Are you and your family in the spring-cleaning mood? You’ve probably already started on clearing out your closets and decluttering your rooms, but what about the lesser-thought-of chores, like cleaning out your gutters and checking for any damage? If you want to keep your home in good shape and prevent any future insurance claims, take a look at these 6 spring cleaning tips.

• Check your HVAC

After a winter where you probably used your home’s heater pretty consistently, it’s important to check and change your HVAC filters to prevent a build-up of dust. Not properly maintaining a clean HVAC can result in physical illnesses, a higher energy bill, and a shortened life-span of the entire appliance. Make sure this is one of the first spring-cleaning chores on your list to help keep a healthy home and a happy family.

• Repair your driveway

Cracked sidewalks and driveways, broken bricks and stones, or holes in your yard can be a tripping hazard that could potentially cause injury to you, your family, or your guests. To avoid paying out-of-pocket for someone else’s medical bills, keep an eye out for any tripping hazards. Similarly, watch out for any loose nails or screws on your deck that could have been exposed by rotting wood. It’s easy to forget to look at the floor, but doing so could protect your loved ones from some painful injuries!

• Watch out for the windows

If an earthquake or other weather-related event hit your home in the past, it’s possible that your windows and doors were harmed in the process. Double check the caulking and seams around your windows and doors for any cracks. If cracks are present, moisture could be entering your home and causing damage to your walls, ceilings, floors, and appliances. This damage could show up in the form of insurance claims and home repair bills, so catching it early is essential.

• Replace the batteries in your smoke & carbon monoxide detectors

Every 6 months or so, mark your calendars to check the batteries in your home’s smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. While these likely go unnoticed during the year, it can be incredibly damaging to your home if they are not functioning properly in times of need. Instead of being oblivious when real damage is being caused to your home, make a point to switch out these batteries every spring and fall and help protect your family from danger.

• Clear out your gutters

While we may not have traditional falls and winters in Orange County, our home’s gutters are still susceptible to becoming clogged with leaves and other debris collected throughout the year. If clogged, even the few showers of rain we receive in Southern California can back up your gutters, causing overflows and potential water damage to your home’s roof. Clean these out at least every spring, if not more, to help prevent making any insurance claims on a damaged roof!

6. Keep an eye out on your home’s roof and walls

Similarly, any number of things can occur and cause potential water damage to your home’s exterior. If you notice water stains on your walls and ceilings or see any sagging spots on your roof, it’s likely your home has water damage and needs repairing immediately. Also keep an eye out for missing shingles, holes in the siding, or signs of damage caused by critters.

If you’re hoping to avoid paying a high repair bill or filing an insurance claim for damages, keep these 6 chores in mind when making your spring-cleaning to-do lists, and click here to receive a quote on our homeowner’s insurance policies. If you do happen to notice any damage on your home incurred over the last few seasons, give our team at Partners Direct a call and we’ll be happy to assist you with any insurance issues you have.