Spring is here and along with a good spring clean it is a great time to stay on top of home maintenance. As local builders in New Plymouth we work hard building and renovating dream houses around the Taranaki region, and we want to see you get the most out of your investment in the short and long-term. As well as keeping your investment sound, regular maintenance can avoid costly repairs down the line.
Nobody really likes doing this, it can be a really difficult job, and these days if your house is high you need to be careful about safety (legal) precautions. If your house is single-storey and you can get to the gutters easily then there is no reason not to do it yourself. Now is the best time of year to do this. If the down-spout is blocked get a hose up there and have a good go at flushing everything out.
You may have noticed a few things when you were doing the gutters. If you aren't good with heights you can use some binoculars. Check out paint, missing or loose tiles, shingles curling or missing, flashing starting to rust, and focus on corners and joins.
Keep painted surfaces in good repair by scraping off any chipped and peeling paint and touching up exposed spots. The worst thing you can do is leave wood exposed - that’s when it will begin to rot, and we don't want that.
Spring is the best time to trim branches of shrubs and trees away from your house - before leaves really grow on deciduous trees meaning you can see individual limbs. Keep branches a few metres away from your house so they can’t conduct moisture onto your roofing and siding, and allow airflow around the house. Get rid of any branches hanging over rooves or too close to windows.
While not something that often comes to mind, good drainage around your property is essential for a healthy home. It will avoid mould and mildew, avoid a damp feeling house, and create a healthier environment year-round. Generally at this time of year we've had good rain and the soil is at it's maximum water-holding capacity. Are there any areas where water has been pooling, where the soil is unusually damp, or where the soil is sloping into the foundations of your house?
A house with a crawl space has vents along the foundation walls (or wooden boards which create airflow in which case vents aren't needed). The vents provide air circulation that helps move excess moisture away and prevents mould growth. The vents have screens that keep birds, rats, possums and the like from taking up residence under your home. The screens can be recessed and get clogged with leaves, twigs and the like.
There you have it - a (non-exhaustive) list of things you can do around the home this Spring to stay on top of home maintenance. If you need any more advice we are Taranaki local builders with a showroom in New Plymouth - contact us or drop into our showroom.