Summer Home Maintenance Tips

The warm summer months area here, along with heat waves, storms, insects/pests, and other nuisances that threaten the integrity of your home. Read on for helpful tips to keep your home in great shape all season long.

Prioritize Energy Efficiency

Summer cooling bills can climb quickly with the outdoor temperatures. Make sure your home is optimized to use the least amount of energy while keeping you and your family comfortable inside. Consider sun and UV blocking window film that applies to the inside of windows quickly and easily. There is no adhesive or mess to deal with, since they apply by “static cling”, and can easily be removed when no longer needed. These specialized films will allow you to see out, and natural light to enter, while filtering out the suns rays that can heat up your home and even fade or damage interior furnishings. This is also a great time to clean your windows inside and out, and inspect for leaks or cracks in seals and casings.

Make sure your HVAC system is in good working order too. Schedule a tune up with a maintenance tech and make sure filters are changed. You can also schedule a duct cleaning service to keep dust and indoor allergens down in your home. The air inside your home can actually be “dirtier” than the air outside!

Prepare for Summer Storms

Summer storms can bring damaging winds, hail, and rain to your front door. Make sure that your roof is in good shape, and free from leaks or damage that could allow water into your home. If you are not comfortable doing this yourself, hire a qualified professional. If you do opt to do your own roof inspection, make sure you have someone else around when you do. Never climb up on your roof or use ladders without someone “spotting” you.

While you’re inspecting your roof, it’s a great time to clean out your gutters. Remove any organic debris that could block your gutters and inspect them for leaks or damage. If you have a lot of trees in your yard, or seem to accumulate a lot of other debris in your gutters, you could consider gutter shield/screen systems that will cut down on the maintenance needed to keep your gutters clean. There are companies that will do this for you, or you can look into options that you can install yourself if you’re handy.

Exterior Projects

Don’t neglect the exterior of your home. Even if you have “maintenance free” siding, inspect it for chips or cracks that could let pests and moisture into your home. Power washing your home’s exterior is a great way to boost curb appeal and check from any damage too. The same goes for decks and patios. Deck boards can be damaged by winter snow and ice, and patios can crack. Make any necessary repairs and give them a good power washing or re-staining/painting.

Landscaping is more than just visual appeal for your yard. Certain landscaping can help or hinder water flow from rain run off, and overgrown landscaping near your home can invite insects and other pests into your home. Make sure your garden beds are cleaned up and mulched, and complete any trimming or pruning that’s needed. While you’re at it, make sure that weeds or vines are not obstructing your outdoor air conditioner unit.

Summer maintenance can seem like a chore, but you will be glad you invested the time to complete it if it saves you money and headaches down the road!

If you need a recommendation for a professional to help with summer home maintenance tasks, just ask! We maintain a list of trusted pros that we would be happy to recommend to you with confidence.