August and Late Summer Maintenance Checklist

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
• 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 just 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.