Everybody's heard of spring cleaning. How about combining it with a spring maintenance check? You can make it a time for taking care of all the little chores that you'd been putting off all winter. Use joint compound to fill in any dings in the walls or doors. Then apply a bit of touch-up paint to make them look as good as new. Most hardware stores carry touch-up sticks that are a lot like crayons for disguising scratches in wood cabinets or paneling. Examine the caulk (cawk) around doors, windows, and bathroom fixtures. If you find gaps, fill them in. Dry, cracked caulk should be scraped out before new caulk is applied. Don't forget the floors. Damaged vinyl or ceramic tiles can let moisture penetrate to the subflooring and cause severe damage. They're easy to replace. If you have a basement, examine the walls for cracks. Water seeping in can be hazardous to your home's foundation. Perform an electrical check, as well. Inspect cords and plugs for wear and make sure switches and wall plates are securely in place. When you're done, this might be a good time to replace the battery in your smoke detector.
