Winter was harsh and if it decides to end one day, we’ll finally be able to comfortably set foot outside. Before being able to take advantage of the pool, the BBQ and the patio chairs, may I suggest that you perform a quick, but important, inspection of your home. By doing so, you are guaranteed to fully take advantage of your summer without starting the season off with a claim.
Winter arrived quickly this year — so quickly that some trees did not get a chance to lose their leaves. Those fall leaves that have since composted in your gutters can block the gutters and, as a result, water can accumulate in them instead of running down. Make sure your gutters are fully functionnal by keeping them clear and clean. Furthermore, in a few weeks, some trees will be producing many buds resulting in a second cleaning.
It’s a simple principle of physics: water travels toward the lowest point. With time, the ground becomes compacted. Thus, it is possible for a slope that was originally intended to keep water away from the home, to become inversed. If the melted snow streams toward your foundation, you can be in for a bad surprise. Make sure this doesn’t happen!
Ice from an aboveground pool can damage the pool cover. Make sure you don’t move around accumulated ice in your pool by wanting to clean it too early. Consequently, some pools are not designed to be emptied completely in the spring. As a result, the cover can lift and get damaged. If you aren’t familiar with the maintenance of an aboveground pool, specialized stores can help you out.
Many individuals keep their vehicle stored in the garage during the winter. In the springtime, due to it’s many months of inactivity, this may cause the vehicule to catch fire. In the past, it has happened that a vehicle that was restarted in the garage of an insured caused his home to burn down. Use extra caution: keep your car at a safe distance before you start it again!
The ground has been frozen all winter and most of the sump pumps have not worked for months. In the springtime, they can be activated several times a day — or even several hours at a time. As a result, if you want to avoid unpleasant water damage, test that your pump works well by pouring a sufficient amount of water into its basin. If the sump pump does not seem to be discharging well, do not hesitate to replace it because the cost of doing so is relatively low and its life expectancy can be less than five years.
If your BBQ was left outside all winter, the rust may have damaged the burners. When you turn on your BBQ, the flame could get stuck in the damage burner and melt some plastic parts of the BBQ, This, in turn, could cause your wood deck to catch fire. Make sure that the burner works as it should. If not don’t hesitate to invest a few dollars and some time to replace it.
Because it is exposed to sun, wind, ice, water and possible winter ice breaking of the roof, your roof could easily get damaged within 15 years. Make sure that there are no shingles missing and that they haven’t abnormally turned black or covered in green moss. Verify that the shingles edges have not curled because a damaged roof could transform the next summer downpour into a nightmare inside your home.
Do not turn a blind eye to these tips. Follow them without delay because the weather is expected to get warmer and spring chores are most likely to pile up!
