Spring maintenance doesn’t need to be a lost weekend. Five small passes, spread over a couple of relaxed afternoons, catch the things that turn into expensive summer surprises.
Look up: roof and gutters
Winter loosens shingles and fills gutters with grit. A ten-minute look — from the ground with binoculars is fine — tells you whether water will drain away from the house or pool against it during the first big storm.
Test what cools you down
Run the AC before you actually need it. Swap the filter, clear leaves from the outdoor condenser, and listen for anything that rattles. Finding a problem in April is a scheduled service call; finding it in July is an emergency one.
Walk the perimeter
Check caulking around windows, reseal the deck if water no longer beads on it, and clear vents and dryer exhausts. Log what you did — next spring you’ll know exactly what’s been handled and what hasn’t.
Winterizing without the panic: a room-by-room pass
Before the first cold snap, a short list that keeps pipes, seals and systems happy all season.
The 15-minute home scan that saves you a whole weekend later
Walking room to room once, on purpose, is the single best thing you can do for your home. Here is exactly what to capture — and why future-you will be grateful.
When was your water heater last flushed? Here’s how to tell.
Sediment quietly steals efficiency and years off the tank. A quick way to know where yours stands.