By Hope Harvey, REALTOR, Blue Ridge Realty & Investments, LLC
Summer is for fun! Vacation! Enjoyment! Easy living! Trips to the beach and the river. Go to the park. Take a trip to the zoo. Take the kids on a picnic. Take the grandkids to a parade. Live it up!
August is the last full month of summer and the start of school is looming. Frankly, in my world, once Labor Day hits, the rest of the year is a blur.
So, between the picnics and the parades, do yourself a favor, and find a couple of minutes during these lazy (or hectic) summer days to do a few small maintenance items to make life a little easier and safer as we roll gently into autumn.
Here’s a small task a day for the month of August:
- Check fire extinguishers; if outdated have recharged or replaced
- Clean the garbage disposal
- Test your CO2 and Smoke Detectors.
- Oil/lubricate exterior door hinges
- Check crawl space for any problems
- Clean the dryer vents
- Change the HVAC filter
- Check electrical cords, replace any that are split or frayed
- Vacuum HVAC registers
- Lubricate interior door hinges
- Check plumbing for leaks; tighten supply lines/valves
- Arrange for a pest inspection
- Clean the grill
- Test all railings for sturdiness, tighten where necessary
- Check around the exterior HVAC unit & remove any debris
- Clean vent hood filter
- Lubricate ½ of the cabinet door hinges
- Lubricate the other ½ of the cabinet door hinges
- Inspect water heater; make sure there are no leaks and the area around it is clear
- Go ahead and order fuel for the winter; there’s usually no wait in August
- Check for any cracks in caulking and repair
- Clean aerators on faucets, nozzles and drains
- Inspect exterior for any issues (damage, cracks, rot, etc.)
- Check doors and locks, tighten screws
- Run a cleaning cycle on the washing machine
- Call a Chimney Sweep; sometimes they run specials in the summer
- Test GFCI outlets
- Check weather stripping around doors and windows
- Clean dishwasher filters, then run a cleaning cycle
- Test heating system (a fix now is going to be faster and cheaper than in November)
- Go get some ice cream. With sprinkles. You earned it.
By taking a few minutes a day to do a simple task, or in some cases, simply look closely at something or even just make a phone call, you can preserve the integrity of your home, make your fall/winter more pleasant, and most important, do all you can to make sure your home is safe for family and friends.
Maintaining a home can be overwhelming at times, and sometimes we have to tackle the big, time consuming jobs. But the majority of the time, with just a small task a day, we can stay on top of things and not let it get the best of us.
So, go out there and enjoy the rest of your summer! Right after you test your CO2 and Smoke detectors.
You must be logged in to post a comment.