April Home Improvement Checklist & Tips
April is the perfect time to prepare your home to fight against the dreaded mosquito season. April is also the time to start cleaning and decorating for spring and outdoor living. Patios, screen rooms and sun rooms are wonderful additions to the home. Don’t let the pollen and critters scare you out of enjoying your outdoor living this spring.
1. Window Check
Check your window screens for rips and tears in the screen and gaps around the edges. It only takes a tiny tear to allow mosquitos and other critters into your home. Replace your screens when you purchase new windows to make sure they fit properly. If you didn't check or replace your windows from our March checklist reminder, don't forget to check your windows this month! Besides leaking energy savings, you could have an opening for more pests to enter your home.
2. Screen Room Life Saver
Tired of having mosquitos, critters and birds hanging out on your patio? Turn it into a screen room! During the month of April, screen rooms will come with a FREE door (valued at $200)! The new screen room may be your favorite room this spring/summer!
3. Check Your Property for Standing Water
Empty any open containers and clean out bird baths regularly. Store items upside down or in a shed to prevent mosquitos from using them as a breeding ground. Mosquito water tablets can be purchased at hardware stores to prevent mosquitoes from breeding in water fountains. Stagnant water locations are mosquito's favorite spots.
4. Spring Home Update
Add some new or updated details to your home with new house numbers, a mailbox, or door hardware. Add wooden accents like a rustic cedar or shiplap to your patio top. Little updates like that can give your home a refreshed look, without spending a ton of money.
5. Pollen Clean Up
With pollen everywhere, take the opportunity to rinse your siding and windows to prevent pollen from coming in your home. Pollen sticks to everything so go ahead and do a quick rinse of your porch/patio floors & walkways when you water your plants.
6. Indoor Spring Living
If you have bad allergies and cannot spend your time outdoors like you wish you could, consider enjoying the outdoors from your home with our sliding patio doors! You'll have a larger view of the beautiful outdoors, green grass, pretty birds and blooming flowers, all from the comfort of your home. See more about our sliding patio doors here.
7. Time for Spring Cleaning
Clean out clothes that don't fit, aren't in good condition, or are out of season. Perfect time for a yard sale or donating used items (but still in good condition) to your local charity/thrift store.
Check the dates on items in your medicine cabinet and pantry. If you have expired medication, take it to a safe disposal place (most pharmacies like CVS have a medicine disposal bin).
Deep clean all the nooks & crannies of your home.
Sanitize your trash cans. Take the empty trash cans outside and rinse thoroughly. Add some cleaner and let dry upside down in the sun.
Organize that junk drawer!
8. Call Before You Dig
Spring is the perfect time to landscape and add new plants to your yard. Be safe and call 811 or 1-800-272-3020 (for Louisiana home owners) before you dig any holes for larger landscaping projects, or even simple projects like adding a mailbox to your property. You do not want to get fined for accidentally damaging utility services on your property.
9. Air Quality Tips
Have your air conditioner inspected and replace the filter. Take this time to schedule an air duct cleaning and don't forget to wipe down your ceiling fan blades.
10. Keep Checking For Termites
If you haven't already, look into a residential termite control service. If you already have damage, the termite control service and eradicate the termites and we can fix the damage.
Don't Forget to Do Your Routine Safety Checks:
Check home appliances and electronics for safety recalls (check recalls.gov for more information).
Be careful cleaning up sheds, brush piles in your yard, overturned buckets and pots. With the warmer weather and spring storms coming through, there could be critters hiding out in these places.
If you have carpet covered stairs inside your home, check that they are secure. If the carpet is becoming loose, use a staple gun to secure it to the corners of the steps.
Double check your locks and latches are connecting properly. Sometimes, the ground can shift with excess rainfall and doors may no longer be leveled correctly. Make adjustments to your door/locks as needed to have the securely lock in place.
Check night lights/motion sensor lights to verify they're functioning properly.
