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5 spring maintenance tips

Tips for homeowners to have a productive spring

As the Quincy area finally sees some spring weather, homeowners will be coming out of their burrows and taking stock of things around the homestead.  Here are a few thoughts regarding what to look for as you get your place ready for wetter and warmer weather:

 1-      With spring rains arriving soon, check your home for any loose or leaky gutters.  This may include an inspection to make sure they are not clogged with leaves or debris; also that the downspouts are properly connected and are moving water away from the foundation.

2-      Check your sump pit and sump pump.  If the ground becomes saturated and your sump pit begins to fill, a working pump will be your best friend.  Make sure it’s in good working condition and consider adding a back-up system if you are protecting a finished basement or area with lots of storage.  Talk to a plumber or contractor about options for battery back-ups, water powered back-ups or alarms to warn of rising water.

3-      Walk the perimeter of the home and look for sunken or low spots near the foundation.  The ground should slope away from the house to help move water away from the basement – and reduce the work that your sump pump will need to do.  Add  dirt or landscaping rock as needed.

4-      If your home has a wood burning fireplace, inspect the exterior of the chimney for any damage or signs of anything unusual.  Contact a professional chimney sweep to clean your flue to prevent build up that could ignite.

5-      Check your decks, exterior doors or other exterior wood products (siding, handrails, etc.) for signs of rot and to see if they need a fresh coat of paint or polyurethane.  The sun, rain and wind are hard on exterior woods and you may find areas that need new fasteners or some TLC for appearance’s sake.

 The Koontz Builder team is grateful to have some sun and warmer temps; we have many yards of concrete to pour after this long, hard winter!  We will be hard at work on our outdoor projects - we hope your spring gets off to a great start too.

Thanks for reading.