Spring is always a welcomed time of year. It's a time to open the windows to let in the fresh air, declutter closets and drawers of unneeded items and give our vehicles a good cleaning inside and out. It's also a good time of year to give your home a maintenance check to see how well it has survived the winter, and to see if anything requires repair or replacement.

Simplify your spring home maintenance to-dos with this handy checklist:

Check your roof and gutters

1. 1. Check for debris: your gutters can accumulate leaves, twigs, dirt and other hazards throughout the late fall and winter. Check for clogging by looking into your rain spouts and running a hose to fill the gutters to see where the water exits.
   2. Check for damage: As you watch the water exit your gutters, be on the lookout for cracks and holes.
   3. Check your roof: It can get quite windy during the winter, and ice chunks and ice dams can easily damage a roof. Check for missing shingles or any other apparent damage.

Check your air conditioner

1. Check for damage and debris: Before the summer heat kicks in, give your air conditioner a good look, including looking at its panels and electrical system. Ensure everything is tightly secured, and no debris may have made its way inside the unit.
2. Change your air filter: It's always good practice to change your HVAC's air filter regularly, and there's a good chance it gathered dust and dirt throughout the winter, so spring is a great time to change it.

Check your house

1. Check your siding, wood and brick: Walk around your property and look for cracks in your siding, missing siding, any bricks or parging that may need to be repaired, and wood (including on any decks) that may need to be sanded, repainted or replaced.
2. Check your windows: Spring will reveal peeling and cracked caulking around windows as well as any broken seals in need of repair. Keep your eyes open for black mold, as well, as that may be a sign of a leaking window.
3. Examine your foundation: If you have a basement, make a point of checking the basement walls and floors for cracks and leaks. Larger gaps should be professionally inspected and repaired to prevent more significant issues.
4. Review your landscape: Before the leaves fill in, now is excellent time to cut back any overgrown hedges, bushes and trees that could potentially cause damage to your building.
5. Review your home insurance policy: Spring is a great time to review the details of your home insurance policy to ensure you are adequately covered against all of life's surprises, including spring flooding and storms.

Adding home maintenance to your spring cleaning list could save you from unforeseen problems in the future.  Please reach out if you have questions about your home insurance policy or need help updating your coverage.