Homeowners Maintenance Tips: Is Your Home Summer-Ready?

If you’re a new homeowner, there are certain things you already know you must do to keep your home safe, regardless of the season. Securing a comprehensive Massachusetts Homeowners Insurance policy is, arguably, the single most important thing you can do to protect your investment. A close second on your must-do checklist is making sure you maintain your home. As the dog days of summer approach, heed these homeowners maintenance tips: Is your home summer-ready?
 
Fun in the Sun Happens Outdoors
 
Especially if you’re a new homeowner, you’ll probably spend plenty of time in your yard, sprucing it up and enjoying it. Make sure to check your home’s exterior for common signs of wear and tear, which include rotting or loose boards and protruding nails on decking, torn window screens, and clogged decking. Early summer is also the ideal time to finish up your planting. Strategically planting a tall shrub or tree in front of a window that gets direct sunlight can cut down on your energy bills and keep your home cooler. Just make sure to plant anything large far enough from your home’s foundation that the plant’s roots won’t impact the foundation in the future. Give your grass a healthy foundation for the warm months by aerating it. According to the National Association of Landscape Professionals, this often neglected step improves oxygen flow and promotes healthy growth so you can enjoy a lush, green lawn all season long.
 
Interior Maintenance Tips
 
It’s wise to get into the habit of going through a home-maintenance checklist seasonally. Include the following items on your list.
 
Check your toilets and sinks for leaks or erosion of valves and piping connections,
Replace your AC and furnace filters. (It’s also a good idea to have your AC serviced in early summer. If there’s a problem, you’ll find out about it early and save yourself the discomfort of having your AC unexpectedly go out on a sweltering day.)
Clean your clothing dryer’s exhaust duct and vacuum under and around the dryer to prevent lint from building up and catching on fire.
Take a look at your electrical outlets and make sure that outlets are not overloaded with extension cords and that nothing plugged in has frayed wires.
Clean neglected areas like the tops of ceiling fan blades and tops of armoires.
 
Owning a home is a great accomplishment and a great responsibility. Protect your investment with solid home insurance policy. Call us today at Metro Boston Insurance Agency, 617.884.5480 for a free quote.