Spring forward

Spring Forward

It’s too late to plant spring bulbs; it’s not too late to get your home ready for the spring season.  Much like we wrote about for fall, we do it all in again for spring.  When the daffodils begin to bloom you know that spring is just around the corner.  Here in NC, spring can be a very short season that quickly turns into the hot humid days of summer.  That is why spring is such a special time of year in the south!

Now let’s do a bit of housekeeping.

First…set all your clocks and watches forward one hour.  Also, don’t forget the ones on your kitchen appliances and your car.

Test all your smoke detectors!  I cannot tell you how important this could be for your family’s protection, not to mention peace of mind.

Now is the time to clean out all your gutters, downspouts, and drains of any type around the exterior of your home.  Water and houses don’t mix well!  The main inspection issue we see as Realtors is deferred maintenance of exterior systems which lead to damage of roof, siding, and crawl spaces.

While you have the ladder out, repair any wood rot you may find around fascia, soffits, windows, and door framing.  Not only will this improve the looks of your home, it will keep further problems from developing in the future.

I can’t stress this enough…a good coat of paint and some chalk will prevent rot from ever occurring to begin with.  I personally HATE to paint, so if you are like me find a good vendor and write the check.  It’s now or later, so save up and do it ASAP.

Trim back overgrown shrubs and trees during these last few weeks of cold weather.  This is your last chance before the new growth of spring.

I could go on and on, but these basics will get your home ready to survive the heat and humidity of summer in the south.

Best/DT