With summer approaching, it’s the perfect time to prepare your home for the hotter months. Increased home activity means your plumbing system will face extra strain from more frequent use of kitchen sinks, garbage disposals, and other fixtures.
Additionally, children going in and out of the house often leave doors open, making your AC work harder. This extra strain on your HVAC system can lead to higher energy bills and potential breakdowns.
By addressing essential maintenance tasks for both plumbing and HVAC systems, you can ensure a comfortable home and avoid any summer discomfort. Taking proactive measures now will help you enjoy a worry-free summer.
Don’t let a plumbing emergency or AC failure put a damper on your summer plans. We have compiled a summer home maintenance checklist with the tips you need to help you with your summer home maintenance!
Inspecting and Maintaining Plumbing Systems
No summer home maintenance checklist is complete without addressing your plumbing system. With proper inspection and maintenance, you can prevent leaks, clogs, and water damage, so you won’t have to deal with the dreaded task of rearranging your fun summer plans.
These summer home maintenance tips below will help ease your worries:
Clean or replace your showerheads
If your showerhead has developed any calcium deposits, it may be time to replace it. If a low flow shower head is purchased, you will save money and water. You’ll also want to pay attention to any leaks coming from the showerhead.
Check for leaky pipes
Let’s face it. Even the smallest leak can turn into a major problem if ignored. Now is a great time to do a thorough check of your pipes. Feel along the walls of your home for moisture, check your water pressure, and monitor your water bill. If you notice any changes to any of these things, make sure to call 1-800-BILL-HOWE to have an experienced San Diego plumber assist with locating and fixing any leaks.
Clean your drains
With more people in your home, there’s likely going to be lots of stuff going down your drains. A certified Bill Howe technician can help clear and clean your drains with ease. Regular maintenance of your drains can help prevent clogs and foul odors, as well as help water drain faster.
Preventing HVAC Problems
Common HVAC problems that tend to occur during the summer include refrigerant leaks, clogged air filters, and AC malfunctions.
Have your air conditioning unit checked and serviced
Schedule a regular inspection and preventative maintenance before summertime. HVAC technicians are busy in the summer, so schedule an appointment before the rush. Having your air conditioner regularly serviced not only ensures that it will cool your house but also extends the lifetime of your equipment. An air duct cleaning is also necessary every 5 to 7 years to keep your home air quality clean.
Change the direction of your ceiling fan
Since heat rises, by changing the direction of your ceiling fan (so the blades spin counterclockwise), you are helping to circulate the cold air towards the floor to other parts of the room. Now is also a good time to wipe down the fan blades of any dust that may have accumulated.
Change the filter in your air conditioner
It’s a good idea to change your air conditioner filter every 3 months to ensure your system runs efficiently, and more often in certain situations such as when construction is happening in your area, if you own pets, or live around a lot of vegetation.
Check that indoor and outdoor air vents are not blocked
By making sure the areas around the indoor and outdoor vents are clear of obstruction, you are helping to keep everything in working order.
Managing Humidity Levels
A summer home maintenance checklist needs to include indoor humidity management. When it’s hot outside, the last thing you want to experience inside your home is high humidity. Besides comfort, controlling indoor humidity is essential to prevent mold and mildew growth.
Use dehumidifiers in damp areas
Too much moisture contributes to mold growth. We recommend using a dehumidifier in damp areas in your home, like the kitchen, bathroom, or bedroom. Dehumidifiers are great at removing excess moisture in the air, dust mites, allergens, and condensation.
Ensure proper ventilation in the bathrooms and kitchens
Proper ventilation in bathrooms and kitchens helps control humidity levels indoors. Poor ventilation can cause water stains, peeling paint, and health hazards, such as mold growth. Turn on the ventilation fan in the bathroom and vent hood while cooking.
Seal windows and doors to prevent moisture intrusion
Look for any significant gaps around the windows and doors. A great way to prevent excess moisture from entering your home is to ensure windows and doors are properly sealed. You can apply weatherstripping or caulk cracks and openings.
