Even though we had a minor blast of cold air this week dipping our overnight temperatures close to freezing, we are officially a couple of weeks into spring. Just as you did when you left Highlands or Cashiers for the season, you’ll want to welcome the spring season with a bit of property maintenance and some minor adjustments (and repairs, if necessary). Happily, the transition from the cold months to the warmer ones tends to be far more simple than getting ready for winter.
1. Throw open the windows. If you have an older home with storm windows, which have been shut tightly during the winter months, welcome the sunshine by throwing them open. When the storm windows go up, the screens should go on—make sure that screens are installed properly and are in good repair. While you’re working on the windows, check for rotting along the window sills and make any necessary repairs.
2. Check air conditioning units. Although the need for air conditioning is not as important on The Highlands Plateau as it is in the flatlands, we still occasionally like to crank it up, even if it just to dry out the house after a good thunder storm. Take care of preparation work now by making sure all air conditioning systems are serviced and ready to go so that you’re ready for it. One item to check that often gets overlooked, but can cause the Ac to not work as well as it should is the outside condensing unit being out of level. Easy to check with a level and easy to adjust.
3. Do some spring time servicing. Sunny weather is great for performing structural property checks and assessing any damage that may have occurred over the winter—this is especially important in the wake of winters such as this past one, which was particularly wet and snowy. Check for (and mend) damaged roofing and any structural rotting or wear and tear that may have occurred.
4. Replace batteries. The recommendation is to replace the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon dioxide detectors twice a year, usually when the time change occurs. But now that those dates are somewhat unbalanced, just add this to your spring schedule as you open your mountain home.
5. It’s time for spring cleaning! Spring is the perfect time to spruce things up. Clean your gutters (this should be done twice annually), the exterior (siding, etc.) of your property, all windows, and all mats and carpets that had sand and salt stomped deeply into them over the course of the winter. Additionally, you may want to take some time to spruce up your landscaping.
Even though it may seem as though you made seasonal updates just yesterday, remember: There’s a lot of room for damage to occur in the winter months. Not only will your property look great by the time you’ve finished spring maintenance, but it’s the perfect time to catch those little problems that occurred over winter before they turn into big problems down the line.
For more information on Highlands NC or Cashiers NC real estate, please email us at info@bhhsmmr.com or give us a call at 828-526-1717. The brokers at Meadows Mountain Realty are the experts when it comes to buying or selling on The Highlands Plateau.
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