The Ultimate Anne Arundel Spring Checklist from Mr. Handyman

There is a reason why spring cleaning takes place in the spring. Not only do you need something to look forward to, but you also need the motivation to shake off the winter blues and get your gear together. After being stuck inside for consecutive months, you have likely paid specific attention to your home's interior and grown tired of outdated furniture, kitchen backsplash, and trim work. These might be aesthetic issues that you have noted down for the future. For the time being, it's essential to ensure you regularly change your air filter and check your door and window frames for potential leaks or an old attic insulation system that could all be compromising your HVAC system. In short, do you have a spring checklist?

Whether you experience interior or exterior faults at home, you may not be equipped with the tools and materials or the required skill to inspect surfaces and inner structures of certain materials like wood. It's important to take note of areas that need work. No one knows your Anne Arundel house better than you, and as long as your guts tell you that something needs work, add it to your annual spring home maintenance checklist to ensure you will deal with it. From baseboard repair to window repair, the list goes on, but don't worry if you aren't prepared to deal with these issues. Your local Anne Arundel handyman from the experts at Mr. Handyman of Anne Arundel and North PG is geared up for every checkbox on your spring maintenance checklist.

We will help you stay on top of your seasonal spring checklist. As a locally-owned and operated business, we take pride in our excellent workmanship and customer care and only hire qualified service providers who have passed their criminal background checks and drug screens. You can count on our team to arrive on time and in uniform, ready to cross out any task on your spring checklist. Remember that Hemingway said, "When spring came, even the false one, there were no problems except where to be happiest!"

Anne Arundel Spring Checklist - Interior

It’s natural to start on the inside before working your way to the exterior. It’s during the winter months that you notice flaws you want to correct immediately. When you spend most of your time indoors, you need things to be functional and help you stay comfortable. Routine inspections and minor home repairs should be highlighted in your preventative Anne Arundel spring checklist. When you are a first-time homeowner, you may find yourself becoming inherently nervous and picky about things that need to be done inside your property. Unless it’s a small project, a lot of these tasks aren’t a one-person job and require detailed inspections and a careful choice for spring maintenance. Checklists, however, are designed to remind you what needs attention, but we recommend leaving any complex projects to your qualified service technicians.

You can put your trust in our team of professional handymen who are reliable, versatile, and always approach appointed tasks with a positive attitude. The positive feedback we have received from our clients is backed by our done right guarantee and will continue to motivate us.

1. Attic Insulation

Having efficient, dependable attic insulation is important in keeping your home warm and snug in the winter, preventing heated air from escaping too fast. In the summer, it circulates a fresh breeze and keeps the environment dry. Efficient attic ventilation and soffit vents will boost your attic insulation’s overall performance.

Standard attic insulation types include fiberglass, cellulose, and spray foam. They can last up to 20 years, but we recommend a potential replacement every 15 years with periodic inspections. Aging and moisture accumulation will cause the R-value (insulation effectiveness) to deteriorate over time, and your attic might become prone to moisture buildup.

Signs You Need New Attic Insulation:

• Poor indoor air quality
• Cold drafts (heated air escaping too fast)
• Air leaks (conditioned air leaves through cracks)
• Inadequate, fluctuating temperatures
• Overworking HVAC system
• Unbalanced temperatures from room to room
• Moisture/water damage in the attic
• Rodents and pests in the attic
• Old Insulation

Pro Tip: A ceiling fan installation will greatly reduce your overall energy consumption and support both your attic insulation and HVAC. In the summer, it should spin counterclockwise to create a downdraft with a cooling breeze, whereas clockwise is best for the winter, as it creates an updraft that circulates warm air. How about adding this idea to your Anne Arundel spring checklist in the wish list column?

2. Air Duct Cleaning and Dryer Vent Cleaning

Your air ducts are your HVAC ductwork system that connects to the furnace; it’s a vast metallic system that connects to all rooms in the house. When air enters through your vents, it travels via the duct network before reaching the furnace. When heated air is produced, your ducts are responsible for filtering and circulating heated air through your Anne Arundel home in the winter.

