Warm weather is here, and you’re ready to invite friends and family over for a cookout or maybe a round of Cornhole on the lawn. The birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming, and it’s time to start prepping your home for the months ahead. Now is the time to ensure your home came through the winter without any hidden damage that can spoil your fun. Spring is the perfect time to give your home a little TLC and ensure everything is in working order before the busy summer months. Enter the spring home maintenance checklist.

And for those of you looking to sell your home this season, completing a few key home maintenance tasks can even help increase your home’s value.

We’ve put together a comprehensive checklist covering everything from plumbing and appliances to HVAC systems and electrical safety. Use this handy guide to ensure you don’t overlook any crucial home care tasks this spring. Our spring home maintenance checklist will give you some places to start.

HVAC maintenance

As the weather starts to warm up, it’s time to start thinking about your home’s air conditioning system. As the homeowner, you’ll want to examine the area around the outdoor condenser unit and remove any shrubs or branches that could block airflow.

The professionals at Lee Company know the importance of regular AC maintenance. Regularly scheduled inspections can spot problems before they turn into major inconveniences. Spring is the perfect time to have your HVAC system serviced by a professional and do a little spring home maintenance to help keep it running smoothly all summer long.

• Clean or replace your home’s air filters to help improve air quality and keep your system running efficiently.
• Test all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and replace the batteries if necessary.
• Clean all vents and registers to ensure they are not blocked by dust or debris.
• Change the direction of your ceiling fans to a counterclockwise motion to help circulate cool air in the summer.
• Inspect your home’s ductwork for any leaks or damage.
• Check your air conditioner’s outdoor unit to ensure it is debris-free.

We also offer an annual comprehensive AC maintenance tune-up to clean the equipment and search for signs of problems. Call us today to keep your air conditioner running at its best.

Appliance maintenance

Your home is full of appliances that you rely on every day. From your refrigerator to your washing machine, these appliances work hard to make your life easier. But like anything else, appliances need maintenance from time to time to stay in good working order. You can use this appliance maintenance checklist as a good place to start.

• Clean your home’s ventilation hoods and exhaust fans over the stove.
• Clean your dryer vent to help prevent fires and use hot water and soap to clean your lint trap.
• Run your dishwasher through a cycle with just vinegar and water to clean the interior.
• Wipe down the outside of your refrigerator, and vacuum the coils on the back to keep it running efficiently.
• Check your refrigerator’s water filter and replace it if necessary.
• Run your dishwasher and clothes washer and inspect the hoses and valves for any leaks or damage.
• Run your garbage disposal with several ice cubes to sharpen the blades. Add an orange or lemon rind to make it smell fresh, or clean the drain by pouring a mix of white vinegar and baking soda in while the disposal runs.

Electrical maintenance

Your home’s electrical system is one of the most important and dangerous systems in your home. Electrical maintenance every spring will help keep it running safely and effectively.

• Test all GFCI outlets, smoke, and carbon monoxide detectors, and replace the batteries if necessary.
• Inspect all electrical wiring for any damage. Make sure they are not frayed or split.
• Walk through your home and listen for humming or buzzing sounds that could indicate an electrical problem.
• Have a professional inspect your home’s electrical panel to ensure everything is in good working order.
• Feel switches and outlets to check if they are hot to the touch, as this could indicate an electrical issue.

Plumbing and your home maintenance checklist

Most of your plumbing may be hiding behind walls or under floors, but that doesn’t mean you can forget about it until there’s a problem. Winter can be hard on plumbing, so a little attention now can help prevent any big issues from springing up (pun intended!) later on.

You’ll want to examine your outdoor fixtures for leaks or winter damage. We think this check should be part of a regular examination of all your plumbing fixtures. Stopping small leaks lowers your water bill and prevents hidden water damage.

Interior plumbing:

• Check all faucets and fixtures for leaks. Look for drips, water stains, or puddles around the base of your sinks, toilets, showers, and from any exposed pipes.
• Inspect your home’s supply lines. These flexible hoses connect your home’s water supply to the shut-off valve. Look for any cracks, leaks, or signs of wear and tear.
• Flush your water heater to remove any sediment that built up over the winter.
• Test your sump pump to make sure it’s in working order.

Exterior plumbing:

• Check your home’s gutters and downspouts to ensure they are debris-free.
• Inspect hoses and sprinklers for any cracks or leaks.
• Have your septic system professionally inspected and pumped, if necessary.
• Check all exposed pipes for leaks, cracks, or other damage.
• If you have a septic tank, have it inspected and pumped if necessary.

