Dan's Papers - June 5, 2009 - The Importance of a Post-winter Checkup for Your Home

When the winter starts to wind down, homeowners across the country begin thinking about spring cleaning (believe it or not, we're still a month away from summer). While some projects, like putting away heavy clothing, are symbolic and associated with the fun in the sun that lies ahead, others, such as clearing away clutter, are merely associated with an afternoon spent working off months of procrastination.

While all spring cleaning projects need to be done sooner or later, some carry more weight than others. Such is the case with home repairs. Much like an automobile can take a beating over a long winter, so too can a home. That heightens the importance of a spring home checkup. Now that the cold weather is behind us, consider the following tips to ensure that your home has made it through to a sunny season in one piece.

See your ceilings for the very first time: For those who live in areas with heavy winter snowfall - like we had this season - a telltale sign of a leak is a stained ceiling, which might appear brown or yellow after a few months of water infiltration. Note where these stains are, and then go outside and examine the corresponding areas of your roof. Even if you notice stains in the middle of winter, it's best to wait till after the winter to inspect this problem.

Once you've identified the trouble spots, you can seek the help of a professional roofer. Unfortunately, if you noticed the brown or yellow spots on your ceilings, you'll likely need to seal and paint the entire ceiling, even where no spots exist. Otherwise, the ceilings will not look as uniform or appealing.

Locate your ladder and get ready to climb and clean: Areas almost all homeowners will notice need some post-winter work are the gutters and downspouts. While a leaky roof could be the culprit with respect to water damage, that water damage could also be the result of clogged gutters or downspouts. And just because you might have made it through winter without water damage, that doesn't necessarily mean your gutters and downspouts aren't backed up.

One of the first spring projects to address is to clean out these gutters and downspouts. Remove any and all debris that could lead to backup. And do so on a day that's guaranteed to be sunny, so you can dismantle the downspouts to be sure they're clear from top to bottom.

Address any possible door damage: While storm doors aren't as prevalent as they once were, they do still exist, and they often bear the brunt of winter weather. When winter winds begin to howl, they often do so at the expense of storm doors, which can become bent or even break.

If the main entrance to your home doesn't have a storm door to bear the brunt of Mother Nature's winter wrath, the front door itself likely took the brunt of weather over the last several months. Check the door for any nicks or scratching, and inspect to see if it could use a new coat of paint.

Don't forget the basement: For many, the basement is not the most popular place in a home throughout the winter months. That's because cold air descends, making the basement the coldest room in the house. But just because you might have overlooked the basement the last several months, that doesn't mean Mother Nature has. Water buildup in the basement can lead to dry rot and the accumulation of mold.

If you haven't made a basement inspection a top priority - don't wait another sunny day.