No home looks and functions well just by chance. There is a lot of work that goes into maintaining a house and there’s no better time to do this work than the long days of summer. On days when the temperature isn’t too high, you can take advantage of the summer sunshine and the day’s long hours to start checking items off of your maintenance checklist. While there are some things that you can do yourself, you’ll need to call experienced professionals for other important home maintenance tasks. Let’s take a look at all of the important home maintenance tasks every Alabama homeowner should do this summer and how they can get them done.
Inspect the Windows
There are a few important home maintenance tasks that revolve around your windows. Keeping up with the maintenance of your windows will help boost the look of your home as well as improve its function. Start by examining the quality of your windows. If the glass is cracked or you’re having trouble opening and closing your windows, you may need to call a professional for residential window repair. If your house is older, you may need to completely replace the windows to get them looking and functioning properly. However, both repair and replacement are well worth the cost and effort, as you’ll be able to enjoy your perfect windows for years to come.
If you inspect your windows and they’re just a little dirty or smudged, use a glass cleaner to get them sparkling again. You’ll also want to consider your interior window treatments. If you get a lot of sunlight streaming into your home, as many Alabama homes do, you may want to invest in sun-blocking window covers or curtains. These treatments can reduce the amount of sunlight that comes into your home and warms it up. By blocking out these warm rays, your home’s air conditioning system won’t have to work as hard to cool your home.
Spruce Up Your Deck or Patio
One of the best summer activities is spending time in the outdoor areas of your home. Whether you have a deck, patio, or any other kind of outdoor space, take the time to clean up the area and restore it. These spaces tend to take a beating throughout the year but with a little TLC, you can get them looking brand new once again. If you have a deck, take the time to scrub it down, powerwash it, and seal it. If the deck is looking old and worn, consider restaining it. Check for loose floorboards and mold while you’re at it to ensure that your deck is safe and sturdy.
If you have a patio or lounge area by a pool, powerwash the space to get rid of dirt and grime that has settled there. Consider updating your outdoor furniture if it is also looking a bit worn from the weather and put thought into how you want to craft your outdoor space. There’s as much opportunity for design in outdoor areas as there is in your living room. By making this space look as attractive as you can, you’ll create another livable area for your family and the perfect space for hosting summer get-togethers.
Check Your Plumbing for Leaks
This important home maintenance task won’t help boost the appearance of your home like the two tasks we’ve discussed so far, but it is essential for the function of your home and the fullness of your wallet. Not only do leaky pipes drive up your water bill, but they can create mold and mildew in your house and ruin your lawn. This means that you’ll need to call a plumber to fix the pipes as well as other professionals to repair your lawn and get rid of the mold and mildew in your home. With regular checks for leaky pipes, however, you can prevent this small problem from growing into a major issue.
One way to check for leaks is to monitor your water bill. If you notice that it is suddenly higher than it normally is, you may have a leak in your pipes. You can also feel your walls for wetness and keep a discerning eye on your home’s water pressure to see if your pipes are leaking water. If you notice any of these suspicious signs, you should contact a plumbing repair service to fix your leak as soon as possible. With this small home maintenance task done, you won’t pay more than you need to for your water bill and you’ll help the environment by lessening the amount of water your home consumes.
Vacuum Bathroom Fan Vents
It’s easy to tell when your bathroom fan needs some of your undivided attention. If it sounds like it is wheezing, spitting, and groaning when you turn it on, it’s time to clean out those vents. When the vents get clogged up with dust and debris, the fan has to work harder to push air out and starts to make those unpleasant noises. Try removing the cover on your vents and vacuum out the dust and any other gunk that’s in there. You’ll get a quieter vent that can also work more efficiently without all of that dust in it.
Take a Look at Your Roof
Your home’s roof takes a lot of wear and tear from everyday wind and rain, not to mention the more serious storms that blow through Alabama towns. Over time, inclement weather can cause damage to your roof. This summer, check your roof for signs of damage so that you can invest in residential roof repair sooner rather than later. If you shirk this important home maintenance task, the damage to your roof will only grow and you’ll end up having to pay big bucks for a total roof replacement.
