Your Summer Checklist to Maintain your Utah Home
Whether you’ve lived in your Utah home for all your life, or you just recently moved in, we know taking good care of your house is a top priority for you. Nobody will deny that being a home owner can be a lot of work, especially if you want your home to be in good condition for years to come. All of the time, energy and money spent on maintaining your home will pay off in the end. You may see your children grow up in that same home, make memories with your loved ones, or even sell when its value has appreciated through the years! Whatever you want to do with your home down the road, the important thing is that it’s in great shape when it comes time to make that decision.
Right now, Utah is experiencing its summer weather, which means it’s time for the Utah Summer House Maintenance Checklist! These are things most homeowners in Salt Lake City and surrounding areas forget about, but they’re a vital part of maintaining your home.
Here are some of the main areas of your house that you’ll want to focus on during the summer:
Gutters
Your gutters control the flow of rainwater on and near your house, protecting your roof, siding and foundation. Clogged gutters can cause a roof to leak or water to infiltrate your home. Clean/clear gutters at least twice a year (or more frequently, depending on how many trees surround and hang over your roof). Don’t forget to check for damage, because you’ll want your home to be ready for the rain this fall and the melting snow next spring. Click here for a guide with steps on how to clean your gutters.
Painting
If there’s one thing that can make your home look brand-new, it’s a new coat of paint. Exterior paint doesn’t just make your house look like the “coolest kid on the block”, it also protects from water damage and rot. Especially if you see signs of peeling or chipping paint, you know it’s time for a fresh coat. Schedule this early in the season, so you’re done before fall sets in. If you don’t have the time or resources at the moment to do a full paint job, just see what areas most need a touch-up and start budgeting to do a complete fresh coat next year.
Insects
Summer is a bug’s favorite season. Ants, spiders, moths are common insects to find in your house, and easy to take care of. Cleaning any forgotten corners of your home, taking care of cob webs, applying ant poison where needed and getting a blue light that attracts flies and mosquitos will make your late summer nights in the yard and watermelon snacks for the kids a lot more enjoyable! If you have a more serious problem, like cockroaches or other insects that could spread very easily, this would be the time to call a pest company.
Exhaust vents and air ducts
Your air-conditioning is probably working overtime during the summer months, so make sure it’s working effectively. Some times debris and foreign objects in air-ducts can obstruct the air flow and cause higher utility costs. Not to mention that dust, dirt and allergens inside air-ducts can contaminate that cool air inside your home. As one of the only air vent cleaning companies in Utah that has a high-powered vacuum truck, we are well-equipped to clean your air vents. Fill out an inquiry form to schedule your air vent cleaning today!
Clean garage
You know it’s summertime when you can easily spot signs reading “GARAGE SALE” on the corner of (nearly) every street. Summer is simply the perfect season to clean out your garage! It’s a time to tidy up, clear out new storage space, create a structure that keeps things organized and get rid of anything you haven’t used in a while.
Annual Home Maintenance Tasks
Do you ever feel overwhelmed by all the small home maintenance tasks? It helps to have a checklist, so you know what you’ve done and what still needs to be done. If you have an annual checklist that you break down for each season, you won’t feel as overwhelmed by the workload. If you work down a checklist instead of waiting for things in your home to break, you’re more likely to catch those necessary repairs early and save a lot of money, or prevent them altogether by having regular cleaning and maintenance.
Here are some tasks to cross off your list this summer:
Oil garage-door opener and chain, garage door, and all door hinges.
Remove lint from inside and outside washer hoses and dryer vents.
Clean kitchen exhaust fan filter.
Clean refrigerator and freezer coils and empty and clean drip trays.
Check dishwasher for leaks, clean the drainage holes and cycle one or two dishwasher cleaners.
Replace interior and exterior faucet and shower-head washers if needed.
Seal tile grout.
Prune trees and shrubs.
If you follow this Home Maintenance schedule and take great care of your Utah home, your house will take care of you for many more years to come. Your house is most likely already the host of many summer parties and late night chats under starry skies, and now it will also be the proud recipient of many compliments!