What Every Home Owner Should Inspect Before Summer Ends

Summer reveals a lot about a home, as months of high temperatures, severe weather and heavy air conditioning use can expose issues you didn't catch earlier in the year. 

Whether you've lived in your home for years or just experienced your first summer as an owner, taking stock of its condition now can help you prioritize projects for the months ahead. Were some rooms less comfortable than others? Did storms leave visible damage behind? Were your utility bills higher than expected?

Here are three items every home owner should inspect before summer ends.

How Did Your Cooling System Perform?

Your home's HVAC system works hard to keep up during the summer months. As the heat winds down, now is a good time to reflect on how it performed during the hottest part of the year. If your system struggled to keep your home comfortable or if certain rooms or floors consistently felt warmer than others, it may be time for an inspection.

HVAC systems should be checked annually and cleaned once or twice per year. If you haven’t had yours serviced this year, schedule an appointment after months of heavy summer use. Don’t forget to change the filters at least every three months, too.

Did Storms Reveal Drainage Issues?

Summer storms can put a home's drainage system to the test. After heavy rain, look for areas where water pooled near your foundation, collected in the yard or washed away mulch and soil. These can be signs water is not moving away from your home as it should.
Cleaning your home's gutters and downspouts can help, and make sure they're directing water away from the foundation. If water continues to pool after storms, a professional can identify the issue and recommend a solution.

How Did Outdoor Spaces and Exterior Surfaces Hold Up?

Lastly, examine how your outdoor spaces and exterior surfaces held up. Start by looking for visible damage to windows, siding, trim, fences, decks and other exterior surfaces from storms or heat exposure. Cracked or warped materials can worsen over time and even create safety concerns.
It's also important to checks for cracks in your driveway or walkways caused by heat. Repairing small cracks now can prevent more extensive damage later.

A home that worked hard all summer may need some attention before the seasons change, especially if heat and storms left behind a few issues.