If you have a sprinkler system for your lawn, you’ll want to be sure it survived the winter without any damage. Bob Vila, who hosted television’s This Old House and other home improvement shows, recommends cleaning the sprinkler heads, looking for leaks, and checking the wiring. Water and electricity don’t mix, so it’s a good idea to call a professional who knows their way around plumbing and electrical wiring.

Enjoy the outdoors safely

Before firing up your propane or natural gas grill, inspect it thoroughly. The Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA) recommends looking for any loose connections or leaks in the gas line. Never use a propane cylinder if it shows dents, excessive rust, or other signs of damage.

HPBA suggests using a soap and water solution to check for gas leaks. If you see bubbles, turn off the gas, tighten the connections, or replace faulty hoses. Check your owner’s manual for any additional maintenance requirements and advice.

For safety’s sake, inspect your outdoor electrical fixtures. Freezing and thawing can damage the watertight seals around fixtures and lead to short circuits.

The professionals at Lee Company are ready to help. Call us to schedule a visit from a member of our services team who can handle jobs around your home. Or sign up for a home maintenance plan. Our trained technicians will visit your home four times a year to inspect your HVAC, electrical, and plumbing systems.

Beyond the patio: maintaining your lawn

Beyond everything that goes into a backyard makeover, the grass will grow all summer. Cutting grass with a lawn mower that isn’t in top condition can be an unpleasant chore. Here are some DIY tips to keep your gas-powered lawnmower working reliably. Remember to always disconnect the spark plug before working on your mower.

If your mower is hard to start, Angi, the home maintenance website formerly Angie’s List, recommends changing the spark plug. All it takes is a wrench. Just remember not to over-tighten the new plug.

Sharpening the blade will keep your grass looking good. A dull blade can tear grass or pull it out. If you’re not an experienced DIY-er, you may want to take the mower to a shop or call a mobile service.

Changing the oil annually can help keep your lawn mower running smoothly. If your mower has drain plugs beneath the oil tank, remove them and let the oil flow out. If your lawnmower doesn’t have drain plugs, turn it on its side and let the oil drain through the fill hole. Use a dishpan or a paint roller tray to catch the oil.

Replace the drain plugs or turn the lawn mower right side up. Refill the oil tank with the type of oil recommended by your owner’s manual. Lawn equipment oil is easy to find at hardware stores and big-box stores.

Remember to dispose of used oil properly by taking it to a local recycling center. Never pour used oil down a drain or on the ground.

It’s also a good idea to clean or change your mower’s air filter. This improves the efficiency of the engine. Check your owner’s manual for instructions.

Gutters and downspouts

Seasonal rainfall makes gutters and downspouts a priority. Clogged gutters can lead to flooded basements and cracked foundations. A gutter inspection will let you know if any debris will block the water flow.

If you don’t feel comfortable climbing high on a ladder or are just too busy, Lee Company can help. We offer home maintenance and handyman services that can tackle just about any job around your home.

Let in fresh air, not bugs

It’s refreshing to open the window and enjoy the Tennessee morning air. However, if your screens are damaged, you might let in outdoor pests like flies and mosquitos. It’s easy to inspect the screens in your home visually. A patch kit can quickly repair minor damage, but a larger hole requires professional repair.

Improve your energy efficiency

Reducing the amount of air that leaks in and out of your home can cut cooling costs, increase comfort and create a healthier indoor environment. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends checking the caulking and weather stripping around your doors and windows. Lee Company’s handyman services team is ready to help.

Spring home maintenance tips to increase value

If you’re thinking about selling your home or want to increase its value, there are a few basic home improvement projects that are great to do on a sunny day:

• Give your home a fresh coat of paint, inside and out.
• Pressure wash your home’s siding and walkways.
• Tidy up your landscaping by pulling weeds, trimming bushes, and planting flowers.
• Upgrade your home’s hardware, like doorknobs, light fixtures, and faucets.
• Replace older appliances with new energy-efficient models.

These simple projects can go a long way in making your home look its best. And when it comes time to sell, you’ll be glad you did!

Home improvements and basic maintenance tasks are important to keep your home in good working order, but they’re also time-consuming — and you might not have the necessary skills or tools to do them yourself.

Lee Company can help! We offer a wide range of home maintenance and repair services, from plumbing and electrical to HVAC and appliance repair. Contact us today to get your home in tip-top shape this season!

Home Maintenance Plan from Lee Company

At Lee Company, our experienced technicians can remove the electrical, plumbing, and HVAC tasks from your spring home maintenance to-do list. If you sign up for our home maintenance plan, our technicians will visit your house four times a year to keep your home running smoothly. Call us today for the best home services in the south.