Spring Home Maintenance Checklist

Walk the perimeter and use binoculars to check for missing, cracked, curled, or granule-bare shingles. Pay extra attention to flashing around chimneys, skylights, and vents — these are the most common entry points for water. One damaged section left unaddressed can allow moisture into the sheathing and rafters, leading to $8,000–$20,000 in structural repair.

Clear debris from winter storms, then flush with a hose to check flow. Downspouts should discharge at least 4 feet from the foundation. Blocked gutters overflow into fascia boards and, over time, saturate the soil around your foundation — the leading cause of $5,000–$15,000 in basement water intrusion and foundation movement.

Schedule a professional tune-up before summer hits and technicians are booked out. A tune-up includes cleaning evaporator and condenser coils, checking refrigerant charge, inspecting electrical connections, and testing capacitors. A skipped annual service often leads to compressor failure — the single most expensive AC repair at $1,500–$3,000, and usually avoidable.

Inspect caulk around windows, doors, exterior plumbing penetrations, and electrical boxes. Freeze-thaw cycles crack caulk. New gaps allow water infiltration during spring rains and provide entry points for insects. A $12 tube of exterior caulk now prevents hundreds of dollars in rot repair later.

Press the test button on each unit, replace batteries, and check the manufacture date. Detectors over 10 years old (smoke) or 5–7 years old (CO) should be replaced entirely regardless of whether they still test. This is the highest-priority task on this list — it's a life-safety issue, not a maintenance one.

Connect a hose to the drain valve and flush until the water runs clear. Sediment — especially in hard water areas — settles at the bottom of the tank, reduces efficiency, and corrodes the tank lining from the inside. A $0 annual flush extends the water heater's life by 3–5 years and prevents the $1,200 emergency replacement you'll otherwise face mid-winter.

Check deck boards for rot, soft spots, and popped fasteners. Inspect ledger board connection to the house — this is a structural failure point. Test railings by pushing hard; they should not flex. Frost heave can shift fence posts and crack concrete patios. Catching these now, before summer use, prevents injuries and costly reconstruction.

With a partner inside holding a flashlight against the frame while you stand outside in a darkened room, you can spot gaps in weatherstripping. Also check for condensation between double-pane glass — cloudy or foggy glass means the seal has failed and insulation is compromised. Failed seals add $200–$400 annually to energy bills.

Pour a bucket of water into the sump pit to confirm the float triggers the pump and water discharges completely. Check the discharge line for blockages. Spring rains are the peak load period for sump pumps — and a pump that fails during a storm event can cause $20,000 or more in basement flooding damage in a matter of hours.

Before turning on the system, walk each zone and inspect heads for winter damage, misalignment, or blockages. Then run each zone to check for broken heads and proper coverage. Adjust heads that are watering hardscape instead of grass. A well-calibrated system uses 30–40% less water than one that runs unchecked.

Disconnect the dryer and use a dryer vent brush kit to clean the full length of the duct, from the dryer to the exterior cap. Lint is highly flammable — the U.S. Fire Administration estimates dryers cause 2,900 house fires per year, almost all from lint buildup. If your dryer takes more than one cycle to dry a load, the vent is likely partially blocked.

Walk the full perimeter inside and outside, looking for new cracks that appeared over winter. Hairline cracks in poured concrete are usually normal settling — monitor them with a pencil mark and date. Stair-step cracks in brick or block, or horizontal cracks in any material, indicate soil pressure and require a structural engineer's evaluation.