Outdoor Maintenance Tasks You Must Do

Warm weather means you can finally enjoy time outside after a long cold winter. With good weather, even the most tedious household chores start to sound refreshing. Get some fresh air in your lungs while tackling these 6 outdoor home maintenance tasks. When you’re finished with these simple 6 projects you can fully enjoy the warm weather as well as prevent any potential issues that may end up costing you down the road.

Clean Your Gutters

This task can not be stressed enough, it is very important to properly clean your gutters and keep them maintained through out the year, especially in the summer! While many people think it’s fine to clean their gutters once a year, you may want to consider making it a more seasonal chore. Take a look at your gutters bottoms for any loose granules, gunk, and winter build up such as debris. Clean it out with a garden hose, and take a look at your roof for any damaged spots while you’re up there!

Check Your Roof

If you’re good with heights, climb up the ladder and inspect your roof. Make sure your ladder is sturdy and someone is with you for extra precaution. Remember you’re looking for any  missing or curled shingles, rusted or pitted flashing, cracked caulk around pipe collars, skylights and other roof penetrations. If you have a relatively flat roof, and feel confident that you can work on it yourself, feel free to do so. Remember to always use proper safety equipment when you’re working on a flat or steep roof. If you feel unsure, hire a professional, expect to pay a licensed roofing contractor anywhere from $100 – $200 for minor repairs, and $300 – $500 to replace flashing and boots.

Touch Up Paint

Keep your homes surface freshly painted by scraping off any chipped or peeling paint. One of the worst things to do as a homeowner is to leave wood exposed, as leaving wood exposed leads to rot. Start by power washing the exterior of your home, then follow by inspecting it for any chips in the paint, if you find exposed wood then give those areas a nice new coat.

Trim Overgrowth

Now that the plants and trees around your home have fully bloomed, it’s time to trim some shrubs, branches, and trees. Keep branches 5 to 7 feet away from your home to avoid moisture on your roofing and siding. Use landscaping trimmers and cutters to prevent the spread of plant disease, clean the blades with bleach and a rag, be sure to dry the cutting surface thoroughly and carefully. Remember, keeping tools sharp is important to prevent tearing bark, and keeping them in good condition means you can use them longer!

Secure Your Drainage

Remember, good drainage makes for a happy home! Keep mildew, mold, termites, and potential leaks away by checking the soil around your hone. Make sure it slopes away from your homes foundation walls, the slopes should be at least 6 vertical inches over 10 feet, this will ensure that any rain or snow will run far away from your homes foundation, preventing any problems.

Check the Foundation Vents

If you have a crawl space in your home, then you have vents along your foundations walls. These vents are designed to provide air circulation that helps dissipate excess moisture and prevents mold growth. The vents have screens to prevent wildlife and debris from going under your home. Take a look at your homes foundation vents for any screen damage and clean out what mess you find. You can clean the vents by hand or with a shop vacuum, remember if you find any damage to your screens you need to repair or replace them! Mice and rats can squeeze into the tiniest holes, so you want those screens to be intact.