Addressing Common Plumbing and HVAC Emergencies
Unfortunately, emergencies can occur even after you’ve gone over and checked off the boxes on your summer home maintenance checklist. Burst pipes, sewer backups, and AC failures usually strike when you least expect them to.
Here’s what to do if there’s a common plumbing or AC emergency:
- Shut off water valves
- Turn off the hot water system
- Turn off the HVAC system to prevent damage
- Call your local Bill Howe plumber for 24/7 emergency HVAC and plumbing service
Interior General Maintenance
Check your attic
If you have an attic, summer is a perfect time to check for leaks, mold or mildew in these spaces. If you notice any of these, call a certified Bill Howe technician to help with mold abatement or to fix a plumbing issue.
Wash your home’s windows
With sunshine comes the obvious signs of how dirty your windows got over the rainy, winter season. Clean both the interior and exterior of your windows and your screens.
Test smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire extinguishers
While we hope that none of these things are ever needed, your smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire extinguishers should be checked regularly. Checking these items helps to ensure that they are working properly should the need ever arise.
Have your chimney cleared
You may not use your fireplace until the winter, but now is a great time to have your chimney cleared. Some companies may offer summertime specials and are typically not busy during this time of year.
Clean your dryer vent and exhaust duct
Cleaning out the lint in your vent and exhaust to keep your dryer working effectively and to prevent a fire from starting. If dryers are not cleaned properly, they can become a fire hazard.
Exterior General Maintenance
Inspect any outdoor play equipment
It may have been a few months since the last time any play structure was used. With warm weather on the way, checking to make sure the structure is secure is a good idea. Reseal, repaint or reinforce the structure as necessary to keep it safe and fun.
Clean your gutters
By cleaning your gutters, you are helping to prevent future damage that may occur after the rain. Eliminating blockages in your gutter helps prevent damage to your roof and your drains.
Check for leaks in outdoor faucets and sprinkler systems
Checking for leaks around the garden hose and sprinkler system is a must. These are essential tools for outdoor summer activities!
Prep your deck
If you have a deck, make sure that it’s in tip-top shape. Check for loose or splintered boards, protruding nails, or anything else that may be problematic. Reseal or replace any portion of your deck that needs it.
Check the caulking around windows and doors
If you notice cracks in the caulking around your windows and doors, make sure to address this. With good caulking, bugs are kept away and your home stays water tight in the event of rain.
Inspect your fencing
Repaint, reseal, and repair any portions of your fence if necessary.
Keep the unwanted pests around your home at bay
To keep the bugs, ants, snakes, and squirrels away from your home and yard, there are a few simple things that can be done to make this happen. Mow your lawn to keep your grass short so animals can’t hide. Cover any holes so animals can’t burrow. Close your trash cans so pests can’t get in. Throw away yard debris so animals and bugs can’t build a home.
Being proactive is the key to preventing summertime HVAC and plumbing problems. It’s also a smart idea to start searching for end-of-summer home maintenance tips to prepare for fall and winter.
With these home summer maintenance tips, you will be able to complete your home maintenance tasks for summer in no time! Be sure to call 1-800-BILLE-HOWE if you need an experienced plumber to assist you.
FAQ
What is the most important item for home maintenance?
Regular maintenance is crucial for home upkeep, particularly for plumbing. We recommend scheduling professional drain cleaning and checking for leaks and broken pipes at least once a year. Early attention to plumbing issues can prevent serious problems like floods and water damage.
HVAC maintenance is also key, so plan for tune-ups twice a year. By focusing on both plumbing and HVAC maintenance, you can prevent major issues.
What is a maintenance checklist?
A summer home maintenance checklist is a list of tasks you can complete regularly to ensure that your HVAC, plumbing, and other equipment are safe and in good working order.
How do I keep track of my home maintenance?
You can create a folder on your computer and name it home maintenance tips for summer. You can also make a summer home maintenance tips sheet by hand or print it out and place it on your refrigerator.
How do I create a maintenance schedule?
Some homeowners like to set up a digital calendar to be alerted when a task needs to be completed. You can create a binder to help organize the process if you’re old school.
How often do you need someone to check on your house?
We recommend hiring a professional to inspect your property at least once or twice a year.
