A Guide to Summer Home Maintenance and Project

Summer is the perfect time to explore the outside world because of the refreshing warm weather. It is perhaps the best season since you can enjoy and do more things during summer time. And to tell you, summer is also a great time to take advantage of the warm weather to get your house in shape and running smoothly. You don’t want to worry about typhoon, rain, or snow to mess up your new paint job, do you?

So if you are now convinced that summer is the best time to do all these home maintenance and projects, take the time to check the things listed below. Read on, these will surely help you.

1. Deck Maintenance

If you have just a relatively new deck, you can do simple maintenance like taking away the debris and cleaning your deck. However, if it is an older one, let’s say a 4 to the 5-year-old deck, resurfacing the structure will do better as it could last longer. A sealant must also be applied annually so you can maintain your deck’s fresh look.

2. Leak Inspection

You really do not want to fix the leakages during the cold winter, so summer is really the time for you to check every hose in your house to make sure there are no signs of wear and tear due to regular use. You can start checking the hoses of your HVAC, toilet, washer, dishwasher, and other appliances. Ideally, hoses should be replaced every three to five years even though you think it is still in good shape because it will really save you from the hassle in the future.

3. Clean Home Exterior

Cleaning the outside of your home is important, too. And probably the one job that requires a lot of work. Cleaning your exterior can mean fixing the roof, removing stains and moss, cleaning your windows and window screens, power washing the outside flooring, clearing the leaves and bushes from your gutters, and other important things outside.

4. Exterior Paint Touch-Ups

Obviously, a sunny day is the perfect day to repaint your house either you want to paint a new color or you just want to make the current color like new again. If you opt to do the latter but you already forgot the exact color of your house, you can ask the nearby paint center to help you. Painting your home can be all done by yourself or together with your family – a productive family bonding, indeed.

5. Air Conditioner Filter Clean-ups

Since it is summer, you don’t want to feel all that heat. And to stay cool, your HVAC has to be working in its optimal condition. If your air conditioning unit is regularly used every day, cleaning or replacing your air filter should be done every after two weeks. But remember before doing these clean-ups, it is best to read the owner’s manual since some HVAC units have a self-cleaning feature already.

6. Air Conditioner Fan Removal

After the filter, you should also look after your A/C fan. It might be filled with dust already. The first thing you should consider is to call an HVAC expert to check it. But if you opt to this by yourself, the steps are actually pretty simple. First, take off the outer frame, then look right behind the fins of your air conditioning unit where the fan is located. Basic tools are needed to remove the screws of the fan and it is easy to figure out. Clean the fan and replace everything back exactly how you remove it.

7. Check Furnace Filter

Your A/C is not the only thing that needs to get the dust off it. Your furnace needs your attention too because dust can also accumulate on it. Turn your furnace off and locate the filter which is just somewhere behind the service door. Remove the filter and watch it, but if your filter has a cardboard frame, you should replace it. You can avail heating and cooling service from HVAC experts so that you can avoid further repairs and keep your system operating at maximum efficiency.

8. Washing Machine Maintenance

Your washing machine is one of those appliances that you regularly use, regardless of the weather. A little maintenance can really go a long way. Look for soil build ups and stains on the door and the drum of your washing machine. If there is any, you should clean it ASAP so your clothes will not get stained.

9. Attic and Basement Inspections

Your attic and basement can be a nest for insects and pest that can eventually infiltrate other parts of your house. You should also check if there are any water leakage and mildew. You can try to look at your attic without lights to see if there are any sun rays that come inside. If there is, water can drip in during the rainy season through that hole.

10. Clean and Inspect the Patio, Driveway and Walkways

Check your driveways for cracks and weeds. After clearing them, use a pressure washer to wash off your driveways and walkways. Using such will make your job much easier and you can finish this within just a few minutes.