Summer is here and it's a great time to relax and soak up the beautiful weather. With all the fun-filled days, it's easy to ignore home maintenance. But soon the heat in the house will be unbearable and afternoon rains will become more frequent. Below are a few simple preventive measures every parent should take to ensure his or her family's health and comfort.
Maintain your air conditioner
The first thing to do is to check your HVAC system to ensure it's cooling the house properly. Change your filters. If using reusable filters, clean and dry them before they are returned to the unit. Regular filter cleaning should be a high priority. When the filter is dirty or clogged, it affects the AC's airflow. Also test for leaks around windows and doors because the cooled air could be escaping through these leaks. If you have any leaks, seal them with silicone caulk. Additionally, if your outside AC unit is in the sun, consider planting a shade tree nearby to provide shade for the unit, helping it to run more efficiently. And if you are a fan of blinds instead, do check out Blindstyle's bathroom range.
Safeguard against water damage
Sudden downpours are common during summer, and occasionally the downpours can turn disastrous. Ensure to protect your house against storm damage and floods by checking the foundation and basement. Look for holes and cracks, then repair accordingly.
Your gutters should also be cleaned to avoid blockage and allow water to flow away from your home's foundation, not to it. Don't forget to inspect your roof for broken shingles or warping. If you're certain your roof needs repair, do it as soon as possible, so as not to compromise the roof's durability.
Have your attic ventilation inspected
Properly venting your attic keeps it cool. This in turn reduces the work load on the air conditioning system of the house, and circulation of fresh air is increased.
Begin by inspecting the ventilation of your attic. You may need to take the further step of installing attic ventilation fans to draw out the heat. Or you could go natural and replace your usual attic vents with solar attic fans, which make use of the cooler evening air to cool the house and push warm air out of the attic.
Keep your blinds closed
Depending on your location, the sun can be fierce during summer. Blocking it out can keep your house cooler, so it's a good idea to keep your blinds and window coverings closed during the day. This is particularly important for west-facing windows. You might also think of investing in some insulated or room-darkening window coverings.
Use your ceiling fans
Stay cool and save energy and money by turning on your ceiling fans. One of the best things about ceiling fans is that they are useful year round. Both the speed and direction of fan blades can be changed depending on the season. In winter the blades should turn clockwise so that the cool air will be pulled up, forcing the warm air down. In summer the blades should turn counter-clockwise to force air down and create a cooling effect. This is one of the most cost-effective ways to make a room feel more comfortable on a hot summer day.
Bug-proof your home
Bugs can be irritating, especially during the glorious days of summer. Since bugs are trying to escape the heat outside, they often find comfort in your nice, cool home. It's also the time of year when insects thrive the most, because most of them are unable to survive during the cold months. The most important thing to do is to look for gaps around your house and seal them accordingly. Also look for areas that might harbor bugs, like stagnant water, dirty cans, overgrown grass, hanging tree branches, and dry leaves from trees.
Once you have recognized these spots, do the following:
- Cut the grass on your lawn. This will drive ticks, mosquitoes and other bugs away from the lawn.
- If you have a pool, make sure it is clean.
- Prune tree branches to keep away bugs.
- Rake any leaves that have fallen in your driveway.
- Pull out all the weeds from your flowerbeds.
- Maintain dim lights outside during the night to help keep bugs away from your house.
- Install an oscillating fan outside to discourage bugs.
As a parent, consider the above preventive measures to protect your family and property against hot weather. Many of us aren't experienced in areas such as servicing the AC or inspecting roof ventilation, so you can employ a professional if you need to, and take the time to do some of the simpler steps yourself. This will allow you to enjoy summer to the fullest, without any small problems becoming big problems.
