How to Prepare Your Home for Summer
June 12, 2014Spring is here, bringing with it rain, sun, warmth, and renewed growth after a long and oftentimes brutal winter. Soon, summer will arrive, and gardens will be in full bloom, flowers will be opening everywhere, and your home will be asking for some serious upkeep attention. In fact, while fall, winter, and sometimes spring can be harsh in terms of weather, it is often summer when all of the problems facing your home and lawn really become an issue. As such, it’s often a good idea to tend to various aspects of your home long before they become a problem. Generally speaking, spring is the best time to do this!
But just what is there to do? Sometimes it can seem as though there is so much to tend to with your lawn that it is overwhelming. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be. By taking a step-by-step approach and handling each major issue at a time, you can break down the task of home and lawn care into several manageable projects. Just make sure you’re doing everything that absolutely needs to be done! To help you, here are a few things that every homeowner should undertake before summer truly hits:
1. Top to Bottom: Your Roof
The most important part of your home, the element that gives your home its purpose, is the roof. If your roof is leaky, drafty, or otherwise damaged in such a way that it no longer quite does its job, then you have a problem on your hands, one that needs to be immediately repaired. A roof typically takes quite a beating during the winter, so spring is the perfect time to go about repairing your roof. Replace shingles, install new fasteners, and clean out any debris that has built up there over the past few months.
2. Side to Side: Outside Walls
Now that your roof is protecting you from the elements, what about your home’s walls? Those are pretty important as well, as they not only keep the elements out but also provide privacy and even more temperature/climate control. Water stains, gutter buildup, and damage from pests are common issues many homes face, however, and spring is the time to deal with them before summer hits and those become devastating issues that cost you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars to deal with.
3. Bottom to Top: Your Foundation
Finally, the foundation of your home is, well, what everything else is built on. If there are cracks or other damage to your foundation, that is something you have to take care of immediately, as this can not only be problematic in your basement but cause problems for your entire home. If the damage is severe enough, you may actually have to call in a professional, but trust us: it’s worth it!
4. Lawn Care
Your lawn, of course, is the part of your home that is most impacted by the change in seasons. Increased levels of rain and sunshine, along with the weather heating up, means that spring and summer is the time for your plants and grass to grow and become healthy again after a long, dark, cold winter. However, this is also a great opportunity for pests and weeds to move in and absolutely take over your home. To prevent this, use herbicides to surgically remove weeds from your lawn. With pests like raccoons, don’t be afraid to set traps or call animal control!
5. Plant a Tree
Speaking of your lawn, there is more to do than mere upkeep and protection. The pre-summer, May-time era of spring is an important time for planting. If you have the space, the climate, and the interest, then now is the time to plant a tree – perhaps a fruit tree, if you’re looking to enjoy more than just the shade of your sapling.
6. Seal Your Driveway… Again
Your driveway can quickly become a mess if not regularly taken care of. It certainly seems enough abuse over the course of a year, from the elements – such as rain, sun, snow, hail, wind, and natural debris – to oil and gas, the weight of vehicles and whatever happens to be unloaded onto your driveway. A good seal every year will help to keep your driveway looking good while ensuring it stays in top shape!