Is Your Home Ready for Summer?

Ah…can you smell it?  The fresh, clean air, flowers blooming and that great grilling smell!! 

Can you hear it?  Birds chirping in the AM, kids laughing in the afternoon and crickets chirping at nite!

All the signs are here, It’s SUMMER TIIIIIIME!!! 

With all the great things Summer brings, it also reminds us to prepare our homes for the new season.  Here, we’ve outlined a few tips that will be sure to make your home ready for the Sizzling Summer!

Keepin’ Cool

A constant summer time battle!  If you haven’t installed one already, Attic Fans are a great way to draw hot air out and get the cool air flowing.  It’s best to utilize them in the AM before the temperatures reach 80 degrees and then again at nite once the sun has gone down.  This will also lessen your A/C usage and hopefully keep your electric bill down!  In addition, ceiling fans are a great way to keep the air in your home flowing around.  Be sure the fan blades move counter-clockwise so that the cool air is pushed down.  Even if your A/C is on, the fans will keep the air from becoming stagnant and again, will not require the A/C to run as often, therefore keeping electric costs down.  Lastly, shades & blinds are also a great, inexpensive way to keep your home cool while the sun is at its hottest!

HVAC Maintenance

In order to keep cool, maintaining your HVAC system is imperative!  Schedule an A/C inspection as soon as possible to make sure your system is operating at full potential and will last the entire season.  Another DIY tip, is changing the filters on your system.  This should be done twice a year.

Tornadoes and Hurricanes and Lightning, OH MY!!

Another very important summertime tip is making sure your home, inside & out, is weather ready.  Be sure to secure all lawn furniture and play equipment in the event of heavy winds, rain, or worse…  Make sure gutters are clear of all debris so that when the big storms hit the water can flow freely and properly. 

It’s also a great idea to have extra batteries & flashlights on hand and ready to go for when the big storms hit.  Additionally, you might want to consider having a battery-powered radio and putting together a power outage survival kit, complete with bottled water and non-perishable items.

Fire Hazards

Summer is also the time for more grilling, fire pits and fireworks.  When grilling, be sure to put the grill in an area clear of overhangs, siding, deck rails and low-lying branches.  When creating a fire pit, the area should be clear of all grass and tree debris and not be under any trees.  The pit should be made of sand and stone and always have a fire extinguisher nearby.  Fireworks are always dangerous, whether you are a professional or not.  But if you are in an area where setting off fireworks are legal, please take all necessary precautions, such as keeping children far away and lighting them off in a clear area, so no one gets hurt.

Vacation Time!

With Summer, comes many vacations, and well deserved I might add!  Before going away, you might want to consider turning off all unnecessary appliances, computers and other electrical items.  It’s also a good idea to turn your water meter off and set the water heater to vacation mode or a lower setting.  You’re spending money on vacation, so it’s best to save money at home!  Lastly, think about setting timers for lights, having neighbors come over to take in your mail, or maybe just park their car in the driveway to make it look like someone is home at certain points of the day.

Hopefully these tips have been helpful to you in making your home summer ready!  Now go have FUN!!