Summer is the perfect time for many of these do-it-yourself home maintenance projects that can save you thousands of dollars and improve your homes value. You should plan on doing these tasks early on so you can enjoy them all summer long.
Here are 10 inexpensive and easy home projects that make your home feel new!
1. Paint
Fresh paint makes your home look great and protects it against UV light, insects and moisture.
If you scour your local hardware stores you can often find cheap paint in their “oops” section. This can save you a bundle if you’re looking to paint on the cheap and are flexible on the color.
2. Clean gutters
You may be able to do this job yourself at little or no cost. There are services that will usually get this job done for a couple hundred dollars if you are not capable of going up and down a ladder. Enlist someone to stand on the ground and steady the ladder while you work. Make sure the wear a nice pair of gloves to protect your hands from the dirt and debris you will pull out.
You should clean gutters once or twice a year, depending on how quickly they fill with leaves and debris. While you’re cleaning, check for leaks loose sections and breaks. Also be sure to cheack your downspouts and make sure they are clear and water runs far enough away from your foundation.
3. Seal wood decks & fence
If your deck or fence is looking a little weathered it might be a good indication to seal or paint it. Staining or painting your wood deck will make it look likelike new and you’ll only spend a small fraction of the amount to replace it if it begins to rot.
The cheap way to seal a deck or fence is do it yourself or make it a family project. You’ll spend a couple hundred dollars on supplies and rented tools. Do it every two to three years, depending on where you live.
4. Mulch your garden beds
Laying a 1- to 3-inch layer of mulch on garden beds will quickly spruce up the area around your home’s exterior. Mulch also helps cut down on weeding by smothering weeds by depriving them of oxygen and light. Mulch also holds moisture in the soil saving water and giving plants a consistent source of moisture.
Call your city, electric utility companies or tree service companies to find cheap or free wood chips or shredded bark.
5. Wash and seal your windows
Cleaning your windows is one of the cheapest ways to give your home a new sparkle. Here are three cheap, no-streak approaches:
- Apply a vinegar-water solution to the glass and wipe it off with crumpled newspaper, for a more lint-free result than paper towels .
- Use TSP (trisodium phosphate) — an inexpensive powder degreaser found at hardware stores — mixed in water and squeegee it off for a streak-free finish. Make sure you read the instructions for proper handling.
- Many people swear by a few drops of dish soap in a bucket of warm water.
6. Caulk
Caulking around windows helps cut heating and cooling bills by keeping indoor air in and drafts out. Even more important is preventing leaky window frames from causing rot by allowing water to seep into walls, causing rot and mildew. This will also attract insects and other pests. A cheap tube of caulk goes a long way toward sealing openings and preventing expensive damage.
7. Check for irrigation leaks
Your irrigation system and hoses can be damaged by vehicles and lawn maintenance. Water pressure and UV light also do damage over time and leaks waste water and cost you money.
Turn on the water and inspect hoses, heads, timers and irrigation systems for leaks and pooling water. Replace hose gaskets and make repairs as needed, or call a sprinkler service company.
8. Give the HVAC a tuneup
Give your HVAC a little attention leading into summer. Replace your filter regularly and have an expert come out to test the system for proper coolant levels. Use a vacuum cleaner on openings throughout the system, including registers, ducts and vents to keep them clean. you may also consider hiring a company to give the ducts a thorough professional cleaning which also cuts down on allergans.
9. Keep pests at bay
Warm weather draws in additional insects and other pests. Clean up debris and trim vegetation near or on your home that could shelter wood-boring insects, rats, mice or spiders.
Remove yard waste, tools, ladders, toys and stacked lumber. Keep firewood at least 5 feet from your home’s foundation and on a rack off the ground.
Other yard tips include:
- Pick up fruit as soon as it drops from trees and bushes.
- Give garbage cans tight-fitting lids and only put out on garbage night.
- Drain puddles and ponds and change bird bath water frequently and/or use a safe pesticide to discourage mosquitoes.
10. Inspect and clean the dryer vent
Although you probably clean your dryer’s lint trap after each load, lint still builds up inside the machine and ductwork which can led to fire is not properly cleaned. Remove the lint filter and use a long-handled vent brush (ask for one at hardware stores) to clean as much of the cavity as you can. Carefully clean behind the machine without disturbing the vent attachment or gas line.
Use the vent brush or a rag to reach into the vent from outside and remove all the lint you can reach. Consider hiring a service that can clean the entire duct especially if the exhaust is on the roof.