Home Maintenance Reminders to Set This Summer

When you own a home, it seems like there’s always something else that needs to be done. Even season-specific home maintenance checklists sometimes seem to go on forever, and the last thing anyone wants to worry about amid the warm weather and sunshine of summertime is a home maintenance schedule. Neglecting your home at any time of year is a recipe for disaster, so the team at Best Pick Reports has assembled the following easy-to-manage list of summer home maintenance tips.

Visual Inspection

Unless something is awry, a lot of home maintenance involves little more than observation, so set aside a couple of hours to cross such tasks off your to-do list before the lazy days of summer set in.

• Inspect your plumbing and any caulking around plumbing fixtures for leaks, mold, rust, or damage. Replace caulk where there are leaks or mold.
• Check your basement and crawl space for leaks, dampness, standing water, or mold. Immediately clean any mold-infected areas, or call in a professional for mold remediation or waterproofing if necessary.
• Look over all porches, decks, and patios to make sure they’re structurally sound, and seal any exposed wood.

Filters, Batteries, and Other Quick Fixes

You shouldn’t have to stop your summer fun for more than a few minutes to tackle each of the following items on our summer home maintenance checklist.

• Not all A/C filters are created equal. Know how often yours needs to be changed, and set reminders accordingly.
• Set your ceiling fans to rotate counterclockwise, which will make your house feel cooler.
• Put fresh batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
• Lubricate all the moving parts of your garage doors, and make sure they are in good working order.

Larger Tasks

While the next few responsibilities will require a little bit of time, taking care of them now could save you loads of time later that would be better spent soaking up some vitamin D.

• Empty your hot water heater, and flush out all the sediment. Follow your water heater’s instructions, or check out part two of our Summer Maintenance Tips guide for a quick how-to. Don’t forget to test the pressure valve as well.
• Thoroughly clean the parts of your appliances you don’t typically think about, such as the refrigerator coils, showerheads, dryer vent, and lint screen.
• Set up a watering and mowing schedule for your lawn. If you’d rather only worry about half of that, consider automating your irrigation.

Before the Weather Cools Down

Once you’ve made it this far, there are just a couple more things left to do before summer officially ends and the leaves start turning colors.

• Get a furnace inspection.
• Check your weatherstripping for air leaks, and update as necessary.

Summer home maintenance doesn’t have to keep you out of the sun. With a little planning and dedication, you’ll be enjoying the warm air with your family in no time.