Spring is nearly here and there is much you can do to get your home ready for seasonal flooding and summer heat. Aside from the prerequisite spring cleaning, there are a number of things that you can do to ensure that your transition from one season to the next is seamless.
Is your basement ready for spring flooding?
Ensure that your basement stays high and dry during seasonal floods by installing a backwater valve and sump pit drainage system. Prevent flooding by taking measures to ensure that the water is able to drain away from your home. When your yard slopes down towards your home, you may have trouble keeping the water out.
Get your AC ready
Check that your AC is in good working order. Have it serviced by a professional in order to keep it running efficiently. If your AC is getting old, consider replacing it with an ENERSTAR appliance to save on energy through the warmer summer months.
Inspect outside units to see that are free from vegetation, debris and animal nests. Clear vegetation away from around your outdoor AC units. Inspect your indoor AC vents and make sure that they remain unobstructed.
Clean AC filters or replace them as necessary. Regularly cleaning filters helps to save energy as it keeps your AC functioning optimally and keeps your indoor air fresh.
Mind the gaps
Check your AC ducting for leaks and repair as necessary. (Note: repairing ducts is the one thing duct tape isn’t good for.) You can also save up to 10% on your summer cooling costs by creating a more effective building envelope. You can achieve this by caulking any openings to the outdoors and by checking weather stripping around doors and windows.
Summer shade
Another way of reducing your summer cooling costs is by planting deciduous trees and plants outside your windows. These will create shade in the summer months, but lose their leaves to allow the winter sunshine in.
If you don’t have space for shade trees, consider blinds for windows that get a lot of direct sunlight. You will be amazed at the difference it makes to your summer heating costs.
Give your gutters a spring clean
Remove fall leaves and other debris to ensure that summer rains are safely diverted away from your home. Place extensions on your downspouts so that you can divert rainwater into garden beds and onto lawns, thus reducing your summer water consumption. Collecting rainwater for your garden can really help to save you money.
If you installed foundation vent plugs o keep your pipes from freezing, remove them after the last frost. Give your house a once-over; checking to see if there was any damage from winter storms, dust off the barbeque and get ready to enjoy your summer.