Winter is Gone and left your exterior with alot of work to be address. Regularly mainting your home’s exterior can really add value to your home and prevent costly repairs from occuring. When old-man winter finally leaves and gives way to the coming of spring, you should turn your attention to some important home maintenance tasks.

Basement & Foundation

Re-Caulk any gaps surrounding your doors and windows

Why:  This can help save you on heating and air conditioning bills as well as prevents moisture and insects from entering your home.

Gutters and Downspouts

Clean out your gutters and downspouts of any debris

Why: This can prevent damage to your home’s interior if flooding occurs through the foundation and walls. Clogged gutters cause water to sit, possibly allowing the water to seep in near your roof. Cleaning your gutters reguarly can prevent unexpected repairs from occuring.

Roof

Check the roof for needed repairs

Why: A leaky or damaged roof can cause major problems to the inside of your home, resulting in expensive repair costs. You’ll want to inspect both the inside and outside of your home to discover possible warning signs of roof damage.

Basement

Inspect the basement for moisture and rotten wood

Why: Wet basements and rotted wood often mean that there is a leaky pipe in the walls, a downspout that isn’t draining away from the house, or possibly moisture coming in through a cracked concrete foundation.

Chimney

Call a chimney sweep

Why: You notice a sour smell around your chimney or see significant creosote buildup.

Who can help: Though you can inspect the cap and masonry of your own chimney if you’re brave enough to get on top of your roof, we advise you to contact a professional chimney sweep.

Siding

Check siding for evidence of decay, splitting, cracking, or insect damage

Why: Regular maintenance keeps your siding looking new and lasting longer against the elements and unwanted pests. Whether it’s vinyl, wood, or metal siding, all three types need to be maintained differently.

Home Exterior

Pressure wash your home

Why: Removes harmful mold and mildew as well as gets rid of dirt that makes your home look older. Brightens sidewalks and driveways to complement the rest of the landscaping. Great Prep for exterior painting/staining as well!

House & Building Exterior

Stain / Paint the Exterior

* Why: Helps make the appearance of your property better as well as raising the value. It can seal and protect the wood from bugs,mold and warping due to weather.

Check for cracks in the masonry
Why: See if you have any cracks in the structural or veneer masonry?for example, faux stone on the front of your home.

Lubricate all of your keyholes

Why: You don’t want to break off your key in a keyhole that’s been left untreated for too long.

Who can help: You can try graphite powder or WD-40 on your own. However, if you still have issues with your keyholes, contact a locksmith for more assistance.

Check all window and door screens

Why: These barriers help keep out pests and whatever else the wind wants to blow into your home. If you have holes bigger than a quarter, you’ll want to consider replacing the screen.

Check your foundation, walls, and concrete floors
Why: If your home has symptoms of foundation problems like cracks in walls, sticking and swinging doors, or uneven floors, it may need foundation repair.
|
Remove and store storm windows and doors

Why: Storm windows and doors help keep in heated air during harsh winter conditions. Once spring comes around, it’s time to put the storm windows and doors away.

Check your driveway for cracks

Why: You want to avoid unsightly cracks in the driveway that take away from the exterior of your home. Also, some cracks are so severe that they could be considered safety hazards.

Interior & Appliance

Spring Cleaning & Organization

* Why: Spring cleaning of your interior of your house/ building is a ritual for most Americans. Its a great time to get all the needed cleaning and organization done, in the warm weather!

Interior Painting/Touch Ups

* Why: Every house should be retouched or painted every other year. If you have not done so, now is the time! Not only does it increase the look and feel of the home, but it can make a dull room turn into a fab room just by changing the color! Touch up and patch any holes or marks on the walls as well as painting!

Service the heating and A/C system
Why: After the harsh winter cold where you probably kept the heat going more than usual, you’ll want to get the entire system checked to make sure everything is in working order. Also, if you want to consider having your air ducts inspected for any mold or dust deposits, now is a good time to do this.

Who can help: The company that services your heating and cooling system will be an excellent source of advice. Or, contact other heating and cooling professionals to schedule an inspection.

