3 Home Maintenance Tips For Washington DC Summers

In summertime, your biggest care should be about cooking enough food for your summer party, and not how to handle expensive utility bills, a rotted deck, or a busted appliance. Prevention is the key to summer home maintenance in Washington DC. By inspecting and resolving little issues you discover, you can avoid bigger, more expensive projects down the line. Here’s 3 summer home maintenance tips that help you stay on top of your house’s maintenance before larger problems occur.

1. Make Your Home More Energy Efficient

Summer is the perfect time in Washington DC to increase your home’s energy efficiency in order to keep your home cool and lower your utility bills. The first thing you should do is inspect your doors and windows for leaks that let air in. Add weatherstripping to doors or replace brittle weatherstripping if you feel air passing through. Check your windows’ caulking for any cracks or leaks and replace the broken sections.

Putting up energy efficient window treatments like plantation shutters can help you reduce your utility bill - and perhaps even qualify for a tax credit. Polywood® faux wood plantation shutters reduce air transfer through the glass in your windows. They’re 70% more energy efficient than normal wooden shutters and 1600% more energy efficient than aluminum blinds which are found in many homes.

2. Enhance Your Porches And Patios

If you want to entertain on your patio or porch this summer, check that it’s ready for all your guests. Begin by checking your patio or deck for safety. Look underneath to see if there are any supports, boards, or stairs that need replacing because they’re rotting or broken. Then stain or seal your deck and patio to make it look like new again and protect it from the hot summer sun and rain.

After you’ve replaced or repaired any damaged boards and areas and stained your patio, it’s time for the fun part: dressing it up. You can add interest to the windows and doors attached to your patio and porch by using window treatments like sidelight shutters or plantation shutters for your french door or sliding doors. Then add stylish patio furniture or maybe even a fire pit. Finally, landscape around your porch or patio to cheer up the space.

3. Maintain Large Appliances

Appliances that are broken or leak can put a stop to your fun summer plans. Here’s a few things to do to maintain your major appliances and keep them humming along:

● Refrigerator. Clogged refrigerator coils make your fridge work harder than necessary and raise your electric bill. It’s easy to unclog them by vacuuming them. Unplug your refrigerator and then use your vacuum’s crevice tool (or a coil cleaning brush attachment) to vacuum out the coils.

● Dishwasher. Inspect your dishwasher for any lines that are leaking or backed up water. Then deep clean and deodorize it by running a cycle with a cup of vinegar. The last step is to empty and clean the filter (located under the spray arms in most models) with soap and water.

● Washer and dryer. Inspect your washing machine hoses for any cracks, leaks, or bulges. If necessary, replace the hoses. You should clean your dryer hose and exterior vent annually or pay a professional to do the job.

Have An Enjoyable Summer

By preventing large problems with your home and appliances, you can have a carefree summer. If you’re interested in giving your home a new look this season with window treatments for your patios, living rooms, or kitchen, look through our idea gallery and then give us a ring for a free in-home consultation at 240-339-2588. We’ll show you all your window treatment options in Washington DC and do all the work and installation so you can just relax and enjoy your summer.