Spring Home Maintenance Checklist for Toronto Homeowners

Toronto winters are brutal on homes. Six months of freeze-thaw cycles, road salt, ice, snow load, and zero maintenance access. By April, your home has been through a war. This checklist covers everything you need to do — in order of priority — to prevent damage, restore curb appeal, and get your home ready for the season.

Some tasks are DIY. Some you should hire out. We'll tell you which is which.

Exterior — Do These First (April)

• 1
  Clean gutters and flush downspouts. Winter debris, fall leaves that blew in, spring catkins — it all packs in tight. Clogged gutters cause fascia rot, foundation water intrusion, and basement leaks. Do this before the first heavy spring rain. Hire out recommended — ladder work on 2-3 storey homes is the #1 cause of homeowner injuries.
• 2
  Inspect roof from ground level. Walk around your home with binoculars. Look for missing or lifted shingles, cracked flashing around chimneys and vents, ice dam damage (peeling paint or staining under eaves), and sagging sections. Call a roofer if you see anything. Don't go up there yourself.
• 3
  Check foundation for cracks. Walk the perimeter of your home. New cracks wider than 1/4 inch, horizontal cracks, or stair-step cracks in brick need professional assessment. Hairline cracks from settling are normal. Hydraulic cement or epoxy injection seals minor cracks before spring rain.
• 4
  Grade soil away from foundation. Soil settles over winter. If the grade slopes toward your foundation, water pools against it. Top up with fresh soil so the ground slopes away from the house — 1 inch per foot for the first 6 feet.
• 5
  Clean windows inside and out. Winter grime, salt spray, construction dust — Toronto windows take a beating. Clean windows aren't just cosmetic; they protect glass coatings, reveal seal failures, and let more natural light in (cutting energy costs). Hire out for 2+ storey homes — see our spring window cleaning guide.
• 6
  Pressure wash driveway, walkways, and patio. Salt stains, oil drips, moss, algae, and leaf tannin all build up over winter. Pressure washing removes everything and prevents permanent surface staining. Interlock and natural stone need lower PSI — don't DIY if you're not sure. See pressure washing pricing.
• 7
  Inspect and repair caulking. Check caulking around windows, doors, dryer vents, plumbing penetrations, and where siding meets trim. Winter freeze-thaw cracks caulk joints. Re-caulk anything that's cracked, peeling, or missing. Use polyurethane caulk for exteriors — silicone for wet areas.
• 8
  Touch up exterior paint and stain. Look for peeling, bubbling, or flaking paint. Touch up before moisture gets behind it and causes wood rot. Spring is the ideal time — temperatures are moderate and humidity is low.

Systems — April/May

• 9
  Service your A/C before you need it. Book HVAC maintenance in April when contractors aren't swamped. Change filters, clean condenser coils, check refrigerant, test the system. Don't wait until the first 30°C day in June when everyone else is calling.
• 10
  Turn on and test outdoor faucets. Slowly turn on each outdoor hose bib. Watch for leaks at the spigot and check inside the house for dripping in the first few minutes. Frozen pipes crack over winter and you won't know until you turn the water on.
• 11
  Test sump pump. Pour a bucket of water into the sump pit. The pump should kick on, empty the pit, and shut off. If it doesn't, fix it before the spring thaw overwhelms your basement. Install a battery backup if you don't have one.
• 12
  Check smoke and CO detectors. Replace batteries (or test built-in batteries). Test each unit. Replace any detector older than 10 years (smoke) or 7 years (CO). Ontario Fire Code requires working detectors on every floor.
• 13
  Inspect hot water tank. Check for rust, leaks, and bulging at the bottom. Tanks older than 10 years should be on your replacement list. A tank that fails catastrophically floods your basement in minutes.

Yard and Landscaping — May

• 14
  Rake and dethatch lawn. Clear winter debris and matted grass. Dethatching lets air, water, and nutrients reach roots. Don't walk on soggy lawn — wait until it firms up in mid-April.
• 15
  Inspect trees and branches. Look for dead branches, cracked limbs, and storm-damaged trees. Anything hanging over your roof, driveway, or power lines should be assessed by a certified arborist. Dead branches don't announce when they'll fall.
• 16
  Clean and repair deck or patio. Sweep debris, check for loose boards, popped nails, and rot. Pressure wash to remove winter grime. Stain or seal wood decks every 2-3 years — spring is the ideal time.
• 17
  Check fence condition. Walk your fence line. Look for leaning posts, loose boards, broken gates, and rot at ground level. Winter frost heave shifts fence posts. Fix now before they get worse.
• 18
  Prepare garden beds. Remove winter mulch, pull early weeds, add fresh compost, and plan plantings. Don't plant frost-sensitive flowers before Victoria Day weekend (mid-May). Toronto's last frost date averages early May.
• 19
  Check irrigation system. If you have underground sprinklers, turn on zone by zone. Check for broken heads, misaligned sprayers, and leaks. Mark any issues before the lawn dries out and you actually need the system.

Interior — Anytime in April/May

• 20
  Deep clean after winter. Windows have been sealed for six months. Dust, allergens, and stale air have accumulated. Vacuum vents, clean behind appliances, wash curtains, and open windows on the first warm day. Your lungs will thank you.
• 21
  Check for signs of water intrusion. Walk your basement looking for water stains, mineral deposits (white powder on concrete), and musty smells. Spring thaw is when dormant leaks become active. Catch them now.
• 22
  Inspect attic. Check for daylight (means missing shingles), water stains (roof leaks), mould, pest intrusion, and insulation displacement. Ice dams during winter often cause hidden damage you won't see from outside.
• 23
  Clean dryer vent. Lint buildup is a fire hazard. Disconnect the vent from the dryer and clean the full run to the exterior. If your dryer takes longer to dry clothes, the vent is probably partially blocked. Do this once a year minimum.
• 24
  Test garage door safety features. Place a roll of paper towels under the door and close it. It should reverse on contact. Test the photo-eye sensors too. If either fails, call a garage door tech. This is a safety issue, not a convenience issue.
• 25
  Review home insurance. Did you renovate over winter? Add a structure? Finish the basement? Update your coverage. Also confirm your policy covers sewer backup and overland water — two of the most common spring claims in Toronto.

What to DIY vs. What to Hire Out

DIY-friendly: Soil grading, caulking, smoke detectors, sump pump test, outdoor faucet test, lawn raking, garden prep, interior deep cleaning, dryer vent, garage door test.

Hire a pro: Gutter cleaning (2+ storeys), window cleaning (2+ storeys), pressure washing (interlock/stone), roof inspection, foundation crack repair, A/C servicing, tree work, irrigation system startup.

The general rule: anything involving height, specialized equipment, or the potential to cause expensive damage if done wrong is worth hiring out. Everything else, you can handle.