Start spring home maintenance in Northern Virginia with the jobs the weather can't spoil: book the AC tune-up, test the alarms and clear the gutters. Hold off on the outdoor faucets and irrigation until after the last freeze, which comes on average in late March near Reagan National and mid-April near Dulles.
Each row says when to do the job, whether you can do it yourself, and where to book it if you'd rather hand it off.
| Task | When | Do it yourself or book someone? | Service page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Book an AC tune-up | Now, before the first hot spell | Book someone | HVAC maintenance |
| Test-run the air conditioning | A warm day, before you need it | Yourself; book if something's wrong | AC repair and installation |
| Replace the HVAC filter | When you switch from heat to cooling | Yourself | — |
| Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms | Now | Yourself; book for hardwired or new alarms | smoke and carbon monoxide detector installation |
| Clean gutters and downspouts | Early spring, before the spring storms | Either; book for a high or steep roof | pressure washing and gutter cleaning |
| Clear winter debris from the yard and beds | Once the ground is firm underfoot | Either | yard cleanup |
| Start mowing | When the grass starts growing | Either | lawn mowing and lawn care |
| Re-caulk windows and doors | Once days stay above the caulk label's minimum temperature | Either | caulking and sealing |
| Turn outdoor faucets back on; check for leaks | After the last freeze: on average Mar 24 at Reagan National, Apr 15 at Dulles | Yourself; book if a faucet or pipe leaks | plumbing repair |
| Start up the irrigation system | After the last freeze | Yourself, or the company that services it | — |
| Look for leaks in the basement and at the water heater | After the first heavy spring rain | Look yourself; book any repair | plumbing repair |
| Check the deck and fence for loose boards | Any dry day | Yourself for small fixes; book bigger repairs | — |
About three weeks later on the Dulles side than near Reagan National:
| Average last freeze (32°F) | Date |
|---|---|
| Reagan National side (Arlington, Alexandria) | March 24 |
| Dulles side (western Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William) | April 15 |
These are NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for Reagan National and Washington Dulles airports, as of September 2026. Each is a 50/50 date: in about half of years, a freezing night comes later. Check the forecast before you turn the water back on outside, and if you live between the two airports, plan by the later date.
Winter storms leave twigs and leaves in the gutters, and spring adds seeds and blossoms. Clear them before the spring storms, and check that each downspout empties away from the house. For how often your gutters need it, see how often to clean your gutters in Northern Virginia.
After the last freeze, open the inside shut-off valve for each outdoor faucet, then the faucet itself. Watch indoors, where the pipe runs through the wall, for drips: a pipe that froze over winter may leak only once water flows again. If it leaks, close the valve and book plumbing repair.
Start the irrigation system at the same time, the way its manual says, or have the company that services it do it.
Pick up fallen branches, rake out the leaves that blew in over winter, and cut back last year's dead growth. Rules for yard waste differ by county and city, so check yours before you bag it. For a big yard, book yard cleanup, and set up lawn mowing and lawn care before the grass takes off.
Look where frames meet the siding or brick for cracked, shrunken or missing caulk. Check the label for the caulk's minimum application temperature, and wait until days stay above it.
Look for loose or split boards, popped fasteners, and wobbly posts or railings. If a post has to come out, contact Virginia 811 at least three working days before you dig, even by hand. It's free: call 811 or submit a ticket at va811.com (Va. Code § 56-265.17, as of September 2026). This is general information, not legal advice.
Book HVAC maintenance now, before the first hot week. Then, on a warm day, switch the thermostat to cool and set it a few degrees below the room temperature. If the outdoor unit doesn't start, the air doesn't cool, or you hear or smell anything unusual, switch it off and book AC repair and installation.
Press the test button on every alarm, and replace the battery in any that chirps. Check the date on the back of each one against the maker's replacement advice.
After the first heavy spring rain, walk the basement or crawl space and look for standing water, damp patches or a musty smell. Look at the floor around the water heater too, without touching its controls. If it isn't heating as it should, see what to check when a water heater stops working.
AC tune-ups get harder to book once the first hot spell arrives, and regular lawn care fills up as the grass starts to grow. Book both now.
Pick the jobs you'd rather hand off, and start with the cooling: book HVAC maintenance with an independent local Pro before the first hot week.
Last updated September 2026.
Yes. A heat pump heats and cools with the same outdoor unit, so a problem you noticed in winter can affect cooling too. Write down what happened, when, and how cold it was outside, and tell the technician at the visit.
A fence needs no building permit under Virginia's statewide building code (13VAC5-63-80), except one that serves as a swimming-pool barrier, but zoning caps its height: in Fairfax County, 4 feet in a front yard and 7 feet at the side and rear (Fairfax County). A new deck generally does need a permit, since the state code has no exemption for decks. Rules are as of September 2026 and are enforced by each county and city, so confirm with yours.
Follow the filter's packaging and your system's manual, since it depends on the type of filter and your household: pets and dust shorten it. Whenever you check it, if it looks gray and clogged, replace it, whatever the packaging says.