Your Summer Home Maintenance Checklist

Summer is a great time to do some checking-in on and reorganizing of your home. The kids are home. You've got extra helping hands. And you might have some company coming which will keep you motivated to get things done. 

Here are some items we recommend you tackle this Summer.

Clean out your gutters.

Do you know what's hiding in your gutters? We're guessing there could be leaves from the Fall, Christmas light clips, or storm debris hiding in their since the last time you cleaned them. We'd recommend cleaning them out so they'll function properly during those Texas Summer thunderstorms. You can do it yourself, or you can hire someone to come do it for you.

Have your HVAC system serviced.

Your AC gets a workout during the Summer, especially here in Texas. So if you haven't already, it's always a good idea to have it serviced to make sure everything is working as effectively as possible, therefore saving you money in the long run and extending the life of your HVAC system.

To go along with this one, change out your air filters!

Swap out the batteries in your smoke detectors.

Always better to be safe than sorry. So, ensure that all the smoke detectors are working properly in your home and change out the batteries. It also prevents you from having to do it in the middle of the night. Why does that always happen at 2:00am?!

De-clutter the kids' bedrooms & play areas.

The kids are home for the summer. They're bored. Sounds like the perfect opportunity to encourage them to clean out their books, toys, collectibles, etc. Consider selling anything that's in good condition on Facebook Marketplace. Hold a garage sale. Or just take it to your local donation center.

Deep clean the carpets.

To extend the life of your carpets, you really should do this at least once a year. Summer is usually the perfect time because it's not as rainy so you don't have to worry about kids and/or pets bringing in mud and debris. (Although this year might be the exception.) You can buy or rent a carpet cleaner and do it yourself, or there are plenty of companies you can call to come do it for you!

Purge and clean the fridge/freezer.

Anyone else LOVE cleaning out the fridge and freezer? It feels so therapeutic. Chuck those old leftovers you told yourself you were going to eat and never did. Get rid of all your old condiments and get new ones for this year's barbecue season. You just may want to try lining up your cleanout with your garbage pick-up day so you don't have food sitting in the heat for several days. Don't be that neighbor.

Inspect your roof.

With big Texas thunderstorms rolling through, having your roof checked is a necessity. We're not saying you need to have it replaced right away if you find any issues, but if you find something big, better to know now rather than later! 

Check for leaks.

There's nothing worse than paying for air and water that's just leaking out of your house. So, check your windows and doors for spots that air could be leaking out. Double-check all of your outdoor faucets and hoses for leaks - even the tiniest leak can add up over time.