As the relaxing days of backyard barbecues turn to thoughts of school and work mentality, your home needs to prepare for the change of seasons. Summer fun, sun and nature have a significant effect on a home’s exterior. Although end-of-summer maintenance items are not necessarily as labor intensive as many spring tasks, these are strategies that can reduce repair costs and keep your home looking beautiful.
- Monitor and Clean Gutters: A house’s gutters accumulate more debris during spring and summer than many realize. Buildups of airborne dust and other particles can form a hard layer in your gutters, reducing their ability to drain roof water. Add early foliage into the mix, and that could be a recipe for disaster. Check your gutters for sediment and breakup and caked-on materials. Finish the cleansing with a reasonably high-pressure water flush.
- Trim Tree Branches: By trimming trees and large shrubs, property owners can avoid falling limbs during windy fall and winter months. Limbs that present as dead or in decline by summer’s end are unlikely to bounce back. It’s more likely they will negatively affect the tree or shrub before falling to the ground. Using an extendable tree limb pruner, stand away from the dying branches and saw them off. You’ll enjoy a healthier tree and avoid possible damage from falling limbs.
- Inspect And Repair Driveway: The small cracks and seemingly modest gaps that result from intense summer expansion and contraction are too often considered a spring issue. This thinking can cause a property owner sustaining increased damage to the driveway. Water can seep into those cracks and freeze. This may come as something of a surprise, but ice has the strength to separate asphalt and concrete. Rather than take on additional DIY work or pay extra for driveway repairs, deal with the issue as the summer heat wanes.
- Power Wash The Siding: A home’s exterior can be improved by regularly scheduled power washing. Spraying high-pressure water at the siding removes grit and caked-on sediment. One of the late summer and early fall issues to consider are mold and moss buildups. Warm, moist weather promotes their growths in shaded areas of the house’s exterior. It’s worthwhile to inspect these spaces and pay special attention to removing sometimes hazardous mold growths.
About the Author
Debbie Caldwell
When you first meet Debbie Harris-Caldwell, you are immediately drawn to her charming Welsh accent and the twinkle in her eye. The well-traveled transplant from Wales is quick to set you at ease and time spent with her promises to be time well spent.
Debbie has been a real estate agent for 40 years and takes great pride in her customer service skills. "I make myself available to my customers when they need me, whether it's on a Sunday Evening or after their long day at work. I make my schedule fit theirs. I also keep my customers updated on everything happening with their listings or purchase, I am their conduit for information." She has built a business following her key principles of clear communication, attention to detail, client advocacy, and comprehensive knowledge of the area. Debbie comes to every new transaction with positive energy, determination, a strong understanding of the currents driving the market, and the expertise that comes from a lifetime of experience. She knows the importance of marketing and whether a home is for sale for $200,000 or for $2 million, she always has professional photography done and creates a listing presentation that best shows off her customer's home.