Summer Home Maintenance Checklist
Summer is upon us. School is out. Beach fun and BBQs await. At the same time, you’ll want to keep your home in top shape by going over this summer home maintenance checklist.
Home maintenance is par for the course for owners. In fact, on average, we spend between one and four percent annually on maintenance and repairs. For a $200,000 house that’s at least $2,000 each year. Still, being proactive with home maintenance can help you avoid getting hit with a big repair bill.
Summer home maintenance doesn’t have to be daunting. Follow this simple checklist to get the important tasks done outside.
Power wash your home.
This gets rid of dust, dirt, and tree droppings. Plus, it helps you inspect the exterior for any loose or rotted siding or bricks.
Check your gutters.
Yes, you did this in the spring too. But there will be new debris and gutters can get damaged by all those spring showers.
Repair and repaint.
Touching up any chipped, cracking, or faded exterior areas will improve how the home looks and help to protect it from the elements.
Look for foundation cracks.
The changing temperatures can cause things to move. Inspecting for cracks and leaks can prevent you from finding out later that groundwater or insects have been getting inside your home.
Wash those windows.
It’s a great way to keep kids busy instead of playing with electronics all day when not at camp. Hire them to wash the inside of the windows they can reach. You can clean up the outside ones. Then look how much lighter and brighter it is in your home.
Reseal decks, doors, windows.
After the power washing above it’s also a good time to reseal your deck and recaulk doors and windows. This can prevent small toes from getting splinters outside and improve energy efficiency in your home.
Inspect outdoor equipment.
You may need to repaint patio furniture or tighten the screws on that swing set. They’re going to be getting a lot more action this season. If you have a pool, check your safety fences and flotation devices and make sure all the equipment is in good working order. You’ll also want to clean out the grill, both inside and outside, to keep it safe to use.
Although you plan to be soaking up the sun and enjoying the outdoors this season, there are still things you can do indoors to keep your house in good condition.
Service your air conditioner.
It may be harder to schedule this now that other people’s A/C units are giving up the ghost. Still, it’s a good idea to annually service your air conditioning unit to extend its life. You may be able to get a service membership with your A/C repair people that has you scheduled every year for maintenance (and a heating tune-up too).
If you have a window air conditioning unit, make sure to check the filter before powering it up for hard work this summer.
Clean out dryer vents.
Clogged lint and dust in a dryer vent can cause a house fire. Plus, the build-up is costing you in utilities too as it takes longer to dry your clothes. Avoid this by cleaning out the venting both inside and out of the home. See this Ace Hardware video on how to do it at home.
Check your electrical.
It’s a good idea to flip your circuit breaker every six months. Now is also a good time to look around the house for electrical hazards. As you’ve added devices, are there too many plugs in one outlet? Or are cords creating a hazard?
Clear out your garbage disposal.
We’re not saying every job on this checklist is a pleasant one. But avoiding the cost of a plumber’s visit is a bonus.
Test detectors.
Test and replace the batteries on your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Inspect ceiling fans.
Get the ladder out and clean the ceiling fan. While you’re up there make sure that you have the ceiling fans set to run counter-clockwise. This is what sends the air down at you for a cooling effect. In colder months, you’ll want them going the other way.
Clean home baseboards.
It has to be done sometime. Again, you might give kids this chore. It’s easy for them to climb around on the floor. They might even enjoy dragging that bucket of soapy water and rag through the rooms of the house. Tell them they can pretend to be Cinderella.
Of course, your best starting point is a high-quality home built with craftsmanship and attention to detail. Saussy Burbank is renowned in the Carolinas for building distinctive homes. Find out more today!
