Home maintenance tips for spring

(NC)—Warm weather and an inevitable build-up of rain and melting snow make spring a particularly important time to perform a series of home maintenance checks. Maintenance is an essential part of being a home owner, ensuring the internal environment of your house stays healthy. It's also a necessary part of maintaining your new home warranty if you live in a house or condominium that is less than seven years old.

All new homes in Ontario come with a warranty that lasts seven years from the date of the first possession. This warranty is guaranteed by Tarion Warranty Corporation. It protects you from things like water penetration through the basement or foundation walls, defects in the electrical, plumbing and heating systems and major structural damage. Here are a few tips to make sure your home stays in good shape and stays covered by warranty:

• Regularly clear eavestroughs and gutters of debris. Leaves and sticks that accumulate through fall and winter can cause blockages.

• Be sure to extend downspouts so that water is directed away from your home. Melting snow and rain can accumulate quickly and water that flows around the foundation could eventually find its way into the basement.

• Fix the caulking and weather stripping around windows and doors and on the roof if it becomes cracked or separated.

• Remove the winter cover from your air conditioner and following the manufacturer's instructions, inspect, vacuum, brush outdoor coils and wash or clean the filter. Service as needed.

• Investigate and identify any musty smells and odours. They are often an indicator that there is a hidden moisture problem.

• Clean or replace your furnace filter.

• Check air ducts, remove covers and vacuum dust from vents.

• Have your roof inspected regularly to ensure shingles, flashing and chimney caps are in place and sealed properly.

• If you have a sump pump, check the float and discharge line and test the overall operation.

More information about your home's warranty is available online at www.tarion.com.

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