Summer Home Maintenance Tips for Your New Home

With summer just around the corner, now’s the perfect time to start preparing your new home for the warmer months.

From saving money on your electric bills to giving your home’s interior a seasonal refresh, a lot can be done now to make sure your new home is in optimal shape for years to come. To help get you started, here are just a few summer home maintenance tips to save money and get the most out of your systems:

Exterior

• Provide natural shade around your home with a quick trip to your local garden center.

• Plant a well-developed bush near the living room window or a large tree near a second-story bedroom.

• Be sure to plant any shrubs, trees and other plants at the appropriate distance from your home to prevent any problems with your foundation and plants’ roots in the future.

The National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) provides several tips in their seasonal guide to summer lawn and landscaping care.

• Instead of more frequent watering, the NALP actually advises deep, less frequent waterings.

• Have your lawn properly aerated to improve the flow of oxygen in addition to adding adequate amounts of fertilizer and frequently checking its pH levels.

Create an outdoor oasis

After your yard is in tip-top shape, it’s time to pay attention to the rest of your outdoor area.

“Create areas around your yard that aren’t being used,” suggests Nicolle Nelson, a spokesman for Nadeau Furniture in Dallas, Texas. “And don’t be afraid to use furniture in a non-traditional way.”

• Add a fire pit and seating area to help prevent mosquitoes and create an intimate gathering area.

• Teak benches around the pool are longstanding furniture pieces.

• Don't forget the grill and accessories.

“By adding a piece of furniture to any corner of your patio or yard, you are inviting your family to use every inch of your space,” says Nelson. “That means more memories for your summer.”

Interior

There are also plenty of things you can do to get your home summer ready from the inside.

• Spring brings a rush of allergens, be sure your filter and AC system are in good order.

• Check filters regularly throughout the year to help prevent damage, inefficiencies, and to keep air clean.

• Schedule annual maintenance on your AC early before it's tested by weather extremes.

• While you're at it, heck furnace and heating systems to be sure they are clean, air returns are clean and unobstructed.

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