Homeowners who’ve been through multiple winters know that this time of year isn’t a time to be slacking in home maintenance. There’s more to March madness than just basketball—in housing, it’s the time to make sure owners are staying proactive in tending to their homes through these next few springtime months.
HouseLogic shares four tasks all owners have to do in March:
- Patch up spots on the lawn. As spring showers start to arrive, be sure to cover any bare areas on your yard. This is a crucial task to take care of as snow and ice continue to melt away, and doing so will keep mud and water out of your house.
- Use binoculars to inspect the roof and siding. It’s important to look for signs of damage on your home’s roof and siding. To save time and as a safer alternative to a ladder, use a pair of binoculars to spot these signs: loose or curling shingles, damaged gutters, peeling paint, or cracks in the foundation. Stop these signs from turning into money-sucking problems and start setting up repairs before anything gets worse.
- Install window screens. Window screens last longer when removed and stored for the winter. Whether or not you removed your screens last fall, March is the time to fix any loose screens, frames, or holes. This way, windows can be opened up to let in a clean breeze and keep bugs out.
- Replace smoke detector batteries. Smoke detectors should have batteries changed once a year, so why not now? Another tip: The “test” button on detectors is meant to see if the alarm sound works, not whether it actually detects smoke. To test its functionality, light a match and blow it out near the device to see if it goes off.
Source: “4 Tasks That Veteran Homeowners Know You Gotta Do in March,” HouseLogic (March 1, 2018)