Consider buying a programmable thermostat
Why: Helps you save energy and money without sacrificing comfort during various intervals of the day or night.

Who can help: Call a certified electrician to handle the installation for you.
Clean your carpets and upholstery
Why: Helps the overall appearance and makes it last longer. Also, keep in mind that clean carpets promote better health for the entire household.

Test your attic or roof fans
Why: To make sure that power is getting to the thermostat and that the fan is functioning properly.

Who can help: You may need to hire a qualified electrician to make sure the power is getting to the fan motor as well as addressing any other issues.

Replace filters in the heating and A/C system
Why: Though you should be checking your filters once a month, a good rule of thumb is to get in the habit of checking them at the beginning of each cooling and heating season (spring and fall). Dirty filters slow air down, making the system work harder to heat or cool your home.

Drain and perform maintenance on your hot water heater

Why: It prolongs the life of the hot water heater if you remove minerals left behind in the tank. Clogged drain valves slow down the efficiency of the hot water heater, costing you more money in the long run.

Who can help: Not everyone is comfortable with draining hot water in this manner due to the possibility of getting scalded and burned. Consult with a professional plumber who can advise you on the best method to drain your hot water heater.

Backyard & Landscape

Have your lawnmower serviced before you use it

Why: Your lawnmower has been out of commission (or hibernation, if you will) for several months. You’ll need to make sure the oil is changed, the blade is sharpened, the spark plug is firing, and the fuel and air filters are clean when the grass starts to green.

Who can help: If you don’t want to fool with the hassle of tuning up your mower, contact local lawn service professionals who can get your mower ready for the grass-cutting season.

Check your irrigation system for leaky valves, exposed lines, and improperly-working sprinkler heads

Why: Did you accidentally mow over a sprinkler head last year and you’re just now realizing that it’s not working properly? Bad valves and broken irrigation pipes can spell major damage and higher water bills if you’re not careful.

Who can help: Hire a qualified sprinkler repair to assess the various problems you may be encountering and give you an estimate on what it’ll cost to fix them.

Apply a pre-emergent to your lawn if you worry about weeds

Why: Weeds can quickly overtake your lawn if you don’t take action at the right time. In the same manner that you’d put crabgrass pre-emergent down in the winter time to stop the growth at the beginning of the spring, try to get a feel as to when weeds begin to sprout in your climate area. Count backwards three weeks from that time period and plan to apply a pre-emergent for weeds then.

Reseal your deck if needed

Why: Not resealing and/or staining your deck every year causes discoloration, dirtiness, roughness, and the likelihood of splintering.

Cut back vegetation and overgrown bushes

Why: Overgrown bushes and vegetation don’t just create eyesores for you and your neighbors. By not trimming them back, you’re actually harming the plant/shrub’s growth. Also, keep in mind that high bushes can often be great hiding places for thieves looking to get into your house.

Check and service your swimming pool

Why: Since your pool was shut down for the winter, you’ll need to verify that the filtration system and other parts are in working order before you jump in for the first cannonball of the swim season.

Who can help: Call one of the local pool service professionals who will know just how to get your pool up and running again.

Need a summer lawn care plan? Contact a pro

Why: Though the spring is when the grass starts to grow, you’ll need a plan to prepare for the hot summer months when lawns are stressed and weeds can potentially take over.

Of course, the first thing you have to take into account when considering a commercial paint job is whether or not the contractor you are considering has the professional expertise to handle the job. Unless a contractor can provide a number of references similar to the proposed job, it’s likely that said company could be in over their heads. Additionally, be extremely skeptical of residential painters who claim that they can easily accomplish the commercial job. Avoid them unless they’ve done it before. You certainly don’t want your business’ interior or exterior to be the test case for that particular painter.

One of the easiest ways to ensure that your potential contractor can handle the work you’re proposing is to ask for a list of references and/or a portfolio of similar work. Any contractor or painter who refuses to do so does not deserve your work. Furthermore, when asking for a quote it’s expected that the painting contractor have a range or multiple bids depending on the general scope of the work. However, to be safe, obtain they quotes in writing.

