{"id":7376,"date":"2021-04-06T12:14:31","date_gmt":"2021-04-06T19:14:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/?p=7376"},"modified":"2024-01-29T17:24:24","modified_gmt":"2024-01-30T00:24:24","slug":"spring-home-maintenance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/spring-home-maintenance\/","title":{"rendered":"Spring Home Maintenance: The Ultimate Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body><p>The birds are chirping and the sun is shining, and homeowners know what that means: It&rsquo;s spring home maintenance time!<\/p>\n<p>Spring is the perfect time to do some of the jobs and tasks that will keep your home well-maintained, and whether you&rsquo;re a new homeowner or a veteran at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/spring-cleaning-list\/\">spring cleaning<\/a>, this guide will help you get everything done.<\/p>\n<p>Read on to learn all about spring home maintenance: Why it&rsquo;s so important, some expert tips, and our Ultimate Spring Home Maintenance Checklist, which will help you get every task wrapped up before summer is here.<!--more--><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jump to&hellip;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#why\">Why Spring Home Maintenance Is Important<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#checklist\">Ultimate Spring Home Maintenance Checklist<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#outside\">Spring Maintenance Outside Your Home<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#inside\">Spring Maintenance Inside Your Home<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#cleaning\">Spring Cleaning and Organization<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#other\">Other Spring Home Maintenance Tasks<\/a><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"the-importance-of-spring-home-maintenance\">The Importance of Spring Home Maintenance<\/h2>\n<p>Spring is the perfect time to tackle many important home maintenance tasks. Why? There are a few reasons:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spring is the best time to clean up any winter debris around your home. Precipitation, wind, and cold temperatures that come with winter can make messes on your property, and spring is the perfect time to clean them up.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With lengthening days and warming weather, some tasks are possible in spring that weren&rsquo;t possible during the darker, colder days of winter.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spring home maintenance will help you prepare your home and yard for the summer to come.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"checklist\"><\/div>\n<html><body><div id=\"in_post\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/host\" onclick=\"rudderanalytics.track('press editorial cta button', {location: 'first in post', version: '2.0'}, () =&gt; { console.log('track call'); });\">\r\n  <div class=\"first-in-post-cta\">\r\n    <header>\r\n      <h2 id=\"can-we-pay-you-to-store-vehicles\">Can we pay you to store vehicles?<\/h2>\r\n    <\/header>\r\n    <section>\r\n      <div class=\"service-option\">\r\n        <div class=\"service-option-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" viewbox=\"0 0 60 60\" fill=\"none\">\r\n            <path d=\"M26.7552 20.0573C26.2911 20.9853 26.2499 22.3578 26.2499 24.375H33.7499C33.7499 22.3577 33.7088 20.9853 33.2448 20.0573C33.0557 19.6792 32.8 19.3973 32.3888 19.1841C31.9442 18.9535 31.2108 18.75 30 18.75C28.7892 18.75 28.0558 18.9535 27.6112 19.1841C27.2 19.3973 26.9442 19.6792 26.7552 20.0573Z\" fill=\"#005EB8\"><\/path>\r\n            <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M28.0777 4.32887C29.3195 3.87732 30.6805 3.87732 31.9223 4.32887L48.7973 10.4652C51.0173 11.2725 52.5 13.3777 52.5 15.7462V33.1425C52.5 33.7407 52.4058 34.3605 52.1888 34.9629C47.861 46.9738 35.9939 53.5676 32.1164 55.464C30.7986 56.1086 29.2843 56.1505 27.9278 55.5549C23.9729 53.8185 12.0728 47.6941 7.77513 34.8948C7.58399 34.3255 7.5 33.7394 7.5 33.1762V15.7481C7.5 13.3807 8.98165 11.2729 11.2027 10.4652L28.0777 4.32887ZM22.4998 24.1662L22.4999 24.375C20.4289 24.375 18.75 26.054 18.75 28.125V35.625C18.75 37.6961 20.4289 39.375 22.5 39.375H37.5C39.5711 39.375 41.25 37.6961 41.25 35.625V28.125C41.25 26.0539 39.5711 24.375 37.5 24.375L37.5 24.166C37.5016 22.4546 37.5037 20.19 36.5989 18.3802C36.0848 17.352 35.2859 16.4621 34.115 15.855C32.9776 15.2652 31.6017 15 30 15C28.3983 15 27.0224 15.2652 25.885 15.855C24.7141 16.4621 23.9152 17.352 23.4011 18.3802C22.4961 20.1901 22.4982 22.4547 22.4998 24.1662Z\" fill=\"#005EB8\"><\/path>\r\n          <\/svg><\/div>\r\n        <h3 id=\"list-your-unused-space\">List your unused space<\/h3>\r\n        <p>People are earning $1,000s per year from their garages and outdoor space.