Get Your Home Ready for Spring

The cold winter causes frostbite and frostnip. Snow, frost and low temperatures damage our skin, but a cold winter also leaves clear traces on our homes. Avoid future material damage; spring is the right season to go through a seasonal home maintenance checklist of your home.

Check out the outdoor of your home

It is especially outside that you can see where winter has left its mark. Therefore, you should take a look and make sure that everything is as it should be.

Roof

The exposed roof is the perfect place to start as it is vulnerable to the elements.

Go through the following steps:

  • Look after loose roof tiles or other defects you can replace, remove or maintain to avoid further damage.
  • Do I need to clean the gutters? Avoid clogged house gutters and remove leaves and other organic material.
  • If you do not do it, rainwater will eventually stop running down the drain, and it will overflow the gutters, causing damage to the facade.
  • Look for and repair holes and cracks in the gutters.

Facade and foundation

Look for winter damage to the facade of the house and the foundation. The base and foundation are open to a lot of precipitation and dirt, which can erode them. Take a good look and repair any cracks, peeling and flaking so that water and pests do not penetrate the building.

If you have a house of bricks, you should go through the mortar joints and repair defects. Moreover, remember to check if it is cement or pure lime mortar.

Woodwork

Wooden homes are far more vulnerable to the weather. If you have a wood house, you should pay attention to the effects of a hard winter. Look after soft, loose and crumbly wood and replace it immediately.

If, on the other hand, the woodwork is firm and decent, you should protect it from the sun in the coming months. The sun will break down the surface of the wood if you do not treat it with, for instance, wood-protecting paint.

You can also give the woodwork an oil that contains a UV filter if you prefer a more natural look.

Window ledges

Check to see if the ledges or sills are intact and if they can pour the water away from the windows. If they are defective, they cannot divert the water away from the windows and the facade. It will eventually cause damage to the structure.

Doors and windows

Check out if the joints around the window and door frames are intact. Sealed joints prevent water and moisture from penetrating the structure.

Garden

If the winter was stormy and windy, it is a good idea to prune the trees and prevent future storm damage. If you have a terrace of tiles, it may need some care – soil, snow and water can erode and alter the colour of the tiles, creating faded images.