Summertime Home Maintenance Checklist

Summer Maintenance

Start your summer off on the right foot by tackling home maintenance before your weekend calendar fills up with barbecues, pool parties and camping trips. From inspecting your air-conditioning system to prepping the grill for three deliciously smoky months, a little preventative care will keep your summer fun pumping all the way through till fall.

Here are a few fantastic summer maintenance tips from the sales teams at a selection of our most popular new home communities nationwide.

New Homes in North Carolina

Holcomb Woods, Harrisburg, NC

  • Power wash your driveway, walkways, walls and brickwork: Dirt, sap, bird droppings and mold can build up on concrete and stone. A quick power wash whisks away filth in no time at all.
  • Inspect your foundation for cracks: Now that your concrete is clean and easy to see, take a walk around the property to check for damage before it gets big enough to leak. Fill cracks in the driveway, too.
  • Wash & reseal windows: Freshly cleaned windows will let in a lot more summer sun for natural lighting in your home. Take advantage of dry weather to remove old caulking and reseal windows to prevent leaks during the rainy season. It’s also a good time to rinse off screens with a hose and replace screens that are torn or ripped.

Pro Tip: Divvy up your maintenance work by doing some yourself and bringing in a professional, too. Some tasks, like cleaning out the gutters and downspouts, go a lot faster when you hire a service that’s got all the right tools to finish the job in a jiffy.

Homes in Atlanta Suburbs

The Springs at Rockhouse, Lawrenceville, GA

  • Inspect outdoor play equipment: Swing sets, trampolines and other outdoor play equipment can take a lot of damage over the winter cold and spring rains. Tighten bolts and repaint when necessary. Stay safe and remove irreparable outdoor toys from your yard.
  • Clean ceiling fans: Warm summer months mean ceiling fans will be spinning nonstop. To avoid churning dust throughout the house, set up a stepladder and clean off the blades and motor. Replace any burnt out bulbs and check that the spin direction is set for cooling as many fans turn in both directions depending on the season.

Phoenix Area Real Estate

Las Brisas Discovery II and Encore II Collections, Goodyear, AZ

  • Give your grill an overhaul: A clean barbecue means tastier food and more life out of your favorite summertime cooking appliance. Scrub and soak the grates and wipe the grill down inside and out. Check for gunk in the gas jets and clean out blocked holes with a small nail. Another great way to clean your grill is to turn your burners up to high and cook the grime out for ½ hour with the lid down. For charcoal grills, empty out all ashes and clean the unit completely with hot, soapy water.
  • Air-conditioner maintenance: If your home is fitted with central air, your best bet is to hire a pro to come in and do a full-service checkup – but for individual units, something as simple as pulling out the filters and giving them a good cleaning will vastly improve performance and energy efficiency.

Sunshine State Living in Fort Myers

Estero Pointe, Fort Myers, Florida

  • Mulch your gardens: Mulching can prevent weeds from growing during the summer months and help retain moisture so that flower beds don’t dry out.
  • Clean refrigerator coils: Hot weather means your fridge will be working overtime. Help keep your summertime drinks ice cold by pulling your refrigerator out from the wall and vacuuming the coils.
  • Remove mineral deposits from showerheads: If you’ve been noticing lower than ideal water pressure in your shower, it could be that the jets are clogged in your showerheads. Unscrew your showerheads and soak them in a pan of white vinegar overnight. Then, wash with soapy water. If the problem persists, it might be time to replace the heads.

Pro Tip: Summer activities means there will be plenty of coming and going. Throw down an extra doormat at each entrance to help stop dirt from getting into your home in the first place.

Austin Hill Country Homes

Travisso, Leander, Texas

  • Clean the dryer vent and exhaust duct: Summer heat can raise the risk level for fires in the home. Preventative maintenance to remove clogged lint in your dryer vents helps keep your family safe. While you’re at it, test all the batteries in your fire alarms.
  • Set up a summer watering schedule: Train your plants to endure dry spells by setting a two day a week watering routine. A pair of deep soaks in the evening will foster stronger root growth compared to a light watering daily.
  • Test for leaks: A drippy exterior faucet or pinhole leak in a hose can lead to big time water wastage over the summer. Check all hose bibs and any irrigation equipment to make sure you’re not dripping your way to an oversized water bill.

New Build Homes Chicago

Tallgrass, Lake Barrington, IL

  • Power wash and reseal your deck: Taking good care of your deck means many more years of barbecues and backyard fun. Always power wash before treating with water & fungus repellent to prevent cracking, graying and damage from mildew.
  • Clean out faucet traps: Unscrew the head to all of your faucets and rinse out the screens.
  • Repair/repaint faded, chipped or cracking exterior paint: Spruce up your home’s curb appeal while protecting the exterior from the elements.
  • Check your fence: Just like your deck, a fence that’s power washed and resealed annually will last for years to come.

Pro Tip: Don’t feel overwhelmed by the size of your to-do list. You’re better off getting some of this stuff looked at rather than ignoring maintenance period. You can never get to it all so do what you can.

Get into a New Home for Summer

Summer is a great time to move your family into a new construction home. The kids are out of school and sunny weather makes it easy to move furniture and boxes of household goods.

And many Taylor Morrison communities feature fabulous vacation-inspired amenities for fantastic fun when it’s hot out. Cool off at the resort-style pool or splash pad. Lace up for a long nature walk. Take your best friend to the dog park or launch a kayak on the community lake.

Whatever lifestyle you’re looking for, you’ll find it.

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