Dreams of the summer season tend to focus on long, lazy days spent reading the latest bestsellers, napping in the rope hammock, or watching white clouds drift across a blue sky. But if you’re a homeowner, you know that summer isn’t always a day at the beach.
Forgetting the HVAC Filter
Your air conditioner works hard over the summer. Don’t make it work any harder than necessary. Keep the unit running smoothly—and keep cooling costs low—by checking the HVAC filter on a regular basis (as often as once per month if you own pets or live with a smoker). While slightly more expensive washable filters can be reused, cheaper fiberglass filters, once dirty, must be replaced. Consult the manual to learn the recommended filter type for your unit.
Letting the Siding Slide
Exterior siding: So highly visible to neighbors and passersby, its condition says a lot about your priorities as a homeowner. But while curb appeal may be one motivation for performing exterior maintenance, there’s a practical and even more compelling reason to do so. Over the summer months, dirt, mold, pollen and tree sap steadily accumulate. Unchecked, such surface imperfections could ultimately shorten the lifespan of your siding material.
Paying Pavement No Mind
It’s not impossible to repair concrete driveways, walkways, and patios in fall and winter, but cold weather makes it a lot more difficult to ensure a satisfying result. For that reason, there’s no better time than now to repair cracked, crumbling, or chipping concrete before it inevitably worsens, sometimes irretrievably. Use latex or epoxy patching compound, and if you wish to disguise the repair or give the paved area a smooth new look, applying a resurfacer.
Passing Over Pests
Insects are an unavoidable fact of life, particularly in the summer. Unpleasant though they may be, household pests are usually benign. However, it would be a mistake to forget that some critters pose a genuine threat—termites most of all. Do due diligence to prevent an infestation. Indoors, keep the basement and attic dry and well-ventilated. Outdoors, maintain a one-inch gap between soil and wood portions of the home, and tightly seal foundation cracks.
Overlooking the Roof
There are summer winds that blow in from the sea, bringing welcome relief on the hottest days of the year. And then there are tenacious gales that, on their own or in the course of a summer thunderstorm, put your home at risk of considerable damage. If and when especially rough weather visits your town, don’t forget to assess your roof in the aftermath. Upset shingles—whether loose, torn, or warped—are an open invitation to roof leaks and water damage.
Neglecting the Gutters
When’s the last time you inspected the gutters? Even beyond the fall season, leaves and debris can accumulate enough to form clogs. Combine heavy summer downpours with obstructed gutters, and your home becomes vulnerable to extensive, expensive damage. Now, for your gutters to drain away stormwater with persistent reliability, experts recommend twice-annual cleaning. If you’re tired of the hassle and hazards of climbing up a ladder to remove gutter gunk year after year, you wouldn’t be the only one! Perhaps it’s finally time to consider the alternative—a storm drainage system that requires zero maintenance. Guaranteed not to clog, seamless one-piece LeafGuard Brand Gutters eliminate the need for homeowners to clean—or even think about—their gutters. It’s a get-it-and-forget-it solution.
