Is Your Home Ready for Spring? If Not, Here’s What to Do

The birds are chirping, the snow is gone, and spring is in the air here in Greater Lafayette! After this long winter, spring cannot come soon enough. And while you may be ready for spring, is your home ready for the warm weather?

If not, here are some things to put on your to-do list for spring, complete with suggestions for whom to call if you need some help getting the job done.

Tune Up the Lawn Equipment

It’s almost time to think about mowing the lawn again, so if you do the job yourself, there are few things you should do to get that equipment ready to go. Pull out the mower, sharpen the blades, and change the oil so it’s in tip-top shape.

If you don’t want to do the servicing yourself, call Aiden Ragheb at (765) 426-3752 for some help.

Clean the Gutters

With the fall leaves and then the winter ice and snow, gutters take a beating during the colder months. April showers bring May flowers, but hopefully not basement flooding! It’s really important to make sure all the gutters are clean and everything is running freely. If water isn’t diverted away from the house properly, the roof can sustain some serious damage.

Speaking of basement flooding, now is the time to test your sump pump and make sure it’s ready if any water makes its way to your basement.

If you don’t feel like climbing on the roof (it can be dangerous!), give Guys N Gutters a call at (765) 426-8366 so they can help you out!

Check Your Exterior Woodwork

Exterior woodwork is another thing that takes a beating during the snow and cold of winter. Once all the snow has melted and the temps have warmed up, it’s time to get out there and see if your wood needs any work.

Inspect, stain, and reseal decks, fences, railings, trellises, pergolas, and any other woodwork. This needs to be done any year or two. This is also a good time to replace any rotten wood.

For help, give Nick at Heritage Custom Painting a call at (765) 413-0218.

Check Sprinkler and Irrigation Systems

It’s time to de-winterize that sprinkler system!

First, check the lawn to make sure the ground is unfrozen. Dig in at least one foot and make sure it’s not frozen, or you may end up with broken water lines.

Next, turn on the main irrigation control panel and review the settings and check the batteries.

Then, clean the sprinkler heads for damage, replace any that you need to, and clean the nozzles thoroughly (an old toothbrush works great).

Last, you’ll slowly open the main water valve. Don’t do it too quickly, which can crack pipes and break valves.

For more thorough details about de-winterizing your sprinkler system, go here.

For help, call Lawn & Shrub at (765) 589-3276.

Check for Standing Water

Check for standing water in your yard—that’s what makes a mosquito haven! If you determine you have a drainage problem, address it.

For help with this and other lawn tasks, call Green Light Lawncare at (765) 490-0710.

Check Doors and Screens

Check those doors and screens! If you have any holes or tears, you can buy inexpensive repair kits and take care of them yourself. You can also take the screens to your local home improvement store to be rescreened.

Try our local Ace Hardware at (765) 497-2727.

Get Your Air Conditioning System Serviced

The best time to have your air conditioner serviced is definitely before it gets really hot, and it takes a couple of days or longer to get help with a malfunctioning system. There’s nothing we like more than a regularly updated maintenance sticker on the side of an HVAC system, so schedule that tune-up!

Call Blue Fox Heating & Cooling at 765-252-0051.

Other Things You Can Do Yourself

There are a few other things on my hit list each spring:

• Dust overlooked areas like the tops of kitchen cabinets, window casings, blinds, chair rails, and other places that don’t get regular dusting.
• Clean underneath major appliances (you’d be surprised how much they need it)!
• Clean the windows—white vinegar and distilled water wiped off with newspaper is the way to go!
• Clean out basement window wells and under decks and patios.

If you need any other service provider recommendations, just leave me a comment. I have a huge network and am here to help!