When these vents are not in use, they collect dust, pollen, and other debris throughout the year. Duct cleaning is a popular service we offer as part of our Anne Arundel spring checklist. This way, you can rest easy knowing that your ducts aren't infested with contaminants or have mold growth in the system.

Dryer vent cleaning might be one of the most overlooked tasks when it comes to maintaining your home appliances. Cleaning out the lint trap is probably second nature to you and the first step to keeping your dryer efficient. But how often do you clean your dryer vents? If you are a dedicated DIY professional who wants to take matters into your own hands, getting a dryer vent duct cleaning kit will provide you with all the necessary tools.

Signs You Need Dryer Vent Cleaning:

• Clothes are hot after drying
• Clothes don’t dry at the end of the cycle
• Dryer is overheating
• Poor airflow
• Burning smell during cycle
• The ventilation hose is clogged or damaged
• High humidity in the room when the machine is on
• Lint filter filling up more easily

However, if you have severe allergy symptoms and can’t be exposed to dust, call your expert handyman to cross this out from your spring checklist.

3. Window Repair

Do you get foggy windows or have condensation trapped inside the glass?

Thanks to advanced technology, we all have access to safer and more energy-efficient windows. From double-glazed to thermopane glass, windows are built to last but will eventually lose energy efficiency. We believe window inspection and repair is a crucial element that should be on all Anne Arundel spring checklists because windows also can be the culprit of an increased energy bill. For windows to work effectively, they require a flawless installation process, healthy frames, and efficient caulking. Before you worry about having to invest in a replacement, our window experts will run a thorough diagnosis to examine your window's health. Harsh weather conditions like heavy rain or living nearby salt water can cause a lot of damage if you don't take the necessary precautions.

How to Maintain Your Windows:

• Schedule annual inspections
• Re-caulk where necessary
• Pay attention to imperfections in wood finish (casing, jambs, sill)
• Scrub window tracks with baking soda and vinegar
• Ensure it opens and closes properly

Other Tasks for Your Interior Anne Arundel Spring Checklist:

• Check Basement for Moisture Damage
• Basic Plumbing
• Mapping Out Your Bathroom Remodel

Anne Arundel Spring Checklist - Exterior

At last, half the work is done, and you get to tackle the job outside. That said, it may be the most challenging job on your Anne Arundel spring checklist, depending on what needs work. After a long cold winter of tackling ice dams, foggy windows, and home door freeze, it takes a few minutes to walk around your property, examining for

• Gutter Cleaning

Your gutters are the U-shaped metal traps that connect to the edge of your fascia boards and are the most important exterior drainage system of your home. Rain gutters are designed to protect your roof system, siding, and our house’s foundation by redirecting stormwater via a vertical downspout. Still, your gutters become clogged over time due to debris accumulation like decomposing leaves or bird nests.

Gutter cleaning may be every homeowner's least favorite outdoor task, and many fail to take their tall ladder in for an inspection. Whether you store your ladder in the garage or shed, they will get rusty over time, spreaders could be broken, or bolts and nuts have become loose. But guess who is insured, always equipped with a gutter scoop, gloves, safety glasses, and a certified ladder? That's right, your local handyman who scoops out debris for a living! Our expert team will also inspect your gutter's shape to ensure that you won't have to worry about sectional leaks that would otherwise compromise your roof's health or damage your siding, drywall, and structural foundation.

Benefits of Having Gutter Cleaning on Your Anne Arundel Spring Checklist!

• Includes detailed inspection
• Protects your foundation and structural integrity
• Protects your roof system from moisture and water damage
• Minimizes risks of basement flooding
• Backs your insulation system by protecting your windows and doors
• Keeps pests away from your property
• Boosts curb appeal and keep your home’s value up
• Extends your gutter’s life expectancy
• Preparation for re-coating or re-painting

Pressure Washing / Power Washing

When spring is around the corner, you want to wash away the winter remains and revive any outdoor materials and furniture. Your spring home maintenance checklist might have pressure washing services lined up for surfaces most suited for it.