<\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"service-option\">\r\n        <div class=\"service-option-icon\">\r\n          <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" viewbox=\"0 0 60 60\" fill=\"none\">\r\n            <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M13.125 9.375C11.0539 9.375 9.375 11.0539 9.375 13.125V46.875C9.375 48.9461 11.0539 50.625 13.125 50.625H46.875C48.9461 50.625 50.625 48.9461 50.625 46.875V13.125C50.625 11.0539 48.9461 9.375 46.875 9.375H13.125ZM28.125 16.875C28.125 15.8395 28.9645 15 30 15C31.0355 15 31.875 15.8395 31.875 16.875V20.625H35.625C36.6605 20.625 37.5 21.4645 37.5 22.5C37.5 23.5355 36.6605 24.375 35.625 24.375H26.25C25.2145 24.375 24.375 25.2145 24.375 26.25C24.375 27.2855 25.2145 28.125 26.25 28.125H33.75C36.8566 28.125 39.375 30.6434 39.375 33.75C39.375 36.8566 36.8566 39.375 33.75 39.375H31.875V43.125C31.875 44.1605 31.0355 45 30 45C28.9645 45 28.125 44.1605 28.125 43.125V39.375H22.5C21.4645 39.375 20.625 38.5355 20.625 37.5C20.625 36.4645 21.4645 35.625 22.5 35.625H33.75C34.7855 35.625 35.625 34.7855 35.625 33.75C35.625 32.7145 34.7855 31.875 33.75 31.875H26.25C23.1434 31.875 20.625 29.3566 20.625 26.25C20.625 23.1434 23.1434 20.625 26.25 20.625H28.125V16.875Z\" fill=\"#005EB8\"><\/path>\r\n          <\/svg>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n        <h3 id=\"approve-your-renters\">Approve your renters<\/h3>\r\n        <p>You're in control. Approve who rents and the hours of access.<\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"service-option\">\r\n        <div class=\"service-option-icon\">\r\n          <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" viewbox=\"0 0 60 60\" fill=\"none\">\r\n            <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M31.2776 51.9974L31.7666 51.5417C32.0789 51.2503 32.527 50.8317 33.0706 50.3224C34.1576 49.3041 35.6276 47.9224 37.158 46.4698C40.1682 43.6127 43.5576 40.3461 44.596 39.1282C46.7163 36.6414 48.1719 33.6468 48.8127 30.4251C49.5529 26.704 49.173 22.847 47.7211 19.3418C46.2692 15.8366 43.8105 12.8407 40.6559 10.7329C37.5015 8.62514 33.7942 7.5 30.0001 7.5C26.2061 7.5 22.4973 8.62504 19.3428 10.7329C16.1882 12.8407 13.7295 15.8366 12.2776 19.3418C10.8257 22.847 10.4458 26.704 11.186 30.4251C11.8268 33.6468 13.2824 36.6414 15.4027 39.1282C16.4411 40.3462 19.831 43.6128 22.8415 46.4698C24.3721 47.9224 25.8422 49.3042 26.9294 50.3225C27.4731 50.8318 27.9212 51.2504 28.2336 51.5418L28.723 51.9979C29.4428 52.6672 30.5579 52.6668 31.2776 51.9974ZM28.723 51.9979C28.723 51.9979 28.7232 51.998 30.0001 50.625L28.723 51.9979ZM30.0001 50.625L31.2776 51.9974C31.2776 51.9974 31.2771 51.9979 30.0001 50.625ZM30 32.8125C33.6243 32.8125 36.5625 29.8744 36.5625 26.25C36.5625 22.6256 33.6243 19.6875 30 19.6875C26.3756 19.6875 23.4375 22.6256 23.4375 26.25C23.4375 29.8744 26.3756 32.8125 30 32.8125Z\" fill=\"#005EB8\"><\/path>\r\n          <\/svg>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n        <h3 id=\"get-paid-monthly\">Get paid monthly<\/h3>\r\n        <p>Sit back and collect automatic payments each month.<\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/section>\r\n    <footer>\r\n      <button>Learn more about hosting <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\">\r\n          <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M18.8304 5.17619L4.55227 11.6663H11.1779C11.8199 11.6663 12.3404 12.1867 12.3404 12.8288V19.4543L18.8304 5.17619ZM19.029 3.43822C20.0069 2.99374 21.0129 3.9997 20.5684 4.97757L13.0612 21.4935C12.5438 22.6316 10.8404 22.2627 10.8404 21.0124V13.1663H2.99417C1.74398 13.1663 1.37497 11.4628 2.51312 10.9455L19.029 3.43822Z\" fill=\"#EFF5F8\"><\/path>\r\n        <\/svg><\/button>\r\n    <\/footer>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/a>\n  <\/div><\/body><\/html><h2 id=\"ultimate-spring-home-maintenance-checklist\">Ultimate Spring Home Maintenance Checklist<\/h2>\n<p>Ready to get started getting your home ready for the spring and summer ahead? This ultimate checklist includes everything you need to do to get your home into top shape this spring.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Neighbor-Printable-Spring-Home-Maintenance.pdf\"><strong><em>Download our Ultimate Spring Home Maintenance Checklist.<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><img  decoding=\"async\"  class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7379 pk-lazyload\"  src=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABAQMAAAAl21bKAAAAA1BMVEUAAP+KeNJXAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAApJREFUCNdjYAAAAAIAAeIhvDMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\"  alt=\"Spring maintenance outside your home\"  width=\"1789\"  height=\"976\"  data-pk-sizes=\"auto\"  data-ls-sizes=\"(max-width: 1789px) 100vw, 1789px\"  data-pk-src=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/01-Outside-Your-Home.png\"  data-pk-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/01-Outside-Your-Home.png 1789w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/01-Outside-Your-Home-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/01-Outside-Your-Home-1024x559.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/01-Outside-Your-Home-768x419.png 768w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/01-Outside-Your-Home-1536x838.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/01-Outside-Your-Home-380x207.png 380w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/01-Outside-Your-Home-550x300.png 550w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/01-Outside-Your-Home-800x436.png 800w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/01-Outside-Your-Home-1160x633.png 1160w\" ><\/p>\n<div id=\"outside\"><\/div>\n<h3 id=\"spring-maintenance-outside-your-home\">Spring maintenance outside your home<\/h3>\n<p>Much of spring maintenance happens outside, to clean up from winter and get your property ready for summer.