There are a few home maintenance tasks you should tackle during the summer to keep your California home in tiptop shape all season long. Check these eight projects off your to-do list before firing up the grill.
Maintain your refrigerator
To keep your refrigerator running efficiently in these hot months, you’ll want to vacuum and clean the condenser coils, defrost the freezer, and clean the seals around the door. Then, scrub your fridge inside and out—a task that’s often overlooked, but it’s a great way to ensure the cool air in the fridge is remaining where it belongs: inside.
Keep expanding wood from causing cracks
Hot weather makes wood—and many other construction materials—expand. And over time, this expansion and contraction cycle can cause damage to your house. The effect can vary depending on the humidity and climate, but after a while, you may have breaches in the seals around your home.
Inspect the seals around your windows, roof, door frames, vents, ducts, and outdoor faucets, and take note of any cracking. Not only are you ensuring your hard-working AC keeps its efforts inside the house, but you also prevent unwanted bugs and critters from entering.
Bust out the power or pressure washer
Months of harsh weather have probably left your siding and hardscaping looking a little dingy. This gets overlooked, but it’s a huge part of keeping up the curb appeal of your home. Plus, a good pressure washing cleans out the dirt, preventing rot or other unwanted intrusions.
Give your washing machine a break
Just like your fridge, your washing machine deserves some TLC during summer—especially if you have kids. All of those dirty sports jerseys and mud-soaked pants give the machine a serious workout. Check your hoses for leaks, and clean your lint filter, too. And when you do the laundry, wash full loads and use cold water whenever possible.
Declutter your lawn
Scan your yard: Do you have any tall piles of wood, or uncleared corners of brush?
Bugs and other pests make a resurgence as the weather gets warmer. These areas provide pests cool, dark places to escape the heat. Clear them immediately! Depending on the region, black widows, brown recluses, rattlesnakes, or other poisonous critters can be found in clutter such as this.
Wash your window screens
Finally, you can throw open your windows and breathe in fresh air 24/7! But wait, what is all that dust on your screens? Exterior windows take a beating during the winter months, and now that better weather has arrived, it’s time to give them a little refresh.
For best results, take out all of your window screens, prop them up against an exterior wall, and use that pressure or power washer you oh-so-conveniently rented. Don’t feel like renting a power tool? Use a bristle brush and soapy water to get rid of dirt and debris.
Reseal your deck
Ready to host summer barbecues? Make sure your deck is ready, too. If you pour some water on your deck and the water beads up, you’re all good. However, if the water soaks in, it’s time to reseal.
Unsealed, moisture-soaked decks can cause major problems, like rotting or cracked wood. (And nothing makes a grill party less fun than suddenly plummeting through the floor.)
Don’t forget your driveway
Winter weather can be harsh on driveways, especially if you were snowblowing or plowing frequently. Resealing is especially important if you have kids who like to ride a bike or scooter up and down the driveway in the summer months.
To start, give your driveway a good power wash. Once it’s dry, fill in any cracks or holes with asphalt filler. Then give the whole driveway a fresh coat of sealant.
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