Spring home maintenance is more than dusting off what the past few months have left behind. With proper upkeep, your home will be a much more pleasant place to be in.
Keep your home well maintained this spring with these six indoor projects.
1. Test Smoke Detectors
Have a family member go to the furthest point of the house from the smoke detector you’re testing. If they can’t hear it very well, it’s time to get new batteries. For units that have been in place for over 10 years, think about replacing them soon.
2. Check and Replace Batteries in Smoke Detectors
A good rule of thumb is to change the batteries in your smoke detector twice a year. Use daylight saving time in March and November as a guideline/starting point. Even if it’s hardwired, knowing that the backup battery will work during a power outage should give you some peace of mind.
3. Clean Ceiling Fan Blades
With warmer weather getting closer, your ceiling fan is sure to be in use. Luckily dusting off the blades is easy—all you need is a pillowcase! That way you won’t be sending dust and allergens flying whenever the fan is in use.
4. Change Furnace Air Filters
Switching out your furnace filter is a super quick task that’ll improve the air quality in your home, especially after a long winter. Who doesn’t want that? For even fresher air quality, look for odor neutralizing filters.
5. Check for Water Damage
Hairline cracks in basement walls can mean a number of things, but it’s mainly the presence of water. Fix these cracks up before they grow with a foundation crack repair kit. If you get to it quick enough, you can save yourself thousands.
6. Clean Major Kitchen Appliances
The last thing you want is to call out a repairman because one of your appliances stopped working. By doing a deep clean at least once a year, you can prolong their lifespan. Make sure to cut the power and unplug before starting.
Fridge: Besides cleaning up spills and crumbs, cleaning your fridge’s coils is probably the most beneficial thing you can do to keep it running efficiently. Find the coils (either on the back or front toe space panel) and vacuum. An upholstery attachment will help get all the dust from the crevices. If you don’t have a flat vacuum attachment, pull the fridge out to take care of any dust bunnies.
Oven: Take advantage of the self-cleaning feature for the oven. For the stovetop, use a cleaner made for its surface (i.e. gas versus electric).
Dishwasher: Baking soda is a great cleaning agent. And oddly enough, lemonade Kool-Aid powder will work wonders to get that last layer of grime off. The acid in it will help dissolve water stains and more.
If you can, pull the appliances away from the wall to clean up the dust bunnies that collect underneath them.
With springtime heading our way in a few short weeks, these indoor home maintenance tasks will keep you busy. Knock these projects out now so you can enjoy spending time outside again!
