April showers do bring May flowers but they can also cause problems if your home maintenance has not prepared you for the wet weather. We have a few tips for you as we head into Spring here in the Circle City.
Home maintenance basics
There are hundreds of checklists out there for Spring cleaning and home maintenance but, like anything else, we like to dial it back a bit and keep it basic. So, in this article we’ll tackle some Spring basic home maintenance tips to keep things dry during a typically wet period of time here in Indy.
- Be sure to check your downspouts, any buried drains, or anywhere else you might experience drainage issues from fall foliage or other natural debris.
- Check your sump pump for operation. It’s also important to ensure that your sump pump is depositing the water AWAY from your foundation.
- Your HVAC system likely operates year round. You want to change your HVAC filters at least every 3 months for optimal operation.
Check downspouts and buried drains
Your home’s gutter system gathers rainwater from the roof of your house and controls its path down the house to ground. We often utilize underground drainage systems to keep water from collecting near the foundation. These systems attach to the downspouts on your home, are buried underground and work to move water away from the foundation. Although you can’t see into these drains, it’s important to keep these free of debris or anything else that could water from moving from the roof, to the gutter and down to the buried drains.
Check your sump pump for operation
Sump pumps on the whole are pretty reliable systems. However, with heavy Spring rain, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on its operation to ensure that it is operating efficiently and keeping up during wet seasons. It’s a good idea to periodically pour a bucket of water into the pit to make sure the pump starts automatically and that the water drains quickly once the pump is on. If the pump doesn’t start, have it serviced.
Change your HVAC filters regularly
Replacing your heating and air conditioning filters on a regular basis can help to keep your system in top operating conditions while also reducing your energy bill. On average, a homeowner should be replacing their filters every 3 months as a rule of thumb. There are several factors that can contribute to less often or more frequent filter changes but if you’ve just moved into your home, keeping an eye on the filter on a quarterly basis throughout the year should give you a pretty good indication of exactly how often your home needs a new filter.