Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Life

Tag: seasonal maintenance

  • Top 10 Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Home in Working Order: A Checklist

    Your home is likely one of your biggest investments. Taking care of it properly is essential. The chores and tasks necessary to maintain a home throughout the year can seem daunting, but they’re easier if broken down into seasonal duties.

    Even if you don’t have the time or physical ability to tackle these must-dos yourself, refer to our home maintenance checklist below when you hire handymen.

    Spring

    At the start of spring, many homeowners are eager to do a little cleaning. This season is the perfect time to empty closets, wax floors, give carpets a deep shampoo and more.

     

     

     

     

    Here are some good spring cleaning actions you can take to care for your home:

    1. Give the grounds an overhaul. Start cleaning by
    • raking up leaves
    • turning outside faucets on if you’ve turned them off for winter
    • inspecting trees for illness or dead branches
    • re-seeding your lawn
    • planting perennials
    1. Tend to your home’s exterior by
    • looking for and filling cracks in concrete
    • fixing broken rain gutters
    • giving your home a power wash
    • touching up paint
    • cleaning windows
    • repairing patios and decks
    • treating pool water
    1. Look after the inside of your home by
    • inspecting HVAC systems
    • draining your boiler
    • giving plumbing a once-over
    • checking your chimney
    • replacing batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors

  • A Few Helpful Gutter Cleaning Tips for Your Home

    Autumn is one of the most seasons. The crisp air and changing leaves make even a walk through the neighborhood feel like an event. Those leaves, however, have to go somewhere and many of them end up in the gutter. We have a few helpful gutter cleaning tips to keep you safe and prevent property damage.

    Let someone know what you’re doing

    Of all the gutter cleaning tips, letting a friend, family or neighbor know what you’re doing is the most important. It is helpful to have someone check up on you. Also, make sure to have your cellphone somewhere near you in the unlikely event of an accident to easily call for help.

    Use a safe and sturdy ladder

    Using a sturdy ladder will keep you safe. Before stepping onto the first rung, check to see that the hinges are completely open and that the ladder is in good shape. A four-legged ladder is easy to transport and use for a single story home, while a two-legged extension ladder is the best choice for homes with multiple floors. A ladder can get heavy, so if you have a heart condition or other health issues, know your limits and ask for help moving it around your home.

     

     

    Use a sand shovel

    Don’t try to use metal gardening tools, as they’ll only scrape and potentially damage gutters. Instead, pick up a small plastic scoop or a kids’ sand shovel.The trick isn’t to try to remove all of the leaves and other debris at once, but remove a little bit at a time. This will lighten the load of each sco and save your back.