Home Maintenance Checklist: July Edition

July Checklist:

☀️ Keep Cool Without Burning Cash

✅ Flush your water heater to remove sediment that builds up faster in summer, especially in hard water areas.
Check your unit’s manual for instructions. If you’ve never flushed it before or aren’t comfortable doing it yourself, consider calling a pro as disturbing built-up sediment can sometimes trigger leaks.
💡 Pro Tip: If your hot water runs out faster than usual, your tank’s likely due for a flush.

✅ Inspect and clean your bathroom/kitchen exhaust fans to help vent humidity and reduce mold risk.

✅ Close blinds and curtains on the sunny side of the home during peak hours (especially west-facing rooms).
💡 Pro Tip: Use blackout curtains to block up to 30% of unwanted heat.

🦟 Mid-Summer Pest Prevention

✅ Inspect window and door screens for holes or gaps.
Patch or replace torn mesh to keep wasps and mosquitos out.

✅ Animal-proof your garbage and compost bins.
Use bungee cords or locking lids to secure garbage bins, and rinse out compost bins weekly to reduce odours that attract raccoons, ants, and flies.
💡 Pro Tip: Sprinkle baking soda in compost bins to neutralize smell and discourage pests.

✅ Spray or treat for wasp nests under eaves or deck railings (do this at dusk when they’re least active).
💡 Pro Tip: Plant mint or basil near entrances — both deter flies and mosquitos naturally.

🌱 Lawn & Garden Smart Care

✅ Raise your lawnmower blade to 3” and cut less frequently.
This protects against drought and heat stress.

✅ Water deeply, not daily.
Give your lawn and garden about 1 inch of water per week, ideally in the early morning. This encourages deep root growth and helps prevent fungus, which thrives in damp overnight conditions.
💡 Pro Tip: Use a tuna can as a simple gauge - once it’s full, you’ve hit 1 inch.

✅ Sharpen your lawn mower blade.
A dull blade tears grass instead of cutting it cleanly, leaving it brown and stressed - especially in summer heat. Sharpen now to keep your lawn looking lush and healthy.
💡 Pro Tip: If your grass tips look ragged or yellow after mowing, it’s time to sharpen.

🧯 Safety & Quick Wins

✅ Test your smoke detectors, because “oops” isn't a fire safety strategy.
Use this mid-year check-in to test alarms, replace batteries, and check expiry dates - most detectors expire after 7-10 years.
📅 The expiry date is usually printed on the back or inside the battery compartment.

✅ Vacuum your refrigerator coils.
This improves cooling efficiency - key during July’s peak temps.

✅ Check your attic or crawlspace for signs of moisture or pests.
Hot weather = increased rodent and insect activity in hidden spaces.

Stay tuned..

🔥 Grill not firing on all burners? Our BBQ deep-clean guide drops soon, get ready to fix that flame!