Spring is here and along with it comes spring cleaning! Maintaining your new De Young home is essential to help ensure it remains in great condition. Here are some quick and easy tips for keeping your home in shape this spring.

• Clean Drainage Basins: Keeping your drainage basins clean is easy! Simply remove the drain caps, insert a hose into the pipe, and flush out any debris that may have accumulated during winter. Once you are done, reinstall the drain cap. If you are unsure of the location of the drainage basins in your De Young home, please contact our Customer Experience Department for assistance.

• Wash windows and screens: Clean your screens and wash your windows to make your home sparkling clean. This is also a good time to lubricate tracks of sliding doors.

• Remove trapped rain gutter debris: It is important to take proper care of rain gutters and downspouts. After our wet winter in the Central Valley, you might have accumulated debris of all shapes and sizes in your gutters and downspouts which can cause drainage issues. This spring season take the time and make sure everything is in good shape to protect your house form the next rainy season.

• Check and Change HVAC System Filters: Checking your filters each month is an easy way to avoid expensive repairs later on. Plan to go around the house checking these filters at the same time each month; you can even build it into your regular monthly chores. Be sure to clean or replace filters and all registers when they get dirty. It is also important to inspect the air conditioner upper condensate line, as leaking indicates a clog in the lower line.
  

In the midst of spring cleaning, it is also a good time for annual and bi-annual maintenance items. Remember: Only do what you are comfortable with, some items are best left to the professionals!

• Service Your HVAC System: It is recommended to schedule professional HVAC system servicing every six months after the first year. Clean systems are more energy-efficient and you can stay ahead of potential issues by regularly servicing these systems. Generally, it is recommended that HVAC systems are serviced in the fall for your heating system and spring for your cooling system.

• Garage Door Maintenance: Lubricate the track of your garage door so that the operation of the overhead door runs smoothly. Contact our Customer Experience Department for recommended products to perform this task on your De Young home.

• Replace Batteries in Your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors: There is nothing more important than your family’s safety. Regularly check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they are in working order. Once a year, replace all the batteries in those detectors. Plan to do this every year on the same day, like an anniversary, daylight savings, or a holiday.

• Flush Out Courtyard Drains: If you live in a home with a courtyard, you will need to flush out your courtyard drain at least once a year to ensure that water does not pool up.
  
  

Finally, make sure to take advantage of the great outdoors this spring!

• The First Barbeque of the Season: As the weather warms up, it is time to start grilling! Before hosting a backyard BBQ, make sure your grill is in working condition. Examine your grill to check for gas leaks, rusted grates, or empty propane bottles.

• Make Your Backyard Bloom for Spring: Adjust sprinkler times as needed due to seasonal weather changes.

We hope you have a fun spring enjoying the gorgeous weather and making unforgettable memories!

We recommend that homeowners continue to monitor their homes throughout the year to ensure their home serves them well into the future. The first priority of De Young Properties is our commitment to our homeowners. We take homebuilding very seriously by supporting our customers and standing behind our homes before, during and after the sale to ensure homeowner satisfaction. Please click here for warranty and customer care information.