The colder weather is inching further and further away and with the hot months approaching, it’s time to think about the tasks you need to do around your home.
“Performing regular maintenance on your home or property is a vital part of maintaining your investment and ensuring that it becomes an asset to you rather than a liability,” home and garden enthusiast website Dengarden said. “Repairs or replacement of many common household items will eventually be required, however, with a little planning and foresight, doing regular maintenance will go a long way to saving you money and reducing your level of stress.”
U.S. News has put together a list of several things you should do to ensure your home is in its best shape for the summer.
From outdoor projects to ensuring the circuit breakers are working properly, here are 5 tasks to check off your to-do list.
Cut back vegetation
According to Team Insurance, putting thought into the exterior of your home can keep it neat and free from pests. Regularly cutting vegetation can be done on your own, or with the help of a professional. Home Made Simple has a video offering tips on what to keep in mind if you go the DIY route. See it below.
Apply anchor bolts to doors
The summer season often means storms that produce strong winds. These gusts can cause house doors and garage doors to fail, U.S. News Reported. Joe Meisinger, chief underwriting officer for personal insurance at Travelers, spoke to the website. He said that 19% of home claims the company receives during the season come from high wind damage.
Tack down outdoor furniture
Much like storms can cause doors to give way, they can also cause patio furniture, trampolines and other outdoor objects to topple. Patio Products has several options for how you can make sure your backyard doesn’t blow away in a summer downpour. They include furniture covers, a windbreak and QuakeHold gel.
Remove decaying trees
Among the reasons why you need to get a dead tree off your lawn are pest attraction and decreased curb appeal, according to Atlanta-based Evergreen Tree Services. They also pose a danger, as their weakness increases the likelihood that they could fall over. Additionally, it’s more cost-effective to remove it now rather than later, when it could collapse on top of a car, home or another piece of property.
Test the GFIC outlets
Just because the summer is synonymous with the outdoors doesn’t mean you should forget about the interior. Testing the special circuit breakers called ground fault circuit interrupter outlets can be a crucial part of making sure your house is safe and up to code.
“GFCIs should be tested monthly to ensure they are providing protection. Press the TEST button, then the RESET button. If the indicator light does not go out and come back on, or if the GFCI cannot be reset, it must be replaced,” The Home Depot said.
