Spring is finally here! Our cold Illinois winter is being replaced with warm, inviting weather and beautiful blooming flowers. Spring weather means it’s the perfect time to perform a health check on your home.
If you’re a new homeowner, first of all, congratulations! Secondly, there’s plenty of tasks to do around the house, both indoors and outdoors. A happy, healthy home makes a happy and healthy you! You’ve made a significant investment on this home, so it’s only right you do your best to maintain it. You now have the responsibility of upkeep…
Now is the perfect time to weatherproof your home’s exterior and spruce up the interior. Spring is here and 23 Legal has the ultimate spring cleaning checklist for new homeowners!
According to a 2020 national cleaning survey:
- 78% of households spring clean every year. Bedrooms, closets, kitchens, and family rooms are prioritized
- Windows and floors top the list of the dirtiest items in people’s home
- 78% of households agree that, on a typical day, their homes are not as clean as they would like them to be.
Can you relate to these stats? Attorney Ben Weaver is here with advice on getting your home in tip top shape for the season!
Interior Checklist
Let’s start with inside your home. The family room, kitchen, and bathrooms are where you and your family likely spend most of your time. No one likes to come home to a cluttered and unsanitary living space. Let’s make sure you have a safe, clean, and aesthetically pleasing home to return to after work. Here’s a nifty checklist with the top priorities to take care of…
- General Cleaning: Clean your floors. Make sure you sweep before you mop. Dust the hard-to-reach countertops and cabinets. If you have furry roommates, it’s time to pull out the heavy duty vacuum cleaner to eliminate pet dandruff and odors.
- Attic: For many, the attic represents a distant land only the bravest homeowners venture into once a decade. Don’t let that be you. Check to make sure there aren’t any pesky cobwebs or flammable items in the attic. Check for mold and mildew. Make sure insects and critters aren’t living in your home rent free!
- Basement: Basements are known to get damp. Be on the lookout for any odd smells or mold and mildew. They like to hangout in dark, cool parts of the house. Seal off any sources of moisture you find as they can cause mold.
- Leaks: Inspect all of the cabinets underneath the sinks. Is there any leakage? Does your shower drain properly? Do your faucets have a leak or drip when they aren’t supposed to? Also, if you have a multiple story home, check the ceiling below your bathroom floors to ensure water isn’t falling through the cracks.
- Safety Checks: Check your fuse box and water heaters to see if they need any immediate attention. Make sure you have a first aid kit and flashlights readily available. Inspect your fire extinguisher and make sure the needle is in the green zone. Change the batteries in your smoke detectors.
Exterior Checklist
Now let’s take a step outside into the fresh air to admire your new home. You should be proud of this achievement! You also have a responsibility to maintain your home both on the inside and out. Your backyard patios, side decks, and front yards all need tending to after a long, harsh winter. Here’s a checklist to make sure you’re thorough this year…
- Inspect the Roof: Even if your roof didn’t take a beating from snowy conditions, spring is still a great time to give it a once over. Safety first: If you’re using a ladder, make sure it’s stable before you attempt to climb. Look for missing or damaged shingles and signs of leaking or cracking. Contact a professional in case of any issues.
- Clean the Gutters: Clear out all of the leaves and debris from your gutters to make sure you have no build up and rainwater can move freely away from your house.
- Run Outside Faucets: Test outside faucets by first letting them run. Place your finger over the opening. If the flow of water stops, you may need to call a professional to inspect your pipes. Also, look for any signs of leaking.
- Check the Concrete: Are there any cracks in your foundation? A great place to check for cracks is on outdoor staircases.Take a walk around your home and check for cracks along the driveway, pool deck, or walkways. Fill cracks using silicone caulk or concrete fillers. If concrete cracks are beyond this simple fix, consider replacing the concrete altogether.
- Investigate the Air Conditioning Unit: Remove debris from around the unit, replace filters and clean ducts and vents. If your filters are clogged, air can’t easily pass through and your unit must work harder to cool your home. Clogged filters can lead to lower air quality in your home. Don’t skip this step; you may be able to lower your energy consumption by up to 15%.
- Check the Decks and Patios: Seal your decks and patios in order to weatherproof them. With spring comes rain, and with rain comes weathering.
- Observe the Windows and Doors: Make sure your windows are free of cracks and your door locks operate properly. Slide some WD-40 over the squeaky hinges.
- Maintain the Lawns and Landscaping: Trim the hedges, scoop up the pine cones, and start up the lawnmower. Sure, it’s work, but the smell and sight of freshly cut grass makes all the sweat worth it.
Trust the Professionals
If you have zero experience using ladders or doing any high level inspection activities, there’s no shame in asking for help from a professional. There are only so many YouTube videos you can watch before it’s time to let the experts handle it. It’s better to be safe than sorry! Check out this list of home service repair specialists in your area. Be sure not to skimp out on homeowners insurance in case there is an accident.
If you’re a new homeowner, it’s also time to check out your home warranty. Most of the time, your new house comes with a warranty. For example, if you have a 1 year warranty, the home builders will come fix certain problems in your home so long as they happen within the warranty period. If your home builder likes to drown their contracts in legal jargon and complicated phrasing, it’s the perfect time to reach out to Attorney Ben Weaver at 23 Legal! We are experts at translating contracts and dealing with home inspections…It’s what we do!
Attorney Ben Weaver is known for going above and beyond for his clients. Whether you request guidance in buying or selling your home, have an estate planning question, or another legal real estate problem, you’ll need a trustworthy lawyer who cares. That’s where 23 Legal comes in!
Spring is the perfect time to get those seasonal household chores done.
It’s also a great time to start thinking about your future plans…
23 Legal can assist you with estate planning to make sure your family is protected!
Contact Attorney Ben Weaver today: (847) 447-6004
Why Choose 23 Legal
23 Legal offers Real Estate and Estate Planning legal services to individuals, families, community associations and small business owners throughout Chicagoland. We know how intimidating “the law” can be. In fact, when most people think of law offices, they think of stuffy leather chairs, huge wooden desks and pompous lawyers who charge outrageous fees. That’s not us! We believe in 1-to-1; the same lawyer should work with you all the way through. Whether you have an estate planning issue, family trust concern, or you have a legal problem in regard to a new home, business, real estate or remodel, you need a lawyer who cares. That’s where Ben comes in! We are great listeners; more than that, we are lawyers who believe that our clients always come first.
