April 2018 Maintenance Tips for Your East Texas House
April 2018 Maintenance Tips for Your East Texas Home
Spring has sprung and summer is right behind it! Is your house ready? Before your busy summer plans begin, get your home maintenance checklist a head start with these tips:
- TIME FOR A CHANGE— Changing out your air filter in your HVAC system will help your system run more efficiently, save money and reduce airborne allergens. It is easy and only takes a few minutes!
- COIL CLEANUP—Since we have an HVAC trend going on, let’s talk coils. The days of 24/7 air conditioning are coming soon. Clean your A/C coils now so you’re ready to chill when the high temps hit. If you have no idea what a coil is, consider calling your favorite HVAC company or check out a “how to” video online. It is not difficult to DIY and also not expensive to have professionally serviced. Cleaning the coils will add years to the life of your unit and keep it running at peak performance.
- SPRING CLEANING – Don’t overthink this and make it too scary to start. The idea alone brings up visions of shaking down the whole house, but if you start in little steps, it isn’t too bad! (Okay, it’s not great, but it’s a big to-do item for this time of year!) Open up the windows and air out the house while you’re cleaning. It’s amazing how energizing the fresh breeze can be when paired with some fun dance music to get you in the cleaning mood! You know how to Spring clean, you just have to make yourself do it (easy for me to say, huh?). One of my top priorities for Spring cleaning is to clean out the pantry and refrigerator—trash all of the old and expired food and organize it so you can get to your goodies quickly. Also, pull out your appliances and sweep and mop underneath them—these are prime places for the dust bunnies to make a nest.
- A GOOD HIGH POWERED RINSE – Sometimes Houses need baths too. Give your house, porches and driveway a quick power wash and say goodbye to the depressing grime of winter in one semi quick step!
- TERMITES – It’s termite-swarming season, so be on alert for any signs of termite activity. While you’re looking, check for other pests too (fire ant hills, wasp nests, bird nests, etc.) If you believe you have termites, they need to be treated as soon as possible. Also keep an eye out for holes leading into your home—the squirrels and critters will setup squatter’s quarters in the attic, if left to their own devices. Don’t let them call your attic home. Squirrels in an attic can chew through electric lines and eat a myriad of materials in the attic—it’s dangerous and can be expensive, so kick them out them ASAP!
- ADD A BRIGHT FUN SPLASH! – Take a trip to the garden center and pickup some fun Spring plants! You don’t have to spend a fortune—even a single brightly colored flower planted in a pot by your door will do the trick!
Home maintenance isn’t fun (for most people). I get it, I’m with you. However, keeping up with the “little things” helps preserve (and increase) your home’s value, saves money on future repairs and will make you more money when you decide to sell. Maintenance is king!
Lisa Priest is flip-flop ready and is a real estate Broker with Picket Fence Realty, Inc. You can reach her via phone or text at 903-948-3343 or read more at BuyPalestine.com..
April 2018 Maintenance Tips for Your East Texas Home
