Flowers are blooming, the days are growing longer and the weather is warming up. Yes, spring is finally here! Before you get busy enjoying the spring weather and festivities, be sure to check off these home maintenance chores to prevent costly home insurance claims.
Working from the outside in, here are 7 tasks to add to your spring cleaning checklist.
Clean gutters and downspouts
Clogged gutters and downspouts can impair the exterior of your house. Foundation damage, rotted wood, roof leaks, water spots, basement leaks and insect infestation are a few of the issues that are often caused by neglected gutters. Empty your gutters and dispose of the overflow of leaves, limbs and other debris to prevent these problems from arising.
Examine your roof and siding
Harsh winter weather can compromise your roof and siding.While cleaning the gutters, inspect your roof for any damage. If you notice areas of sagging or any missing shingles, contact a roof repair service for further inspection.
Inspect electrical wiring for fire hazards
Be sure to remove dead trees and trim limbs and bushes away from healthy utility wires. Make sure outlets, fuse boxes and extension cords are not overloaded. It’s also common for pests to infiltrate your home during winter months and gnaw on electrical wiring. Any frayed and detached wires are a fire hazard, so be sure you have these repaired by an electrician.
Check kitchen and bathroom caulk
Moving on to the inside of your home, it’s important to check the condition of the caulking in your bathrooms, kitchens, doorways and windows to ensure they are properly sealed. Caulk often deteriorates over time, and cracks in your caulk can quickly lead to leaks. By re-caulking when necessary, you can prevent costly water damage claims.
Clean out dryer vent ducts
Even if you consistently clean the lint from your dryer lint trap, lint could still be infiltrating and lingering in your vent duct. Lint buildup makes your dryer less effective and is a common cause of home fires. Not sure how? Here’s a step-by-step guide to cleaning out dryer vent ducts.
Inspect your smoke detectors
Speaking of fires, properly functioning smoke detectors are essential for protecting your family in the event of a house fire. Is it time to change the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors? Now is a great time to check!
Check the light bulbs in your fixtures
Are your light bulbs the correct wattage as recommended by the manufacturer? When a light bulb burns out, most people simply grab whatever spare light bulb is available. There is danger in this careless action because light fixtures carry a maximum wattage rating, and if the bulbs exceed this rating, the fixture could overheat. Learn how to match bulb wattage to light fixtures here.
Routine home inspection and maintenance tasks like these ensure that your home is in good working order, help to keep your family safe, minimize maintenance expenses in the long run, and prevent home insurance claims.
Be Protected for the Unexpected
At Kemmons Wilson Insurance Group, we’re all about mitigating the risks you face as a homeowner. But, we get it — sometimes things happen that you did not anticipate all because Murphy had a law. We’re here to be sure you’re protected when things go wrong. Contact us, and we can discuss protection against the unexpected.