The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)

9 Overlooked Spring Cleaning Jobs

- Submitted by Judie Docs, Executive Officer North Coast Building Industry Associatio­n – www.ncbia.com CSP, MCSP, CGP, CMP, MIRM

With winter finally leaving and warmer weather on the way, it’s time to tackle all that spring cleaning! It can be a lengthy process but it’s important that you don’t miss these often overlooked steps.

Exterior Jobs

Winter can be rough on the exterior of your home. So you should start on the exterior before the spring rains cause more problems.

1. Clean out the gutters of any debris leftover from the winter storms and check to make sure your gutters are still securely fastened.

2. Clear away all the debris from your exterior drains. This will allow the heavy spring rains to properly flow and prevent back ups.

3. Check your windows for any cracking or splitting from the caulk. If so, clean off the mildew and replace the caulk.

4. The warming weather will inevitably lead to outdoor entertaini­ng, so don’t forget to clean off your patio furniture using a mild soap and warm water. Gently scrub away any dirt that has collected over the winter. If you have wrought iron and rust has started forming, gently sand it off.

Now, wipe off your shoes and head inside.

Interior Jobs

5. Unplug your refrigerat­or, slide it away from the wall and vacuum the dust that has accumulate­d on the condenser coils. This task may seem small, but can greatly extend the life of your refrigerat­or

6. Vacuum out the dust that is sticking to your air vents. After the vents are clear of dust, apply a thin layer of car wax on all surfaces of the vent to prevent dust from sticking and to allow for easier airflow.

Call in the Pros

There are still a few things left that should be done by profession­als.

7. If you built a lot of fires over the winter, have a CSIA-Certified chimney sweep inspect your chimney and fireplace. This should be done annually to prevent housefires. As a bonus tip, throw a handful of salt into a fire to prevent soot and add some color to the flame!

8. Have a contractor certified by National Roofing Contractor­s Associatio­n inspect your roof for any missing, warped or loose shingles and check for loose seals on your skylights.

9. Before the weather warms up too much, have your HVAC system inspected by a qualified technician and, if needed, replace your filters.

Now that you’ve checked these jobs off your list, you can start enjoying the spring!

Our associatio­n is dedicated to promoting, protecting, strengthen­ing and informing our local home building markets and those who work within them to ensure we are, independen­tly and collective­ly are a viable economic engine of growth now and in the future. Please feel free to use the NCBIA as a resource for any need that you may have, chances are we have a member that can assist you (from Accountant­s to Window Cleaning). We have the only list you will ever need!

Visit our website – ncbia.com for a list of our members, as well as our new For Consumer section and job posting (under the About Us tab), Be sure to visit our Virtual Home Tour. New homes will be added so stop in often! Some of these builders are green builders. Open 24/7. Or, give us a call Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 440934-1090.

We are your local not-for profit trade associatio­n representi­ng member companies involved in all aspects of home building, remodeling, and other aspects of residentia­l and light commercial constructi­on. Like us on Facebook - - or better yet share us.

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Judie Docs

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