The last thing many of us want to think about in the middle of summer is home maintenance.
Most days it’s too hot to go outside, and Atlanta’s ongoing water restrictions (yes, we are still on water restrictions despite the near-constant rain) make doing things like pressure washing the patio a no-go.
However, there are a few things you can do inside that are perfect summer chores and will ensure your house is humming when the kids head back to school next month.
Clean out the dryer vent:
This is one of those little known house hazards, but the accumulation of lint in these vents causes 15,000 fires each year. There are number of methods to this, but using a leaf blower is by far the most entertaining. How to do it: http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-a-Clothes-Dryer-Vent
Do us a favor – if you do this, get someone to shoot a video of the outside of the vent and post it below. It’s amazing how much stuff gets in that vent even with the lint screen in place.
Clean out the bathroom fans:
This isn’t as much a hazard, but over the year, those vents accumulate a ton of dust. This causes them to work inefficiently and, in some cases, make noise. Simply remove the cover, vacuum out in the inside, and if you are especially handy, spray the cleaned-up inside with silicon lubricant.
It will run like a top for another year. How to do it: https://www.todayshomeowner.com/how-to-clean-a-bathroom-exhaust-vent-fan/
Wash those windows and screens:
Summer is the perfect time of year to wash your windows from the outside. It’s a good idea to just get a bucket with hot soapy water and get scrubbing with a brush.
Of course you’ll need to take off all your window screens. Gently scrub them with hot soapy water. If your window screens are too filthy to be cleaned, you may just want to replace them. How to do it: http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/maintenance-and-repair/cleaning/how-to-wash-screen-windows-and-doors
Give your house a going over:
Clean the exterior of your house. Dingy roof shingles, siding and decks hurt your home’s curb appeal, but also can contribute to major headaches down the road.
And finally, perhaps the easiest chore on our list, reverse your ceiling fans:
It’s a good idea to reverse the direction of your ceiling fan during the summer so that it spins counter-clockwise. This pushes the air straight down, creating a nice breeze.
