Well I have some good news & some bad news – the good news is that this is the last full month of summer. The bad news is that it is still summer time & if July was any indication, this might not be pretty. On the home front, vacations are winding down & it is time to start getting the kids ready to go back to school (Back to School Organizational Tips). On the national front, we are looking at a hurricane season that is about ready to ramp up, if history is any indication (5 Steps to being prepared at Home — Disaster Preparations for Small Business).
Maintenance Checklist
- Change out your HVAC filter.
- Test your Smoke Detector
- Doors & Windows
- Check the operation of all your doors and windows you know the kids have been tough on them (That includes the Garage Doors)
- Check the weather-stripping around them & replace as necessary
- Check the frames for evidence of rot – this is a good month for those repairs with either an Epoxy based system, or replacement
- Check for loose or cracked caulking & replace it – don’t cover over it
- Cracked windows, or missing glazing should be repaired or replaced
- Screens – take them off and give them a good spray down and repair / rescreen as necessary
- While you are checking out your windows & doors, now would be a good time to look at your foundation & brick walls – if you notice cracks or missing grout ***except at the very bottom of the wall – that is to allow water out*** get it repaired
- Are your rooms super hot & the AC can’t seem to catch up – either schedule an Energy Audit, check to see if your attic has enough insulation, & check out more of our popular DIY articles on this subject
- If you have not checked your gutters in a while, now would be a good time.
- Trash Can’s – now would be a great time to wash them out & disinfect them
Gardening Checklist
- First, may you enjoy a nice bountiful harvest – just make sure you keep up with it, so you don’t invite insects into your garden & the plants keep producing
- Start planning for a winter cover crop & be ready to plant it as soon as your vegetable crop is finished
- Plant any fall vegetables such as cabbage, collards, broccoli, beans and peas that you would like
Lawns
- Do we really need to mention the ongoing watering, weeding, and grass cutting that needs to be done?
- Later into the month, you should be able to water the lawns a little more deeply, but cut back on the frequency
Flower Gardens
- Trim perennials that have finished blooming down to 4” in height & divide any groups if they are overcrowded or overgrown
- Divide your Irises & plant new ones
- Some cool season flowers you can plant include; snapdragons, dianthus, pansies, calendulas
Other items to consider
- If you are planning to make Christmas presents, you might want to start getting them planned & started now. If you have a “Back to School” tax holiday in your area, you might consider taking advantage of it.
- Speaking of Christmas & the Holidays – if you are still thinking about or looking at getting a major project completed before then you might want to start thinking harder & get yourselves on a reputable & qualified contractor’s schedule.
As always please stay safe, if you feel uncomfortable, do not understand how to complete a task, etc… please call in a professional.