by loosening the hose clamp with a screwdriver. Then, look inside to remove any lint that has accumulated and return the duct to its exhaust port and tightening the hose clamp with a screwdriver.
• Plant the seeds : While it’s still early in the season, plant some seeds into pots for your garden or purchase seedling pots with the seed starting soil mix and seeds already implanted and ready to be watered. Use pink zip ties to keep the seedlings’ care information attached to the pots. Fluorescent zip ties are a great way to add a pop of springtime color.

April

• A breathe of fresh air: Now that you have checked your door and window screens, continue to wash the screens down along with the windowsills and frames. Replace your storm windows with screens by using clamps to hold everything together while you use a screwdriver to secure the screen to the frame.
• Put out the fire: Spring is here which means we need to clean the fireplace. Spread an old sheet around the fireplace to keep the floor tidy while you sweep out the ashes. Empty the clean-out pit at the bottom of the hearth and close the fireplace’s chimney flu. Be sure to wash the fireplace screen and tools with a damp cloth. Only use a tiny bit of light oil on your tools so that they don’t rust and hang them up in a dry place using plastic clips with adhesive for easy access in the fall.
• Time for a wheel alignment : Get your bike checked out in early spring, so it’s ready for warmer weather. Inflate your tires to the correct pressure which will be printed on the side of the tire. Next check that your hand brakes and brake shoes are working, that the cables are tightened, and add a drop or two of light oil to the hub for a squeak-free ride.
• The grass is greener :Give your lawn one good rake to remove remaining leaves from the fall and twigs and another to wake up the soil and to get rid of the matted grass that has accumulated under snow. After raking, it’s time to mow your lawn.
• April showers :After your area has experienced its last hard freeze, it’s time to unravel the garden hose. Place any drain plugs you’ve removed back onto the outside spigot and then screw in your hose. If your garden hose needs a new rubber washer, you can purchase these at home centers.

May

• What’s in the attic?: It’s easy to forget about the attic when completing your spring chores, but it’s important to go through it before it gets too hot and unbearable. Install plastic cable clamps to organize loose cables. Sort through your attic to figure out what items you need to keep, switch out your summer clothes for winter clothes, and see if you need additional insulation. If you have less than six inches of insulation, your heating and cooling expensive could be considerably lower.
• Remove the cobwebs: From the windows, wall, floor and ceiling. Spend extra time vacuuming out the corners of your home where dust and critters and often be found.
• The cool down: Roll out your air conditioner from hiding and clean it before turning it on. Wash the filter in warm water and mild soap and make sure to let it air out completely. You can also clean the A coil (the evaporator coil) of the central air conditioning unit. Use a vacuum to suck up the dirt and dust on the underside of the coil being careful to not bend the thin fins. Make sure to straighten any bent fins with a dull knife before replacing the inspection cover.
• Cutting back: Prune any trees and shrubs to increase their density which makes shrubbery sturdier and more controlled. Security wise, trim shrubbery away from windows and doors so that would-be intruders don’t have an easy place to hide.

Spring cleaning can seem daunting, but when you complete the tasks in bite sized pieces with the right tools it will get accomplished. Electrical Basics has the products you need to get the good done, order today or contact us with any questions.