Each season brings with it a unique set of challenges. During the winter, you have to figure out a way to drive safely on snowy or icy roads, while the summer heat makes air conditioning necessary rather than a luxury.
There are other challenges that summer presents as well, especially to your home. Because of this, it’s important to properly prepare your home for summer. Summer is also a good time to get things done, so the weeks before are a good time to plan out your projects and get ready to work. Here is what else you should do.
Air Conditioning
If you’re like most people, you’re going to use air conditioning to make it through the sweltering heat of the summer. You also probably haven’t fired your AC up in quite some time, so you’ll need to make sure it’s all cleaned up and properly working before the summer rolls around. Change the filter or clean it if it’s reusable, then clean debris from around the outside unit. This will make sure your AC is performing at its best and reduce the risk of a breakdown. If you aren’t comfortable cleaning your AC unit, plumbing contractors in Northern California can help.
Insulation
Most people think of keeping the house warm when they think of insulation, but it’s just as important in the summer. As the summer months approach, consider updating some of your insulation to make sure it’s all up to snuff. The better you insulate your home, the more comfortable the inside temperature will be and the less you’ll have to spend on your air conditioning. If you’re only going to update the insulation in one spot in your entire home, adding an extra layer or two at the top of the attic is a good place to start.
Ventilation
As important as good air conditioning is in the summer, it’s just as important to keep the air moving around your entire home. If you don’t already own a couple of nice fans, you should definitely invest in some. In addition to this, you’ll want to make sure your attic is properly ventilated to remove hot air. You can do this by installing vents or an attic fan to prevent hot air from building up in your attic and heating up your home. If you’re feeling particularly ambitious, you may even consider installing ceiling fans in some rooms that don’t have them.
Awnings
If you’ve ever considered installing an awning, now is the perfect time. Awnings are great for providing shade for a particular window or door, which can go a long way toward making sure the temperature in your home stays comfortable. If you’re going to install awnings in your home, you’ll want to install them over any windows or sliding glass doors which are directly exposed to sunlight in the middle of the day.
Preparing your home for summer takes some effort, but once you’re done you can kick back and enjoy the cool summer breeze in the comfort of your home.
