Your Spring Home Maintenance Checklist: Five Things to Look at Before Summer Gets Here
Updated: Aug 25
A little time outside with a notepad in April is worth a lot more than an emergency call in August. Here's what to look for, including a few things most homeowners never think to check.
Spring is the best time to catch small problems. The weather's mild, you're not in a rush,
and the damage winter left behind is fresh enough to fix cheap. Wait until August, and what started as a caulk gap is now a rot repair.
We put together a checklist covering the five areas we know best: windows, doors, siding and trim, gutters, and roof. You can download the full printable version below. But first, here are the things we find ourselves explaining most often because they're the ones that catch homeowners off guard.
Tip #1 If you see condensation on your window, wipe it with your finger before you panic. Moisture on the outside of the glass? Normal... that's temperature difference, not a problem. Moisture between the panes? Your seal is blown, and that window is costing you every month in energy loss.
Windows & Doors
Open and close every window and door in the house. If you have time, clean them (and don't forget the single- and double-hung windows tilt in). They should operate smoothly and latch without any force. If they don't, that's usually a simple adjustment... but left alone, it becomes a security issue, an energy issue, or both.
While you're at windows, look at the bottom of the exterior frame for tiny weep holes. These small slots are designed to drain water out of the frame, and they clog with debris over winter. A clogged weep hole traps water against your sill where you can't see it. A toothpick fixes it.
Tip #2 99% of our calls related to stuck sashes are, unfortunately, operator error. If you tilt out your single- or double-hung window, put it back into place, and it won't slide... DON'T PANIC! 😅 Simply tilt the sash back out to 90 degrees, make sure the metal pins on each side are in their housings properly, and make sure the sash itself is lying flat - or level - when tilted down at 90 degrees. If not, gently bump down the side that's too high, tilt it back up and until it latches back into place, and try sliding it again. That should fix it!
Walk the perimeter and look for any cracked, warped, or bulging pieces of siding. Also check out your gable vents (see pic) as these are constantly either rotting or in need of repainting. (If either, consider either getting them wrapped with aluminum or changed out for PVC gable vents.)
Then, take a closer look for gaps where trim pulls away from siding or at any aluminum trim corners on the house. If you can see bare wood in the joint where two pieces meet, water is likely entering every time it rains. It's one of the most commonly missed entry points for moisture damage because there's nothing visibly wrong from a few feet away... until the rot is already underway.
Gutters
Two things to verify: pitch and discharge.
Gutters should drop about a quarter inch for every ten feet toward the downspout. Standing water means they're not draining, and standing water cracks seams and attracts mosquitoes.
Wherever the downspout terminates, make sure it's putting water at least four to six feet away from your foundation. That's the number-one source of water in basements and crawl spaces, and it's usually a $20 extension away from being fixed.
Finally, since you're there, check to see if your granule loss from your shingled-roof is getting excessive. If so, it may be time for a roof replacement. Speaking of...
Roof
No, you don't need to get up there. 😅
Grab a pair of binoculars and walk the perimeter. Look for shingles that are curling at the edges or cupped in the middle. Those are telling you they're past their prime.
Then go into the attic and look up at the decking. Any water stains show you exactly where moisture has gotten in, even if the shingles look okay from the street.
Finally, as we mentioned previously, look at your gutters after you clean them. If there's a lot of dark granular material (almost like coarse sand) your shingles are shedding, which is a reliable sign of age.
The printable version covers all 18 items with pro tips for each and is formatted to keep in a folder or pass along to a tenant.
Free, no sign-up needed.
Anything on the checklist that you'd like a second set of eyes on? We're happy to take a look.
Kenco has been doing this in Wilson since 1987. We'd rather help you catch something small than get the call when it's big.
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