Home Maintenance Checklist For This Summer 

It’s easy to let property maintenance slide during the colder months. However, as warmer weather sets in and sunny evenings become the norm, home maintenance becomes more important. During the winter, home exteriors and outdoor spaces can be left unattended for many months. 

By June, this can mean overgrown gardens, clogged drains, and overflowing gutters. If you’re lucky, you’ll have avoided any major issues. If left unchecked, these maintenance setbacks can turn into genuine issues like damp and structural damage. 

Furthermore, you’ll want to up your game when it comes to pest control. Treating your gardens with insecticides and safeguarding your home against unwanted pests is the bare minimum you should be thinking about.  
 
It’s not just the exterior of your property that needs attention. A summer home maintenance checklist should also consider things like safety checks, electrical inspections, plumbing maintenance, and more. These checks not only provide you with peace of mind that everything’s working as it should, but it also reduces the chance of you encountering costly repairs down the line. 

Need some help making your summer maintenance checklist? Brosnan Property Solutions can help. Read on for 10 essential tasks that should be included as part of any home maintenance checklist for this summer.  

1. Outdoor Cleaning and General Maintenance 

Before you head indoors, it’s worth stepping back and giving the exterior of your home such attention. To kick things off, reach for a pressure washer and give your driveways, patios, and pavements a thorough clean. A good pressure makes quick work of tackling stained decks and stonework. They can also be used to give fences a new lease of life. Used carefully, they can also be used to clean some vehicles.  
 
If you’re watching the pennies, you might not be able to justify purchasing a pressure outright. However, it’s certainly worth investigating the cost of a rental for a short-term cleaning solution.  

2. Window Cleaning 

If you haven’t committed to regular window cleaning, now’s the time to tackle grubby panes and frames. To get started, give your windows a quick rinse with a hosepipe. This will clear away any stubborn debris. Next, fill up a bucket with clean water mixed with washing-up liquid. Using a cloth, preferably a microfibre one, give your windows a thorough once over.  
 
You can also use window cleaning solutions to clear away surface stains. If you don’t have any in stock, you can make your own. Take a spray bottle and mix equal parts of water and white vinegar. This formula can be used to clean both the insides and outsides of your windows.  
 
If black mould has accumulated on the insides of your windows, you may want to use neat vinegar to get rid of the buildup. A concentrated mould and mildew removal spray can also be effective. However, you’ll need to be cautious when using these products as they can easily damage upholstery fabrics and clothing.  

3. Guttering and Drainage 

Regularly cleaning out your gutters and drainpipes should be a key part of ongoing property maintenance. If you’ve not touched your guttering during the colder months, leaves and other debris have likely accumulated. This is a particular issue for properties situated next to trees or woodland.  
 
You can use a pressure washer or hose pipe to clean out guttering and drainpipes. However, be careful not to damage the structural integrity of your drainage system when using these systems. For peace of mind, adjust the pressure settings of your washer before unleashing it. 

4. Get on Top of Pest Control 

The warmer weather provides ideal breeding conditions for insects. To keep pests in check, inspect your outdoor spaces for signs of ant hills, wasp nests, and other infestations. You can use a pesticide to treat flower beds, but make sure you’re using a pet-friendly product if you have four-legged friends running about the place.  
 
However, prevention isn’t always possible. To keep insects from invading your home during the summer months, you’ll need to take extra steps. Check window and door seals for any wear and tear that might allow pests through. You may need to perform some basic caulking repairs to things like window frames.  

5. Clean and Refurbish Outdoor Furniture 

If you haven’t used your outdoor furniture for several months, it’s probably in need of some care and attention. Wooden furniture that hasn’t been covered and properly stored can suffer during the colder months. If damage is significant, you may need to think about sanding down surfaces and treating them with a new stain or colour.  
 
Restoring metal furniture can prove more time-consuming. If your favourite bistro seat or a metal bunch hasn’t fared well during the winter, it’s time to reach for the pressure washer again. You can also use vinegar-based formulas to get rid of rust with little effort.  

6. Overhaul Your Outdoor Spaces 

Once all the hard work is taken care of, you’re free to focus on general garden maintenance. Start by cutting back overgrown bushes and trees. Pruning can be labour-intensive, but it’s worth getting this job out of the way first so you can access every square inch of your garden.  
 
If your lawn has seen better days, think about sowing new seeds. Many lawn restorers are enriched with insecticides and weed killers. Do your flower beds need restoring? Before you head to the garden centre to stock up on bedding plants, make sure you’ve invested in some premium compost.  

7. How Are Your White Goods Doing? 

With the outside tasks completed, you can now focus on the interior. Apart from home entertainment tech, your white goods are probably the most expensive appliances in your home. They’re also crucial for the smooth functioning of everyday life. If your fridge or freezer runs into trouble in the height of summer, you’re in trouble.  
 
Check the seals of your fridges and freezers for signs of wear and tear. Is more condensation accumulating on the inside of your fridge than normal? This can be a sign that there’s something wrong.  
 
Washing machines, dishwashers, and tumble dryers also need an inspection. Noticing a foul odour coming from your washing machine? Bacteria is a likely culprit. Remove and clean washing machine drawers. It’s also worth using a drum cleaner solution. Fill the interior of your washer with a bicarbonate-based cleaning agent and let your machine run at a higher temperature for as long as possible.  

8. Safety Checks and Smoke Alarms 

You should be checking to see if your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are operating throughout the year. However, now’s as good a time as any to carry out an additional check.  
 
Press the test button to see if alarms are still performing as expected. You can also take the opportunity to replace existing batteries and stock up on new ones.  

9. Leak Detection 

Undetected leaks cause untold levels of damage before they’re noticed. To save yourself having to shell out for emergency plumbers, work leak detection into your summer maintenance checklist.  
 
Have an issue with dripping taps? Check the condition of internal washers or cartridges. Are you noticing unusual noises after flushing the toilet? You may have a problem with the flush valve. In many cases, an inexpensive replacement part will rectify the issue.  

10. Give Your Home a Deep Clean 

Your summer maintenance checklist isn’t quite finished yet. Before you can kick back and enjoy your home during the warmer months, you’ll want to carry out a deep clean of every room. Tackle dust that’s accumulated in dark corners and under furniture. If your carpets look darker than they did last year, think about renting a carpet washing machine.  
 
Skirting and baseboards will also need some attention. Generally speaking, focus on parts of the home not normally covered by your daily or weekly cleaning schedule.  

Enjoy Your Home All Summer Long 

Once you’ve completed all steps outlined above, your home can be enjoyed throughout the summer. However, if you’ve detected any significant issues during your summer preparations, you may need some professional help. At Brosnan Property Solutions, we offer a full range of property and facility management services for residential and commercial premises.  
 
Has your garden been left to its own devices throughout the autumn and winter months? Speak to us about landscape gardeners. Is the exterior of your property looking a little lacklustre? We can arrange roof repairs and general handyman services to restore your home to its former glory. 

Worried about underlying electrical or plumbing issues? Get in touch to talk about electrician and boiler service solutions. Whatever you need assistance with, Brosnan Property Solutions are here to help. Send us a message via the online form or call us on 021 4193056 to speak to the team today.