Spring is the high time for you to test your home for maintenance and repair requirements. Beginning with the roof, the first item you should check for is snow, wind or ice damage. Examine to be sure that the roofing laths are protected, securely fastened and kept in good order. In case any laths are loose, fix them with asphalt roofing cement. In case they are spoiled or missing, you will have to replace them and, probably, hire a professional to do this.
Examine the splicing around the flue, in places where roofing segments meet, and at intersections between a roof and vertical projections, like plumbing or fan outlets, dormer windows and close walls. Re-slice if slicing is damaged. In case the slicing is in good order, caulk any leaks with butyl, aluminized caulk or asphalt roofing cement.
Then check your masonry smokestack for breaks and mortar lacking around bricks or blocks. Any patching should be done with the help of dry mortar, like a firm but working paste or masonry cement compound.
Examine the drains and downspouts to be certain they are firmly fastened to the house. Clear the drains and downspouts of waste as well. Detect any areas that require staining.
If the drains are zinc-coated, steel or iron, eliminate the rust with a wire brush, corundum cloth and steel wool. Clean with ligroin or any degreasing purifier and cover with paints and grounding assigned for these surfaces.
Examine for breaks or leaks in drain pipes and their seams. In case the leaks are small, caulk them or seal with roofing cement. Otherwise, change the broken section.
Besides, make sure that the splash blocks are in good order. They should be placed to direct water no less than three feet away from the basement. In case the splash blocks are damaged or cracked, you should replace them.
Together with exterior examination of your house, look also at any asphalt, wood and asbestos cement veneer for damage, like breaking, cracking, splitting, warping or disintegration. If warped, realign screws and boards. In case the veneer is damaged or split, change the needed sections. If nails have loosened, reset the existing nails and put additional ones to anchor.
Examine the house outside to make certain, the paint is in good order. In case there is mold, wash the surface with alkaline cleaning solution, like chlorine bleach. If the paint is damaged, eliminate the old one, apply proper grounding and then repaint. In case the paint has spoiled for two years, the reason for this must be defined prior to repainting.
Check the masonry or brick walls for loose crumbling mortar junctions. If so, fix them instantly to deter water from leaking through and spoiling the walls.
Examine all your outward wood doors, garage doors and window and door frames to be sure that paint and polish are kept in good order. If the paint is damaged, get rid of the faulty paint. Then apply proper grounding and repaint. If any frame sections are cracked or rotting, define the reason. Then remove and repaint the spoiled areas.
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