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Even though cold temperatures and snow may still be in the forecast, it is officially Spring and I for one couldn't be happier. My hope is you survived all of the snow and sub-zero temperatures and may be headed to a warmer part of the country soon.
Here are some things to consider for your home Spring checklist:
1. Make sure that you have a rider on your homeowner's insurance policy for sump pump failure. If you're not sure whether or not you have this coverage, call your insurance agent and find out.
2. How old is your sump pump? If it is more than 5 years old, consider replacing this unless you have a battery back-up system. With a back-up system, one option is to run the primary pump until it dies to get the most bang for your buck. Not my recommendation, but there is some logic to this.
3. If you have a lead/acid battery for your sump pump battery back-up system, checking the water level annually and adding distilled water as needed will give you the most life out of the battery.
4. Flush your water heater only if this is something that you have been doing before, even if you have a water softener. If you have never flushed your water heater, trying to do so after several years of use could do more harm than good.
5. Even with the garden hoses disconnected over the winter, I have seen hose bibbs freeze and split and either flood the house or the crawlspace. When you first turn on your hose bibb, make sure that someone is inside to listen and ensure that the house is not flooding.
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