Doing Your Spring Thing

By Diane Tait

Image courtesy Maxpixel

Being from the Northeast, I remember when Spring didn’t really arrive until the middle of May.  Here we are in the first week of March in Jacksonville and my lawn is already begging to be mowed.  Since we Floridians usually get a jump on Spring cleaning way before the start of Spring, I thought I’d spring into action to give you my short list of things you need to do before the hot weather arrives.

1.      It’s a jungle out there. –  If your yard is anything like mine, the shrubs are looking a bit gnarly after having gone through the final throws of summer in September when they and the vines that like to cling to them gave their last gasp of growth.  Other than trimming the hedges, this is a good time to break out the rake to dig the leaves out from beneath the bushes, as well as from the periphery of the fence and around the central air conditioner.   (Speaking of the air conditioner, if it’s been awhile since you had yours serviced, now’s the time to schedule a service call.)  Aside from looking untidy, all the dead leaves and twigs are a fire hazard looking for a spark or a lightning strike to set them ablaze.  If you haven’t cleaned out the grill that sits on your patio, it probably wouldn’t be a bad idea to pop the lid and give it a good scrubbing too.  One year I found a nest of mice who thought that my barbecue looked like a great place to set up housekeeping.

2.      Check the exterior of your house out before it gets hot. – Once the heat sets in, so too will those summer squalls that can rattle the windows with wind, rain and hail.  The time to check your windows and doors for wear and tear is before storm season begins.  Especially keep an eye out for cracked weather stripping or windows that rattle when you open and close them.  This is the path of least resistance for wind and water to exploit.  Better to replace the weather stripping or the entire window now, before the first storm of the season turns your living room into an indoor swimming pool.  Old, worn out windows also cost you dearly every time you get your utility bills, since they cause your air conditioner to run more frequently.

3.      The man or woman with the plan. – Before you know it, hurricane season will be here again.  If you wait until the last minute to lay in supplies (like you did last time), you’ll be forced to fight for the last piece of plywood, those D Batteries your lantern uses or the tarpaulin you’ll need to cover a storm damaged roof.  Better to plan ahead and lay in everything you’ll need that will suddenly be in short supply the moment the TV weatherman announces the first named storm of the season.

Image courtesy Maxpixel

4.      Have you seen your attic lately? – Here’s three of the other things you should do before the outside temperature is in the 90’s.  Do a roof, gutter and attic check.  Better to replace a worn shingle now than have a roof leak later.  Unless your rain gutters are covered, leaves and debris can not only clog them, they can start sprouting foliage as windblown seeds germinate there.  Cleaning them out in the Spring is not only a wise choice, it can be the only choice.  Once the cycle of thunderstorms sets in in a month or so, the marl in your rainspouts will turn into a gooey mess that is not only unpleasant to deal with, it can get so saturated with rain that it can even cause your gutters to come down.  Insects like fire ants also like to nest in gutters. (Take it from the voice of experience.)  Attics should be checked to make sure that there are no signs of leaks, as well as making sure nothing is nesting up there.

5.    Indoor chores – Since the summer months are also when everyone from AC technicians to plumbers and electricians charge time and a half, the time to scour your house looking for any systemic flaws that are likely to rear their ugly head is now.  It’s also a good time to clean your windows and clean out your dryer vent hose.  (According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission, there are tens of thousands of dryer fires annually that can lead to structural damage and even death.)  While you’re at it, you should also consider changing out the batteries in your smoke detectors as well.  When was the last time you looked at the expiration date on your fire extinguisher or changed out your air conditioning filters?  A friend of mine almost destroyed his central air conditioning system a couple years ago by failing to change out the filter.  It became so clogged that the entire air handler froze solid. A $10 filter almost ruined his $9,000 HVAC system.  (You can’t make this stuff up.)

Image courtesy flickr

6.      Car Care – Another major investment to protect is your car.  Did you know that preventative maintenance can save you thousands of dollars and make your vehicle last years longer?  The simple act of changing your oil every 6-months or 3,000 miles can make or break a vehicle.  Take my word for it.  My sister once nearly had her engine seize for failing to change her oil.  She just kept driving the car until it started to sound like a moose in heat.  When she asked me what could be making the noise, I asked her, “When was the last time you changed the oil?”  She looked me in the eye and said, “Change it to what?”  The reason I point this out is while you may be Johnny on the spot when it comes to car care, that doesn’t mean that your son, daughter or significant other is as well.  Some drivers ignore warning signs and warning lights until their vehicle stops cold.  That can cost them or you dearly, since a relatively inexpensive repair like replacing worn brakes or a serpentine belt can balloon into a major overhaul if left to their own devices.

7.      Insurance Check -  Last but not least, spring is a great time to perform an insurance check, particularly if you have experienced any life changes.  Remember, insurance is predicated on protecting you and yours based on the information provided when the policy was issued.  If your lifestyle or standing has changed, the numbers your policies were based on have changed as well.  Even better, is the fact that to have your insurance policies assessed only takes a phone call to your friendly insurance agent.  Unlike Spring cleaning, your agent will be glad to do all the heavy lifting to make sure that you and yours are ready to face whatever calamity fortune decides to throw your way.

Diane Tait owns and operates A&B Insurance.  To find out more about how you can save money on homeowner's insurance, go to her site or fill out the form at right.