As temperatures rise and many people enjoy their summer vacations, home maintenance should never be overlooked.
Whether you’re thinking of selling your home during the season, completing home maintenance tasks ensures that your property looks its best. Deferring the tasks may end up costing you more money, especially when a part of your home gets damaged.
Here are the key areas to maintain during the summer, including easy chores and the tasks that require professional help:
Detectors and Cooling Units
Focus your indoor home maintenance on smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, fans, and air conditioning units.
For detectors, replace their batteries and test to ensure they’re in working order. Clean all ceiling and house fans using a damp rag or clothes dryer.
If you own an A/C unit, replace and clean filters so the unit circulates clean indoor air. You might want a professional to inspect and maintain your central unit.
Home Exterior
Your home exterior is part of your curb appeal, giving guests a first impression of your property.
The exterior’s material determines the level of maintenance. Aluminum and vinyl siding tend to come loose and need regular replacement. Wood exteriors need a fresh paint job and an inspection for any sign of pests.
Deck and Patio
One of the enjoyable things to do during the summer is spending time on your deck or patio. Before lounging on your outdoor space, clean and tend to them first.
Inspect the deck to determine whether you should paint or stain it. Painting or staining your outdoor space lengthens its lifespan and makes it more appealing.
If your home has a patio, check if it needs sealing. For brick patios, some bricks might need fixing or replacement.
Garden and Yard
Even when you were able to beautify your garden during spring, maintaining the yard in the summer protects your plants from the heat and improves your curb appeal.
An easy and inexpensive garden maintenance task is using mulch. Aside from giving your outdoor space a clean and crisp appearance, mulch also keeps weeds out and locks in moisture, keeping your plants alive during the hot months.
You might also need to trim bushes, trees, and shrubs. You can do this task yourself or hire expert landscaping service for the job.
Grading Around Your Home
Inspecting the grading around your home ensures that groundwater runs away from the home and not toward it. Unsatisfactory grading around the home exterior causes water to flood the basement, damaging property and your house’s structure.
During the inspection, you might notice that the grading is uneven on the foundation. Simply add topsoil to correct the problem.
Gutters
Gutters ensure that no water enters your home during rainy days. They usually get damaged during the spring months due to cracking, pest infestations, and blockages from leaves.
Checking and fixing the gutters involves setting up a ladder, which can be unsafe. If you’re not confident about the job, hire an expert to do the inspection, repairs, and maintenance.
Summer home maintenance should not be overlooked even if you’re raring to go on vacation. These maintenance tasks can go a long way to ensure your home is in its best condition during the season.