Summer brings, the promise of long sunny days and outdoor activities, but also ushers in intense heat that occasionally has severe storms. For homeowners, this means being proactive in the measures to protect both the comfort and the integrity of their homes.
Ensure your AC is running properly
You want to ensure your air conditioning system is running efficiently to safeguard your property from storm damage. We have a comprehensive guide on how to protect your home from summer heat and the storms.
Your air conditioning system is a first line of defense against a sweltering summer to keep your home cool and your system running efficiently you need to follow these tips .
- Schedule a professional inspection and tuneup for your AC system before the summer heat hits. A technician can check for issues of refrigerant leaks, dirty coils, or faulty components.
- You want to make sure that you are regularly changing your filters to ensure optimal, airflow, and indoor air quality.
- You want to check for gaps and cracks around windows doors and ducks. Do you want to seal them with caulk or weatherstripping to prevent cold air from escaping.
- Ensure the attic in walls are properly insulated to maintain a consistent indoor temperature.
- Install yourself a programmable thermostat and set it to a temperature that matches your lifestyle. This can help reduce energy cost and keep your home comfortable.
- You can use blinds, curtains, or shades to block out direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the day. Consider reflective window, film or solar screens to reduce the heat gain.
Have proper ventilation
Proper ventilation is key to keep and reducing humidity levels which can make the heat even more oppressive.
- When you are using fans or box fans to to help circulate the air and create a cool effect, make sure that the ceilings fans rotate counterclockwise in the summer to push down cool air.
- Ensure that your attic has adequate ventilation to release trapped heat. Ridge vents, soffit fans, and attic fans can help. Similarly, ventilate crawlspaces to reduce humidity and heat buildup.
- In the evening, early morning, temperatures are cooler open windows to allow fresh air to circulate. Close them during the day to keep the hot air out.
- Summer storms can bring heavy rains and strong winds even hail. Protect your home from storm damage is essential to maintaining the structural integrity of your home.
- You want to inspect your roof damage or missing shingles and repair them properly. Consider installing impact resistant roofing material if you live in storm prone areas.
- Ensure that your gutters and downspouts are clean and securely attached, proper drainage helps prevent water damage to your roof and your foundation.
- It’s always beneficial to trim, overhanging branches and remove trees or limbs that could fall on your house during a storm. This also goes for dead trees, shrubs, and bushes well maintained to reduce wind, and debris. You can get tree removal in Lake Orion.
- Install storm shutters are impact resistant windows to protect any flying debris. Ensure doors are properly sealed and reinforced especially your garage doors.
- Bring any outdoor furniture, grills and items inside before storm put them in your garage or if you have mudroom secure items so that they cannot move and prevent them from becoming a dangerous projectile.
- Consider installing a whole house generator to keep the essentials running during a power outage. Portable generators can also be temporary solutions Make sure that you use them safely. If you need help and electrician locally can help you install a generator.
- Keep batteries, flashlights, and portable chargers available. Store non-perishable foods and water to last several days.
- If you have a generator ensure that it can handle the load of your air conditioning system. This will help maintain comfort during the outage.
Maintain your home’s exterior
Maintain the exterior of your home is the first line of defense against heat and storm damage. Regular maintenance can help prevent costly repairs and keep your house looking great.
- Check for cracks, or peeling paint to help prevent water infiltration. Insure proper grading around your home to direct water away from your foundation. You might want to install a French drain.
- Consider upgrading your homes installation to improve energy, efficiency, and comfort. Proper insulation helps. Keep your home cool during the summer and warm during the winter.
Protecting your home from the summer heat and storm to require a combination of proactive maintenance and strategic upgrades. By optimizing your air conditioning system, improving, ventilation, storm, proofing your house, preparing for power outages, and maintaining your homes exterior, you are able to ensure that your homes stay safe and comfortable all summer long. Taking these steps, not only enhances your homes resilience, but also provides a piece of mind, knowing that you are well prepared for whatever the summer weather comes your way.