The Ultimate Shed Maintenance Checklist

Adding a shed to your property is a fantastic way to instantly add storage, a workspace, or even a gym away from the family house. While these sheds are durable and can take a beating, it doesn’t mean the shed doesn’t need some assistance. You will need to perform some basic maintenance in order to help with this. Thankfully your shed maintenance checklist isn’t something that will take long to complete. And as long as you stay on top of the different maintenance tasks your shed will last just as long as the rest of your home.

Shed Maintenance Checklist

Here is the shed maintenance checklist to help increase the durability of the shed:

Look For Leaks, Cracks, and Breaks

Go into your shed during the day and turn off all the lights. If you have windows, block out the light from the windows. Allow your eyes to adjust then look around the shed carefully. You want to search for any leaks, breaks, or cracks. This goes not only for the walls but for the roof as well. If you can see any light seeping in then you’ll want to address this.

Cracks mean everything on the inside of your shed is susceptible to bugs and damage from the outside (such as from moisture pushing into your shed). As long as you address these issues sooner rather than later you’ll keep repair costs down. However, if you do not address the problem right away it can lead to further damage and other kinds of problems. So, you’ll want to take care of the situation as early as possible.

Keep The Surrounding Area Neat

You should treat the area around your shed as neat and tidy as you would your own home. This includes trimming away branches that might touch the roof of your shed and riding vegetation and tall grass away from the shed as well. One of the biggest problems with sheds is the potential exposure to insects and mice. If you’re not careful you’ll discover an infestation. Because you’re probably not in your shed every day it is easy to miss the early signs of insects or mice until it has turned into a very big problem. So, do what you can to reduce possible infestations by keeping the surrounding area trim and neat.

Lubricate Those Hinges

The hinges around your windows and doors are exposed to all kinds of weather elements. From possible snow to rain, sunshine, and wind, the hinges on your shed will face more damaging elements than the hinges on your home’s door. Due to this, you will need to give your hinges some TLC from time to time. It doesn’t take much to do this really. All you need to do is inspect the hinges and apply some WD-40. This will keep the hinges lubricated and prevent the metal from breaking down.

Clean The Exterior

Dust, dirt, and other debris will stick to the side of your shed from time to time. Often this takes place slowly, so you won’t realize there is a large collection of dirt until one day you lean up against it and your clothes soak up the dirt. It’s like moving a piece of furniture on your carpet. You may have thought your carpet was clean, but when you move the furniture it shows you just how white the carpet used to be. The best way to keep your shed clean is to hose it down either once a year or once in the spring and once in the fall. This will help keep your shed clean and looking as good as possible.

You will also want to repaint your shed every few years. Now, if you used metal or composite siding you won’t need to do this, but if you went with wood it is a good idea to paint it every few years. This will help not only maintain the beautiful look of your shed but it will also help protect the shed as well. And, thankfully, it doesn’t take long to fully paint your shed.

Brush Off The Roof

From time to time there might be a heavier snowfall in the area. Because it doesn’t happen as frequently as in other places you may not consider some of the maintenance you need to do around the house or around the shed. If there is a heavy snowfall you’ll want to brush the snow off the roof of your shed. Over time the weight of snow can push down on the roof, which may cause some moisture to slip under the shingles and begin to deteriorate the roof.

Additionally, if the snow starts to melt and then freezes at night this will cause all kinds of damage to the roof. Plus, ice will expand and contract. If this happens around the shingles of your roof it can warp the shingles and any wood connected to it. To help avoid these kinds of issues you will want to head out and brush off the roof. You can use a traditional household broom or even your snow shovel.

Organize Your Shed

During each season you’ll likely want to use different kinds of tools and yard equipment. You’ll want to adjust the tools that are easily available throughout the course of the year. During the winter you won’t need the lawnmower but you will need the snowblower and the shovels. You won’t need to completely adjust your tool storage, but you can easily swap around some larger devices. This way, you’re not stuck playing musical chairs with your larger tools.  This will help you get the most out of your shed.

For She Upgrades Or Assistance, Contact The Pros

If you’re on the market for a new outdoor utility building, want to upgrade your current setup, or you simply have shed installation and maintenance questions, you’ll want to contact the professionals at Barnyard Utility Buildings. From metal to wood, a shed for tools or a shed turned into an office, whatever your needs, the team at Barnyard Utility Buildings is here to help.