We all know, and are also being reminded as April rolls around, how important it is to spring clean the inside of your home. Fall and winter have come and gone, and in many cases, they will have left behind traces that are all too familiar to people who like to freshen up their homes periodically. Traces which weren’t that apparent during the early sunsets and dull days from October onwards are now very clear to see. And while you’re bringing the inside of your home up to a more exacting standard, it is important not to forget what is going on outside.
The exterior of your home is easy to forget, particularly if you tend to work from home. It’s a shell, it has a hardwearing practical job to do, protecting you from the elements. And, particularly across the colder and rainier months of the year, it absorbs a lot of punishment. And when you’re having that much-needed spring clean inside, it might be worth checking on the toll those months have taken on the outside. Because it’s going to need some work, too.
Start from the top and work down
The first part of your home that is exposed to the elements is, unsurprisingly, the part that is highest up. Rain, snow, and any amount of loose-blown leaves, as well as the wind itself, can do a number on your roof. Check for any holes or loose tiles, or any incipient cracks that could become leaks, and consider professional eavestrough cleaning for the gutters around the edge of the roof. Dirt and detritus can become the origin of decay in your gutters, and what starts one autumn can be finished the following year. What you do to the outside of your home in spring can allow it to deal more easily with the next switch to colder days.
Check the condition of your siding
We only ever get to see part of what the exterior walls of our houses go through. When giving our home a fresh lick of paint or making repairs in the sidings, it’s easy to think that the wall will stay in this state for the foreseeable future. In reality, as days get hotter and colder, the walls will be expanding and contracting, and the more those materials move between states, the greater the wear and tear on the outside. So make sure you are using the right materials to carry out repairs or renovation, and if necessary call out professionals to guarantee several more years of vital service from your exterior walls.
Spring clean your garden
Some plants are perennial, while others come and go with the seasons. But one thing you can guarantee is that weeds don’t care what time of year it is. They’re exceptionally hard-wearing and persistent, and they won’t have spent the colder months hiding under the soil. The first garden job of the spring should be to have a thorough look around the garden and remove weeds at the roots. Then audit the annual plants like rose bushes and fruit trees, pruning away any branches that are in poor condition and giving the flowers a chance to flourish. Along with the above, this will ensure your home looks as good from the outside as it does internally.
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