Home Maintenance: What should I be doing this summer?

Home Maintenance: What should I be doing this summer?

Summer is a great time to take advantage of the warm weather and get your house in shape, as well as tackling a number of summer specific maintenance jobs. So what should be tackled in your home over the summer months?

  • Mold and Mildew: Summer heat and humidity can cause mold and mildew to grow on the outside of your house. To remove it, scrub with a diluted bleach solution. Make sure you protect plants and shrubs first, pruning them away from the house to help prevent future mold growth.

  • Patch up cracks and holes in your driveway: If your driveway is showing its age, give it a new burst of life by pressure washing it, then using concrete repair caulk or asphalt crack sealer to repair cracks.

  • Prune any overgrown trees or shrubs: Plants that grow up or on to your house during the spring can allow insects or moisture into the property, leading to damp issues, so make sure you prune back any overgrown branches.

  • Give your windows and doors a lick of paint: Summer is an ideal time to re-finish your external timber as the warm dry weather allows the paint to bond better with the wood, making for a more durable finish.  Scrape away any flakey paint /varnish and sand down the surrounding area to even the surface. Fill any cracks and wipe down the surface to remove any dust or dirt. Apply a primer before you finish with a gloss or vinyl satin.

  • Check your chimneys and roof tiles: Check the flashing around chimneys and vents to make sure there no damage, as well as checking the roof top for broken or damaged tiles. Repairing these now will help prevent any internal problems within the property as well as preparing it for the colder months ahead and preventing any damp issues.

  • Get your chimney swept: If you have a solid-fuel fire, it is recommended to have your chimney swept at least once a year or twice if it’s in daily use in the colder months.

  • Clean your external walls and windows: Start cleaning walls and windows from the top.  Use a power washer with fungicidal wash to remove any mould growth and get your render looking fresh for the summer.

  • Re-finish your external timber: External timber naturally fades and discolours over time, under constant weathering; give it a new lease of life by cleaning, sanding and re-finishing it.