Additionally, this is always mentioned and, frankly, can’t be mentioned enough but be sure of the potential commercial painting contractors licensing and insurance. Both licensing and insurance are enormously important in regards to commercial work and are slightly different than that for residential companies. Don’t be left vulnerable by hiring a painter who does not have the proper documentation to back up their business.

With this information you should be better prepared to hire for your commercial painting job. Just remember, however, that you have to be a bit more specific and particular with whom you hire because commercial jobs tend to be much larger in scope than your residential projects.

For decks, untreated wood absorbs dew, rain, and melting snow and ice. This softens the wood and makes it swell. The sun’s heat then causes wood to dry out and contract. This constant cycle of swelling and shrinking causes cracking, splitting, and warping – which dramatically decreases the life of the wood, resulting in expensive repair work. The sun’s ultraviolet rays can also gray wood surfaces, and persistent moisture is a breeding ground for mold, algae, and other fungi which stain wood as they spread across its surface. Poorly maintained wood is also an attractive food source for termites and other wood-boring insects.

It is important then to regulary treat your deck. Typically this is a multi-stage process that begins with stripping the deck of its previous stain. One then works back up by adding multiple coats of deck stain in addition to a coat or two of sealant which ultimately protects the decks from unecessary absorbtion of percipitation. This type of restoration tends to last multiple years (around five years) and works best with combined with at least an annual cleaning.

Siding restoration works very much in the same way but varies depending upon what type of siding material is utilized. Cedar shak siding or simple wood siding is most akin to deck restoration and the principles are relatively the same. Percipitation from the elements seeps its way within the wood-based siding while temperature fluxuations causes the siding to constrict and expand. Siding restoration and cleaning is extremely important because if there’s any compromise to the material, then one is unduly exposing their home’s interior to the elements which may lead to leaks, drafts, and unecessaryily high energy bills.

Generally speaking, the Fall is a great time to committ to deck or siding restoration/sealing because it offers an added defense against the coming winter. However, when deciding what time to go ahead with a restoration process, take into account the full condition of your deck or siding. If something looks seriously compromised, there’s no better time to act than now.

A fresh coat of paint can make a world of difference and it certainly applies to your home’s exterior. Weather can cause significant damage, particularly after a brutal winter, so this time of the year is an ideal time to correct the natural wear and tear that has occurred. Exterior painting, especially in multi-level homes, can be a treacherous proposition so its recommended you leave the work the professional residential exterior painting contractors. By doing so, you can ensure that you get a professionally applied coat of paint with the protections that come with hiring a professional painting company.

While a fresh coat of paint can do wonders to the look of your home, the same can be said of restoring or staining your siding. Like a coat of paint, weather can take its toll on your siding, leaving uneven strips. New staining techniques tend to last for 5 years making it a quality home investment. Additionally, recent developments in staining products have created a variety of environmentally friendly products and a professional residential exterior company can clean, strip, and stain your siding in one package.

One can additionally stain and/or restore your home’s deck. Like your home’s exterior, weather takes its considerable toll on your deck and a new coat of stain can make a deck look fresh. By going with a professional deck staining company, you can ensure that your deck will be properly stripped, sanded, and stained which establishes greater longevity.

Whatever home project you have in mind, now is the time to start planning for work on your houses’ exterior. Whether it’s a new coat of paint, staining your siding, or staining your deck, you can have your house looking fresh and ready for the summer.

Situation remains the same even if you want to plan to refurbish your office, manufacturing plant, building, ware house or any other commercial vicinity and you think you can get the desired results by hiring a non professional painter, then you are living oblivious of the reality.

Commercial painting contractors have the state of the art technology which ensures the standardization in the output and because of the experience and skilled workforce; commercial painting contractors have quality brewed in their work which enhances the appearance and aesthetics of your place.

There are few advantages that a commercial painting contractor has over non professional or local painters. First of all, commercial painting contractors and slick in their field and because of immense experience they can help in deciding the color and the texture of the paint. They know about the capability of colors in constructing different moods and aesthetics. Therefore, their advice can help you in color choice, which eventually uplifts your home or work place.

