Have you squeezed into your home’s crawl space, peeked into the gutters or studied the paint on your walls lately?
Well, you should. These are things that protect your investment. And spring’s the time to get busy. Web sites for homeowners and do-it-yourselfers are full of lists, advice and time-saving tips about what needs to be done around the house this season, and local experts have their own ideas.
Calvin Beck of Marysville, aka Mr. Handy Man, advises looking and listening for signs that your dwelling is leaking or seeping water where it shouldn’t be.
"Get down into the crawl space and look where the plumbing is located under bathrooms and kitchens for any type of water seepage," Beck said. "Then take a good look at the gutters and the drain system. You want that running away from the foundation."
Beck added that gutters should be cleaned at least twice a year, and he would follow those initial steps with a check of the roof.
Online sources also advise inspecting exterior doors and windows, including weatherstripping and screens, for holes and leaks, and making sure your homes exterior paint is in good condition. Together, the exits, entrances and outside surfaces of a house act like a skin, protecting the interior and the underlying structural soundness.
"If your house shows signs of needing new exterior paint, now is a good time to start testing colors and buying accessories," said Neil Okrent, paint department manager at Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse in Everett. He said the best time to actually paint the exterior is late May through September, with the warm summer months being truly ideal.
Signs of exterior paint wear and tear to watch out for include fading, peeling and chipping, discoloration and mold. The same conditions indicate a touch-up is necessary for clear covers on wood siding.
To realistically assess your paint’s condition, Okrent said washing the house first is essential. A spray nozzle and garden hose will work, though a pressure washer will do even better.
"It’s good to wash a house, even with just a hose, once a year," Okrent said, adding that even the best paint isn’t designed to withstand the pull of more than its own weight.
If new paint is needed, Okrent recommends using paint chips to narrow down colors to a few and then buying pint-size cans of paint and testing the finalists on various parts of the house.
"The hardest time most people have is choosing the color," he said. "Test it out. It will look different at different times of the day and in different locations."
Once you’ve decided to open your wallet for a new paint job — or any other major home improvement, including waterproofing, gutter cleaning and roofing — Okrent said the most important question to ask yourself is: "Do I have more time or more money?"
Beck additionally suggests asking yourself, "Am I familiar with this? Have I done anything like it before?" If not, he recommends seeking information online or from local stores about exactly what skills are involved in a project before proceeding.
If you aren’t into doing it yourself and can afford to hire a contractor for spring cleaning or summer maintenance, get started now. Okrent, a former painting contractor, said schedules fill up fast.
Experts recommend asking people you trust for referrals, then interviewing at least three candidates. Ask for and call references. Look for contractors who are licensed and insured, and ask about their experience doing the specific kind of job you want done, in addition to fees, methods and schedules.
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