Summer Home Maintenance

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The leaves are now fully back to green, and when you think about all the fun things you want to do this summer, home maintenance probably doesn't make the list. That said, it needs to be done, so if you do it now, while summer is still young, you can enjoy the rest of the season.

Roof
Inspecting your roof is always a good idea but summer might be the ideal season to do it. It’s dry and sunny most of the season, making it easy to see any issues that might have come up during winter or the spring storm season. Here are some things you can check yourself without getting on a ladder:

• Check the inside of your house first. Sometimes roof issues will show through your interior. Look out for wet spots on the ceilings and walls and any mold that might be forming on the ceilings. Although water spots may not always be a sign of roof damage, it could be.
• Walk around the outside of your house and look for signs of loose shingles. Loose shingles may look curled, cracked, or some might just be missing.
• Look to see if any trees are touching your roof. If they are any, you should consider having them trimmed as tree branches could damage the shingles with each wind gust.

Windows
With the sun shining through your windows, you may notice some dirt and residue on them or on windowsills and frames from the harsh winter or a rainy spring. Cleaning your windows might seem like a mundane task but dirty windows can cause a decrease in their energy efficiency. Dirty windows can trap heat rather than reflect it, which can cause your air conditioning costs to rise.

Air Filters
Summer means your air conditioner is most likely working overtime. When summer hits, most of our air conditioners are operating in long cycles, which causes more air to circulate. When more air circulates, more particles are being captured by your filter. Changing and checking the air filter in the summer frequently will help it work more effectively and it can also help prevent airborne warm-weather allergy triggers.

Gutters
When was the last time you cleaned out your gutters? This is on most people’s list of fall home maintenance chores, but winter and spring could’ve caused leaves, limbs and other debris to take up space in your gutters. Although summer tends to be a dry and hot season, big storms can occasionally occur. With the chances of big summer storms and high heat indexes, it is vital that your gutters are clean. Stormy winds can cause more debris buildup and movement that could potentially wreak havoc on your home. Take time to clean debris during the summer, and you’ll have less to deal with when the leaves start falling.

Add these checklist items to your list to ensure your home is ready for the summer season and the upcoming seasons.

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