Seasonal Tasks: Spring

• Gutter Check (30 minutes of supervision) Here's where you're NOT climbing a ladder. You're either:

  • Having someone else clean them (neighbor kid, handyman, gutter service)

  • Standing on the ground with binoculars inspecting them

  • Watching someone else do it while you provide cold beverages

  Clean gutters = water goes away from your house. Clogged gutters = water damages your roof, walls, and foundation. It's not complicated, but it's crucial.

• Where the foundation meets the siding

These gaps are how mice, cold air, and bugs get in. Seal them up.

The Roof Scan (10 minutes) From your yard, use binoculars to look at your roof. You're looking for:

• Missing or damaged shingles

• Shingles that are curling up at the edges

• Areas where shingles look different from the rest

• Any holes or damage

If something looks weird, take a picture and call a roofer. You're not fixing this yourself. You're just being observant.

AC Wake-Up Call (schedule it) Before the first hot day, have your AC serviced. The technician will clean it, check the refrigerant, and make sure it's ready to keep you comfortable. This costs around $100-150 and prevents a $4,000 emergency replacement in July when it's 95 degrees and every HVAC company is booked solid for three weeks.

The Foundation Walk (15 minutes) Grab a cup of coffee and take a stroll around your house. Look at where the ground meets your foundation:

• Soil should slope AWAY from your house

• No standing water pools

• No cracks bigger than a quarter-inch

• Downspouts should direct water at least 5 feet away

If the grading is wrong, water will eventually find its way into your basement. Fix grading issues now, before they become waterproofing disasters.

Outdoor Faucet Test (5 minutes) Turn on outdoor spigots. Check for leaks. If water seeps out when the faucet is off, you probably need a new washer. If you winterized these faucets, reconnect the hoses and make sure everything survived the winter.