As you’re making plans for the upcoming summer season, be sure you schedule some time to get your home in order. Summer home maintenance might not be as enjoyable as planning a vacation, but tips for a summer-ready home can save you time and money, time and money you’d likely rather spend on more enjoyable endeavors. Ready to learn?
Take Care of Your HVAC System
One of the first things to do is give your HVAC system a checkup and tuneup, if necessary. This means cleaning or replacing your filters, depending on what kind they are, cleaning debris from the vents and exhausts as well as testing your unit to make sure it’s in working order. The summer season is also a good time to call a professional out to your home to visually inspect and maintain your HVAC system to ensure it’s fully operational and that there aren’t any minor problems to tend to.
Clean Off Your Walkway
Have a professional pressure wash your walkways and driveway to get rid of grit and grime that’s accumulated, which improves its appearance and allows surfaces to last longer. As you’re washing, keep a close eye out for cracked or broken pavers and bricks. You can flip them over if you like, replace them or use masonry filler to address bothersome cracks. Just make sure the filler is the same color as your pavers or bricks.
Tend to Your Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Detectors
Check all the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home, making sure they all have fresh batteries and that they actually work. You’ll want to place carbon monoxide detectors close to bedrooms, mainly because the odorless gas is most potent while we’re sleeping. Besides bedrooms, other recommended areas of the home that need carbon monoxide detectors include the living room, kitchen and near the furnace. As for smoke detectors, position them close to the kitchen, near bedrooms and on every level of your home. To save money and keep your home from looking like a carbon monoxide and smoke detector museum, know that there are combination detectors you can buy.
Check Your Windows
You’re likely to crank up the air conditioning in the summer, and cooled air can escape through any gaps that exist in your windows. Use caulk to take care of any gaps in your window frames, making sure you inspect the weatherstripping to see that it’s in good condition. Opening and closing your windows a few times is also a good idea to ensure they’re fully operational. Make arrangements to replace faulty windows with ones that are more energy efficient. Not only are new windows a good way to keep your heating and cooling costs low, they can also boost the overall value of your home should you decide to put it on the market in the future.
Finally, washing your windows this summer is also a good idea. When you do wash your windows, it’s best to use a squeegee and tend to them on a cloudy day to lower the potential for unsightly leftover streaks.
Prepare Your Home Against Bug Invasions
Bugs also make vacation plans during the summer, and they might see your home as the perfect getaway destination. Hang up the “no vacancy” sign by checking all doors and windows for leaks, much like you would to prevent drafts and a loss of heated or cooled air. Spraying pesticides outside your home and along baseboards and windows as well as doors is also recommended. You may want to reach out to a pest control service for professional help, which is a good idea if you’ve had problems with bugs in the past.
Make home maintenance a priority this summer season. Your property is sure to look and function better for your efforts.
Tammie~