Steps to prepare for spring

Even though winter has been mild (with the exception of the recent Northeast), there are several things you can do to ensure your home is ready for spring and the transition to warmer weather.

✔ Check that your sump pump and pipes are ready when the water table rises with spring melt. Make sure the pump and the float inside are working properly. Just as important, make sure the exterior drain lines aren’t clogged or blocked.

✔ Check your gutters and downspouts, making sure they are also free and unobstructed. A lot of debris is thrown into it during the winter. Make sure that the main pipes drain the water from the foundation and that nothing will accumulate against the house.

✔ Check the wells around your basement windows. These can fill with debris and not drain properly, allowing water to seep inside the home. These wells should have a bed of rock at the bottom located at least 4 to 6 inches below the window.

✔ Check your driveways, patios and driveways. Winter brings frost heaves, which lift pavers and stones and can cause tripping hazards. Driveways often need patching due to snow removal and frost.

✔ A visual inspection of the roof and chimney can spot any damage that may have occurred during the winter. Please call a qualified roofing company if you find any damage or if your roof warrants further examination.

✔ Window and door screens can also be damaged during the winter months. You can often repair small tears with a screen patch. If the damage is extensive, you can drop off the entire assembly at your local hardware store and have them replace the screen.

✔ Check if your tips survived the winter and were not damaged during a cold snap. (They must be closed and drained in the fall to avoid frosts.)

✔ Call your heating, ventilation and air conditioning company to arrange a service call on your AC equipment. You certainly don’t want to wait for the first heat wave to find out that you have equipment problems.

Mark Philben is Project Development Manager at Charlie Allen Renovations in Cambridge. Send your questions to (email protected). Questions are subject to change.