What's on a spring startup checklist?
Updated August 2026
Spring startup is a weekend of roughly six tasks, and the one that catches the most trouble is testing the air conditioner on the first 60°F day, well before you actually need it. Winter tends to hide its damage until you turn something on: outdoor faucets crack behind the wall, sprinkler heads split, and the AC that ran fine in October now trips a breaker. Work through water, cooling, the exterior, and the interior while a failure is still a scheduled repair instead of a July emergency.
| Task | Interval | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Turn on outdoor faucets, watch the pipe inside the wall | Spring | 10 min · DIY |
| Start irrigation zone by zone, check for split heads and lines | Spring | 30–60 min · DIY |
| Test and certify the backflow preventer | Yearly | $75–150 pro |
| Task | Interval | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Run the AC on a 60°F-plus day | Spring | 15 min · DIY |
| Hose the outdoor condenser coils clean | Spring | 20 min · DIY |
| Replace the filter and clear the condensate drain | Spring | 15 min · DIY |
| Book the pro AC tune-up | Spring | $75–200 pro |
| Task | Interval | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Clean gutters; confirm downspouts drain 4–6 ft out | Spring | 1–2 hr · DIY |
| Inspect the roof for lifted or missing shingles | Spring | 20 min · DIY |
| Check the deck for loose boards, popped fasteners, rot | Spring | 30 min · DIY |
| Task | Interval | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Reverse ceiling fans to counterclockwise | Spring | 2 min · DIY |
| Test smoke and CO alarms | Spring | 10 min · DIY |
What neglect costs
The expensive mistake is waiting until the first heat wave to run the AC, then discovering a dead capacitor or low refrigerant when every HVAC company in town is booked a week out at peak rates. A freeze-cracked sprinkler line or hose bib found in July has usually been leaking behind the wall or underground for weeks. Budget a peak-season emergency AC repair at $150 to 600, a cracked condenser coil far more, and interior water damage from a hidden pipe crack in the thousands. Testing on a mild day makes all of it a scheduled fix.
Leave these to a pro
The yearly AC tune-up is the anchor pro task at $75 to 200: a tech checks refrigerant charge, the capacitor, and the coils, and clears anything the DIY rinse missed. A backflow-preventer test on an irrigation system is often legally required and runs $75 to 150 from a certified tester. Gutter cleaning, if you skip the ladder, is another $150 to 300. Pair this with the fall winterizing list and you have both ends of the year covered.
This whole checklist ships as reminders in OnOtto: every task above, on the right schedule for your home, snooze-proof.
Load this checklist as remindersFrequently asked questions
When should I turn the AC on for the first time in spring?
Test it on a mild day when the outdoor temperature is above 60°F, well before the first heat wave. Running it early means a dead capacitor, low refrigerant, or a seized fan is a scheduled repair at normal rates, not a two-day emergency when every HVAC company is slammed. Let it run 15 to 20 minutes and confirm cold air at the vents with no odd noises or tripped breakers.
Why check outdoor faucets first thing in spring?
Freeze damage over winter usually hides until you turn the water back on. A hose bib or the pipe just inside the wall can crack from a hard freeze, then leak inside the wall the moment it is pressurized. Turn each outdoor faucet on with a hand over the opening: if you can stop the flow with your thumb, water is escaping upstream. Have someone watch the pipe indoors while you test.
Which way should ceiling fans spin in summer?
Counterclockwise as you look up at it, which pushes air straight down and creates a wind-chill breeze that lets you raise the thermostat a couple of degrees. Flip the small switch on the motor housing to reverse it clockwise in fall, so it pulls cool air up and pushes warm ceiling air down without a draft. It is a two-minute, no-cost tweak that most people forget twice a year.
Do I need a professional AC tune-up every spring?
A yearly pro tune-up at $75 to 200 is worth it: the tech verifies refrigerant charge, tests the capacitor, and cleans the coils, catching the small faults that become July breakdowns. At minimum, do the DIY basics each spring yourself: swap the filter, hose the outdoor condenser coils clean, and flush the condensate drain line. Alternating a pro visit one year and thorough DIY the next is a reasonable middle path.