2) Measure and grade your soil
3) Fill foundation cracks
4) Clean up mold and mildew
5) Replace cracked caulking around windows and doors
6) Replace worn shingles and cracked or bent roof flashing
7) Test your hot water’s pressure tank valve
Locate and check main shut off valve for water#TitleInsurance
Summer maintenance tips to keep your home in tiptop condition. We're gonna go rapid fire and cover off the most important points.
Number 1, replace furnace filters. Why? To keep your furnace running efficiently, you need to change the filters every three months. Keeping a dirty filter means your furnace has to work twice as hard to push out heat.
Number 2, measure and grade your soil. Why? Soil and landscaping needs to be graded away from your home. This means that the slope of your lawn needs to be moving away from your house. Water will take the path of resistance, so if the dirt in your yard slopes towards your home, water will follow the slope and then find the easiest point of entry into your foundation.
3, fill foundation cracks. Why do you need to do that? Well, water can enter into small cracks and holes in your foundation, and over time can cause significant damage to your foundation. To protect your home, repair these cracks and holes.
Number 4, clean up mold and mildew. Why do you need to do that? Well, mold and mildew grow where water sits and absorbs on surfaces. Left alone, the spores will continue to grow and making the mold or mildew patch grow in size. What do you need to do? Well, you need to get rubbing alcohol and water, spray the mold and mildew, and then scrub it away. Remember, use gloves, mask, as this stuff is not good to breathe.
5 - Replace cracked caulking around windows and doors. Why do you need to do that? Well, wooden windows sills and door frames are prone to rot, and this becomes an easy access point for pests, such as termites or carpenter ants to find a home. Don't caulk over the old caulking. Instead, use a knife, remove the old caulking, and then reapply a new seal around the window.
6 - Roof, very important, the number one defense system in your home. Do an exterior inspection, make sure all loose shingles or any weak spots are attended to.
And my last point, number 7, test your hot water pressure tank valve. Why? Hot water tank valves do on occasion get blocked up and this can turn your tank into a pressurized bomb. To make sure you don't have a dangerous hazard in your home, simply test the valve once per year. How do you do that? Well, you place a bowl underneath the valve and then turn the valve. Don't use your hands, as the water's scalding hot. The valve is working if the water pours out, okay?
And my last step, locate and check the main shutoff valve for water. Why do you need to do that? Well, typically your plumbing pipes won't stop working, although they may spring a leak. But the reason why you want to test your main shutoff valve once per year is to ensure that this shutoff hasn't seized. Too many times a homeowner forgets about the shutoff valve until one day a plumbing nightmare happens. To repair it, the homeowner will rush to shut off the water in the home, only to find out the shutoff valve is seized. So what do you need to do? Just go check it out, know where it is, turn, twist the handle, make sure it's open and it closes easily. Consider cleaning off some dirt there and spraying a bit of lubricant.
Summer Maintenance Tips To Keep Your Home In Tip Top Shape
Summer is a great time to get outside and enjoy the warmer weather. It's also a great time to focus on home maintenance projects that will help keep your home in tip top shape. Here are some summer maintenance tips to help you get started:
- Replace furnace filters: This is something that should be done every few months, but it's especially important to do in the summer when your air conditioner is running constantly.
- Measure and grade your soil: Summer is a great time to start thinking about gardening projects. Measuring and grading your soil will help you determine how much work you need to do to get your garden ready for planting.
- Clean up mold and mildew: Mold and mildew can grow quickly in the warm, humid summer months. Regularly cleaning areas like your bathroom and kitchen will help prevent mold and mildew from taking over.
- Replace cracked caulking around windows and doors: Cracks in caulking can let air and moisture into your home, which can lead to problems like mold and rot. Replacing old or damaged caulking is a quick and easy way to help keep your home in top condition.
- Replace worn shingles and cracked or bent roof flashing: Summer storms can damage your roof, so it's important to inspect it regularly for any damage. Replacing damaged shingles and roof flashing will help keep your home protected from the elements.
