It is your largest investment and monopolizes the most of your free time. But your home is also your sanctuary. It is your favorite place to relax, interact with your family, and enjoy life. With that said, in order to operate properly it requires regular maintenance. Many of us at Workman’s Friend have found caring for the outside of your home daunting. We don’t know what needs to be done when. That’s why we did a little research and created this simplified checklist. It will help you and us, ensure our sanctuaries operate properly and efficiently.
Spring
Most everyone associates spring with a time for renewal and simplification. The same should be done with the outside of your home. Inspect the exterior by walking around its perimeter. Do you notice any cracks in the foundation or walls? Is the driveway in decent condition? Grab a ladder and take a look at your roof (do NOT climb onto the roof). Are there any broken shingles, debris? Don’t forget to look for any water pooling or leaking out of your home. If your home has a painted exterior, check for any chips or areas that might need a refresh. That might be something you can do yourself. Inspect your home’s gutters too. If they look plugged with leaves and branches, and you feel you can remove them safely do so. If not, call a professional to do it.
And remember, before you begin any spring maintenance work on your home to apply a dollop of Workman’s Friend Barrier Skin Cream. It will keep your hands moisturized as you spring clean.
Spring Home Maintenance Checklist
- Put on Workman’s Friend Barrier Skin Cream
- Cracks in the foundation or walls
- Driveway condition
- Broken shingles,
- Debris on roof or in gutters
- Water pooling or leaking out of your home.
- Paint chips or areas that might need a refresh.
Summer
Summer is the time to enjoy the outside of your home. Any signs of chipped paint, loose siding or plugged rain gutters should have been taken care of in the spring. However, if you’ve got a list of home improvement projects such as building a new deck or adding an extension to your master bedroom, do it now. It’s important to take full advantage of the warmer weather to get that done.
Summer Home Maintenance Checklist
Double Check
- Chipped paint
- Loose Siding
- Plugged gutters
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- Take care of home improvement projects
Fall
Once the leaves start to fall and the mornings get a little bit darker then it’s time to start looking at your fall maintenance checklist. If you own a pool, autumn is the time to clean it, close it down and cover it. If that’s not something you feel you can do by yourself, do not hesitate to contact a professional. It will be money well spent. When all the leaves have fallen off the trees call your gutter company to have them cleaned and inspected. We don’t recommend you attempt this by yourself. Drain the water from all of your houses and outdoor faucets so the water doesn’t freeze during the winter. Additionally, roll up your hoses and store them properly. Don’t forget to drain the water from your underground sprinkler system. If this isn’t done properly you will end up with a large repair bill the following spring.
As always, before you start working on your fall maintenance checklist apply a layer of Workman’s Friend Barrier Skin Cream. Our formulation means the grime and dirt you’ll come in contact with, will wipe or wash off easily. The days of scrubbing your hands under running water will be gone.
Fall Home Maintenance Checklist
- Put on Workman’s Friend Barrier Skin Cream
- Clean, close or cover pool
- Clean gutters
- Drain faucets and/or sprinklers
- Roll up and store hoses
Winter
Winter is for wearing many layers and hunkering down on your sofa to watch the snow fall outside. But the exterior of your house cannot be completely forgotten. Throughout this season take the time to inspect the outside of your home for ice dams. This is ice that accumulates along the eaves of your roof, creating a dam and thereby damaging gutters, shingles and siding. If undetected these ice dams can cause water to leak into your house wreaking havoc on your insulation, paint and flooring. As you walk around the outside perimeter of your home look for icicles. It is these same forces that create ice dams. You may even consider buying a roof rake. This allows you to safely remove snow off of your roof thereby preventing any ice from forming. Remember never to chip away at ice. This can damage the roof and siding on a home.
Related: Tips for Protecting Skin During Your Winter Vacation
Don’t forget to apply Workman’s Friend Barrier Skin Cream before you head outside to look for ice dams. Our unique hydrating formula means your hands will stay soft and smooth in the cold and dry winter weather.
Winter Home Maintenance Checklist
- Put on Workman’s Friend Barrier Skin Cream
- Ice dams
- Snow on roof
Worthwhile Maintenance
Yes, it may well be your largest single investment, but it is also the space you retreat to when you want peace and quiet or when you want to interact with your family. In order for your home’s exterior to operate effectively it needs regular upkeep and care. Without it, your largest single investment may soon become your largest single liability.
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Workman’s Friend Barrier Skin Cream is light-weight and odorless product. A simple application of our non-greasy, formula means your hands will be moisturized and protected from common irritants.