10 Spring Chores to Keep Your Home in Top Shape

As spring rolls around and you take your first tentative steps outside, you may notice that your home is worse for wear after a long winter. That's right. It's time for spring cleaning. The good news is that spring cleaning can be a great opportunity to spend some time outdoors as the weather improves. And it's an important process to keep your home in tip-top shape. Below are the main chores you'll want to tackle each spring.

Interior Springtime Chores

1. Clean up your entryway.

Whether it's your entryway, mudroom, or another space, there are probably tracks from muddy winter boots. As spring begins, give this space a refresh, scrubbing the floors and cleaning off the bottoms of shoes to prevent damaging the flooring.

2. Make sure you're up to date on pest control.

Like it or not, you're not the only one who's emerging from a long, cold winter excited to get moving. Bugs, pests, and rodents also become active in the spring. And they're more than happy to enter your freshly opened windows or burrow into your home's foundation. In addition to being an annoyance, pests can cause costly damage to your home if left unchecked. Spring is a great time to refresh your pest control system, whether that means laying traps, cutting back hedges, or hiring a professional.

3. Change and check filters.

It's always a good idea to keep up with regular maintenance of the various filters around your house. A prime example is your HVAC — heating/ventilation/air conditioning unit. It's wise to check these quarterly. It is a simple process that saves you money over time. Another significant and often overlooked example is inspecting your refrigerator's filter. The compressor is the heart of your refrigerator, and often dust, animal fur, and dirt can cause significant damage if left uncleaned.

4. Check and test your alarms for fire and CO2.

It's always a smart idea to check the batteries and test your fire and CO2 alarms.

5. Store winter clothes and bring out lighter-weather garments.

Unless you're one of the lucky few who have too much closet space, it's a good idea to keep clothing you're unlikely to wear — like that puffer jacket — in storage during the warmer months. This can be as simple as placing your warm clothes in a bin and storing them in the garage or under the bed. Regardless of what you choose, make sure to completely seal the box to prevent bugs or other pests from getting into your clothes during the summer. If you have a vacuum seal bag, this is the time to use it.

Exterior Springtime Chores

6. Inspect roofing for missing, loose, or damaged shingles and leaks.

Winter weather can be rough on your roof. As a homeowner, you know the value of preventative care. And a neglected roof can translate to thousands of dollars in repairs. To save yourself the cash and hassle, do a full inspection of your roof in the spring to identify any damages or leaks. It's also a great time to call a roof repair service since their calendars tend to fill up quickly in the summer.

7. Clean out and repair your gutters.

While you're inspecting the roof, you'll want to clean out your gutters as well. Over the winter, they get clogged with leaves and dirt, making them mostly ineffective. The last thing you want is a leaking gutter causing mildew and rot on your home. You can either clean them out yourself or hire someone to do it for you if it makes you nervous. Either way, this should be one of your first outdoor chores in spring since the gutter debris will end up all over your walkways and yard.

8. Wash your siding to remove mud and stains.

Once the roof and gutters are in good shape, then it's time to wash the siding. Winter weather may have caused dirt and water stains on the exterior, especially near the bottom. If not, then you'll at least need to wash off the debris that ended up on the house when you cleaned out your gutters. Cleaning the siding will offer a clear aesthetic benefit, but it can also prevent mold or rot. Depending on your home's exterior material, this may be a job for a power washer. But a hose or scrub brush is also acceptable in most cases.

9. Check your driveway and walkways, and repair any cracks.

Cold, wet winters spell out trouble for concrete driveways and walkways. It's not uncommon for these areas to start showing cracks in the spring. You'll want to catch them early so you can reseal them before they become more extensive. Do a full visual inspection of your driveway and walkways, and treat any cracks with sealant.

10. Break out the lawnmower and hedge trimmers.

Once you've cleaned up your home inside and out, then you can finally get started on the yard. Rake up fallen leaves and twigs, trim trees and hedges, and mow the lawn. This is also the perfect time to plant new trees, flowers, or vegetables and get a head start on weeding.

We hope you've enjoyed these spring chore tips. And remember, when it's time for you to refinance or purchase a new home, contact the mortgage professionals at PenFed.

To learn more about PenFed loans or determine which loan is right for you:

• Call 866-386-7254
• Visit the Mortgage Center