Save As You Prep Your Home For Spring

Home Improvement Guru Danny Lipford Shares Do-It-Yourself Tips For Exteriors

(CBS)  With spring having sprung, all those home repair projects are sitting on your doorstep.

It was a tough winter, and it probably took a costly toll on your house. In this or any economy, that's bad news.

But on The Early Show Saturday Edition, Danny Lipford, host of "Today's Homeowner," offered five easy, do-it-yourself ways to get the outside of your house ready for summer and save big bucks while you're at it.

In fact, Lipford estimates you could save $1,300 by handling these tasks the way he suggests, as opposed to having professionals take care of them:

PAINTING

The secret is to paint one side of your house a year - no more. Keep the house one color, and the fading will hardly show, since it's on different sides. One side is easy and manageable. Painting four sides is daunting and expensive.

COVERING SPLASH PLATES UNDER GUTTERS

The one Lipford showed was cracked and tipping back toward the foundation of the home where he did his demonstrations, in New City, N.Y., a northern suburb of New York City. With a splash plate in that condition, all the rain water would go back and down into the foundation, which can cause cracks and leaks. The fix is simple and costs about five bucks: Simply buy a plastic splash plate and use it to replace the old one or put over it.

SIDING

There was messed up and cracked siding on the home. It's expensive to call someone in because there's usually a minimum charge. The fix is easy: Lift up the old boards and remove the damaged ones, and replace them.

WINDOW WASHING

This isn't fun, but it can be cheap. Use white vinegar and water. Wipe with newspaper: It won't streak. Wipe vertically inside and horizontally outside; that way, you'll know on which side of the window are any spots you missed.

GUTTER CLEANING

Gutter cleaning is about as much fun as rush hour, but by using a cut up antifreeze plastic bottle as a scoop, you'll keep your hands out of the gunk and it will go quickly. Gutter sealer will also keep them from leaking.

THE DECK

Unless you have major repairs or damage, Olympic makes a deck cleaner you spray on with a sprayer bottle. Let it sit for 20 minutes and hose it off. Voila!!! Like new!

For many more tips from Lipford, click here and here.