To check your roof for damage, you’ll need to break out your ladder and climb up so that you can see the top of your roof. From the safety of the ladder, check for missing shingles, missing granules on the shingles, signs of mold, and anything else that looks like it’s damaging the integrity of your roof. If you see any signs of damage, call roofers to assess the damage and give you an estimate for repairs. If your home’s roof hasn’t been replaced in 15 to 20 years, it might be time to get a brand new roof. Be sure to know information like your roof’s age when the roofers come to evaluate it so that they can get a complete picture of your roof’s status.
Evaluate Your Air Conditioning System
Your home’s air conditioning system is your best friend during an Alabama summer. To ensure that you stay comfortable during these long hot months, you need to inspect your system, perform any necessary maintenance, and contact air conditioning companies for repairs or maintenance that you can’t perform yourself.
The type of maintenance you need to do depends on the type of system you have. If you have a window unit, you can perform the maintenance yourself. You simply need to remove and clean the filter on the unit every season. If you have central air or an HVAC system, you should have a professional inspect it once a year to ensure that it is in good shape. If they find anything wrong, they’ll be able to schedule a time for heating and cooling repair to get your system into good shape again and keep your home’s temperature comfortable.
Give Your Landscaping Some Love
This important home maintenance task will likely take you a few days to complete, but it will go a long way in making your home look better. Every family will need to focus on different landscaping tasks, depending on what areas need the most attention and how elaborate the home’s landscaping is. A good place to start is with evaluating the health of your grass. If it tends to get overgrown, be sure to regularly mow it so that you don’t get infestations of animals and bugs. If your grass is starting to turn yellow or brown, cut back on mowing. When you mow too often your grass becomes overexposed to the sun, which burns it and gives it that hay-like color. Focus instead on watering your grass to try to bring life back into it.
Once your grass is looking good, you can start to concentrate on the more decorative elements of your landscaping. Pull weeds from your garden beds, plant new flowers in them, and put finishing touches on these beds with mulch and pavers. Evaluate the condition of your hardscaping elements as well, which are all parts of your landscaping that aren’t alive. Check for cracks and damage in areas like walkways, patios, and even your driveway. If you find unappealing wear and tear, contact professionals for asphalt driveway repair. By performing important home maintenance on the living and non-living elements of your landscaping, you will make the entire home more aesthetically-appealing.
Spiff Up The Exterior Paint and Siding
Just as the roof of your home can take a beating from the weather, so can your home’s exterior paint and siding. Not only does peeling paint and chipped siding decrease the attractiveness of your home, but these damages can let in rain and insects. If your part of Alabama tends to get humid, algae and mildew can start to grow on your home’s exposed exterior. Walk around the outside of your home and check for any problem areas that need some attention.
If you spot damage, determine how you will remedy it. You will probably be able to do simple maintenance tasks like power washing your siding if it is dirty, but you may want to call professionals to give the exterior of your home a fresh coat of paint or repair its siding. As you’re evaluating the outside of your home, check out the garage’s exterior as well. If its exterior is also looking worn or the door isn’t functioning correctly, contact someone for garage door repair as soon as possible. By taking care of it now, you can avoid having to pay for a complete replacement down the road.
Clean the Sink Disposal
You may not often think about the cleanliness of your sink disposal, but a neglected disposal can quickly become clogged, smelly, and messy. This makes cleaning out your sink disposal an important home maintenance task. Luckily, cleaning it doesn’t take too long. If your disposal has a baffle, you just need to remove it and wash out the food buildup. If your disposal doesn’t have a baffle, you can freeze vinegar ice cubes and run them down the disposal to help keep it smelling fresh.
As you’re cleaning the disposal, consider whether it needs some more in-depth repairs as well. If your sink disposal makes a funny noise when you turn it on or doesn’t run at all, you may need to call a professional to take a look at it. The issue could also come down to the electrics in your kitchen, so you may need to invest in electric repairs to get your disposal working as it should.
Test Your Home’s Alarms
This is one of the most important home maintenance tasks that you can perform because it helps ensure the safety of your family. It’s also a relatively quick task that you can easily cross off of your to-do list. Go around your home and push the test buttons on your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. If the alarm sounds, then it is working fine. If you don’t hear anything, try replacing the batteries and testing it again. If it still doesn’t work, you may need to invest in a new alarm.
Your home is your family’s sanctuary. To keep your family members safe and happy, you need to ensure that you’re doing everything you can to maintain your home. By performing these important home maintenance tasks, you’ll be giving your Alabama home the regular attention that it needs.
