When warm weather rolls around, it’s tempting to throw the windows open, dust off your patio furniture, and enjoy beautiful sunny days and crisp nights outside.
However, you should also remember that spring is a great time to conduct yearly cleaning and maintenance to keep your home looking great year-round. In addition, spring cleaning can alert you to any minor issues that can become major over time.
As a custom home builder in Connecticut, we advise our clients to take care of the homes we build by doing a thorough spring cleaning each year.
Custom Home Cleaning & Maintenance Checklist
An excellent upside to a new custom build is that you can start fresh with your home, and be confident of no underlying issues that occur due to age. Stay on top of your home’s maintenance, and your house will thank you. Here’s what is on our checklist:
Tree Trimming & Landscaping
When trees start to bud, the weight of leaves and flowers can affect branches that were damaged over the winter. This can cause branches to break, especially if a windy, rainy day adds more stress. For smaller trees, you can lop off branches yourself, but it’s a good idea to assess any trees on your property. If there are any that concern you, call in a professional to have branches removed, or dying trees cut down before they have a chance to fall in a summer thunderstorm.
While you are outside, review your landscaping. Pre-emergent lawn care can prevent clover or crabgrass from cropping, while overseeding in the early spring can keep your lawn looking thick and lush. You can also add mulch over landscaping fabric in garden beds to keep unsightly weeds at bay. This is also a great time to plant new shrubs, trim existing ones, and plant annuals to create a colorful yard come summertime.
Roof Inspection & Gutters
Winter can be tough on a roof, especially in the Northeast where snow, sleet, and freezing rain can pummel your house. A yearly roof inspection can save you from a damaging leak in the future. You can look over your roof yourself, from the outside, check for loose shingles or areas that appear wavy or off-kilter. In your attic, check for any debris or water stains. This can indicate a trouble area. You can hire a professional for a thorough inspection, especially if you’ve had your home for multiple years, or weathered a particularly severe storm.
While you are focusing on your roof, check on your gutters to make sure they aren’t clogged. Clogged gutters don’t drain properly, they will let water overflow and seep into the group next to your home’s foundation. A yearly check and cleaning will help you safeguard your home and prevent costly water issues.
Mechanical & Plumbing Systems
It’s always smart to check on your AC unit before you turn it on for the first hot day of summer. Check it’s in working order so you can take the necessary time to get it fixed before you need it! Likewise, you should be checking your heating in the early fall before the temperatures drop.
It’s also smart to check on your plumbing systems yearly to avoid clogs. Check all drains clear quickly, make sure faucets don’t drip, and check pipes under cabinets and in crawlspaces to make sure there’s no signs of leakage.
Windows and Doors
Springtime is when everyone wants to let the fresh air in, and while fresh air is great, make sure your window screens are clear of debris before you do so. Insects also tend to find screens a cozy place to live over the winter, so check for spider egg sacs, ants, and other bugs before you open your windows and invite them inside.
In addition to making sure there aren’t any window superhighways for pests to enter your home, checking doors and windows for air leakage can help you tighten up your home’s exterior and save on heating and cooling expenses.
Foundation, basement, & crawlspace
Making sure the main structural components of your house are in top-top shape is important. It’s much easier to avoid potential issues early than address them later. For your foundation, take a look for any cracks, bulges, or areas that are consistently damp. In your basement or crawlspace, check for leaks or evidence of water. Especially as frozen winter grounds thaw and heavy rains come in the spring, you can identify and repair leaks before severe water intrusion occurs. If you have a crawlspace, don’t forget to check for these items in there too!
Air Filters & Smoke Detectors
Keep the air quality in your home high and your systems running efficiently by replacing your air filters. This is doubly important because it’s going to be pollen season soon, fresh filters, particularly ones with a high MERV rating, will help reduce the pollen that finds its way inside. If you struggle with severe allergies, consider a HEPA air filter, a standalone unit that can help increase the air quality and filter out irritants from allergens.
This is also a good time to check smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and any other alarm systems to ensure they are in good working order.
Deep Clean Floors & Wooden Furniture
While you likely clean your floors regularly by sweeping, vacuuming, and mopping, a deep clean is a great way to ensure your wood floors and furniture look fresh and new for years to come. First clean up any gunk or debris that has accumulated over the years with a microfiber rag, a putty knife, a stiff brush, or a vacuum. Then you can use gentle cleansers on hardwood, like Murphy’s oil soap or specialty wood cleaner.
Don’t overlook your baseboards! Baseboards are notorious for accumulating dust, especially in high traffic areas. Ensure your home is clean top to bottom by paying special attention to baseboards when cleaning floors.
Steam Upholstery and Rugs
Spring is also a great time to freshen up your carpet and upholstered surfaces. Upholstered surfaces are magnets for dust and trap odors Spot treat any stains first, then vacuum, and use a steam cleaner to deep clean, remove pet dander, and eliminate any musty odors. This is also a great time to freshen up linens and curtains. If you swap these out seasonally, change them now. Otherwise, launder or take them for dry cleaning.
Take Care of Your Custom Build
A well-maintained home speaks volumes about its owner. Custom homes are designed with your lifestyle in mind, meaning we can tailor the design to make it easy for you to care for your space. Whether it’s laundry rooms on the top and bottom floor to ease the burden of carrying heavy loads up and down stairs, an oversized garage to house lawn maintenance equipment, or a convenient closet that perfectly fits cleaning supplies and appliances brooms like steamers and vacuum cleaners, we can ensure your custom builds covers everything.
Humidity Control with Dehumidifiers
Spring is the perfect time to start using a dehumidifier, especially in states like Connecticut and New England, where homes face the dual challenge of frigid winters and muggy summer air. Unlike homes built solely for cold northern climates or hot, humid southern ones, Connecticut homes must manage both extremes. Running a dehumidifier during the spring helps stabilize indoor moisture levels before peak summer humidity sets in. This proactive step can prevent mold, reduce allergens, and protect wood flooring, furniture, and your home’s overall structure from excess moisture. Getting ahead of humidity now ensures your home stays comfortable and dry all summer long.
Learn More About Connecticut Custom Homes
At the Corbo Group, we build homes designed to last a lifetime. We stand behind our construction with warranties designed to ease your mind. We also know how important maintenance is to the homeowners who choose to build custom, which is why we can help guide you through the custom build process with full transparency, so you’ll know all about the systems behind your home and how to best care for them long term.
To learn more about our custom build process, get in touch for a free consultation.
