Spring home maintenance checklist

Spring is when you find out what winter did. The jobs on this list clear what the storms and the freeze left behind, get the air conditioning ready before the first hot week, and start the outdoor season with the deck, the sprinklers and the walls in shape. Do them in March, April and May, as soon as the ground has thawed and the weather lets you work outside.

The list runs from the top of the house down and from outside in. Skip anything your home doesn't have, and spread the rest over a few weekends rather than one.

The checklist

• Clean the gutters: winter's debris has to go before the spring rains arrive.
• Inspect the roof: snow, ice and wind find the weak shingles, and spring is when you find them.
• Inspect the attic: look for the leaks that winter started and the mice that moved in.
• Check the foundation for cracks: the freeze and thaw shifts the soil, and new cracks show now.
• Test the sump pump: the thaw and the rains are its busiest season.
• Get an HVAC tune-up: the cooling visit, booked before the technicians fill up.
• Clean and check the outdoor AC unit: clear a winter's worth of leaves out of the fins.
• Clean the AC condensate drain line: a cup of vinegar before the first humid day.
• Replace the HVAC filter: start the cooling season with a clean one.
• Clean the air vents and registers: a winter of heating leaves dust on every louver.
• Clean the ceiling fans: wipe the blades and switch them to counterclockwise.
• Inspect and adjust the sprinklers: the start-up finds every head the winter cracked.
• Inspect the exterior window and door trim: recaulk what the cold split before the rains get in.
• Wash the siding: mildew off the shady side and a close look at the walls.
• Pressure wash the driveway and walkways: winter grit, salt and algae off the surfaces.
• Clean and reseal the deck: clean it now, and seal it if water no longer beads.
• Inspect and lubricate the garage door: the cold stiffened everything, and a spray fixes it.
• Get a termite inspection: swarmers emerge in spring, and so do the signs.
• Treat the exterior for pests: the first perimeter treatment of the year, before the ants arrive.
• Inspect the septic system: the ground is soft enough to find the lids and wet enough to show a failing field.
• Test the well water and inspect the well: spring runoff is when contamination shows up.
• Replace the whole-house water filter: the same runoff carries sediment.
• Inspect the crawl space: the thaw shows whether water is getting in.
• Replace the smoke and CO alarm batteries: the spring clock change is the reminder.
• Deep clean the carpets: a winter of closed windows and wet boots is ground into the pile.

Tips

• Book the HVAC tune-up and the septic inspection in March. Both trades are quiet then and booked solid by May.
• Do the gutters and the roof on the same day, since the ladder is already out, and look at the attic right afterward while the storm damage is fresh in mind.
• Wait for the soil to dry before the sprinkler start-up and the foundation check. Wet ground hides cracks and makes sunk heads look fine.
• Wash the siding before you touch up the trim or the paint, and let it dry for a few days in between.
• Keep a list of what you found rather than fixing everything the same day. Spring is for finding; the fixes can run into summer.

FAQ

When should I start spring home maintenance?

As soon as the ground thaws and the weather allows outdoor work, which is March in most places. The gutters, the roof and the sump pump come first, before the spring rains.

What are the most important spring maintenance jobs?

The gutters and the sump pump, because spring is the wet season, and the AC tune-up, because the first hot week is coming and the technicians will be busy.

Is spring the right time to clean gutters?

Yes, after the seeds and blossoms drop. It's one of the twice-yearly cleanings, with the other in late fall.

How do I fit all of this into spring?

Outdoor jobs on dry weekends, indoor jobs on wet ones, and the pro visits booked early. Most of the list is an hour or less each.