Summer Maintenance Tips! Make Summer Fun, Comfortable and Safe

Summer is here! Time for barbecuing, gardening, and lawn mowing! Take advantage of the warm weather and get some maintenance done on the exterior of your home. We have compiled some summer maintenance tips to help give you some ideas.

Summer Maintenance Tips #1: Air conditioners and Decks

• Before turning on your air conditioner, be sure to clear any obstruction, debris, or foliage from around it as these items can obstruct airflow or cause damage to the unit.
• Decks are for fun and entertainment. However, keep them safe by making sure proper guard rails are in place and are not loose and wobbly. You can also keep your deck and stairs looking good with stain, varnish or paint.  Before setting up deck furniture, walk around and check the underlying structure. Check the support beams and footings to make sure the soil has not eroded away from them and they are not off their footings. If your barbeque is on the deck, make sure it’s not too close to the house and is situated in a proper location for maximum safety.

Summer Maintenance Tips #2: Garage Door Safety & Awareness

• There will be a lot of activity going in and out of the garage in summer. Make sure your automatic door and remote control are operating properly, and the safety lasers are aligned correctly.

Summer Maintenance Tips #3: Rodent and pest prevention

• Summertime is a time for critters! Check for common entry points:  doors, window screens, air conditioning lines, attic or crawl spaces. Ants, mice, raccoons, squirrels, and insects, mosquitos and termites can all appear or reappear uninvited!

Summer Maintenance Tips #4: Gutters and storm preparation

• Clogged gutters are such a common problem but easily fixed! One last time make sure gutters and downspouts are clear of debris! This will ensure that you are prepared for those late afternoon summer showers and hail storms that we know are coming!

Summer Maintenance Tips #5: Foundation & Chimney structural issues

• Any low areas around the foundation should be filled with compacted soil. A big rain or hail storm can lead to flooding and cause foundation issues. Check now also, to see if there is any damage to the chimney. Even if it looks good, this is the time to have the entire structure examined, before next winter!

Summer Maintenance Tips #6: Faucets, hose housing/sprinkler system

• Check to see if there have been leaks that have developed over the winter. Check faucets and hose bibs for water leaks and drips, which might indicate that pipe damage is present. A freeze-proof compression faucet, or hose bib, is a good investment, to keep leaks from getting worse and avoid ruptured pipes down the road. Many people are also starting up their sprinkler systems. Make sure the backflow preventer is not leaking and that all the sprinkler heads are uncovered and popping up!

There are plenty of other summer maintenance tips we have to offer. If you would like a detailed overview of maintenance items this summer, consider a Maintenance Inspection. Call us at Scott Home Inspection to help you get ready for a fun and fabulous summer!