Summer is the favorite season for 25% of Americans. It is the perfect time for fun activities and festivals. However, as you start planning for your next barbeque, swimming, or picnic, you also need to prepare your home for the season to make the most out of it. Read on for eight ways you can prepare your home ready for the season ahead.
1. Turn the ceiling fan counterclockwise
Ceiling fans provide an excellent way to distribute cool air throughout the home. Consider turning the fan counterclockwise at minimal speed to push cool air towards the floor, creating a refreshing chill effect around the house. This helps reduce the use of your HVAC system, leading to savings. Check out ELSAustralia.com.au for leads to quality ceiling fans if you do not already have them installed.
2. Inspect the roof
The weight of snow and winter ice can affect your roof, so you should dedicate time to perform a thorough inspection of your roof to identify issues and repair them before they escalate to major problems. Repairing the roof can also improve your home’s energy efficiency. You should check for cracks, misalignments, and missing shingles that could let water seep into the house. You could also check the flashing (the metal pieces where shingles meet features like the chimney) for rust and determine whether the caulk around skylights and pipes has cracked. Use a caulk gun, hammer, roof nails, and tiles and sealants for minor roof repairs. However, if there is extensive damage, consider hiring a professional roofer.
3. Clean or replace the air conditioner filters
Equipping your home with a fully functioning HVAC system is crucial during summer. It distributes cool, clean air around the house, providing you with a haven to retreat to when the outdoor temperature is stifling. Air conditioners are fitted with air filters to prevent dust, pet dander, dirt particles, and debris from getting into the system. However, dirt particles accumulate on the filters with continued use, clogging them.
If left unattended, the clogs impact the air conditioner’s efficiency, making the home feel warmer. This means that the AC has to work harder to maintain the desired temperature, and you have to fork out more cash to cater for energy bills. For this reason, you should clean or replace the air filter at least once every 90 days. If you have multiple pets, plants, flowers, or anything that could compromise the indoor air quality, you could consider adjusting the air filter cleaning frequency to at least once every 30 days.
4. Paint your home’s exterior
Summer is the perfect time to spruce up your home’s exterior with a fresh coat of paint. The early summer days provide cool and dry temperatures that allow the paint to dry effectively. To paint your home, replace any damaged siding and sand down the painted areas you want to paint over. Next, lay down a tarp over decks, porches, bushes, or other surfaces you want to protect. You should then apply primer to allow the paint to adhere more quickly, then apply the new coat of paint. Use painter’s tape when painting sections with decorative trims to achieve a professional look. Be sure to ask for recommendations from friends and colleagues or a professional contractor for leads to the best paint type suited for your climate.
5. Give your outdoor grill a deep clean
The long sunny days and warm weather provide an excellent opportunity to invite your friends and family over, put on laid-back music, and grill up a storm. However, you may not have used your outdoor grill the entire year, so in readiness for summer, you should deep clean it to remove grime, grease, dirt, and rust. To clean the BBQ, consider setting it to high heat and letting it run for ten minutes. This makes scraping off any gunk sitting on the inside of the cook box easier. You should then disconnect the grill and allow it to cool off before removing and washing the burners, drip tray, and grates with warm soapy water.
6. Improve the home insulation
High-quality insulation on your cavity walls and roof is one of the most overlooked yet practical ways of maintaining ideal indoor temperatures. The insulation material prevents heat from entering the home from the outside or the cool air from the home escaping. If you have not already insulated your home, consider hiring an experienced contractor to install premium insulation. This protects you from incurring more costs to adjust interior temperatures. Be sure to seal any cracks or gaps on your window and door frames using weather stripping and caulk to improve insulating effects.
7. Clean the windows and screens
One of the most exciting aspects of summer is allowing natural light to stream into your home throughout the day. The sunshine does not only brighten up the space. It is also perfect for your overall wellbeing and health. However, the natural light unveils the dust, fingerprints, and streaks accumulated on the windows, compromising the home’s aesthetic appeal.
To prepare for summer, take the initiative and deep clean the surfaces. You could use a water-ammonia mix to scrub the windows, then dry them with a squeegee. Alternatively, hire professional cleaners to have your windows cleaned as it can be challenging and time-consuming to do it yourself, especially when it comes to the exterior windows. Be sure to inspect the windows and screens for damages when cleaning and make the necessary repairs.
8. Cut back bushes and trees
Pests, insects, and other animals also love the warm summer weather. This means that they may hide on your compound if you have long and thick bushes, making your home vulnerable to an infestation. For this reason, you should keep the foliage neat and tidy to guarantee safety. Be sure to also dispose of clippings, twigs, and leaves from the outdoor space before they build up.
Endnote
The summer weather provides an excellent time to bond with your family and friends. As you prepare to get toned, tanned, and enjoy the outdoors, do not neglect your home. Inspect the roof, paint the exterior, improve insulation, cut back trees and bushes, and give your BBQ a deep clean to create a cozy living space this summer.