Spring 2026 Home Maintenance Checklist for Westchester Homeowners

Winter hits Westchester hard. Snow, ice dams, freeze-thaw cycles, and the salt trucks that run constantly from December through March all take their toll. The county's housing stock makes it worse. The median year built across most towns is somewhere between 1940 and 1965. That means slate roofs, aging gutters, original plumbing, and foundations that have been through 60 or 70 winters.

Spring is when the damage shows. A small roof leak that started in January becomes a ceiling stain in April. Gutters that looked fine in fall are now sagging from ice weight. The outdoor faucet you forgot to drain is cracked.

This checklist walks through what to inspect, what to schedule, and what can wait. It's based on the specific problems Westchester homes face, not generic advice that applies everywhere.

Start here. Water damage from roof problems causes more expensive repairs than almost anything else.

What to look for: - Missing, cracked, or curling shingles visible from the ground - Granules collecting in gutters (a sign your asphalt shingles are breaking down) - Flashing around chimneys, vents, and skylights that looks lifted or rusted - Any visible sagging or dips in the roof line

Town-specific notes:

Scarsdale and Bronxville have a lot of slate and cedar shake roofs on pre-war homes. These require specialized inspection. Don't let a general roofer who only works with asphalt walk on your slate roof. A single cracked slate tile costs $100 to $300 to replace, but the real issue is finding contractors who know how to work with these materials. About 48% of Scarsdale housing predates 1939.

Croton-on-Hudson and Ossining sit on hillsides with significant grade changes. Ice dams form more frequently on north-facing roofs up here, and the steep terrain means water runs fast when it melts. Check your roof carefully for any signs of ice dam damage: water stains in the attic, lifted shingles near the eaves, or damaged soffit vents.

Mamaroneck and Larchmont face coastal salt air that accelerates shingle breakdown. If your home is within a mile of Long Island Sound, assume your roof will need replacement 3 to 5 years earlier than the manufacturer's warranty suggests.

A roof inspection costs $150 to $400. After a winter like this one, it's worth booking before the spring rush hits.

Ice dams don't just damage roofs. They wreck gutters.

Walk around your house and look up. Are the gutters still attached solidly to the fascia, or are there visible gaps? Do they sag in the middle? Are the downspouts still connected and directing water away from your foundation?

Clogged gutters filled with debris from last fall's leaves became ice blocks over the winter. That weight (ice is heavy) can pull gutters away from the house. Once they're detached even slightly, water runs behind them and into your fascia boards.

What to do: - Schedule a full gutter cleaning once the trees have finished dropping spring debris (late April to early May) - Have the crew check all hangers and brackets for secure attachment - Confirm downspouts extend at least 4 feet from your foundation

Cost: Gutter cleaning runs $125 to $350 for most Westchester homes. If you need repairs, budget $200 to $800 depending on the scope.

Northern Westchester note: If you're in Yorktown Heights, Somers, or Katonah, you probably have more trees and a longer leaf season. Consider gutter guards. They cost $800 to $2,500 installed but cut cleaning frequency significantly.

Paint failures show up in spring. Bubbling, peeling, and cracking happen when moisture gets trapped under paint over winter, then expands and contracts with temperature swings.

What to inspect: - All window and door trim (paint fails here first because of trapped moisture) - South and west facing walls (most UV exposure) - Any wood siding, particularly near the ground where snow piled up - Caulking around windows, doors, and where siding meets trim

Coastal towns (New Rochelle, Mamaroneck, Rye): Salt air accelerates paint breakdown. If you're within two miles of the Sound and your exterior paint is 5+ years old, budget for repainting in the next 1 to 2 years. Expect to pay $4,500 to $12,000 for a full exterior paint job depending on home size.

What you can DIY: Touch-up painting on small areas, re-caulking windows and doors. What you shouldn't: anything requiring ladders above the first story, or any work on lead paint (pre-1978 homes).

Your furnace just worked all winter. Your AC is about to work all summer. Spring is when you transition between them.

Schedule now: - AC tune-up and filter replacement ($150 to $350) - Duct inspection if you haven't had one in 5+ years - Thermostat programming for summer schedule

Oil heat homeowners: If you're still running oil (common in Westchester, especially older homes), spring is when to think about heat pump conversion. New York's Clean Heat program offers rebates, and income-qualified households can receive substantially more through EmPower+. The federal tax credit expired at the end of 2025, but state programs still help offset costs.

What to watch for: - Strange noises from your outdoor AC unit when it first kicks on - Uneven cooling between floors (common in colonials and two-stories) - Higher than normal energy bills last summer (may indicate failing efficiency)

Average HVAC service call: $150 to $400. AC tune-up: $150 to $350. If your system is 15+ years old and having issues, get a replacement quote now while contractors have availability.

Freeze damage often doesn't show until spring. Pipes can develop small cracks that only leak once temperatures rise and water pressure returns to normal.

Outdoor faucets: Turn on each hose bib and check for leaks at the handle, the spout, and (crucially) inside the house near where the pipe comes through the wall. A cracked frost-proof faucet leaks inside your wall, not outside. That's how you end up with mold.

Sump pump: If you have a basement, test your sump pump now. Pour a bucket of water into the pit and confirm it kicks on, pumps out, and shuts off. The motor should run smoothly without grinding. Battery backup systems need annual battery replacement.

Hillside properties (Croton, Hastings, Irvington): Your sump pump works harder than most. Spring snowmelt combined with April showers can overwhelm a weak system. If yours is more than 7 years old, consider replacement. Sump pump installation runs $800 to $2,500.

Northern towns with wells (Somers, North Salem, Pound Ridge): Test your well water annually. Spring is a good time since runoff can introduce contaminants. A basic water quality test costs $50 to $150.

Once the ground thaws, you'll see what survived the winter.

When to schedule: - First lawn treatment: Late March to early April, once soil temps hit 55 degrees - Pruning: Late winter dormancy pruning should be done by mid-March; spring flowering shrubs after they bloom - Mulching: Late April to early May after spring cleanup

What to inspect: - Deer damage on shrubs and young trees (particularly bad in Bedford, Pound Ridge, North Salem) - Frost heave pushing fence posts out of alignment - Retaining wall movement from freeze-thaw cycles - Dead branches that could fall during spring storms

Town-specific notes:

Northern Westchester (Bedford, Katonah, Somers): Deer populations are high enough that landscape damage is nearly universal. Budget for deer-resistant plantings or protective fencing for vulnerable specimens.

Waterfront areas (Mamaroneck, Rye, New Rochelle): Spring is ideal for repairing erosion damage to shoreline properties. If you lost soil over winter, get a landscaper out early before the summer schedule fills up.

Typical costs: Spring cleanup $250 to $600, mulching $400 to $1,200, full-season landscape maintenance contracts $1,800 to $6,000+.