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Check for signs of termites<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Termites tend to flock in the springtime, so first things first: Check your home carefully for any signs of these pests. If you see winged insects flying in and out of holes in any wood on your property, that&rsquo;s a good sign of termites, and you should call a pest control company to check it out. Throughout spring, as you&rsquo;re checking off the items on this checklist, remember to keep an eye out for termites, which tend to be active between March and May.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Inspect and clean the roof<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If there&rsquo;s any winter debris, like leaves or fallen branches, on the roof, now is the time to get up there and clean it off. While you&rsquo;re at it, inspect the entire roof for signs of aging or damage, like missing shingles, damaged metal, or anything else that might require a professional roof inspection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Inspect and clean gutters and downspouts<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Now that winter weather has passed, it&rsquo;s a good time to clean out your gutters and downspouts. You can climb up on a ladder to clean them by hand, or use a leaf blower or shop vac with an attachment to reach them. Make sure to flush the gutters with a hose and see that water is running freely, and that water that comes out of your downspouts is draining away from your home.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Trim trees and shrubs<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If any trees or shrubs on your property (especially close to your home) need a trim, now is the time to do that before warm weather and sunlight cause them to grow even more.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Clean the windows<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Grab a bucket and a squeegee and get all the winter grime off your home&rsquo;s exterior windows. If you have extremely tall or high windows you can&rsquo;t get to, you may look into hiring a professional window cleaner.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Inspect doors and windows<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Check all your doors and windows for signs of wood rot, mold, or leaking. If needed, replace them, or re-caulk around their edges to give them a better seal against the elements.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Check for wood rot<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Anywhere else on your property where you have wood should be carefully inspected for wood rot &mdash;&nbsp;window sills, siding, decks, railings, fencing, and stairs, just to name a few. If you discover any signs of rot, evaluate the extent of it &mdash;&nbsp;you may need to replace the wood altogether, or it just may need to be stained or sealed.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Inspect fencing<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Walk any fencing on your property and check it for cracks, holes, or other damage.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pressure wash exterior areas<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Now that winter is over, it&rsquo;s time to wash away the grime of cold, wet days. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/how-to-pressure-wash-a-deck\/\">Use a pressure washer<\/a> to thoroughly clean the exterior areas of your home, including soffits, siding, patios, decks, and driveways. You can also use a pressure washer to quickly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/outdoor-furniture-cleaning\/\">clean outdoor furniture<\/a> so it&rsquo;s ready for the upcoming summer season.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Check and touch up exterior paint<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Check your home&rsquo;s exterior for any places where the paint is fading, peeling or chipping, and touch it up as needed.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Reseal your deck and driveway<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>With summer on the way, now is the time to get your deck and driveway ready for heavy use and hot weather. Re-stain or re-seal your deck using appropriate products for the wood or material it&rsquo;s made from. If your driveway has any cracks, fill them and then seal the entire driveway to add another layer of protection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Inspect the sprinkler system<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>During winter, it&rsquo;s possible that your sprinkler system could have become damaged. After de-winterizing, turn on the system and walk your property to inspect it. Look for broken or damaged heads, and adjust any heads that are spraying toward your home or windows, driveway, porch, or sidewalk.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Inspect and tune up tools and equipment<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Any tools or lawn maintenance equipment that&rsquo;s going to be used during the summer needs to be inspected and, if necessary, tuned up. Sharpen blades, change oil, change out old gas, charge batteries, and whatever else needs to be done to properly maintain the tools you use.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Start mosquito control early<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Mosquitos breed in standing water, so early spring is a good time to inspect your property and remove any potential breeding spots like puddles, buckets, or old tires. If you have something like a bird bath on your property, remember to clean it and change the water frequently so it doesn&rsquo;t become a place for mosquitoes to breed.