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After a long, harsh winter, your home may look a little worse for wear. Is its poor condition cosmetic or structural? The spring is the perfect time to assess your property and address any outstanding issues. Here are three chores you should do during the season — these tips will help you save money.
1. Prune Your Trees
You should examine your trees for any branches broken in winter storms, especially if the tree in question is close to your home or neighbour’s property. One strong gust can rip these damaged limbs from the tree and hurtle them towards windows and roofs.
Most people can prune a small tree on their own but leave large trees to the professionals. They have the knowledge and special equipment to remove out-of-reach branches.
Professional arborists can vary in price, depending on the size of your tree and the service they provide. While general pruning may cost a few hundred dollars, large trees and complete removal can cost thousands.
An experienced arborist will let you know whether you can safely wait to service your tree or need to address it now. Don’t worry if your finances aren’t ready for this work. If you don’t have the amount you need in savings, you can find the financial help you need with a line of credit.
Go online to find a fast, flexible, and transparent loan provider that offers a range of line of credit loans. An online lender like Fora provides simple applications that let you know whether you qualify quickly. If approved, you may draw against your Fora Credit line of credit to help with your emergency tree removal.
2. Clear Your Eavestroughs and Downspouts
The eavestroughs lining the edges of your roof needs to be clean and clear to help with the drainage of your home. They redirect rainwater and snow melt from your home, keeping water away from your roof and foundation.
If you see water pouring off your roof every time it rains or notice pools forming around your house, chances are your gutters are clogged. This isn’t just an aesthetic problem. It can lead to big issues down the line. Standing water can eventually damage your foundation, which can be costly. Even small repairs can cost $4,000 to repair; significant repairs may exceed $10,000.
By comparison, keeping your eavestroughs clean is free if you do it yourself. Get a spotter while you climb your ladder to ensure no sticks, leaves, or other debris block your eavestroughs. Do the same with downspouts. For second-floor gutters, consider hiring a professional. Small jobs often cost less than $200.
3. Service Your HVAC System
Gone are the freezing nights of winter when your furnace is working hard, yet you still have time before summer’s humid days arrive. This is the perfect time to have a professional look at your HVAC system.
In most cases, duct cleaning is unnecessary, but you should have a HVAC technician give your air conditioner a tune-up. A tune-up ensures this appliance runs without issue, so it can operate during the summer at its most efficient settings. In other words, this appointment may reduce your energy consumption to lower your monthly bills.
Forcing your AC to work hard without a tune-up can put pressure on its mechanisms and even cause a breakdown. While the average tune-up costs around $100, repairs may be five times that, and an outright replacement can cost more than $10,000.
An experienced technician won’t rush you to replace your air conditioner off-season. Time allows you to save up for this bill, but you can attempt to make an urgent draw against your line of credit in an emergency.
Preventative maintenance has a small cost, but it pales in comparison to the larger repairs you can avoid with these springtime chores.
Last Updated on by Milan Maity
