As the summer season reaches its peak and fall looms on the horizon, it’s the best time to get things in working condition. Humid weather can affect the functionality of your appliances and overall home structures. So, now’s a great time to start tackling a list of home projects that’ll prepare your home for the fall and winter seasons coming up.
We’ve compiled a list of tasks that will not only help you enjoy the summer weather but also accomplish some much-needed inspection and maintenance in your home. Doing your due diligence now can set your home up for the rest of the season.
So without further ado, let’s dive in!
Clean Out Your Downspouts And Gutters
If you’ve been seeing some rain in the past few weeks and have a long rainy season ahead of you, you should get this maintenance aspect out of the way. Downspout and gutter cleaning can be tedious; however, it can increase the lifespan of your home and boost curb appeal. So, start by inspecting your rain gutters and downspout drain for any dead leaves, moss, and blockage.
After inspection, don a pair of gloves, pick up the dead leaves and moss, and toss them in a trash bag. After the area is clean, check the drain for any blockage and clear that out. Once that’s all sorted, take a pipe and pour water into the gutters to check if the downspout is working and the water is properly draining. Once it’s all clear, you’re good to go.
And if you’re still having issues, it’s best to call a local plumber or roof cleaning to sort out this problem as soon as possible. We recommend this because excess water accumulation can damage the masonry and brickwork in your home. The clogged gutter can allow room for water penetration in your roof, and the falling water can dampen the soil near the foundation causing damage to the brickwork.
Clean Your Driveway And Sidewalks
By cleaning your driveway and sidewalk, we don’t just simply mean taking a broom and wiping the area. We recommend that you power wash them. Start by thoroughly checking your sidewalk, driveway, deck, and patio spaces for any accumulated dirt, color fading, cracks, and weeds. You’ll need to start pulling out weeds before you begin power washing.
After weeding out the area, mix cleaning solution and water and brush the surface to get some of the dirt loose. Next, power wash the entire area. The pressure will clean off the entire dirt, grime, and mold that had accumulated over the year. Just don’t use the power washer too often on your masonry elements like the brickwork on the sidewalk and deck. This will weaken the mortar and damage the bricks in the long term.
After you’ve thoroughly cleaned the surface, you can now address the cracks on the driveway and patio’s concrete surface. Call your local construction services and explain to them the issue. They should be able to help with these cracks and get your driveway and patio looking new and well in no time. You can also discuss a sealant option with them to protect the surface against the harsh sun and freezing and thawing action due to seasonal changes.
Clean Your Outdoor Furniture
If you’ve got an elaborate outdoor seating set up, complete with a fire grill, pergola setting, dining chairs, table, etc., it’s time for a little summer cleaning. Wipe all the furniture down with a clean cloth and remove any dirt or grime that has accumulated through the season. Once that’s done, take a brush with a long stick and wipe down the pergola over the seating area.
Dust and debris can accumulate in the space between the structure, so a periodic cleaning will ensure that nothing unseemly falls on your plate from the roof of the perforated pergola.
Clean Out The Masonry Fire Pit
The next step is to clean out the fire pit. If you’ve done some Barbeque over the open pit, you might want to clean out the grease, coal residue, and wood residue. Take a brush and a pan to rake all the ashy residue into the pan and transfer it into an eco-friendly trash bag. After that’s done, mix a solution of muriatic acid and water in a bucket. The ratio should be 1:9, respectively.
Then, don a pair of gloves and wear eye protection because you don’t want those acidic splashes in your eye. Take a brush and dip it into the solution and scrub the cement, rock, or brick. Remember to clean both the outside and inside. This will help remove the soot color that’s stained the pit.
Once you’ve brushed it all off, use a garden hose to spray the outside and the inside of the fire pit and leave it to air dry. It usually takes about 2 – 3 days before it’s completely dry and ready for use.
If you’ve got a grill for those BBQ weekends with friends and family, ensure that it’s clean and ready for use before the last party of the season. If you’ve got a charcoal grill, take some hot water and pour it over the grill while taking some cleaning solution and sponge to wipe off the grill.
To maintain grill usage safety, check the gas line connection, any cracks in the surface, blockages, holes, etc. Also, remember to ensure you maintain a safe distance when you light up the grill. For safety reasons, use your grill at least 12-15 feet away from any walls or outdoor setup.