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Start your landscaping projects<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Once you&rsquo;re confident the last winter freeze has passed in your area, you can start any outdoor landscaping projects you&rsquo;ve had planned for spring and summer, such as seeding new grass, planting shrubs or flowers, or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/make-raised-garden-bed\/\">building raised garden<\/a> beds for the season.<\/p>\n<p><img  decoding=\"async\"  class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7380 pk-lazyload\"  src=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABAQMAAAAl21bKAAAAA1BMVEUAAP+KeNJXAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAApJREFUCNdjYAAAAAIAAeIhvDMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\"  alt=\"Spring maintenance inside your home\"  width=\"1789\"  height=\"853\"  data-pk-sizes=\"auto\"  data-ls-sizes=\"(max-width: 1789px) 100vw, 1789px\"  data-pk-src=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/02-Inside-Your-Home.png\"  data-pk-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/02-Inside-Your-Home.png 1789w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/02-Inside-Your-Home-300x143.png 300w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/02-Inside-Your-Home-1024x488.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/02-Inside-Your-Home-768x366.png 768w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/02-Inside-Your-Home-1536x732.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/02-Inside-Your-Home-380x181.png 380w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/02-Inside-Your-Home-550x262.png 550w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/02-Inside-Your-Home-800x381.png 800w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/02-Inside-Your-Home-1160x553.png 1160w\" ><\/p>\n<div id=\"inside\"><\/div>\n<html><body><div id=\"2_in_post\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/host\" onclick=\"rudderanalytics.track('press editorial cta button', {location: 'second in post', version: '2.0'}, () =&gt; { console.log('track call'); });\">\r\n  <div class=\"second-in-post-cta\">\r\n    <section>\r\n      <div class=\"service-option\">\r\n        <h2 id=\"earn-1000s-per-year-with-your-unused-space\">Earn $1,000s per year with your unused space<\/h2>\r\n        <button>Become a Neighbor host<\/button>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/section>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/a>\n  <\/div><\/body><\/html><h3 id=\"spring-maintenance-inside-your-home\">Spring maintenance inside your home<\/h3>\n<p>Once your home&rsquo;s exterior is clean and well-maintained, there are more spring home maintenance tasks you can do inside.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Inspect your HVAC system<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>To get ready for days when running the AC will be necessary, check your home&rsquo;s HVAC system. This is also a good time to change your furnace filter and any other air filters in the system.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Check your washing machine fill hose<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>While cleaning a load of laundry, carefully check your washing machine&rsquo;s fill hose for damage or leaks. If you see any problems, replace the hose now before a leak can cause costly water damage.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Clean your dryer vent hose<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Now is also the time to disconnect your dryer vent and give it a good cleaning. This is important to do regularly, as built up lint and dirt in a dryer vent is a common fire hazard.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Clean and repair your window screens<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you have storm windows, remove them and replace them with screens. If your window screens have been up all winter, remove them so they can be thoroughly cleaned (use a bucket of soapy water and a hose in the backyard for best results). While you&rsquo;re cleaning and installing the screens, check them for damage, and patch any holes that might let pests into your home.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Check your home for moisture<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Now that winter snow is melting, it&rsquo;s a great time to check your home for seeping moisture that could cause costly damage if left untreated. Check the attic for wet spots in the walls, ceiling, or insulation. Walk the perimeter of the basement to check for leaks or standing water. And if you have central air conditioning, inspect that system for any leaks that might cause water damage to the AC unit or your home.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Inspect your air ducts<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Air ducts are great at collecting dust, so now is a good time to open them up and wipe them down. While doing so, inspect them with a flashlight, looking for things like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/how-to-get-rid-of-mold-ultimate-guide\/\">mold<\/a>, allergens, or blockages. If you suspect a problem but can&rsquo;t see far enough to confirm, you may want to schedule a professional inspection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Inspect your sump pump<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Sump pumps need to be checked regularly to make sure they&rsquo;re in working order. Inspect yours in spring, and clear away any debris in the pump that might cause damage or keep it from working properly.