Secondly, commercial painting contractors can produce better and standardized results because of the equipment they use. Equipment, acquainted with the SOP’s (standard operation procedures) of the company conjure up to bring about extraordinary quality in the output, also it ensures the standardization, which means that the same output or color can be achieved anywhere else.

When ever you hire a local painter, you confront the issues of time delays. However, commercial painting contractors have a set starting and ending date which they abide by, therefore, issues of time delays are resolved. Secondly, no home owner wants the painter to create disturbance in his or her daily routine. Commercial painters resolve this issue as well. Commercial painting contractors make sure that they are not causing disruptions or impediments in your daily life.

Therefore, by hiring a commercial painting contractor your decision will reap you following benefits. First of all it reduces your time cost, which means that every day you are wasting in your office because of paint delays, could have earned you something. Commercial painting contractors save this cost of yours. Secondly, the out produced by commercial painting contractors is of standard quality, which means it has high adherence to the sample paint (which is usually shown before you make a deal). Finally, you paint defines the mood and attire of your home or office. Commercial painting contractors make sure that it is in accordance with your requirements. Their experience in the field per se gives them the capability of defining aesthetics. You can find many painting contractors over the internet, where your deal is at the distance of one click.

Spring is a great time for exterior painting because of the mild weather afforded by the season. Exterior painting in the winter is largely out of the question because of cold temperatures and often violent storms. Similarly, painting during the summer can be ill-advised if temperatures reach too high and hamper the painting process both in terms of application and drying. As a result, the mild temperatures and relatively calm weather makes spring an ideal time for a fresh coat of exterior painting.

Additionally, it’s well known that most individuals move homes during the summer. For homeowners looking to rent out their house and for realtors looking to sell, a fresh coat of paint on the building’s exterior can be an extremely attractive feature to potential buyers or renters. An exquisite exterior is the first thing any potential home buyer or renter will see and makes a lasting impression.

When debating an exterior painting, most individuals at least flirt with the idea of performing the job itself. But for many homes or businesses, particularly two-story building, it’s typically a better option to go with a skilled painting contractor to ensure the quality of the painting job and guarantees of the project completion.

Professional painting contractors typically only use quality paint and brushes, two necessary ingredients to ensure the longevity of an exterior painting. Different brushes are used for different styles of paint and, thus, it is best to use an experienced painting contractor who can best determine the materials depending on the project.

Additionally, experience painting contractors can better determine the necessary surface preparations and other details many home or business owners overlook. As spring approaches, take the necessary time to consider a proper exterior painting job. Something as simple as a new coat of paint of a building’s outer surface can transform the building and increase value.

There are a couple of things to take note of when considering a professional interior painting contractor. One of the first things you should consider is the longevity of the company you are looking at by asking how long they have been in business. Those painting contractors who have years, if not decades, of experience are really who you should pursue because they have proven themselves as dedicated professionals and hire skilled painters within their organization.

Another important thing to consider is whether or not the potential painting contractor(s) are licensed by your State’s regulartory board, such as Oregon’s Contractors Construction Board (CCB). If the potential company does not have such licensing, you effectively put yourself at risk in the event of mistakes, damage, and subsequent legal procedures. In terms of interior painting, which you will see everyday, it is important to make sure the individual or company you hire is fully licensed which indicates another measure of professionalism.

While price will always be a factor in determining who you hire, what’s more important is whether or not your contractor can accomplish the interior painting that you desire. Ask for references or examples of previous work similar to your proposed painting project and make sure that they can do exactly what you are offering.

Lastly, it is particularly important to take note of how your potential painting contractor conducts themselves in terms of their customer relations. Any reputable contractor will be transparent with the breakdown of costs, will have some measure of guarantee in meeting time deadlines, and will treat you with a considerable amount of respect.

By just following these simple steps, you ensure that the interior painting contractor you select for your project meets your requirements. Just a little time researching can save you future headaches with your painting project.