As the snow melts away and the days start to get longer, spring cleaning often becomes a task that enters an individual’s mind — whether it’s as a joyous opportunity to start fresh and clean up or a begrudging but necessary task depends on the person.

Spring cleaning can take on many different looks, and home maintenance and touch up are tasks that can fall under that umbrella.

Keeping on top of maintenance tasks in the home can allow homeowners to stay ahead and not get overwhelmed if a bigger problem arises that could have been prevented.

Amy Wellens, chief operating office for Wellens General Contractor in Enterprise, offered some tips for homeowners of items to look out for around the house as the calendar moves from winter to spring.

Remove winter exterior foundation vent covers. “They’re generally a styrofoam, the reason for that is it lets cool air in your foundation,” Wellens said. “When you change that out and take those off, you want air flow in there.”

Charge in-ground sprinkler lines. This is done, Wellens said, in order to check for any pipes that could have frozen during the winter chill. Wellens added that Dale Worden, of Hurricane Creek Landscape, is a good Wallowa County source for homeowners who want a hand with this project.

Remove snow piles on your property. “This will prevent any water damage to siding and trims.”

Check gutters for debris buildup.

Clean window sills and replace screens. “I take mine out before winter and then clean them and replace them come spring,” Wellens said. “It extends the life of your screen.”

Change central heating unit air filters.

Replace some alarm batteries. “Take an approach “kind of like ‘It’s daylight savings, change your battery,'” she said.

Clean your chimney if you have one or hire a chimney sweep to remove soot build-up.

“Do your pet and neighbors a solid and pick up any dog doo doo that may have been covered in snow for months,” she said.

In addition to these tasks, Wellens noted a few wear-and-tear items homeowners should keep an eye out for on an annual basis.

“Some of the wear and tear that first comes to mind, of course is your roof. It’s so hard on your house. Check for leaks. We all have that ice damage. That is what happened in 2017,” she said, referencing the hard winter a few years ago that caused many people to have significant damage. “Checking for water damage from ice build up.”

Doors and driveways also should be examined.

“(Look at the) entrance and exit to your house — like a swollen door,” she said. “Check those things.”

Long-term damage from de-icing agents should be checked on sidewalks or pavement.

“After throwing down their deicer, it will tear up your concrete.”

There are a couple other items homeowners should keep an eye out for, but less consistently.

“The wear and tear of caulking, painting, (and) external protection,” she said, calling these items to check on a biannual basis.