Now that the snow and ice has almost all melted, it is important to take a look around our home to see if there are any repairs, updates or any cleaning required. We have more time than we have ever had at home, so we should be checking off these items before we start to get busy again. 

• Landscaping: Cut and trim all vegetation and overgrown bushes from structures. Power raking and aerating your lawn is also a good idea if it hasn’t been done in a while.
• Deck and Porches: Check your deck, patios, porches, stairs, and railings for any loose members and for any deterioration. Wood decks and fences need to be treated every 4-6 years, depending on how much exposure they get to sun and rain.
• Sprinklers: Check your lawn sprinkler system for leaky valves, exposed lines, and improperly working sprinkler heads. If there is an area of your yard that collects too much water or doesn’t get enough, run the sprinklers to figure out the problem. If it’s not something you can fix yourself, call a professional before your lawn needs the water.
• Gutters and downspouts: Pull out any leaves and debris from your gutters and downspouts. Re-attach gutters that have pulled away from the house. Run a hose on the roof and check for proper drainage. If a leak exists, dry the area and use caulking or epoxy to seal the leak.
• Roof: Inspect roof surface, flashing, eaves, and soffits. Perform a thorough cleaning. Check flashings around all surface projections and sidewalls. Check for any loose shingles that may have been damaged from our Saskatchewan winds.
• Foundation: Check the foundation walls, floors, concrete, and masonry for cracking, heaving, or any deterioration. If you can slide a nickel into a crack in your concrete floor, slab or foundation call a foundation repair professional near you immediately.
• Siding: Clean siding with a pressure washer to keep mold from growing. Check all wood surfaces for weathering and paint failure. If wood is showing through, sand the immediate area and apply a primer coat before painting. If paint is peeling, scrape loose paint and sand smooth before painting.
• Exterior caulking: Inspect caulking and replace if deteriorating. Scrape out all of the eroding caulk and recaulk needed area.
• Window sills, door sills, and thresholds: Fill cracks, caulk edges, repaint or replace if necessary.
• Window and door screens: Clean screening and check for holes. If holes are bigger than a quarter, that is plenty of room for bugs to climb in. Patch holes or replace the screen. Save the bad screen to patch holes next year.

If you notice significant damage to your home during the inspection. Please contact your insurance broker to file a claim. You have 1-2 years to claim any damage to your home if the damage is covered under your home insurance policy.