Spring Maintenance for your home in Panama City Florida 32405

If you are a new home owner or even if you are an experienced old timer such as myself, there are always home items that need to be maintained and Spring is the time of year many of us home owners use tackle these chores. Here is a short list of Spring maintenance repairs you may want to undertake for your home... Re-Paint the Front DoorThis might be a good time to give your front door a fresh coat of paint.  The best way to accomplish this is to remove the door from the hinges and remove all the hardware. Clean the door well so the paint will adhere properly.  Scrape off any buildups of paint or areas where the old paint is chipping. When the door preparation is complete, use a high-quality brush (not one of those $1.99 specials) to edge in around the door’s windows and panels as needed, then switch to a high-density foam roller to apply two light coats to the whole door. Using a high-density foam roller will ensure there will be no brush marks when youve finished Clean the Air Conditioner Condensers and Evaporators I always hire a professional to do my annual Air conditioner maintenance.  However, before I contact him I do the following: Turn off the electricity to the unit Vacuum the outdoor condenser’s exterior fins with a soft-bristled brush Clear away bushes, weeds and overgrown grass within two feet of the unit Interior cleaning comprises replacing the filter (which should be done every month) Vacuum the interior blower compartment Clean the condensation drain - Bleach works wonders for this job Repair Rotted Wood After the cooler weather leave, it’s a good idea to inspect your house for signs of rotted wood. If you find any areas in need of replacement,and dont feel up to the job, you can contact me for handy man recommendations.  I use them all the time to make minor repairs that are just beyond my comfort level.  Other wise, have at it and repair and paint the rotted wood area. Sharpen Your Garden Tools Maintaining your garden tools is the only way to guarantee precise cuts to plants and bushes. Pruning shears, hedge and grass clippers each have two sharp surfaces which are factory sharpened to their most efficient angle. You can pick up a new 10-inch mill file at your local home center, clamp the blade firmly in place with a vise and file the blades along their original bevel to sharpen them.  Remember to move the file away from you, and move in one direction only to sharpen. Check Your Deck Weather permitting, it will soon be time to spend entertaining outside on the deck or patio.  Spring is a great time to perform an annual inspection on the whole area to ensure everything is safe and in good shape for your family, friends and guests. Some issues to look for during your inspection are: Rotted or wobbly posts Weak post connections Properly-fastened ledger boards Missing flasher ledging Most of the fixes are inexpensive and you should be able to accomplish them yourself. Re-Caulk Outside Exterior caulking is imperative for keeping water out of potential leaking areas around the outside of your home. In the spring, is good time to walk around the outside of the house and look for areas in need of caulk where water may be working its way inside, or signs of existing but failing caulk. You can accomplish this task at the same time youre doing your 3. Rotted wood repair. Remember to use the proper caulk for the area  you are treating. If unsure, check with the local home center. Patch Cracks In Your Driveway Driveway cracks are not only unsightly, and when left unmaintained, they can take years off the life of your driveway as well as pose a significant hazard to visitors. The most recommended way to repair driveway cracks for good is by using a melt-in filler, which, unlike other products (check with your local home center for the preferred product), will not shrink over time. This method will take a full day to repair several cracks as you must thoroughly clean the cracks of dirt and debris with a leaf blower or air compressor before applying the filler. You should wait for a warm day with no rain forecasted before tackling this job. Clean Weep Holes First off, most people dont even know what Weep holes are, so lets identify them first.  Weep holes are the little holes located on the exterior bottom of the window frame.  They are an outlet for rainwater to drain away from the home, but can often become clogged up with debris. To test if they’re working as designed, spray the outside of the window with a garden hose. If working properly, you should see a steady stream of water draining through them. If no water is coming through you can use a wire hanger or compressed air to force the blockage out. Re-spray with fresh water to ensure they’re cleaned. Tune Up the Lawn Mower At the beginning of the Spring season, make sure to empty any old gasoline left over from the previous year into a clearly-marked container and replace it with fresh fuel. In addition, change the oil, which should be done every 25 hours of use or so. Run your mower for a few minutes to warm up the oil, which helps it drain smoothly. Dont forget to swap out the old air filter for a new one and change the spark plug.  Remember also, your lawn mower has a blade and to cut efficiently the blade should be sharpened periodically. Test and Replace the Batteries in Smoke Detectors An often overlooked and forgotten task is testing Smoke Detectors monthly.  The batteries should be replaced annually, so Spring is a good time make this part of your regular maintenance routine. You can test the batteries by pressing the “test” button on the unit.  You should hear a chirp from the unit if the batteries are good. Even if the chirp is heard, its a good idea to replace the battery (or back-up battery, if your is a hardwired model) and re-test it. Obviously, If the alarm does not sound with new batteries, replace the unit it immediately.Smoke detectors typically have a lifespan of approximately 10 years,. Many contain a “replace by” sticker or date embossed on the inside of the unit as to when the unit needs to be replaced, even if it passes the chirp test. If you can’t find a date or the sticker, its a good idea to replace it anyway. Once your replace the unit, make sure to write the “installed” date on the inside cover on a piece of masking tape. Clean out the clutter and have a Yard Sale Spring is a great time to de-clutter your home, garage, basement or other out buildings that may have been collecting unused items over the winter or past years. Youd be surprised how many items you actually come up with to sell that have been collecting dust all winter or for that matter, since you moved in. Another option is take your unwanted items to a local charity such as Habitat for Humanity and get a nice tax deduction for next year Tune-Up Outdoor Gas Grills No matter how prefer them cooked, the best burgers are cooked on a clean, well-maintained grill. Spring is the kick off to cookout season and time to give your grill a check up. Check the drip trap for food drippings and/or grease buildup.  Wipe down the exterior and scrub built up grease spots on the interior with a brass-bristle brush and soapy water. Cleaning the grates is easy... Light the burners, close the lid, and let the grease drip off for approximately 15 minutes. After which you should turn the flame off and let the grill cool until it’s warm enough to touch which will make it easier and safer to remove any grime on the inside. Dont forget to clean the drip pan thoroughly with warm, soapy water preferrably with a grease cutting detergent. Remember that our homes are more than likely the most expensive investment many of us will make in a lifetime.  Proper annual maintenance and care will ensure your investment will not only last your lifetime, but minimize costly repairs often associated with not doing annual maintenance chores.     When you want your Condominium, House, Land or Commercial property or business sold in Panama City or Panama City Beach contact Jennifer today. Directly: (850 ) 774-6582. Welcome to our Panama City Beach real estate blog. Please share your thoughts and opinions as comments are always welcome, whether you are a consumer, journalist or another real estate professional. Our blog includes local and relevant national real estate information, Condo and Home market statistics, personal and professional insights and information about various neighborhoods, subdivisions and listings. If you would like additional information on any of our topics, please contact me directly and I will be glad to assist you.