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Money-Saving Tips from the Pros

Fresh rains in the early spring are symbolic of the season itself, offering a revitalizing cleansing of the outdoors. The warming weather also offers a reminder to homeowners that now is the ideal time to do a bit of spring cleaning. 

After all, a bit of due diligence by homeowners not only freshens their living quarters, it also helps them save money and avoid more costly repairs down the road.

"Making a list of items to check around the home this season - and then actually following through with the tasks - can help reduce home maintenance and utility costs," says Angie Hicks, founder of Angie's List, the nation's leading provider of consumer ratings on local service providers.

It's important that homeowners schedule needed services as quickly as possible to avoid a backlog of busy service providers.

Angie's List went to its highly rated service providers to come up with a list sure to help those homeowners who don't know what to check and when, as well as those devoted annually to giving their homes a good once-over.

General Spring Cleaning

• Experts recommend a professional carpet cleaning every 12 to 18 months - but this can vary depending on how many people live in your home, and if you have children or pets. A dirty carpet contains soil and other debris that will wear your carpet's fibers. Schedule an appointment with carpet cleaners now to cut down on your wait time.
• Check your gutters. Professionals recommend gutter cleaning in the spring and the fall. Clogged gutters can lead to water damage in your home.
• Use a garden hose on your siding and deck to remove the film left by dirty snow and rain. Attach a soft-bristled, long-handled car brush to the hose for some extra help. Use a mild cleanser to get those tough-to-clean spots.
• Remove wet leaves and debris from your deck, front porch and around your house. Allowing the debris to accumulate can trap water, lead to staining or mold build-up, as well as create an ideal environment for termites.

Home Maintenance

• Snow, ice and wind can wreak havoc on your home, so be sure to go over the structures in early spring. Finding damage early will increase your chances of getting an early repair, as many home improvement companies begin their busy season this time of year.
• Scrutinize your crawl space for water accumulation or excessive moisture, and keep an eye out for water damage on the sub-floor and joists beneath the kitchen, bathroom and laundry areas.
• Give your roof a "once-over" for damage inflicted during the winter. Depending on the style and pitch of your roof, you may want to use a ladder and a pair of binoculars to look for missing or broken shingles and other damage. If you don't feel comfortable on a ladder, call a professional before the busy season begins.
• Check the weather stripping around doors and windows. The winter season may have caused some damage. Also, remove any storm windows and replace with screens.
• Check the valve where water enters your house, outdoor faucets and valves to toilets, bathroom and kitchen sinks. Turn each off and on several times to identify any leaks.

Outdoor Maintenance

• Talk with your landscaper or local garden center about the best way to enrich your soil for the types of plants in your yard. Proper fertilization can keep your soil and your plants in great shape throughout the year.
• Bring in your mower for service in early spring. This will help avoid breakdowns and extend the life cycle. It also helps you beat the rush so your mower is in tip-top shape when you need it. Warning signs that your mower needs maintenance can include difficulty in starting, a smoking engine, and reduced horsepower. A service appointment should include a check of the oil, blade, spark plugs, filter, battery and belts. Always ask for an estimate and guarantee on the work. Be sure to sharpen the blade at least once a year. Cutting grass with a sharpened blade is important for lawn health, promoting better grass health.
• If you've postponed tool care, now is a good time to get in the garage and take a closer look at your garden equipment. Garden service companies will get busy in the next couple of months, so make an appointment now to have those tools cleaned and sharpened.
• Spring is a good time to examine your asphalt driveway's surface for damage. Water that seeps into your driveway can freeze, causing cracks and other damage. Regular resealing is the best way to protect the surface and keep it in good shape. If you're planning to hire a professional to seal the driveway, summer is peak time of year, so call now to get on their schedule.

Appliance Maintenance

• Regular maintenance on major home appliances can help to ensure their efficiency and lifespan.
• Get your air conditioner serviced. Technicians can test your air conditioner as long as the temperature is above 60 degrees. Call now to get on their schedule before the first warm days of spring.
• Clean and lubricate hinges, rollers and tracks on garage doors with a greaseless lubricant. Avoid using petroleum-based lubricants. Lack of lubrication puts additional strain on the garage door. Don't attempt to service the opener mechanism yourself. Your garage door opener can be one of the most dangerous appliances around your house. Contact a professional for assistance.
• Get your water heater serviced. Maintained properly, water heaters will last for years and deliver gallon after gallon of hot water. Left alone, they'll quickly lose efficiency, sucking dollars out of your wallet with every degree of heat.
• Spring rains can be heavy, so if you have a sump pump be sure it works properly. To test, fill the sump pit with water and go outside to make sure the pump is actually discharging water. You can also eliminate any build-up in the system by pouring white vinegar through the unit.

