Is your home ready for the heat of summer? The warmer months are on their way, bringing with them a change in the way we use our homes and a need for proper preparation to ensure they’re summer-ready. Now is the ideal time to get your living space ready for the season. Though summer home maintenance is often disregarded, it’s a great way to improve your comfort, make your home more functional, and save money on utilities. Here are the most important steps to prepare your home for the heat ahead.
Clean and Declutter
The first step in your summer home prep is a thorough cleaning and decluttering. Open all your windows to ventilate with fresh air, dust and wipe down surfaces, and organize cluttered spaces. Take this opportunity to go through closets and switch out your wardrobe, packing away heavy sweaters and coats and reaching for more breathable fabrics. Also, consider swapping out your bedding for lighter materials like cotton or linen. A clean and decluttered home feels more spacious and can also improve your indoor air quality. However, if you discover more unwanted items than you can handle, your home can quickly become even more chaotic than when you started. Be sure to plan for removing waste from your home cleanout ahead of time to keep efforts on track.
Check Essential Functions
After the initial clean, there are some key functional aspects you’ll need to check to truly get your home ready for summer. Start with your air conditioning unit, looking at the vents, thermostat, and filter for issues like malfunction and clogs. Consider scheduling a service appointment if it isn’t working properly or hasn’t been serviced in more than a year.
To keep your home comfortable and pest-free, inspect and repair any tears in your window and door screens. It’s also a good idea to give some attention to your outdoor living spaces, cleaning up your patio, pulling out outdoor furniture, and maybe even sprucing up your landscaping.
Upgrade for Comfort and Savings
If you’re looking to seriously elevate your summer living experience and invest in your home’s future, there are several upgrades that significantly enhance your home’s comfort, efficiency, and value.
One smart upgrade is replacing any appliances that are old or energy-guzzling with modern, energy-efficient models with Energy Star-certification. Newer refrigerators, washing machines, and dishwashers are designed to use less energy than their former counterparts, which leads to a noticeable reduction in your utility bills. These simply swaps also help the planet by lowering your energy consumption.
Upgrading your windows or having your current ones reglazed can also make a major impact. Energy-efficient windows keep air conditioning in during the summer months, further lowering your energy consumption, and provide better insulation to keep heat out, keeping your home at a comfortable and consistent indoor temperature.
For a larger investment with even more long-term benefits, think about installing solar panels. By generating your own clean energy with solar panels, you can dramatically cut your electricity bills, increase your property’s value, and significantly reduce your reliance on fossil fuels, minimizing greenhouse gas emissions.
Conclusion
Whether you’re tackling the basic cleaning and swapping out seasonal items or considering bigger upgrades for efficiency, preparing your home for summer is the best way to minimize stress and make the most of the season. You’ll benefit from a cleaner, more comfortable, and more efficient home, saving you money and contributing to a more rejuvenating summer for you and your family.