After a long winter, spring cleaning and maintenance can start taking place. It is important to make sure that your house is prepared for the heat, humidity and life in the warmer months. Here are some maintenance tips to do when spring starts, so that you can keep your home in good shape.

Change Filters if Necessary

Dirty filters can cause clogs and unclean air or water to infiltrate your home. That's why the spring is a great time to go through your house and check your filters. Look at your air conditioning system, refrigerator and sink faucets to gauge the condition of the filters and change them if necessary. You may wish to take the old filters with you to the hardware store so that you can be sure you are buying the right kind of replacement filters for your home.

Look for Signs of Rot

Everyone expects a lot of rain in the spring, and that can affect your window and door frames. Examine every frame for signs of rotting wood, so that you can take care of that problem before spring rains make the problem worse.

How do you know if there is rotting on your window or door frame? You'll see signs of cracking and crumbling. When you press the wood with a screwdriver, it will feel spongy instead of hard. Rotting wood is also likely to appear a little darker than healthy wood that surrounds it. If you have rotting frames, you'll need to cut out the rotted bit or replace the entire frame with new lumber from a hardware store like DaCorta Bros. Inc.

Inspect Seals on Doors and Windows

Even if you have already caulked and sealed off your windows and doors to prepare for winter, in the springtime it's a necessity to check those seals again. Winter can cause weather seals to crack, and you may need to reapply seals to make sure that any cool, air conditioned air in your home will not be escaping and causing your utility costs to rise. By checking those seals again, you might also prevent water leaks.

Check and Clean Your Gutters

Over the winter, snow may have weighed down your gutters before melting, which may have caused the gutters to bend or become unattached. Therefore, it's a good idea to do a quick inspection to make sure that the gutters are attached to the roof properly. Then, be sure that the gutters have been cleared of dead leaves and twigs.

Getting your home in good shape for the warmer months is easy if you use the tips in this article. Head to your hardware store for tools and more ideas about what additional maintenance tasks you can do.