Prep your home for the heat of summer with these essential home maintenance ideas!
With the temps quickly rising and the days getting longer (and sunnier), May is the perfect time for homeowners to prep their home for summer with some essential monthly home maintenance. These easy but impactful tasks will help keep everything running smoothly and efficiently during the upcoming heat.
Here are four key home maintenance tasks to prep your home for the upcoming summer months:
1. Check Your HVAC System
Ask any Houston homeowner—the air conditioner is your best friend during the summer! But before it starts running 24/7, make sure your HVAC system is ready to handle the work load. Replace any filters, check for any signs of wear or damage, and schedule a professional tune-up if you haven’t had one recently.
Regular HVAC servicing not only helps improve your system’s efficiency, but can also extend the life of your system! The HVAC technician can also (usually) help with filter replacements and any other A/C maintenance concerns you may have. Because if your A/C system is in great shape, your utility bills will be too…
2. Inspect & Repair Your Fence
The transition from wet, spring weather to dry, summer heat takes a huge toll on your fence line. In hot places like Houston, TX, where the soil dries out quickly, rain isn’t always fully absorbed by the dirt, and the resulting underground “rivers” cause foundations to weaken, posts to shift, and boards to loosen. Walk your entire fence line to check for any major damages, board warping, or post instability. Repairing small issues on a few fence boards now can help prevent bigger problems later (replacing an entire fence at once is not cheap or easy). Plus, it’ll instantly boost your curb appeal!
3. Deep Clean All Your Faucets
Did you know your water is not pure water? Whether you have hard or soft water, all unfiltered water contains minerals (especially treated water). So, mineral build-up in your pipes and faucets is bound to occur over time. Unfortunately, water faucets can hold a lot of that grime and bacteria, which all flows directly into the water you use every day!
You can give all your faucets a thorough deep-cleaning with an easy solution of white vinegar and baking soda, diluted with water—which is safe for most plumbing fixtures. Simply soak your faucet heads and/or aerators in the solution for about 15 minutes, then wipe them down with a clean towel to remove built up minerals and dirt. In addition to cleaning your faucets, this practice also helps improve water flow.
4. Check the Seals on Your Windows & Doors
The weatherstripping and sealant on your doors and windows help to keep the inside air and the outside air separate. It stops the cold air from seeping into your home during the winter and prevents the cool air from escaping your home during the summer. However, cracked caulking or damaged weatherstripping leaves “holes” allowing the air to go where it wants. This means during the summer, your HVAC will have to work overtime as the cool air constantly escapes!
Make sure to inspect the sealant and weatherstripping around all your doors and windows to ensure nothing is damaged or needing to be replaced. Resealing any necessary areas will keep your home more energy-efficient, your summer utility bills in check, and your wallet happy.
Taking care of these easy home maintenance tasks in May will help ensure your home is ready to face the upcoming summer months. Whether you're a new homeowner or have owned your house for decades, staying on top of your monthly maintenance can prevent costly repairs down the line and help protect your investment.
Need professional help with any of these home maintenance ideas for May? Contact us today!
Alexis Feezel is a results-oriented Marketing Coordinator responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing all promotional strategies and activities to effectively market clients & listings and maximize sales.