Although diving into decorating might seem more exciting, performing a seasonal maintenance inspection on your home is much more important. Here are some essential tasks to add to your checklist:

I’ve created a list of items for you to do around the home in the Spring.

• Air conditioner: Remove the winter cover and clear debris from the coils. Make sure it’s ready for summer by turning it on for a bit.

• Air filters: Clean or replace air filters in your HRV (if you have one), furnace and hood fan. This should be done monthly, or as needed.

• Alarms: If you didn’t test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors when the clocks sprang forward, do so now. Replace batteries if they have them.

• Eavestroughs: Clean out any debris. Check that joints are secure and water flows at least one meter away from the foundation.

• Electric fixtures: Check exterior fixtures such as lights and satellite dishes to make sure they haven’t come loose.

• Fireplace: If necessary, turn off the pilot light for a gas fireplace and clean the glazing. Be sure to follow instructions in your manual.

• Garage doors: Lubricate the door track, rollers, hinges and weather-stripping. Tighten any loose bolts.

• Grass: By late April, apply lawn seed to bare patches, along with spring fertilizer.

• Hose bibs: Know your plumbing. When the risk of freezing has passed, open the water valves for outside hose bibs. Check the inside pipes for any signs of problems. Open the water valve for exterior water flow.

• Plantings: Fertilize young trees and begin spring landscape maintenance. Remove protective shrouds from delicate plants and shrubs.

• Shingles and roofing: Check for winter damage and repair as needed.

• Sump pump: If you have one, make sure it’s ready to run and the discharge pipe is connected and directs water away from the foundation.

• Wall vents: Make sure outdoor air vents (exhausts, intakes, dryer, HRV, furnace) are not blocked by debris or vegetation.

• Window wells: Clean out any debris.

• Windows: Clean your windows, screens and hardware and reinstall screens if they were taken down for winter.