Keeping cool: How to prepare your home ahead of summer

 

While most people in the world would simply love to bask in year-long sunshine, in reality it’s not quite the dream that it’s sometimes made out to be.

There’s a distinct difference between sampling hot weather here and there, and then living in it on a day-to-day basis.

In truth, some environments are more equipped to deal with such conditions than others. This is the purpose of today’s post, as we now investigate what steps you can take to make your home handle the hot weather more than it does at the moment.

Starting with the obvious – air conditioning

Let’s get the obvious out of the way; making sure your HVAC system is up to speed should be one of the first things you do as summer approaches. Detroit HVAC contractors tend to get busy in the peak of summer, so you can run the risk of being without a working service for a short period if you leave it until then. As such, get it checked out long before the summer begins, and keep cool for the whole season.

Seal all drafts

Of course, you might have worked to fine-tune your air conditioning system, only to realize that it’s not functioning as efficiently as it really should be. One of the main reasons behind this occurring is that there are drafts all over your home. Ultimately, air is escaping left, right and center – and that HVAC system you have worked hard to repair is completely inefficient.

This is one of those tasks which you can tend to control yourself; spend time finding out where drafts are occurring and seal them accordingly.

Expect the unexpected – the perils of water damage

Next on the list is something that most people just don’t expect with summer, but it’s something that you should most definitely keep on your radar.

In a lot of parts in the world, as well as the sunshine, the weather can also take a turn for the wet. Summer is often associated with terrific storms and it means that your home has to be adequately prepared. Make sure all of your drainage systems are set up accordingly, meaning that water runs away from the foundation, rather than towards it (and avoids the dreaded ground movement). Also take precautions to ensure that gutters are all in order, while no cracks are appearing near windows and doors.

A lick of paint goes a long way

Contrary to popular opinion, investing in a lick of paint isn’t just for aesthetic reasons. As well as this, you can preserve any timbers that might be on your property. Paint is something that can protect these timbers from the perils of the weather, so when it starts to deteriorate you are opening up to a range of problems such as rot and mold. Before the summer gets into its full flow, scrutinize your property to make sure issues such as this are not going to occur.