It has comprised a difficult winter for many areas of the country. As the weather condition warms up, it’s tempting to think of spring as an end to all our troubles. But spring adds its own challenges, specially to your home. If you dwell in an area that experiences “April showers,” you’ll want to secure your roof and gutters are ready for the downpours. And before it comes hot, be sure your central air is equal to the task of chilling your home whole summer.
When spring begins, you first need to examine your roof. Most roofs are made of asphalt shingles over tar paper, or “felt.” Search cracked, loose, or scalded felt. Look also for loose or cracked shingles. If you find troubles, talk to a pro, or if you have the tools and don’t mind heights, refer a how-to guide and repair your roof yourself. But if you are not sure can do it yourself, you should call a roofing contractor to inspect your roof.
On the fall and winter, leaves, sticks, mud, and all kinds of things find out their way into your gutters, specially if you don’t have gutter covers. Before the spring rains, clear out your gutters and flow some water into them to test if they’re working the right way. As you’re cleaning your gutters, sustain that they’re securely attached to the house. If you find a loose gutter, fasten it up. Using a garden hose with a spray nozzle, flow water into your gutters to make sure they’re working properly. If you find a passing water, you can patch it yourself or call in a professional.
A different significant thing to do when spring is to check and clean your air conditioning. Most central air problems can be derived to dirty air conditioners. At the very least, debris and dust brings down the efficiency of your system. Vacuum the dust out of the evaporator (that’s the part that’s
inside your house, usually in the basement). Make sure to check the filter and replace it if it’s dirty. Even if you have easy access to the unit, you should have a pro check and maintain it every few years. If cleaning your air conditioning sounds like a lot of work, or if you don’t have the tools, you can call an air conditioning contractor to come out and clean and service your air conditioner.
