East Texas home maintenance, season by season
Our weather swings from pollen to storms to triple-digit heat to the occasional hard freeze. A little attention each season keeps small problems from turning into expensive ones.
Spring: pollen and storms
- Power wash the yellow pine pollen off siding, decks and porches once the season ends.
- Clean gutters of needles and seed pods before storm season.
- Check the roof for missing shingles and cracked pipe boots.
- Change the AC filter and clear the condensate line before the first hot week.
Summer: heat and humidity
- Change AC filters every one to three months.
- Re-caulk around windows and doors on the sunny sides of the house.
- Stain or seal decks and fences that are turning gray.
- Run bathroom fans during and after showers to fight mildew.
Fall: get ready for winter
- Clean gutters again after the needles drop.
- Check weatherstripping on doors and windows.
- Have your heat checked before the first cold snap.
- Trim limbs hanging over the roof.
Winter: the freeze
- Insulate exposed pipes and know where your main water shutoff is.
- Drip faucets on the coldest nights if your pipes are exposed.
- Watch for sticking doors and new cracks, which can be signs of the house settling.