Areas to Pressure Wash:

A pressure washer is suitable for numerous surfaces, from concrete to many other types of surfaces. That said, we do not professionally clean any materials and surfaces until we have thoroughly inspected them and ruled out any signs of damage.

• Front or backyards with hardscapes like rocks for decorations
• Deck, porch, patio
• Fence
• Siding
• Gutters
• Garage floor
• Driveway
• Tile stone
• And more!

Soffit, Fascia, and Siding Inspection

Your soffits are installed underneath your fascia boards to help protect your attic from moisture and condensation. Additional soffit vents are designed to ventilate your attic and circulate fresh air throughout your home. However, when exposed to moisture, it will affect your attic and lead to moisture damage that could lead to mold.

Fascia boards are the horizontal boards connecting to the end of your roof rafters, supporting your gutters and serving as a cover to your soffit. That too can suffer from moisture damage if the sealant wears off. Peeling paint can be signs of water damage that could lead to wood rot and other problems. Coastal towns with exterior wooden and metal materials need to be extra careful and add a separate section to their spring maintenance checklist.

Even as your house’s armor, your siding is not indestructible. Maintaining your exterior cladding system is important as it supports your structural integrity and your interior wall systems. In short, your siding is designed to back up your insulation and withstand extreme weather conditions in Anne Arundel. Inspecting it for holes and cracks is crucial in preventing water damage and pest infestation.

Deck Maintenance

When we refer to our clients’ favorite outdoor space, the deck always wins. Whether you have a barbecue or other types of gathering lined up, your deck needs to be safe and sturdy to accommodate a high number of people. The winter season might have left some remnants, making your deck look rundown and even less efficient.

The most common decking type is pressure-treated wood, which you will find on many properties in Anne Arundel as a versatile, cost-effective structure that you can easily purchase at hardware stores. All wood types require routine inspection and maintenance that include pressure-washing and re-staining. Natural wood like cedar is naturally moisture and bug resistant and doesn’t require chemical treatments like staining or sealing (but could benefit from it, as it would slow down the color fading process).

Deck Maintenance Service to Expect From Mr. Handyman:

• Inspection
• Sanding, staining, painting, or refinishing
• Pressure washing
• Replacing rotten boards
• Fixing or replacing loose railings
• Repairing footings
• Replacing stairs
• Replacing corroded connectors, screws, and hinges
• Swapping out incompatible anchors, fasteners, and screws

More Tasks for Your Exterior Anne Arundel Spring Checklist:

We agree that your home's exterior requires the most maintenance when preparing for the summer. But you can speed up the process by hiring a professional handyman for visual inspection, minor repairs, and improvements. Upgrades and replacements could also be beneficial to your home's overall comfort and functions. No matter how long your spring checklist is, you can rely on our experience and expertise to get the job done right and efficiently, helping you save time and look forward more to a wonderful summer!

• Door inspection, maintenance
• Fence maintenance and installation
• Garage door installation
• Replacing broken window screens
• General home maintenance to add to your spring cleaning checklist

Leave Your Anne Arundel Spring Home Maintenance Checklist to Mr. Handyman!

Wherever you are in Anne Arundel, such as Annapolis, Arnold, or Pasadena, our team of experienced service technicians will help you get ready for the summer! We are happy to compare your spring checklist with our checklist and help you fill in any gaps when you let us help you cross out the task on your spring home maintenance checklist!

Give us a call to speak with our friendly customer service representatives or book a convenient appointment for help with your spring maintenance checklist that includes gutter cleaning and deck maintenance. Or to find out more about how our trusted Anne Arundel handyman services can keep you organized and on top of the most essential maintenance services.