February Fixes for a Worry-Free Winter
Although spring might be just around the horizon, February still has a good chance of bringing plenty more severe winter weather. In point of fact, some of the most severe of the entire season. As a result, this month presents the ideal opportunity to finish up the remaining inside projects necessary to get your house ready for the arrival of warmer weather.
For your convenience, we have compiled a list of home maintenance jobs that can be completed in February to spruce up your abode. And if you’re finding it difficult to conjure up the energy to face these responsibilities, we’ve supplied some pointers on how to complete them more quickly and easily, or with the assistance of a trained professional.
Polish up the paint job.
The walls, cabinets, doors, and trim inside should all get a new coat of paint.
Shortcuts: Sometimes a once-over with a Magic Eraser sponge will remove scratches and smudges, so avoiding the need for a paint job. Alternatively, the marks and smudges may be removed by sanding the surface. If that isn’t enough and you still need to paint inside in February, add one tablespoon of clear vanilla essence to the paint can and stir it up. This will make the paint smell less offensive. If you are having difficulties removing painter’s tape from furniture or walls, try heating it for a few seconds with a hair dryer.
Put your trust in the experts: A professional painter will charge several hundred dollars to paint a space that is 12 feet square. If you hire a painter toward the end of winter instead of spring, you may be eligible for a discount because spring is the busiest time of year for painters. That means the present!
Renovate the space designated for doing laundry.
Your task is to thoroughly clean and reorganize your laundry room in order to make it appear larger and more functional. To ensure that your children’s safety is not compromised, you should remove any dried-on laundry detergent from the ridges of your washing machine, replace any sorting bins that have been damaged, away any laundry products that you have never used, and put any remaining laundry supplies in a location that is out of the reach of children.
Avoid unnecessary steps by maximizing the use of the available space in the laundry room. If you do not have enough space for a drying rack, you can hang delicate items from a curtain rod that is extended over your machines. You can also place a “slim cart” in the space between your washer and dryer to store cleaning goods. You may free up additional space in your laundry room by hanging laundry bags, containers, and buckets from the wall.
Cleaning dryer vents the task at hand is to clean the duct that runs from the back of the dryer to the outside vents. Lint and other debris can reduce the effectiveness of your dryer, which can lead to higher energy costs and even fires if you don’t remove them regularly. In addition to this, check to see if birds or other animals have not created a home of the warm and cosy vent in your home.
Shortcuts: Twice a year, clean the ducts with a leaf blower to get rid of the lint and dirt that has accumulated there. Also, use a screen with a fine mesh to cover the outside vents to prevent insects and birds from nesting in the ducts.
The refrigerator condenser coils can be found either in the back or on the bottom of the appliance. To ensure that your refrigerator remains in peak operating condition and to cut down on your energy use, clean these coils.
To save time, simply use a vacuum to clean the coils (just make sure to pop on the upholstery attachment first). When you’re at it, you might as well vacuum the floor beneath and behind the refrigerator as well. After that, clean the remaining dust, hair, and filth that is sticking to the coils by inserting a duster or refrigerator coil brush (which costs around $5 and is intended specifically for this purpose) between the coils and scrubbing them.
Make sure your sump pump is clean.
In February, you are tasked with cleaning out the sump pump pit and ensuring that the sump pump is operational in order to get ready for the rise in groundwater that will be caused by the spring rains.
Shortcuts: Test the pump by pouring water to the pit, and make that the pump ejects the water in the manner. After ensuring that the pump is functioning properly, he reminds us to put the lid back on the pit. Additionally, check to see that nothing is blocking the line that leads water out from your home and is connected to the sump pump.
Turn over your mattress and vacuum the box springs as well as the top and bottom of the mattress. You should turn or rotate the mattress.
If you have a mattress that is just padded on one side and not the other, you don’t need to bother turning it; simply rotate it to ensure that it ages evenly. This will save you time. If you have a mattress that can be flipped over, you should do so every two months to prevent sagging.
Look for leaks
Task: Inspect your roof for missing shingles and broken vent boots, and examine your foundations for cracks that could result in significant issues if heavy spring rains were to fall on your house.
Shortcut: If you want to check for leaks in your roof, wait for it to rain first, and then go up into the attic.
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