Freshen Up Your Backyard
Backyards and front yards require consistent maintenance year-round. However, you might need to do some heavy lifting nearing the end of the summer season. You can start by removing any dead leaves, plants, and weeds and carrying them to a trash receptacle. After you’ve done that, you can start mowing the grass.
After you’re done trimming the grass, you can start the gardening work. This will require some fresh mulch and soil to keep your plant beds and flower beds healthy. This will also help them retain moisture. You can also move around some plants that are not growing well in areas of the garden and check for issues, like over watering, under watering, not enough sunlight or nutrients in the soil, etc.
While you’re fixing up the backyard, it’s also the ideal time to arrange your space and furniture to accommodate any backyard parties and cookout sessions for your friends and family. This way you’ll be able to impress them with your backyard and will be safe from scrambling to get everything ready at the last minute.
Prevent Bug And Insect Breeding
Bugs and other insects become a norm when you’ve got a backyard and a lawn out front. However, when the weather is pleasant, you can try to keep the garden bug-free as much as possible.
Spray bug repellant and mild insecticide around the perimeter of your garden, patio, and deck. Also, put up a caulk on external doors and windows to prevent bugs and insects from taking refuge inside your home. Otherwise, you might be dealing with a different problem altogether.
Wash Your Windows
If you’ve got windows all over your home to brighten up your interior space, they might need a gentle cleaning from time to time. Take a microfiber cloth and some soapy water. And in gentle circles, wash the windows from both the outside and inside. Just remember to be careful and not scratch the glass if they’re not scratch resistant.
Another important element you should be cleaning is the window screen. Even if you clean the windows and not the screens, it won’t make much difference. A dirty screen will make your window dusty and grimy too quickly. So take out the screen and wash them out. If they’re too damaged or dirty to be cleaned, consider replacing them to maintain the exterior aesthetically.
Add Artificial Turf To Your Garden
If you always forget to water your grass and plants and are tired of facing a dull, brown garden in your backyard, you can always install artificial turf. It might sound weird at first; However, it’ll be such a lifesaver for you.
Firstly, you won’t have to worry about watering the artificial turf. It doesn’t need water. It will stay green and fresh throughout the years for years to come. You may only need water and soap to wash it once or twice a year. And it requires little to no maintenance.
Secondly, you might be seeing a positive change in your water bill. Since you don’t need to water this grass, you won’t be using much water for it all. This will reduce your monthly water consumption and your bill amount.
And thirdly, artificial turf installation is much better for the environment because of low water usage and low maintenance. You’ll be reducing your carbon footprint significantly as you won’t have to use a lawn mower to trim the grass and then use plastic bags to dispose of the grass trimmings.
Clean Your Baseboards
This is one of the most overlooked interior maintenance items in the house when it comes to cleaning. So, to do this, you might need to get ready to do some hard cleaning while sitting down. So, get a clean cloth, dip it in a soap and water solution, and start wiping the baseboards in back and forth motions.
This way you’ll get the grime and dirt out of all the nooks and crannies on the trim. This requires patience and diligence but can be done quickly once you start. Also, try to add it to your weekly cleaning checklist. This way, you can maintain a sleek and clean aesthetic all year round.
Clean Up The Dishwasher And Garbage Disposal
Summer home maintenance isn’t exactly complete without cleaning up garbage disposal and dishwasher. Add some hot water to the garbage disposal and flush it out. And then pour down a cleaning solution to clean out the bacteria and other gunk in there. And then finish with some hot water again.
For the dishwasher, you’ll need to take a bowl with a mixture of vinegar and water and place it in the dishwasher. Then you can run the dishwasher on the low setting. After that, you can simply remove the bowl when the times stop and you’ve got a clean dishwasher. However, if your dishes are coming out dirty, you might need to call an appliance expert to check for some drain blockages or issues in the appliance.
Prepare Your Home For All Seasons With Our Exclusive Construction Services In Phoenix
Now that you know how to get started on your summer cleaning list, you can prepare your house for summer parties and other fun activities. Also, if you need some masonry repair services and block wall installation on your patio, you can count on us at CF VICE Construction.
We are renowned masonry service providers in Phoenix who’ll provide you with a one-stop-shop solution for all your construction and repair needs. Get in touch with us now for more information on our services.