Spring Home Maintenance for Arizona Homes

The climate in Arizona is different from most of the rest of the country. While spring home maintenance in most parts of the country might include cleaning gutters of leaves or other debris, or lawn fertilization and mower prep, in Arizona, they don’t have a lot of grass to maintain or leaves clogging gutters. While some home maintenance tasks in Arizona are similar to other parts of the country, Arizona homeowners have unique situations to guard against as well. Here’s what spring home maintenance does look like in Arizona.

• Keeping Scorpions and Roof Rats Out
• Monsoons that Can Lead to Flooding
• Protection from Desert Heat

Keeping Critters Out
Arizona has around 40+ species of scorpion, but the one that can make you sick (the bark scorpion). Unfortunately, that’s the one that can easily slip in to your house. All they need is a gap as thin as a credit card. To help keep them out:

• Seal cracks in walls, foundation and baseboards with caulk.
• Remove piles of yard clippings or stacks of firewood where they might hide.
• Install door seals at the bottom of doors.

To keep roof rats out:

• Trim tree limbs and palm fronds back so they aren’t close to your house.
• Remove any water sources like leaks in sprinkler systems or condensation from your air conditioner.
• Remove their food supply by harvesting fruit from fruit trees and making sure they can’t access pet food dishes and bird feeders.
• Remove wood and brush piles from your yard.
• Seal off entry points.
• Set traps.

Rain in the Desert?
Yes—in the form of monsoons. They don’t last long when they happen, but since the soil doesn’t absorb water very well, flooding can easily occur. Typical homeowners policies don’t cover flooding, but flood insurance is available. Find out if your home is in a flood zone and check into it.

• Monsoons can also cause leaks if proper home maintenance hasn’t been performed. This includes:
• Caulking around doors, windows, trim and stucco cracks.
• Have your roof inspected annually.

Hot Stuff
Although Arizona can experience a variety of climates, desert heat is predominant—especially on the west side of your house. You can plant trees on that side of the house to provide shade, but be careful not to plant them too close so scorpions can’t get in. Other things you can do include:

• Installing sunshades
• Getting your air conditioner condensation lines cleaned every five years to prevent leaks.
• Inspecting weather stripping around doors and windows and make necessary repairs.

Arizonans are lucky to live in a place that’s relatively disaster-free, but these few home maintenance chores can help ensure a smoother spring and summer.