Caring for the investment that is your home is a necessity. That’s why it’s helpful to have a list of essential summer maintenance for homeowners.
If you recently purchased your home, the state of many of these items should be top of mind since they would have been included in your new home inspection.
But even if you’ve owned your home for several years, it’s never a bad time to start a regular maintenance program.
In this article, we’ll cover what should be done inside and outside your home to ensure your home is well cared for. Here’s a quick look at what we’ll cover:
Summer Maintenance Inside Your Home
- Ceiling fans
- HVAC system
- Smoke & carbon monoxide detectors
- Dryer vent
- Chimney inspection & cleaning
- Windows & doors
Summer Maintenance Outside Your Home
- Structure & perimeter check
- Gutters
- Outdoor structures & decks
- Summer yard maintenance
- Garden tools
- Prep for summer parties
What To Do Inside Your Home
Inside your home, summer maintenance is largely about airflow, ventilation, and the general health of your home’s air quality. Here’s how to handle your home’s air quality and safety.
Ceiling Fans
Fan blades can get grimy from a combination of dust, pet hair, cooking oils and other household products that are used and sprayed around the home. Cleaning off the blades of your ceiling fans ensures that you’re not simply recirculating any dust that settles on the blades. Clean off ceiling fan blades at the beginning and end of the summer.
While you’re up on a ladder to clean the fans, take the time to reverse the blades’ direction during the summer months. This causes your fans to blow air directly down on you which is much more cooling.
“During summer months, your ceiling fan blades should be set to spin counterclockwise. When your ceiling fan spins quickly in this direction, it pushes air down and creates a cool breeze.
This helps keep a room’s temperature consistent throughout the day and reduces the need for an air conditioner to run constantly.”
Save On Energy
At the end of the summer, when you get back on the ladder for the second cleaning, simply reverse the direction again, which will help evenly distribute the warm air once you turn the heat back on.
HVAC System
Before switching from heating to cooling your home, treat your HVAC system to a thorough inspection by a professional. This will ensure your system will get you through the heat of summer without any problems.
Replace or clean any filters on your HVAC system so you have clean air circulating through your home.
Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Checking smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors should be done with every season change. Make sure everything has fresh batteries and is installed properly.
Dryer Vent
While not specifically a summer chore, cleaning your dryer vent and the exhaust duct is an essential safety issue. A long-term build up of trapped lint is a fire hazard, and it’s better to address it before there’s a problem. You can either hire a professional or do it yourself.
Chimney Inspection & Cleaning
If you have a fireplace and chimney, get them inspected and cleaned before the end of summer. This ensures your chimney will be ready for your Fall and Winter fires.
Windows & Doors
Finally, check all window and door screens for any damages and give them a quick rinse with a simple household cleaner or any other mild soap. Check weather stripping for any cracking and make a note if anything needs to be replaced.
Outside The Home & Yard Chores:
Summer Maintenance for Homeowners
Structure & Perimeter Check
Fix yourself a cool beverage and take a walk around the outside of your home for a visual inspection of your home’s structure. Look at the foundation and siding, noting any new cracks or damages. Is there any rotting wood, mold, or water damage?
Be on the lookout for any tree branches or bushes that have grown closer to your home or that are touching the walls or foundation. Roots can cause foundation damage and large branches or bushes that are growing too close to your siding can pose a problem. Make a note of what needs to be trimmed back.
Gutters
While gutter cleaning is usually an activity for the Spring or Fall, basic Summer maintenance for homeowners includes checking gutters too! This is especially true if you live in an area that gets summer rain or sudden storms.
Outdoor Structures & Decks
If you have a wood structure with your home such as a deck, porch, or gazebo, give it a good power wash and reseal, paint, or stain it if needed.
Summer Yard Maintenance
You can’t talk about summer home maintenance without mentioning yard work! But before you start tackling weeds, you need to get your tools prepped.
Sharpen your garden tools, including your lawn mower blades and hedge clippers. Anything you want to keep sharp should be maintained on a regular basis with a professional sharpening and oiling service.
Once your tools are sharp, get ahead of any weeds so they don’t take over later during the robust summer growing season.
Prep for Summer Parties
After all this work, you deserve a backyard party!
To prep for Summer BBQs, inspect any perimeter fencing so your furry friends don’t escape, and make sure outdoor play structures and equipment are in good shape.
Check outdoor furniture for wear and tear, sand down any splintering areas of wood furniture, and tighten any loose fittings or screws that hold everything together. Finally, give it all a good rinse or scrub down.
Your pool or hot tub should be inspected and/or cleaned in time for summer parties, too.
Protecting Your Investment, One Chore at a Time
So there you have it – a not terribly long list of basic chores to maintain your home’s integrity, functionality, and safety.
As a real estate agent, I love seeing how homeowners fall in love with their new homes – and regular maintenance is one key way to keep that spark alive!
By establishing a routine for home maintenance, you can do a little at a time throughout the year, rather than trying to get everything done all at once. That way, you’re less likely to get overwhelmed with all there is to do.