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Check all your detectors<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Check all the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home. Dust them and check and change their batteries, if needed. Perform tests to make sure they&rsquo;re in working order.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Inspect and clean the chimney<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Now that winter is over and you&rsquo;re less likely to need to use your fireplace, it&rsquo;s a good time to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/how-to-clean-a-chimney\/\">clean your chimney<\/a>. While you&rsquo;re at it, inspect for any cracks or damage, and clean thoroughly so it will be ready to go when you need it next fall or winter.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Check fire extinguishers<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Finally, as you get your home ready for summer, this is a good time to do a routine check of any fire extinguishers you have. Make sure they&rsquo;re not past their expiration date, and replace them if they are. Also make sure they&rsquo;re clean, and in a place where they&rsquo;re easily accessible if you ever need them.<\/p>\n<p><img  decoding=\"async\"  class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7381 pk-lazyload\"  src=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABAQMAAAAl21bKAAAAA1BMVEUAAP+KeNJXAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAApJREFUCNdjYAAAAAIAAeIhvDMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\"  alt=\"Spring cleaning and organization\"  width=\"1789\"  height=\"794\"  data-pk-sizes=\"auto\"  data-ls-sizes=\"(max-width: 1789px) 100vw, 1789px\"  data-pk-src=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/03-Spring-Cleanding-and-Organization.png\"  data-pk-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/03-Spring-Cleanding-and-Organization.png 1789w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/03-Spring-Cleanding-and-Organization-300x133.png 300w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/03-Spring-Cleanding-and-Organization-1024x454.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/03-Spring-Cleanding-and-Organization-768x341.png 768w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/03-Spring-Cleanding-and-Organization-1536x682.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/03-Spring-Cleanding-and-Organization-380x169.png 380w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/03-Spring-Cleanding-and-Organization-550x244.png 550w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/03-Spring-Cleanding-and-Organization-800x355.png 800w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/03-Spring-Cleanding-and-Organization-1160x515.png 1160w\" ><\/p>\n<div id=\"cleaning\"><\/div>\n<h3 id=\"spring-cleaning-and-organization\">Spring cleaning and organization<\/h3>\n<p>There&rsquo;s a reason spring cleaning is such a popular tradition &mdash;&nbsp;spring is the perfect time to tackle some cleaning and organization projects, too.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Air out your home<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Once the weather becomes nice, open up windows and doors and air out your home. This will help get air circulating and shake out any staleness leftover from winter. Plus, it will make your home feel fresh.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Change the direction of your ceiling fans<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>During the winter, your ceiling fan should spin clockwise, gently pushing down the warm air that tends to rise up near the ceiling. But in the spring, you should change the direction to counter-clockwise, so the fan will create a cool breeze when it&rsquo;s turned on. Your fan may have a switch on the base to change the direction, or you may need to manually adjust the tilt of the blades.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Dust in forgotten places<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>An important part of spring cleaning is dusting all the nooks and crannies that often get neglected during routine cleaning: The tops of your ceiling fan blades, chair rails, window casings, and the tops of your cabinets, to name a few. Search your home for forgotten spots, and give them a good clean.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Clean your kitchen exhaust hood<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Your kitchen exhaust hood collects grime throughout the year, and spring is a great time to thoroughly clean it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Vacuum your fridge coils<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The electrical coils at the back of your fridge are dust magnets, so spring is a good time to pull the fridge out from the wall and vacuum them until they&rsquo;re dust-free. This removes a fire hazard, and will help keep your fridge running for years to come.