Summer Maintenance Checklist

Thanks to Lennox for the great checklist!

OUTSIDE

• Wash your home’s exterior with your garden hose’s ordinary pressure and a mild detergent. Pressure waters are powerful enough to force water under siding, where it can mildew and rot.
  
• Inspect and repair or repaint patio and deck furniture.
  
• Prune shrubs and trees so branches don’t contact exterior siding.
  
• Trim plants to clear a radius at least two feet away from the outdoor air-conditioning unit.
  
• Inspect your roof for any cracks and loose shingles. Replace any missing shingles.
  
• Make sure automatic light timers and motion-detector systems are working properly before you go on vacation.
  
• Check exterior walls for cracked paint. If you want to repair paint, you may consider painting just one or two walls per year. Paint on the south and west walls deteriorates faster than paint on north or east walls.
  
• Inspect foundation walls for tunnels or dirt bridges that are signs of termites. Contact a professional exterminator if necessary.
  
• Clean driveways and repair any cracks. Use epoxy patching on concrete drives, and asphalt patching on asphalt driveways, which should be sealed every other year. 
   

 INSIDE

• Change your air conditioner’s filter at least once this summer to reduce allergens and save energy.
  
• Check the operation of attic fans. While the weather’s nice, caulk exterior joints around windows and doors.
  
• Clear lint from your clothes dryer’s vent system, from the dryer itself to the exterior vent cap.
  
• Make sure curtains and furniture aren’t blocking air- conditioning vents.
  
• Contact your local utility company and look online for rebates and tax credits that will allow you to upgrade home appliances to more energy-efficient models that will lower your energy bills and/or taxes.