Melbourne is renowned for our biting winters, with the CBD often being cloaked in a low fog on cold winter mornings. But despite how chilly our Melbourne winters can be, anybody who’s called this city home for a good chunk of time knows that the storms don’t stop at the end of August.
In fact, springtime in Melbourne can actually be wetter a lot of the time than our winter season. With this in mind, Melbourne homeowners really do have to stay on top of their cold weather home maintenance – just to make sure that excess moisture doesn’t wreak havoc to their ceiling and roof, and anywhere else the cold and damp can seep through.
And with winter quickly approaching, now is the perfect time to also sort out your pre-spring home maintenance checklist. This article will outline the five most important tasks to complete before the perpetual spring rains begin.
1. Electrical Wiring
If you’ve recently gotten your property’s heating unit inspected in the lead-up to winter, consider this your sign to also get your Melbourne electrician to check out your property’s wider electrical system while they’re at it. A proper inspection of your home’s electrical system should include a physical inspection of your wiring and connections, your fuse box (the first thing to go in a spring electrical storm), assessment of wiring insulation and checking for electrical leakage, and cleaning of system components wherever required.
With increased electrical use expected in spring due to more time spent at home with rainy day activities, there is a higher risk of overloaded wiring that can overheat and become a fire hazard. A proper inspection of wiring should be completed to check for damage such as fraying, kinking or discolouration of cords and wires. And once again, it will be best to have a qualified electrician perform a thorough inspection.
It’s also recommended that you have your smoke alarms inspected at least once every twelve months, and to check your carbon monoxide detectors regularly as well – just to make sure they’re not in need of any new batteries. While completing other electrical check-ups this would be a good thing to get out of the way at the same time.
2. Roof & Gutter (Re)-Maintenance
We added roof and gutter maintenance to our list of things to do before the winter weather kicks in in Melbourne, but this particular task is a vital component of both your winter and spring preparation. After all, a lot of debris can gather on your roof and in your gutter over the course of winter – especially if you’re living in South Melbourne and are contending with the suburb’s harsh winds and torrential rain.
So to prevent possible leaks before spring, check for loose or damaged tiles that may have been damaged during harsh winter weather. And if you’ve had any deciduous trees lose leaves over winter, then be sure to check for overhanging branches that could scrape or damage roof tiles in strong winds. These should be trimmed to ensure the security of your home from the elements throughout tumultuous spring weather.
Your gutters should also be inspected both before winter as well as spring – just to ensure they will be ready to handle increased rainfall. Clogged gutters can overflow and damage the roof or foundation, so it’s extremely important that you clean gutters of leaves and debris to ensure proper drainage of rainwater. You can do this yourself by simply using a ladder to climb up to gutters and dispose of leaves in the green waste bin. However, if you don’t have the time to do this or are physically unable to do this, hiring a gutter cleaner will be the best option.
3. Garden Maintenance
While you’re cleaning out your gutters and your roof, you’ll probably find yourself knocking a bunch of debris down into your garden. So naturally, the next step is to pick up all this decaying plant matter to make sure the spring rain doesn’t turn all this mush into finicky mats that end up suffocating your ground cover or upsetting the nutrient balance in your garden beds. This little bit of outdoor spring cleaning is also vital for any greenthumbs who’ve planted bulbs during the colder months and are currently waiting for some hard-earned spring blooms to start springing up in their garden space.
This is also the perfect time to start pruning any trees that may have become overgrown during the winter months. The transitional period between winter and spring is also an ideal timeframe for trimming fruit trees to trigger great spring growth and an improved harvest. Doing a big trim right before spring and then smaller trims when required throughout the spring season can also greatly improve the efficacy of netting your fruit trees during the summer months. Manicured fruit trees means that nets go on easy, meaning less snags and less chances of holes or gaps for pesky birds and other pets to worm their way through.
4. Clean Air Vents
If you’ve been running your heating unit all throughout the winter month, then chances are high that your home’s ventilation system has filled with a good amount of dust or even moisture. Having this residue in your ventilation can greatly impact your home’s interior air quality, which can in turn exacerbate hay fever symptoms and other allergies, alongside potentially increasing the likelihood of your home developing mould.
So don’t delay in getting your vents professionally serviced. All you have to do is enlist the assistance of qualified HVAC specialists. In just an afternoon, you can ensure that your home’s heating and air conditioning vents are ready for both the coming spring rain and the warm transition as summer rolls back around again.
Be sure to also factor in the costs of these professional services to your annual home maintenance budget. Yes, Melbourne homeowners do need to enlist a lot of experts when it comes to keeping their home in tip-top shape from season to season, but bearing these costs of homeownership can naturally help you save thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars in avoidable home repairs. Remember – it’s always better to be proactive rather than reactive!
5. Decluttering
Finally, the concept of spring cleaning exists for a reason. Melbourne winters typically see us holed up in our homes for days on end. The reduced daylight hours coupled with extreme morning and evening chill leaves us with a very limited window of time for getting our daily dose of vitamin D.
As a result, our homes can look like a bit of sty once the fog lifts and we really get a chance to look around. So if you’re feeling like your home’s gotten a bit stuffy as you emerge from the winter gloom, then try opening some windows to let the warmer air in, grab some big rubbish bags, and start decluttering to freshen up your interiors.
This little maintenance task is guaranteed to revitalise not only your home but also your own mental wellbeing, as you shake off the winter greys and embrace the coming sun.
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Once you’ve completed all your home maintenance tasks, sit back and relax as you can rest easy. You’ve nipped many problems in the bud before they’ve even occurred, ensuring that you can continue to live comfortably throughout Melbourne’s changeable spring months.
