Summertime To Do’s for Your Home and Yard ~ Part Two

Summertime To Do’s for Your Home and Yard ~ Part Two

In an effort to help your home and yard handle the summertime heat and humidity, I’m sharing a three-part series of must do’s for this season. Last week we focused on making sure your home is as cool as possible. In this article let’s focus on the exterior of your home.

Read to the end…I found a great product I want to share to help make these chores a little easier 😊

Summertime Chimney Work

Believe it or not, the summer can be a great time to get your chimney and fireplace swept or to have any other work done on the inside or outside.  Since the busy time for chimney companies tends to be in the fall, you might be able to negotiate a great discount now. Give it a shot!

Yard Work for Summer Days

Your yard should be in pretty good shape by summer, but the heat can take a toll on your lawn, trees, flower beds, and pots.

Have your trees trimmed … period. Summer storms and trees full of leaves with unstable branches can only bring disaster. No one wants a tree to crash though their home or hit their car. Call today to make that appointment if you haven’t done it for a couple of years. Better yet, have a tree service come out regularly to ensure your trees are healthy and not diseased. Remember to budget for tree service and possible removal in your maintenance plans so that you’re well prepared.

Check on exterior drainage systems and consider improvements. Summer can bring big thunderstorms due to the heat. To prevent costly water damage to your home, now is the time to make sure all of your drainage systems are operating properly and that they move water away from your home. Consider getting downspout extenders for gutters, having your landscaping slope away from your home’s foundation, or installing storm drains in your yard or even a French drain system.

Remove leaves and debris from all area drains, gutters, and window wells. Again, preventative maintenance when it comes to water overflow damage. Prevent this from happening by monitoring and continuing to clean up around your home.

Add a splash of color with some annuals that can withstand the summer heat. As you enjoy your yard, patio or deck this season, bring some color to your surroundings. Work with your local garden center to see what will thrive best in your yard, especially if you have direct sunlight or if want more low maintenance plants.

Keep Watering. As the temperature rises throughout the summer, keep watering your lawn, plant beds, and containers. Don’t water in the middle of the day with the hot sun but do it in the early evening when it starts to cool down. And if you head out of town, keep up the same schedule.

Clean, power wash your deck and patio. It’s still a good time to get your deck and patio power washed or cleaned. Brighten them up and make them sparkle for your summer entertaining.  You can hire a professional to do this…and you know I have a great contact…but if you are looking to save a little money, I highly recommend checking out an electric power washer.  Something similar to this one: Greenworks 1500 PSI Pressure Washer from Amazon.  It is lightweight and easy to assemble and easy to use.  Great for small projects around the house.