Your St. Louis Home Improvement Directory

St. Louis summers routinely push past 90 degrees with humidity levels that make air conditioners work overtime. Schedule an AC tune-up in late spring before the first heat wave — technicians are far easier to book in May than during a July breakdown. Replace filters monthly during peak cooling season, keep condenser units clear of grass clippings and debris, and make sure condensate drain lines flow freely. A clogged condensate line is one of the most common causes of water damage around air handlers in our climate.

Summer thunderstorms drop heavy rain fast, and our clay soil drains poorly. Walk your property after a downpour: downspouts should discharge at least four to six feet from the foundation, and soil should slope away from the house. Persistent pooling near the foundation is the single biggest contributor to basement seepage and long-term foundation movement in the St. Louis metro.

October is the right time for a furnace inspection — before the first hard freeze turns a minor issue into a no-heat emergency. A technician should check the heat exchanger for cracks, test the ignition system, and verify carbon monoxide levels. If your furnace is more than 15 years old, fall is also the season to price replacement options at your leisure rather than under pressure in January.

While the weather is mild, caulk gaps around windows and doors, check weatherstripping, and seal penetrations where pipes and wires enter the house. Older St. Louis housing stock — brick bungalows, post-war ranches, and century-old two-stories — loses a surprising amount of heat through these small gaps. Clean gutters after the leaves drop; clogged gutters overflow directly against the fascia and foundation.

St. Louis winters swing between mild stretches and sudden Arctic blasts, and those freeze-thaw cycles are hard on plumbing. Disconnect garden hoses before the first freeze and shut off interior valves feeding outdoor spigots. Pipes in unheated crawl spaces, garages, and exterior walls are the most vulnerable — insulate them with foam sleeves, which cost a few dollars per section at any hardware store.

When temperatures drop into the teens, let faucets served by vulnerable pipes drip overnight and open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls so warm air can circulate. Know where your main water shutoff valve is before you need it; if a pipe bursts, every minute of water flow adds to the damage. Keep your thermostat at a consistent temperature rather than deep nighttime setbacks during extreme cold.

Spring rains test every weakness a St. Louis home developed over winter. Our expansive clay soil swells when wet and shrinks when dry, and that movement is the root cause of most local foundation issues. Walk your basement or crawl space after heavy rain looking for new cracks, damp spots, or efflorescence (white mineral deposits) on walls. Hairline vertical cracks are common and often cosmetic; horizontal cracks, bowing walls, or stair-step cracks in brick deserve a professional evaluation.

Test your sump pump before storm season by pouring a bucket of water into the pit — it should activate, drain, and shut off cleanly. If your pump is more than seven years old or runs constantly during storms, consider a replacement and a battery backup. Spring is also the season to re-grade settled soil around the foundation and extend downspouts before the ground dries and the clay contracts.