Angie Hicks is the founder of Angie's List, a website where thousands of consumers share their ratings and reviews on local contractors and companies in more than 425 different categories. Currently, more than 750,000 consumers across the U.S. rely on Angie's List to help them find the right contractor or company for the job they need done. Members have unlimited access to the list via Internet or phone; receive the award-winning Angie's List magazine, which includes articles on home improvement and maintenance, consumer trends and scam alerts; and they can utilize the Angie's List complaint resolution service.

It's a strange time to be a homeowner. You've managed to hold on to your house during these tough economic times, but figuring out what to do next may be the trickiest part of all. If selling isn't part of the plan, could this be the right time to make some improvements to your home? Yes, but with one condition. The improvements will have to make sense.

The Nuts and Bolts of It All
Making improvements to your home is never a quick and easy decision. Given today's economic climate, the decision becomes even more difficult. With so many aspects to consider, let's simplify things and concentrate on two - cost and the potential for adding value to your home.

Affordability is always relative to the individual. What one person can comfortably pay for may break the budget of another. For this reason let's concentrate on improvements that are fairly low in cost.

In addition, I thought it was necessary for the improvement to have a positive effect on your home's overall cachet. By concentrating on certain types of upgrades you'll not only create a more comfortable living space for yourself, but you'll make it more sellable if and when the time arises.

The Front Door
Repainting or replacing the front door will dramatically improve the exterior appearance of your home. It will enhance an area that everyone sees, no matter if they're driving by or walking up. Upgrading the hardware on the door is also a nice touch.

Plant the Seed
Foliage on the outside of the home carries many benefits. Among them are the addition of color and vitality to the landscaping. If the weather in your area isn't conducive for gardening at the present time, concentrate instead on acquiring potted plants for your porch or walkway. As the weather warms up, think about potential projects for the front and back yards.

Paint the Walls
The weather may not be right for painting the exterior of your home, but it's a fine time for painting the inside. Just remember that you don't have to paint every single room. Prioritize and proceed according to your budget and schedule. Think about sticking to lighter, more standardized colors. These types of colors will not only brighten the space, they'll make it look bigger.

Lighting is Everything
The ambience inside the home, especially at night, is highly dependant on lighting. Great looking lighting fixtures are a plus, but they can be expensive and don't always translate into putting out optimal light. The installation of dimmer switches is far less expensive and it allows for tremendous flexibility when it comes to lighting for mood.

Fix the Fixtures
While upgrading bathrooms is a sound investment in terms of increasing your home's value, a remodel may not be part of this year's budget. That said, don't ignore your bathrooms altogether. Fixtures such as faucets, towel racks, lights and showerheads have the ability to spruce up both the look and functionality. Throw in newly painted walls and some decorative accents and your bathroom will feel brand new.

Fawn Over Your Flooring
New flooring is major "bang for your buck" when it comes to increasing a home's value. But, once again, is there money in the budget to do it? If the answer is no, opt instead for having your carpets and hardwood floors professionally cleaned by a quality and reputable company, preferably one that's been referred by either a mortgage or real estate professional.

No Cottage Cheese
Since acoustic ceilings are no longer en vogue, removing them is a great way to improve the look of your home. You can do this project yourself, but beware. It is not only a messy endeavor, but some acoustic ceilings contain asbestos. We suggest hiring a qualified and recommended painter to do the job for you. If budget is an issue, you can always do one or two rooms at a time, as opposed to the whole house.

Windows to the World
Windows are your portals to the outside world, so it makes a lot of sense to give them a facelift. New windows not only improve your view from inside, they may just save you some money on your energy bill. While you're at it, you may also want to consider adding interior trim to your new windows, or replacing any outdated window treatments. You may be a bit surprised at how affordable these types of improvements have become. Once again, however, you can do this project one room at a time.

Rearrange for Change
One of the least expensive upgrades is a simple rearranging of your furniture and decor. It costs nothing and it might actually result in either selling or donating items you no longer like or want. Proceeds can be put toward the purchase of new items. If you need help in rearranging your home's interior, Check out the book, Decorating for Good: A Step-by-Step Guide to Rearranging What You Already Own, by Carole Talbott.

Don't Forget the Garage
The garage is a part of the home that is often neglected. If this sounds familiar, you may want to think about organizing the interior. Any items that are no longer in use can be sold in a true "garage sale". These proceeds can go toward either repainting or replacing the garage door. Don't laugh. It's an inexpensive yet effective way to spruce up your garage's exterior.

Hopefully you found these suggestions useful. Even more useful is the idea that improving and updating your home does not have to be an expensive proposition. Good luck in creating the brightest and most comfortable space possible.