7 Best Methods to Prepare Your Home for Summer

Your home requires some extra love before summer comes along. Sprucing your garden, cleaning your windows, ac installation; these are just a few things that will make things more comfortable. Careful preparation is especially vital for large families who love to spend time outside.

Just so you don’t forget anything, we’ve created a short list outlining the seven things to pay attention to. Hopefully, with these tricks, you’ll have the best summer ever!

Give Exterior Some Love

If you want to breathe a new life into your house, what better way to do so than with a paint job? Ideally, you should paint your exterior somewhere from May to September. However, try to avoid August heatwaves, because the paint tends up to dry too quickly during warm weather.

With just a touch of a color, you significantly improve your home’s curb appeal. Make sure to paint your front door, fence, but also siding. Painting your fence, in particular, is the most effective solution as the majority of passersby will focus on the fence, not necessarily on your sidings.

Remember to use sandpaper before starting the paint job, as this will properly prepare the wood for color application. Although this type of work takes some time and effort, the good news is that you don’t have to do it every year.

Clean Your Garden Furniture

The best thing about the summer is that you get to chill on your garden furniture and gaze into the warm summer sun. However, as your furniture was lying in the shed for several months, it became a home for those dastardly spiders.

Make sure to remove the cobweb and dirt that accumulated during the winter with soapy water. Avoid harsh chemicals, especially if the furniture has wooden elements. Another cool trick is using varnish to bring out the glow from old pieces. Pressure washing will also help out by removing the grime that accumulated during the winter.

Besides giving your furniture a completely new look, pressure washing is an eco-friendly solution. Basically, by blasting your garden chairs and table with water, you save up to 80% more water compared to the usual scrubbing. Of course, you’ll also do the job in half the time.

Remove Mold

Summertime is perfect for mold growth. High temperatures coupled with humidity make this fungal species pop out of the walls and the woodwork. Pay close to attention to sections of your home with lots of water build up; the usual culprits are areas around the pool and external water sockets.

Besides the exterior, certain interior areas are the breeding ground for mold. Most notorious is the bathroom and wherever you keep the washing machine. To avoid build-up, we recommend keeping these rooms properly ventilated by opening doors and windows (especially important after a hot shower).

There are a few plants that will suck out the humidity out of the room. The best example is Peace Lily, which many people purposely keep to remove the mold build-up. Besides plants, you can use chemical products to remove the dark, moldy spots from your walls.

Fix Your AC

The last thing you need is to wake up one morning during a heatwave and realize your AC isn’t working as it should. During the summer, most handymen have their hands tied, so you’ll have trouble finding someone to help you out.

So, to circumvent this potential problem, we suggest you clean your filters in April or May. At the same time, you should check if your AC is working as intended. Schedule regular maintenance and fix the issue while there are still AC experts available.

Prepare Your Pool

When it comes to your pool, the first thing you have to do is remove the winter cover and any debris remaining in the water. The next step is to remove all the plugs and install the pool pump. During this time, you should also introduce ladders and other related accessories.

As some of the water evaporates during the winter, you’ll have to refill the pool to its normal volume. The water should reach the middle of the waterline tile. At this stage, you also have to test the chemical levels. While doing so, it’s also recommended that you check the pipe and other parts for potential freezing damage.

Before you can jump in with your family, make sure the chemical composition is correct. Test the water to see if the calcium hardness, pH levels, and alkalinity are at their optimal levels. Lastly, clean the walls and shock the pool, and you’re ready to go!

Clean Your Windows

Most homeowners don’t even realize the effect winter has on their windows. With all the rain and snow, mold might appear on the surface, affecting the visual appearance but also having a negative impact on your family’s health.

The best way to remove dirt and mold is to use a simple paper cloth. Microfiber also does a great job cleaning the surface and PVC frames. In this particular case, it’s best to use white cloth, as colors might seep through and stain the plastic.

Instead of using harsh chemicals, a mixture of water and vinegar might be a better choice. Vinegar is a powerful substance that perfectly cleans any surface without any drawbacks. Baking soda can also do the trick. As the last detail, we suggest you open the windows and clean the interior section of the frames with a toothbrush.

Clean Your Barbeque

The summer doesn’t truly begin until you fire up the barbeque. However, before you do so, make sure it is properly cleaned. Like any other item sitting in your shed or garage, barbeque gets really dirty, really quick.

Besides the winter dirt, this is a good occasion to remove any excess oil and food that has stayed since last summer. You’re doing this not only for esthetic purposes, but also to remove any source of contagion. Old food, in particular, can be really dangerous as its inviting fungi and bacteria, which you won’t be aware of until you get sick.

As with any other cleaning job, it’s best you use hot soapy water. Chemicals might also help remove the stains, but avoid harsh products. Put the barbecue grates into a large plastic bowl and let it sit for an hour or so. This will make the food particles a bit loose. After that, you just have to wash the remains and dry the grates.

Conclusion

Getting ready for summer is hard work! There’s so much stuff you’ll have to clean before sitting in your favorite garden chair and taking a load off. However, with some meticulous preparation, the work will feel much easier than it actually is.