Summer Home Maintenance Checklist for New Homeowners

Summer is nearing and if you are a new homeowner, then you may not be used to this time of year when it becomes necessary to do a little home maintenance.

You have made an investment of hundreds of thousands of dollars for your new home and it only makes sense to take care of this investment. By doing regular maintenance each quarter, you can help to save yourself money in the long run.

Here are some of the most common areas to take care of now that the weather is getting warmer:

1. Cooling Systems—Before the summer kicks in and you really need your air conditioning system, now is the time to get it checked out. Have your HVAC system serviced so that your unit doesn’t die on you when you need it most. This is also the best time to consider putting in new ceiling fans in rooms that don’t already have them and to clean the existing fans.

2. Check Your Roof—Now that the winter and spring storms are done, it’s a good idea to check your roof to see if you have any loose or missing shingles. If you can, get up on the roof with a ladder. Or, if you prefer going high-tech, you can use a drone to fly over and take pictures so you can see if there are any problems.

3. Outdoor Entertaining—If you have a pool, outdoor patio or deck, or grill, now is the time to get them ready for summer entertaining. Have your pool’s chemicals checked. Also, go through your deck and look for loose boards or any cracks that show that the boards need to be replaced. This is also a good time to pressure wash your deck and see if you need to add sealant to your deck. Finally, check the gas lines for your gas grill. If you use propane tanks, be sure to get a fresh one before you start grilling.

4. Check Your Alarms—Every quarter of the year is the proper time to check your home’s alarms and detectors. Change the batteries out in the smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors to help keep you and your family safe.

Now that weather is getting warmer and drier, it’s time to do some maintenance checks on your home. If you do this now and keep up with it regularly, then your house will take care of you for years to come.

**********