May Home Maintenance Checklist

It seems as if Spring has finally decided to appear here in West Michigan!  In Holland, the tulips are peeking out, getting ready for the annual Tulip Time festivities.

May is also the perfect time to tackle some often overlooked home maintenance projects!

1.  When was the last time your garbage disposal was cleaned?  Here’s a really easy method:  Pour half a cup of baking soda into the disposal, then pour in a cup of white vinegar to form a chemical reaction that cuts through grease and grime inside the disposal, allow the mixture to sit & “work it’s magic” for a few minutes, then pour a pot of boiling water into the disposal and let sit for 5 minutes.  Turn on the faucet and run the disposal to remove any residue.
2. Have your HVAC system serviced.  Having routine maintenance completed will often catch issues before they are BIG problems when you really NEED the AC (like the middle of the summer!)
3. Clean your windows (maybe after the tree pollen has slowed down for the season!)
4. Check your window screens – clean & repair as needed.
5. If the exterior of your home is painted, check for needed touch ups – keeping up on small patches can save you the time & money of having to repaint your entire house before you really need to.
6. Check for pest infestations – termites, ants, bees/wasps
7. Get your deck ready for the summer – clean with a commercial deck cleaner, use a pressure washer and a scrub brush, repair any damaged boards/rails, sand any rough spots, then refinish using a high quality sealant.
8. Check those lawnmowers!  You can find a small engine shop to do a tune up, or do the work yourself – replace spark plugs, change the air filter, change the oil, and of course sharpen the blade.