When you’re performing your home maintenance during the spring and summer, one of the most common places that you look is the roof. You want to know if you have to do roof repair or contact a roofing company for a new installation. It’s only natural that this is where your priorities lie. After all, a roof should be inspected at least once or twice a year depending on climate and the materials used.

But while you’re checking the asphalt shingles on the roof of your home, you should also make sure that you check on top of your storage or garden sheds, too.

Many homeowners have storage sheds on the property where they keep their lawn care equipment or their tools. And these sheds, like your home, can suffer wear and tear throughout the seasons. They need to be properly taken care of in order to be in the best condition. If you want to keep your garden shed standing and sturdy for years to come, here are some things you should keep in mind.

Check The Roof
Naturally, there are several ways that you can perform maintenance on a garden shed. The first is to check the roof, making sure that the shingles (assuming that shingles were used in its construction) are in good shape. If your shed has a metal roof, you’ll want to check for any loose screws or components, corrosion, as well as dents from fallen limbs, etc. Regardless of your shed’s roof type, you want to be sure there is no tree debris built up on it. This can cause roof leaks by not allowing rain to escape the roof fast enough, backing up under the roof material laps. Check the inside ceiling for any signs of leaks, as water intrusion can lead to major damage if not stopped.

Inspect Walls And Floors
You’re also going to want to check the walls and the flooring. A crack in the wrong spot can lead to rodents getting inside, or an issue with structural integrity. Both of these situations are not the things you want to be dealing with when you’re preparing for the coming seasons.

Don’t Use Dirt
You should also avoid using dirt to fill in the spaces under or around the shed. This is especially important if you’re considering dirt as a filler in direct contact with the shed’s structure. A lot of individuals will use dirt to fill in “air space” that forms over time, and this can harm wooden structures by making them damp and allowing water inside when it has run-off against the siding.

This only really happens when there’s too much dirt piled up, but you can never be too careful.

You invested money in building your garden shed, don’t waste that investment by letting it fall into disrepair. When you’re performing your annual home maintenance and repairs, make sure you remember to check the shed too.