At the beginning of each Spring, every homeowner needs to make sure their home is ready for the Spring.  With a little preparation, money can be saved on the price of cooling a home and other general maintenance. 

Here are a few helpful hints.

While this one may involve the help of a professional, it can be well worth the cost. Have your cooling system inspected at least once a year, before the elements require you to turn it on. A simple inspection of the working parts can ensure that you'll have cooling when you need it, and it can prevent a costly after-hours emergency call when you'd least expect it!

While you're at it, make sure your vents are clean and any air filters have been changed, because if the air filter is clogged then there is NO proper air flow thru your cooling system.  A simple rule of thumb is to change the filters once every (3) month or at the beginning of every season.  This process takes less than a minute and costs only a couple of dollars, saves not only on cooling costs, but wear-and-tear on the cooling system itself.  Each filter has the size marked on it to ensure you get the right one.  

Also, most home improvement stores sell the filters by the pack; this will help you save even more money and you can even get filters made for people that suffer from allergies.  For more information go to www.filtrete.com

Clean Gutters
Leftover leaves and debris can cause gutters to clog, and major headaches for homeowners when the rain water doesn't drain properly.  Clean out all of your gutters & leaders around your home.  Install new metal leaf guards to stop any future clogging and prevent birds and rodents from gaining access into your soffits or attic area.  Make sure to add extensions to the bottom of the leaders to make sure the rain water is draining away from the foundation of your home.

Outdoors Areas, Decks & Patios

Spring is a great time to get the outdoors ready for entertaining. Clean the patio and outdoor furniture. Do some basic landscaping repairs on the lawn, shrubbery, and plants. The exterior doors and windows of the home may need some attention. Check for fence and exterior repairs. Lawn maintenance or pest prevention may need to be performed as well. With a little effort this spring, outdoor areas will be ready to entertain throughout the summer.

Dryer Vents

Cleaning out the lint and fuzz from the lint trap between loads is something we all know needs doing. But did you know you should regularly wash the lint trap in warm, soapy water as well? 

Here’s why, keeping the lint filter clean is one simple way to increase the efficiency and lifespan (and decrease the operating costs) of your dryer. Just removing the lint from the filter isn’t always enough – the fine mesh of most dryer filters can be clogged in ways that aren’t obvious at a casual glance. As suggested by the piece quoted above, softener sheets can cause waxy build-ups on lint screens that require a little extra effort – usually no more than a quick scrub and rinse in warm, soapy water – to remove.

Remember if the lint trap is clogged your clother will take longer to dry.  In addition to the accumulation of lint, blockage in dryer exhaust vents also can occur from the nests of small birds and animals or from bends in the venting system itself. A compromised vent will not exhaust properly to the outside. Overheating may result and even cause a dryer fire. Install a "Bird Guard" over the exterior vent.