Summerize Your Home
By Maureen Griffin, Tara Stark Real Estate Group - Keller Williams Realty
E
very December we hear the early warnings to make
sure we “winterize” our homes. We rush out to the
local hardware shop to purchase supplies to wrap our
pipes, cover our outdoor spigots, and seal up doors and
windows. But how many of us think to “Summerize” our
homes? Tara Stark, founder and owner of Tara Stark Real
Estate Group, reminds us it’s just as important to make
sure our properties are ready for the heat, as they are for
the cold.
Water – Foundations and Landscaping
“One of the most important steps we can take in helping
to prevent foundation damage, is to make sure we keep
the soil around the slab, from completely drying out. The
best way to do this is to use a soaker hose,” advises Stark.
Foundation repair can be very costly, requiring both the
leveling of the house and repairs to inside and outside
cracks. Making sure that shrubs and landscaping are not
too close to the foundation will ensure the supporting
soil receives the necessary soaking. As to when to turn
on the soaker hose, “it’s safe to assume that when your
yard starts to get dry, the soil supporting your foundation
is also. You can also look at the line between the dirt in
your yard and the foundation. If it’s moist and expanded
the dirt should press up to the foundation. If the dirt
and any plants have pulled away, creating a space you
can slip your fingers into, the dirt is dry and has begun
to contract. It’s important not to let it get to that stage
frequently,” says Stark.
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Water is a hot commodity during Summer months.
Keeping a lawn green and lush is a goal of most home-
owners, however, it’s important to keep up with your
local community’s landscape irrigation restrictions during
the Summer. The best time to water your landscaping
is after the sun has gone down or before it rises in the
morning. Because temperatures are lower, there is less
evaporation of the water before it reaches the ground,
which means more water for your lawn.
Staying Cool
Living in Texas, we couldn’t survive the Summer without
our air-conditioning! It’s hard to imagine there was a
time when early Texans endured the long, hot Summer
days and nights without reprieve. To ensure our HVAC
units stay in tip-top shape, change the filter in the intake
unit every four weeks. The wide variety in pricing will
reflect the quality of the filtration. For homes with dogs,
cats and other furry pets, it’s smart to invest a few extra
dollars in a higher quality filter to keep the unit function-
ing properly. When nobody is home during the day,
program the thermostat to a few degrees higher than
normal. Here’s why this saves you money – warm air
flows into areas of cold air, keeping the house cool when
you’re gone pulls in the warmer air through cracks and
crevices. Speaking of nooks and crannies, do a perim-
eter check from floor to ceiling, looking for any areas
heat can come in. Door flashers and window seals are
two common areas for leaks. One last tip, if you have a
ceiling fan, it should be set to run in a counterclockwise
direction to pull cooler air from the ground and blow it
back for comfort.
Get Rid of Unwanted Guests
(No, Not Your In-laws!)
Have you ever noticed how Summertime brings a lot of
more house guests that tend to hang around longer than
usual? No, we’re not talking about an over-opinionated
Mother-in-law who wants to keep telling you how your
flower garden should include tiny yard gnomes to give
it some character. Believe it or not, Summer brings the
greatest opportunity for pests to camp out in your cozy
climate nest where they have an endless supply of water
and food. Follow these tips for keeping out unwanted
critters:
• Seal up any holes in the house that are more than
a quarter-inch wide.
• Trim tree branches back to at least 8 feet from
your roofline to prevent unwanted attic guests.
• Remove all yard debris (leaves, twigs, grass, etc.)
so animals cannot use them for shelter prior to
breaking and entering your home.
• Tightly seal all outdoor trash cans. Emphasis
on tightly; racoons, opossums and squirrels are
very clever when it comes to finding food. Their
crafty and determined minds can make a huge
surprise mess for morning clean-up, when scav-
enging for scraps!
• Keep the lawn mowed to shorter length. Longer
grass provides a comfy home to pests, encour-
age them not to set up camp by cutting the grass
frequently. Plus, it adds curb appeal!
• Incorporate plants, both indoors and outside
where people gather, that naturally repel insects.
Herbs provide the bonus of incorporating them
in meals; basil, lavender, lemongrass, thyme
and mint all repel bugs. Outdoors, you can use
chrysanthemums, catnip, marigolds and petunias.
Hint – brush by the outdoor plans so their scent
can be released to keep insects at bay.