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Clean the garage<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>During the cold winter months, it&rsquo;s easy for items to pile up in the garage, where they&rsquo;re out of the elements. Now is a great time to go through the garage and clean and organize. Since the weather is warming up, consider a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/yard-sales\/\">yard sale<\/a> to declutter unneeded items.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Clean and prep the grill<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Summer grilling season is just around the corner. That means now is the time to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/how-to-clean-a-charcoal-grill\/\">clean and prep your grill<\/a>, including stocking up on fuel and other necessities you&rsquo;ll need to have on hand when it&rsquo;s time to cook out.<\/p>\n<p><strong>More spring cleaning tips<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Ready to get your home completely clean and ready for summer? Our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/ultimate-spring-cleaning-decluttering-deep-cleaning-guide\/\">Ultimate Spring Cleaning Guide<\/a> is the resource you need.<\/p>\n<div id=\"other\"><\/div>\n<h3 id=\"other-spring-home-maintenance-tasks\">Other spring home maintenance tasks<\/h3>\n<p>You&rsquo;re close to having a home that&rsquo;s completely ready for spring and summer. Consider these spring home maintenance tasks to be the final touches.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Schedule any needed maintenance or inspections<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If any part of your home needs repairs or maintenance, schedule that now. Additionally, if you need any inspections to ensure your home is in good shape, this is the time to do them. This can include a deck inspection, HVAC inspection, or your annual septic tank inspection. If your water heater is more than five years old, it&rsquo;s time to have it inspected. And an energy efficiency inspection is a good consideration for all homeowners &mdash;&nbsp;not only is it good for the environment, but upping your home&rsquo;s energy efficiency will help you save on utility bills.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Tackle home improvement projects<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you have any <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/affordable-home-improvement\/\">home improvement projects<\/a> you&rsquo;d like to get done, start them now. That gives you plenty of time with nice weather to finish before next winter sets in.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Declutter and organize your home<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Once spring cleaning is done, you may want to go a step further &mdash;&nbsp;decluttering and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/ultimate-guide-to-home-organization-how-to-organize-your-home-room-by-room\/\">reorganizing your home<\/a>. This is a great time for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/how-to-get-rid-of-things\/\">decluttering<\/a>, since summer is the season for yard sales.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"finish-spring-cleaning-with-neighbor\">Finish Spring Cleaning with Neighbor<\/h2>\n<p>Congratulations on getting your home in great shape for the warmer months ahead!<\/p>\n<p>Whether you need to store items you&rsquo;ve decluttered from your own home, or your spring cleaning has created extra space, <a href=\"http:\/\/neighbor.com\">Neighbor<\/a> can help connect you with your neighbors so you can solve each other&rsquo;s storage needs. It&rsquo;s 50% cheaper than a traditional storage unit, 6 times safer, and brings neighbors together to help one another out.<\/p>\n<p>Find <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/search\">secure storage near you<\/a> &mdash;&nbsp;or get started <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/host\">listing your own space<\/a> for a neighbor to use.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The ultimate guide for doing home maintenance in every area of the house keep their homes in perfect shape for the spring season. Includes a free checklist!\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":7378,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"csco_singular_sidebar":"","csco_page_header_type":"","csco_appearance_grid":"","csco_page_load_nextpost":"","csco_post_video_location":[],"csco_post_video_location_hash":"","csco_post_video_url":"","csco_post_video_bg_start_time":0,"csco_post_video_bg_end_time":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7376","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-home-maintenance","cs-entry","cs-video-wrap"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Spring Home Maintenance Guide | Neighbor Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The ultimate guide for doing home maintenance in every area of the house keep their homes in perfect shape for the spring season. Includes a free checklist!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/spring-home-maintenance\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Spring Home Maintenance Guide | Neighbor Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The ultimate guide for doing home maintenance in every area of the house keep their homes in perfect shape for the spring season. 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