June Homeowner’s Checklist

Oh June, my favorite month. And no, it’s not only because it’s my birthday month. Fireflies, barefoot weather, beach trips, pool days, long evenings, and bright mornings. I love everything about this month. Here are a few tips for making your home cookout ready and as magical as fireflies in a jar.

• Repair and paint any fences. Spending lots of time outdoors means your pets probably are too. To keep your kids and fur children in, and to keep the critters out, check your fences and make any needed repairs. This is also a good time to paint or re-stain anywhere that is needed. Need someone to help you out? Contact me for service recommendations.
• Clean fridge pan, vents, fans, and coils, and check your door seal. Just like your AC, in the summer months your fridge is working extra hard to keep things cool. Another forgotten task, fridge cleaning is just as important as changing your air filters. Dust and grime can build up in the back of your fridge (you’d be shocked at how disgusting they can be) which makes it run even harder, causing your fridge to burnout. Your door seal is also a major factor in keeping the cold in, and every once in a while you should give it a few good swipes with a Clorox-water rag to get rid of any stickiness or mildew. If you think your fridge temps seem a little off, it’s always good to call a technician. When that happened to us, it turned out to be a manufacturer issue, so they fixed it for free (always call the warranty company because they’ll send out their technician who won’t charge if the issue is under warranty or a manufacturer problem!).
• Wash your area rugs. Outdoor time also means tracking more of the outside inside, so washing your area rugs is a good idea. They’ll dry quickly in the warm sunshine, and it’s a good way to keep allergens out of your house. Plus it’s not cold outside so you won’t miss those little heat traps while they’re outside as much as you would in the cooler weather.
• Remove old paints and flammables from your garage. Heat plus heat plus flammables equals danger. Anything that is expired or old or pressurized, dispose of it at the proper hazardous waste center.
• Clean the faucet aerators. What’s an aerator you say? When you look at your sink where the water comes out, you’ll notice there’s maybe 3/4 of an inch or so and then a seam. That end piece unscrews and is made up of a bunch of little parts that make up the aerator. It’s functions include but are not limited to: conserving water, regulate pressure, prevent splashing, even the water flow, and reduce noise. Just like any other fixture that experiences water flow, there can be buildup of moldy gunk or hard water deposits, so it needs cleaning every once in a while. I like to clean ours this time of year after we’ve gotten a lot of rain (well water life). It can be easily disassembled and cleaned, but if you have questions here is a great article on how to do it. You may also want to do the same to your shower head.

This month’s list is shorter, but keep up with your regular home and yard maintenance in addition to these bigger, frequently forgotten items. Did I forget something that is a June staple for you? Let me know in the comments or reach out to me directly! I love y’all’s feedback. Enjoy your summer, and I hope you make the most of every long summer day!

From my home to yours,

Mary Allison