By Lisa Gordon – realtor.com
Spring might be around the corner, but February can still bring
plenty of harsh winter weather. Some of the harshest of the season, in fact. So
that makes this month the perfect time to knock out some more of those indoor
tasks to get your home ready for warmer times.
“I’ve been doing indoor
tasks for three months now! Dear God, please let me out!” you’re
no doubt drying. Have patience, young grasshopper—we’re almost there. But first
you have to prepare your home for spring by thinking “fresh.” A fresh house can
help combat the cabin fever that can overwhelm you in the last month of winter.
So how do you get fresh? We’re glad you asked!
We’ve created a handy checklist of home maintenance tasks to
give your home a lift in February. And if you’re struggling to muster
up the energy to tackle these chores, we’ve provided tips for how to do
them faster and easier—or with the help of a pro.
Check these to-do items off your list, then sit back and relax
for the last few weeks of winter.
1. Spiff up the paint
Task: Freshen indoor paint on walls, cabinets,
doors, and trim.
Shortcuts: Sometimes a once-over with a Magic Eraser
sponge will remove marks and smudges, reducing the need for a paint job.
If that won’t cut it—and you need to paint indoors in February—stir a
tablespoon of clear vanilla extract into the paint can to make the smell
less noxious. And if you have trouble removing painter’s tape from furniture or
walls, heat it briefly with a hair dryer.
Call in
the pros: A
painter will charge $200 to $400 for
a 12-foot-square room. Since spring is the busy season for painters, you may
get a discount if you hire one at the end of winter. That means now!
2. Give the laundry room
a redo
Task: Clean and reorganize your laundry room so
it’s roomier and more efficient. Scrape dried-on laundry detergent from ridges
in your washer, replace damaged sorting bins, throw away laundry products you
never use, and store the rest in out-of-reach places to protect young ones.
Shortcuts: Take advantage of every square inch of
laundry room space. If you don’t have room for a drying rack, extend a curtain
rod over your machines to hang delicate clothes, and insert a “slim cart” between your
washer and dryer to hold cleaning supplies. Also, try storing bins, buckets,
and laundry bags on wall hooks to free up space.
Call in
the pros: A professional home organizer costs $30 to $80 an hour. While the organizer
is rearranging your closets, ask her to work her magic on the laundry area,
too.
3. Clean out dryer vents
Task: Clean the duct that connects the back of
your dryer to outside vents. If you don’t, lint and other debris could decrease
your dryer’s efficiency, increase energy bills, and even cause fires. Also, make
sure birds and other animals haven’t made a home in your warm and toasty vent.
Shortcuts: Twice a year, use a leaf blower to remove
lint and debris from ducts. Also, cover the outside vents with a fine mesh
screen so birds and bugs don’t nest in ducts.
Call in
the pros: On
average, a professional will charge $92 to $162 to clean dryer vents and remove clogs.
If clogged vents are a persistent problem, the pro may recommend moving your
dryer to an external wall where the distance between dryer and the outside vent
is minimized.
4. Clean refrigerator
coils
Task: To keep your refrigerator in tiptop shape
and save energy, clean the refrigerator condenser
coils located in the
back or on the bottom of the appliance.
Shortcuts: Use
a vacuum to clean coils (just make sure to pop on the upholstery attachment
first). While you’re at it, vacuum the floor under and behind the fridge, too.
Then, shove a duster or refrigerator coil brush (about $5 and designed for
this exact purpose) between the coils, and clean the rest of the dust, hair,
and dirt still clinging to the coils.
Call in
the pros: The
average cost to repair a refrigerator is $200 to $400. If the
appliance is near the end of its life, typically 14 to 17 years,
replace it.
5. Clean and maintain
your sump pump
Task: Clean out your sump pump pit and make sure the sump pump is working
in February to prepare for the increase in groundwater that spring rains will cause.
Shortcuts: Test the pump by adding water to the pit,
and confirm the pump ejects it as it is designed to, says home maintenance
expert Charlie Frattini,
who’s appeared on FYI network’s “Hero House.” Just be sure to replace the
pit cover after confirming the pump works, he notes. Also, make sure nothing
obstructs the sump pump pipe, which drains water to the outside of your home.
6. Give your mattress
some love
Task: Vacuum box springs and the mattress top and
bottom. Rotate or flip the mattress.
Shortcuts: If you have a one-sided mattress—one side
is padded; the other isn’t—don’t bother flipping; just rotate it to provide
even aging. If you have a two-sided mattress, flip every two months to
prevent sags.
Call in
the pros: A
cleaning service will provide this type of deep cleaning for $25 to $35 an hour.
7. Look for leaks
Task: Inspect your roof for missing shingles and damaged vent boots, and
check your foundations for cracks that can cause big problems when spring
rains pour on your home.
Shortcut: Wait until it rains, then climb
into your attic to look for leaks.
“It’s easier to spot water leaks during a storm,” says John Bodrozic,
co-founder of HomeZada, a digital home maintenance platform.
“These leaks can go unnoticed for months, causing damage to insulation and
creating an opportunity for mold to grow.”
Call in the pros: Roofing and foundation waterproofing
companies can inspect and cure water problems. A roofing company will inspect
your roof for free if it replaces shingles and repairs other roof damage. Costs
typically range from $100 to $350 to
replace 10 square feet of asphalt shingles. Waterproofing companies can spray a
sealant on foundation cracks for $250 to $1,000.
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