We are so glad you chose a Patterson home, and we know that sometimes maintaining a home can be really overwhelming. Sometimes the little projects pile up, and you just don’t know where to start or you are afraid you are leaving out something that is really important. Here are some tips we’ve gathered to help you stay on track this summer:
Outdoor Tasks:
- Walk around your home’s exterior and slide open crawl space vents at the foundation. You want to give a general inspection to make sure that everything is secure and in good condition.
- Prune trees and shrubs. Add in extra mulch to help keep weeds away and moisture in during the hot months. Plan your watering schedule. It’s better to water deeply one day instead of lightly every day.
- Remove lint from dryer exhaust vent with a long, flexible brush.
- Clean out your outdoor grills so that they are ready to go when you need them.
Indoor Tasks:
- Change or clean air conditioning filters and clean your ceiling fans so that they can keep your home cool and comfortable all season long. Also make sure they are spinning in the right direction for the season.
- Vacuum intake vents and bathroom ceiling vents to make sure they are clear and able to function well. This helps to keep all of your systems more energy efficient.
- Clean refrigerator and freezer inside and out, including refrigerator coils. If you have a deep freezer that needs defrosted, summer is a great time to tackle this chore.
- Maintain clean drains by adding a half-cup of baking soda followed by a half-cup of white vinegar. After 10 minutes, flush with boiling water.
- Drain or flush water heater. Check your water heater manual for the specific instructions for your model. Many manufacturers, like State Water Heaters, post all their manuals online. You can find State Water Heater manuals here.
- Wipe down and clean baseboards.
We hope this list helps get you started. Remember that your new home came with a home warranty. So check your warranties to see what might still be covered. One of the advantages of building a new home is that you hopefully have less maintenance, and we hope it stays that way for a long time.