9 Jobs to do around the home in spring

Spring is the perfect time to start thinking about those essential home maintenance tasks to prepare your house for the year ahead. To help, Toolstation has compiled a list of essential home maintenance tasks for spring and spoken with a range of experts to discuss the best ways of tackling them.

Spring cleaning isn’t just tidying up. It’s about ensuring everything in your home functions as it should. Some cleaning tasks are harder than others and may require use of a ladder. Rhiannon Moore at Toolstation advised homeowners to seek professional help when cleaning at heights.

After a long and rainy winter, it is a good idea to get up into the loft and check for any signs of dampness or leaks. If you notice that the rafters are damp then this can be evidence that the roof is leaking, while signs of dampness in the middle of the roof may point to tiles being out of place.

Damp in the loft can lead to structural damage if left untreated for too long. The excess moisture can lead to decay of the roof timbers. Damp and mould can also cause respiratory problems and attract pests too.

If you do spot any signs of dampness, it is best to seek professional help from a damp specialist to treat the mould. They may suggest methods of damp proofing to ensure the loft is well ventilated and insulated to prevent any future outbreaks.

To ensure that solar panels operate as efficiently as possible it is important to have them cleaned regularly, especially if you live in a built-up area with higher levels of smog and dust.

Keeping your panels clean can protect you against permanent mould staining which can severely impact the output of the panels which will in turn reduce your return on investment significantly. 

If you’re uncomfortable with working at heights, it may be better to leave this to a professional. As they are often located on the roof, you’ll avoid injuring yourself and prevent damage to the panels.

As the days start to grow longer and brighter, cleaning your windows allows more natural light into your home. When tackling your windows, it's best to choose a cloudy day as doing so on a sunny day can leave streaks as your cleaning solution can end up drying out too fast.

When tackling higher windows, take advantage of calmer winds during springtime. However, prioritise safety. If you feel uneasy about using a ladder, it’s best to leave it to a professional.

For a cheap alternative to shop-bought cleaning formula, you can opt to make your own by mixing equal parts warm water with white vinegar or lemon juice. If you opt for washing up liquid and water, make sure you avoid mixing the water too much as too many suds can lead to a streaky finish.

It is recommended to test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms each month and aim to replace the batteries every six months.

It is a job that is easy to overlook so you should incorporate this as part of your spring maintenance routine to ensure your home and family stay safe.

Spring is also a great time to check any outdoor security systems, including burglar alarms and security cameras. While most smart security systems have warnings when batteries are running low, remember to give them a quick test to ensure all the components are functioning properly. Making sure the batteries are fully charged ahead in spring are particularly important if you plan on going on any holidays in the coming months.

Kerry Hale from Mira Showers discussed how a building up of limescale in your shower head can prevent your shower from functioning properly. They went on to explain the best way to properly clean your showerhead.

Maintaining your shower head is key to preventing nozzle clogs and erratic water flow caused by limescale buildup.

For detachable shower heads, soak them in distilled white vinegar, while fixed heads can benefit from vinegar-filled plastic bags securely tied over them. Don't forget to scrub away stubborn limescale with an old toothbrush and polish for a sparkling finish.

Regrouting tiles is a fairly simple job that can be completed by homeowners this spring. To achieve a clean finish and long-lasting results you should always look to remove old grout before applying a new layer, and to do this, it is best to use a grout rake to carefully scrape out the old grout. Once removed you can begin applying the new layer with a tiling trowel making sure you don’t leave any gaps.

It makes sense to grout during the spring as the cold winter temperatures slow the setting process which weakens the quality of the grout while the heat and humidity of the summer can prevent the grout from curing properly leading to a poor finish.

Jimmy Englezos, Senior Brand Manager from Ronseal has shared tips on tackling painting jobs to ensure your outdoor spaces look the best.

If you’ve not done much gardening during the colder months, chances are your shed might be dusty and disorganised. Sweep out the shed to remove cobwebs and dust, keeping an eye out for any damage or signs of pests.

With your shed empty, apply a fresh coat of shed paint and let it dry before moving garden tools and accessories back inside. Garden paint is a versatile option that can be used on metal, brick and terracotta as well as wooden sheds, helping you achieve a cohesive colour theme in your garden.

Wood needs to be protected from all weather conditions—this includes UV damage as well as the wet weather and frost we’ve become accustomed to in the winter.

To protect your wood from all weather conditions, you should treat fences and sheds with a protective fence paint. You shouldn’t be using this on decking—for adequate decking protection, you should use a deck paint to defend against all weather conditions, as well as to fill cracks and lock down splinters.