How to Prepare Your Home for Summer

by Linda Martin 03/24/2019

The summer is a much-anticipated season. It often means you get to enjoy those lovely outdoor activities you've missed like gardening or treating your friends to barbecue on chilly evenings.After the cold, you'll be happy to use plenty of warmth and sunshine. However, the weather in summer can be extreme in some locations, so you have to ensure your home is in perfect shape when it comes.

Here are some great ways to prepare your home for the warm weather:

Prevent water damage

Summer does not only come with heat. You should expect a lot of rain too. Damaged shingles or faulty flashings in your roof can give way for water to seep into your home. You certainly don't want to deal with some messy mold problems that will cost you more. Check walls, vents, windows, and doors for cracks and be sure to seal them properly. Make sure to unblock the gutters, so you don't end up taking in water instead of keeping it away.

Keep out the bugs

While you're planning to remain cool during summer, insects are also on the lookout for great hideouts too. Most of them don't thrive in the cold weather so when summer comes; you may have bugs crawling around your home. An excellent way to avoid this is by spraying your home for insects. You should also seal cracks and holes that can serve as an entryway to them.

Check your cooling unit

In preparing your home for summer, the primary concern is keeping cool as much as possible. Because air conditioners are put out of use for a long time before summer, it is essential to change the air filters, inspect the refrigerant and coils. Also, remove debris from the condensing unit outside. This season is the right time to install a smart thermostat to save cost and energy. If you have ceiling fans, set them to rotate counterclockwise. It will keep your home fresh in summer.

Give your home a retouch

There will be plenty of sunlight, and you need those bright rays in your home during the day. You can repaint the walls with bold, reflective colors and change the drapes. Materials that allow light in are also perfect. Pressure wash external walls before coating them with paint to clean off mildew. If you have shrubs around, you should trim them off for some serene greenery. 

Some of the tips above you can perform yourself, but for additional help, visit your local home hardware store to talk to an expert.

About the Author
Author

Linda Martin

Licensed in 1980, real estate is my career! Living and working first in the Falls Church area of Fairfax County Virginia, we found our way to Warrenton in 1989 and have called it home ever since! Fauquier, Madison and Culpeper are gateways to all sorts of wonderful communities across the Virginia Piedmont-- old towns, country suburban neighborhoods, rural hideaways, farms and estates! Whether you are considering a move in the near future, or are just starting the thought process, I look forward to helping you, at your pace.