Summer Checklist for Your Home

It’s summertime, and you’re ready to relax on your patio, grill up some mouthwatering meals, entertain in your backyard, and soak up the sunshine while you can. Before you get too comfortable, don’t forget some basic maintenance around the house. Your home is an investment, so invest some time in taking care of it. Cothran Homes has suggestions for a summer checklist for your home. Have your air conditioning serviced. Your going to rely on your air conditioner in the months ahead. Be proactive and have a professional inspect the system and replace the air conditioner filters. If you don’t have central air conditioning, clean the filters on your units so they run more efficiently. Clean and check the deck, porch, and patio. Pressure wash your outdoor living areas to get rid of the dirt and debris that built up there. Check the flooring for loose boards, exposed nails, and signs of rot. To see if the floor needs to be re-sealed, spray the surface with water. If the water soaks in, it’s time for sealant. Deep clean your grill. Start your outdoor cooking season with a clean slate. It’s easier to clean a grill if you first fire it up and let the heat burn and loosen some of the stuck-on mess. When it’s cool enough to handle, remove and scrub the grills with a wire brush. Then clean them in hot, soapy water. For a gas grill, remove the burners and clean them to remove any residue. Wipe down the outside of the grill and the tray. Dust the ceiling fans. Like the air conditioning, the ceiling fans are going to get a workout over the summer. You don’t want them blowing dust, mites, and pollutants that have collected on the blades. Protect the indoor air quality by thoroughly cleaning the surfaces of your fans. Clear out the gutters and inspect the roof. If you didn’t already clean your gutters after winter, get up there and remove all the debris, twigs, and other materials to ensure water can flow freely. A blocked gutter could direct the water into your home. Be sure to wear work gloves when reaching into the gutters in case you come across something sharp. Once the gutters are clean, get on the roof and check for damaged or missing shingles. It’s best to find these problems before the cold weather returns. Wash your windows. No one likes to “do windows” but you’ll appreciate the effort when you can see more clearly! Wash them inside and out, and even give your window treatments a cleaning to get rid of dust. Scrub the outdoor furniture. Whether it sat in the yard over the winter or was packed in storage, your outdoor furniture should be refreshed before you invite people to sit there. Bugs, mildew, and other unwanted inhabitants may have snuggled in over the winter. Hose and brush down the furniture. Wash the cushions and let them dry in the sunlight. Prep your lawn and garden tools. Tune up your lawn mower. Check your blower, edger, and weed whacker. Clean and sharpen all blades. Scrub your garden tools to eliminate the dirt, bugs, weeds, and anything else you don’t want to add to your soil or plants. A townhome is ideal for homeowners who don’t want the worries of exterior maintenance, like cleaning gutters, taking care of the lawn, and painting the home. Cothran Homes takes pride in providing a relaxed lifestyle with the townhomes and single-family homes we build for our customers in and around Greenville, South Carolina. When you’re ready to start over, please browse our new home communities, floor plans, and move-in ready, new construction homes and townhomes now available. Then contact Cothran Homes to get moving.