Everything You Need to Know About Summer Home Maintenance
When you own a North Florida home, it’s important to be prepared for everything Florida’s fickle seasons can dish out. And when it comes to summer home maintenance, we’ve got you covered!
In the height of summer, when heat (and love bugs!) threatens to ruin your day, take a look at your home, too. What home maintenance issues do you need to look out for during the summer?
Lower your energy bill by fighting the Florida heat.
As Florida residents, we all know how tough the summer heat can be! More importantly, we’re all familiar with the expensive electricity bills that accompany summer air conditioning. Fight the Florida heat in style by being clever about your decor and landscaping. Shade trees can help keep parts of your home cool, and blackout curtains can cool down rooms with lots of windows–while adding a bright pop of color to your decor!
Protect your patio with regular outdoor maintenance.
Summer is a time for barbecues and fire pits–but the humidity and high temperatures of a Florida summer can wreak havoc on your outdoor spaces. Keep up with regular outdoor maintenance for your patio and deck. Invest in a seasonal paver sealing or deck sealing treatment to keep moisture out of sensitive wood. If your outdoor spaces are looking a little scummy, wash away the mold and mildew with a soft wash or pressure wash.
Add a fresh coat of paint.
The height of summer is a great time to freshen up your house paint. The high temperatures allow paint to dry and cure faster, locking in a bright and elegant color that shines in the sun. It’s a good idea to invest in a cleaning treatment before you paint, so you’re not covering up mold and mildew that can threaten the structural integrity of your house. Instead, shine up the outside of your home with a soft wash, then wait at least a full day for the surface to dry before painting.
Get that driveway sparkling.
Make your driveway, curbs, and sidewalks as spotless as the rest of your summer home. A thorough deep cleaning can remove oil stains from cars and scrub away weeds that grow up between sections of sidewalk. A power wash is the best way to remove stubborn driveway stains!
Prep your pool.
Your pool deck needs some love, especially during the height of summer. The best way to clean a pool in North Florida is to fight moisture, mold, and mildew at the source. Regular cleanings of your pool deck remove bacteria and other harmful grime that can threaten your family’s health. Plus, a sparkling pool deck is a great way to increase your home’s value!
Keep your air clean.
Summer is the best time of year to improve your air quality. As we rely more and more on air conditioning units, it’s time to check those filters and swap out dirty ones. Plus, it’s the right time to dust ceiling fans and other up-high surfaces (we’re looking at you, top of the fridge!). Getting rid of this surface level of dust improves air quality, especially when you’ve got forced air rustling up dusty surfaces.
Inspect for threats to structural integrity.
Over the summer, keep an eye out for threats to structural integrity in your home’s outdoor spaces. This means mold and mildew infecting a wood deck, moisture loosening stone pavers, weeds forcing cracks in your sidewalk, and more. Many of these things go unnoticed during the rest of the year, but summer sunshine gives us a better look at the actual state of our homes. If you find any glaring issues, give us a call! We’ll be happy to help you make a plan to improve your home.
Protect your plants with a layer of mulch.
Summer dries out skin and plant beds alike. Keep your landscaping fresh by watering regularly–but not too often! You can “train” your plants to handle the summer heat by watering deeply a couple of times per week (as opposed to lightly every day). Always make sure to water the base of your plants, not the leaves. This keeps moisture from collecting in sensitive parts of the plant, which leads to rot. To help seal in more ground moisture, add a fresh layer of mulch. This helps reduce the amount of water that evaporates during the hottest parts of the day.
Check on the health of your roof.
The summer months are also a good time to check up on your roof’s health. Look for gutters that need cleaning, shingles that have fallen off or bent, or signs of structure loss from the last hurricane. Prep for the rest of the season with a high-quality roof cleaning!
At Diamond Power Washing & Maintenance, pressure washing and soft washing is our specialty. We’re also here to help you tackle every aspect of summer maintenance. Give us a call at (904) 747-4DPW (4379) or email info@diamondpwm.com to schedule your FREE consultation. Don’t let mold and mildew dull your sparkle!