May Maintenance Checklist

May is quite an interesting month of first's and last's; the last full month of spring, the last day of school, the first of many holidays, the first start to summer vacations, the first gripes on it being to hot, and the list goes on. The house & home are popular items in the "National" awareness calendars this month like Home Improvement, Building Safety & one I am fond of National Deck Safety Month. With that, here is this months list...

If you haven't used your forced air system this last month, you might not need to change out your HVAC filter but you should at least check it. Don't forget to make sure the area around the compressor outside is cleaned away

Test your Smoke Detector

Clean your gutters and make sure your downspouts are clear & water flows freely

Clean any debris off your roof, especially in the valleys, around your ridge vents and any other vents. While you are up there check your roof for any missing or damaged shingles, cracked or missing chunks of tar, rubber or silicone and make any small roof repairs required now.

Exterior Painting – this is one of the best months to get this done in as the nights do not get to cool and the sun isn't scorching in most parts of the country

If you have not removed your Storm Windows yet, you should take them down, get them cleaned, and store them away safely. While you are it, now would be a good time to clean and verify that your regular windows operate and seal correctly.

Your screens should be cleaned, and checked for holes that should be fixed as required.

You might consider replacing the screens on your windows with Solar Screens, unless your windows are appropriately shaded or have a Low-E coating on them.

For those of you with fireplaces, make sure you get them checked out by a Certified Chimney Sweep. It is also time to start stocking upon wood so that is dried out and seasoned for wintertime.

Make sure you pull out any debris under your deck, porches, and around your AC compressor.

It is time to get your house inspected and treated for pests, while termites and most other pests are active all year round; they are particularly active during this time of year. Some of their favorite access, feeding, and hiding area's; Plumbing and Shower pan leaks, Cracks in the foundation, Soil that is graded above the foundation (should be a minimum of 8" below the siding), Firewood stacked next to the house, Wooden fences attached to the house &/or Mulch and leaves piled close to the house

This is based off our original post located here; http://bit.ly/MayMaint - for more gardening tips, Mother's Day gift idea, and a Summer Emergency Kit for your car be sure to check them out.