10 Ways to Prep a Home for Summer Weather

If you’re a homeowner, then you’re probably familiar with winterizing your home, a process that includes things like scheduling a furnace check and sealing your windows and doors against drafts. But did you know that there are things that you should be doing in advance of warmer weather, too? Making sure to properly prep a home for summer can help you cool your space more efficiently—and get yourself ahead of seasonal dust and allergies.

Here are ten things that you can do to get your home ready for the summer months ahead so that you when they get here you can sit back, relax, and soak in all that much-earned sunshine.

Do your spring cleaning

Vacuuming curtains and blinds
Washing your windows inside and out, including window trim and sills
Dusting off indoor and outdoor light fixtures and bulbs
Disinfecting surfaces such your stair rail, light switches, and cabinet hardware
Cleaning out your dryer vent

Do some routine HVAC maintenance

Check your thermostat

Start rotating your ceiling fans counterclockwise

Adjust your return registers

Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors

Take a look at your gutters

Do some basic landscaping

Swap out seasonal items

Let there be air

Is your home ready for summer? Set aside a weekend to take care of all of these important tasks (and maybe one more full day, if you haven’t done your spring cleaning yet). It’s a lot easier to tackle these things now, before you just want to be outside enjoying the weather all day. It’s also good practice to always prioritize preventative maintenance steps instead of waiting for problems to occur.

Want to get even more done? Check out our 12 tips for creating a backyard oasis or the 10 best home improvement projects to take on in the summer months.