I love, love, love that summer is just around the corner! I write this as I look outside my window at the overcast sky on this not so beautiful 20 degree day.  I live a couple blocks from the lake, and I have friends with boats, so I especially look forward to the warmer part of the year especially since we see a lot of winter in Michigan.  This isn’t to say that summer is all fun and games, for every carefree moment I have there is another filled with backbreaking chores.  Last summer was the first as a homeowner, and the first as a non-apartment dweller and  I learned a lot about the seasonal home maintenance.  Here are some spring time activities that are smart to do.

Clean your dryer vents!  Have you ever been outside while your clothes dryer was running and notice all that smoke pouring out of the vents? That’s the excess moisture filled air from inside your dryer.  After an entire winter of doing laundry for one (let alone a family), the amount of dust and lint really builds up.  In fact, if you aren’t careful the lint will build up enough to keep the vent trap propped open enough for rodents and insects to come through.  I learned that little lesson first hand, so heed my warning, keep those vents as free and clear as possible.

Clean out those gutters!  Rainy season is upon us yet again and you may not have cleaned the gutters as part of your autumn home maintenance.  Gutters serve a very important purpose, they prevent your home from flooding and potential mould issues by redistributing rain water safely away from the perimeter.  You can pay someone a few bucks an hour to clean them out for you or make sure you purchase a stable ladder and have a spotter with you for safety if you do the job yourself.  Regardless of your method, make sure this gets done as soon as possible, it can save you a ton of money in the long run.

Go out and purchase safety glasses!  Seems a little off subject doesn’t it?  Well lawn care is a BIG part of your spring and summer home maintenance.  Mowing and edging the lawn isn’t as safe as one might assume.  My Mom tried to warn me that I should be wearing safety glasses while mowing and needless to say I didn’t listen.  The very next week I was pelted by three rocks that kicked up from the lawn mower blades and all three hit me squarely in the face.  I don’t mow, edge, trim, or hedge anything without safety glasses today.

Keep those hedges trimmed!  Ok, so I know you’re thinking this is purely for aesthetic purpose, but it’s not.  I’m not a fan of insects, but that doesn’t seem to stop them from invading my home during the summer months.  I overpaid for Orkin last year, and I’m currently researching less expensive pest removal options.  However, they did teach me one valuable thing, and that’s the benefit of keeping your hedges and plants neatly trimmed.  The previous owners of my home had let the hedges and plants grow out far enough to touch the outside walls of my house.  The closer they are to the home, the higher the potential for pest invasion, so try and keep at least 6 inches of space between the hedges/plants and the exterior of your home.

Change those filters!  This is one those things you want to adhere to during each season, but it’s truly important during those summer months as part of your home maintenance schedule.  My A/C is running just about non-stop from June through August, as Michigan summers are as humid and sticky as they come.  The amount of soot and dirt that can build up via your furnace is quite significant.  I have high efficiency filters that I change about once every month.  The previous homeowners obviously didn’t follow these rules since I seem to have black lines on the carpet around my floor registers.  If you have your air filters clog up long enough, the dirt will begin to travel through your ducts and up through the registers, this will dirty your carpeting and the air you breathe.

There are countless chores to be done during the spring and summer.  But try and remember that winter will be back before you know it, so stick to the important stuff, and use the rest of your free time to enjoy the nice weather while it’s here.

What do you do during your spring time home maintenance?

This is an article written by Justin who is a 30 year old MBA that works in corporate finance, and has a passionate hobby for personal finance.  For more diversified tips on financial management, and other fun stuff, please visit Money is the Root. Today Justin will discuss maintaining a home maintenance schedule.