SPRING MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST | HOME WARRANTY HELP

Last Friday was the first day of spring, the delightful season of brighter days, blooming plants and, unfortunately, home maintenance. Yes, that’s right, they don’t call it “spring-cleaning” for nothing! Spring is the season that requires homeowners to take care of the hardships that fall and winter put their home through over the last few months. Luckily, Landmark Home Warranty created this Spring Maintenance Checklist so you know exactly what to fix to get your home in ship-shape for the rest of the year.

CLEAN OUT VENTS

Any vent that leads outside (bathroom vent, range vent, dryer vent) should be cleaned out and any leaves, plants or other debris should be cleared away from it. This will prevent fires and make sure plants don’t begin growing inside of your house because they’re attracted to the moisture-rich air those vents are blowing outside.

REPLACE TORN WINDOW SCREENS

Although your home might be safe from pests on the interior, having cracked or torn window screens is like inviting the insects that live outside, into your home. Make sure to take the torn or broken screens out, and buy new ones. They can be purchased for about $30 at your local hardware store.

REPAIR ROOF

The roof is another part of your home that has it hard during the winter-time. During spring maintenance, make sure that your shingles are intact, and look for signs of leaks or wood damage on the outside and in your attic. Repair as needed. The right home warranty plan can cover certain repairs – check to see if your home warranty plan covers roof repairs.

INSPECT SIDING, PAINT

Wind, freezing temperatures and excess moisture of winter can take a toll on the siding and paint of your home. Paint and siding create a barrier for your home’s interior, and if those are cracked or peeling, the wood of your home can become damaged with springtime rain. Make sure to fix any peeling paint, broken siding or exposed wood before those rains hit.

CHECK TO MAKE SURE SMOKE AND CARBON MONOXIDE ALARMS ARE WORKING

This is an easy step for maintenance. Simply push the test button on your alarm, to see if it will sound. If the alarm doesn’t sound while pushing the button, replace the batteries, or the alarm itself. Make sure to test each unit in your home individually. If one is working, it doesn’t mean they all are working.

REMOVE DEAD PLANTS FROM YARD

Removing plant debris from your yard helps your home in two ways. First, it allows new plants to grow in their space; brightening your yard. Second, dead plants can be a fire hazard, and with temperatures heating up, you don’t want flammables so close to your home.

REPAIR GUTTERS

Broken or messy gutters can cause roof damage and flooding in a home. That might not seem right – gutters are supposed to take the rainwater away from a home – but it’s true. A leaky gutter can create a pool of water around the foundation of a home, which can flood basements. Make sure to clean out your gutters, and make sure they’re draining correctly. They should bring rainwater away from your foundation.

INSPECT HOME FOR SIGNS OF PESTS

Insects like moving into warm, safe places during the winter, and then begin to breed during the springtime. Check the exterior and interior of your home for signs of pests to make sure you don’t have an infestation. Ruined wood, dead insects or clusters of eggs is a good indication of a pest problem. Having your home sprayed for pests can eliminate damage to your home. If you have a home warranty and live in Texas, Arizona, and Nevada, most pest control treatments begin at the cost of a service call fee ($60).

REMOVE DEAD PLANTS FROM YARD

SERVICE AIR CONDITIONER

Spring is the perfect time to get your air conditioner cleaned and ready to go for summer’s hot weather. Clean the coils and drain pans and always remember to replace the filters. It might be a good idea to get an air conditioner tune-up from a professional, who can test your air conditioner to see if it is working safely and effectively. If you have a home warranty, you can save money on a tune-up. Landmark Home Warranty offers air conditioner tune-ups for the price of a service call fee ($60.)

If you are interested in purchasing a home warranty to get a head start on your spring home maintenance, look no further than Landmark Home Warranty. Here at Landmark we care about our customers, so we make sure to provide excellent service with our home warranty plans. That excellent service includes things like pest control treatments, HVAC tune-ups and rekeying locks all for the price of a service call fee. For more information, go towww.LandmarkHW.com.