Easy Home Upgrades to Do in the Summer

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Posted August 14, 2020

Summer is a season of fun! It’s the time most people get outside more, go swimming, and enjoy time with friends and family. But it’s also a great time to get some home upgrade projects done as well.

The warm weather and more flexible schedules make summer a popular renovation period. Many people use this time to improve their surroundings while enjoying them more.

We’ve compiled a list of easy home upgrades that are perfect to check off your list this summer!

1. Overall Clean-up

Fall and Winter are hard on our homes. The weather can restrict your ability to clean the exterior, especially if there is a lot of snow.

The beginning of summer is a great time to do an overall clean-up and home upgrade of the house.

Pressure washers do a great job of removing any dirt, grime, or residue left by winter storms and windy springs. This is a quick and easy task that will make a big difference in the appearance of your house.

While pressure washing, it’s also a great time to knock down any unwanted nests or hives you may see.

Often the last leaves from trees don’t drop until well into winter when it’s too cold to collect them. The warm weather will do wonders to dry them out and make it easier for you to gather them all up.

This kind of general cleaning and sprucing will get your house ready for all the outdoor barbecues of the season!

2. Tune-Up Air Conditioning

There is nothing more refreshing than walking into your cool house after a long day in the sun. And there’s nothing more uncomfortable than a hot, stuffy house in the middle of summer.

It’s absolutely crucial to get your air conditioning unit serviced at the beginning of the hot summer months. That way you won’t run into an emergency breakdown.

Because you know that breakdown is happening the hottest weekend of the year!

A maintenance professional will be able to test your system and do any work necessary to make sure it’s running perfectly.

The technician will also be able to let you know if your machine is running louder than necessary. Sometimes we get so used to the general noise in our homes we don’t notice when something isn’t right.

If this is the case you can tackle the problem of reducing the noise from your AC.

3. Install a Smart Thermostat

Another way to keep in control of the temperature in your house is to install a smart thermostat.

These machines are designed to help you better monitor your HVAC systems. They keep track of regular patterns in temperature and adjust settings accordingly. They can be remotely turned off to save energy when you’re not home. Overall they are a great tool for more energy efficiency.

Smart thermostats have become very popular among homeowners, mostly due to their money-saving abilities.

The process of installing one of these devices is very simple and straightforward. It mostly involves removing the old one and attaching the new one. Most don’t require any wiring or electrical knowledge.

This is a very simple home upgrade that can make your summer much more comfortable.

4. Exterior Upgrades

With the weather being warm and giving you the freedom to be outside, the summer is a great time to make those exterior upgrades you’ve been thinking about.

While you’re doing your summertime clean-up you may notice some problems with your siding. It may be the perfect time to do some patching and repairing for those issues.

Occasionally the damaged boards can be removed. And then a replacement piece can be added in its place. This will save you a lot of time and money but still give you beautiful results.

Sometimes a patch just won’t do. So you may have to redo the whole area or the whole house. It’s important to clearly weigh your options and choose what will work best for your house to prevent any further damage.

Many people also take the summer as an opportunity to get their roof repaired or redone. The lack of storms and bad weather reduces the chances of delays and further damage.

Even something as simple as a new mailbox or porch light can make a huge difference on your exterior!

5. Protect Electrical Systems

While most of the time summer weather is ideal, there are the occasional summer storms that have a lot of force behind them.

These summer storms bring with them high winds, thunder, and lightening. All of these natural weather systems can cause big damage to our homes. That’s especially true for the electrical systems we depend on.

A big storm can cause physical damage to power lines, which will lead to power outages. Those kinds of outages can last a long time depending on how long cleanup takes.

It will only take a few minutes to prevent this though. A quick trim of tree branches around these lines will do the trick.

You can also have a professional out to do an overall check of your electrical system to make sure you’re prepared for surges and outages. They will most likely recommend the addition of a whole home surge protector to keep your home electronics and appliances safe.

6. Upgrade Windows

Before the summer gets too hot, it’s a great time to upgrade your home’s windows to more energy-efficient options.

New bedroom windows can make a big difference in your energy bill each month, especially during those super hot months when the AC is running. These newer models have more secure seals around them to keep air from escaping.

Those seals create a more temperature-controlled environment with less use of the system.

The time it takes to replace the windows won’t be a problem in those warm months. The open space and fresh air coming in will be a welcome change from cold spring.

There are also more cost-effective options available for upgrading windows. This includes films that are placed on the window to prevent UV rays from coming in. That will keep the overall room cooler throughout the day.

Windows can be a big problem in temperature control, upgrading can solve that issue.

7. New Coat of Paint

Fresh, new paint is a great summer activity. For both the inside and the outside of your house!

There aren’t many projects, (besides complete overhauls) that make as big of an impact as a new paint color. It can change the entire look of a space. And summer is just the time for that kind of new beginning.

A living room installations of new wall colors can be an exciting change for all your summer gatherings.

The really good thing about painting is that you get a big impact moment for relatively little cost. This is especially true when comparing this kind of project to other renovation tasks.

And the ability to keep your windows open when painting a room will make the whole experience more comfortable and enjoyable!

8. Plumbing Maintenance

If you’re already in the renovation, improvement, and home upgrade mindset during the summer, you might as well add plumbing to that list.

We use the plumbing systems in our homes multiple times a day. Without those systems, we couldn’t perform basic functions like washing our hands or cleaning our clothes.

But despite it being crucial to our daily routines, how often do we check in on our plumbing? If you’re like most people, not very often.

So tacking plumbing onto regular maintenance in the summer can save you from having major meltdowns and issues unexpectedly. Just like the HVAC professionals, those trained in plumbing will know what to look for to make sure everything is running correctly.

One thing to make sure you or your plumber checks are the debris left in a water heater. Those machines rarely get cleaned out and can have severe build-up because of it.

An overall health check of your plumbing system will keep your water flowing all summer long!

9. Renovate Kitchen

Now, this isn’t an easy home upgrade you can complete in a few hours or even a few days, but summer is a great time for a kitchen renovation.

Taking on this type of task in the summer months allows you to use your outdoor kitchen and grill instead. This means that daily living during a renovation is much easier to manage.

Kitchen renovations are one of the most desired home projects each year. But many people put them off because they are a major undertaking.

Making that undertaking a little easier by tackling the project in the summer can get you your desired look. Some popular aspects of a kitchen renovation are new cabinets, upgraded countertops, and tile backsplashes.

Improving a kitchen is nice for the aesthetics of your home but it can also improve the value overall.

10. Resurface Deck

A major benefit of the summer season is all of the time you can spend outdoors. There is just something so relaxing and enjoyable about spending an evening on the back deck.

Decks are great outdoor spaces and add a lot of value to a home. But unfortunately, they don’t last forever. Depending on the material it’s built out of, it may require a lot of maintenance.

When a deck needs to be resurfaced, there is a fairly simple process to follow.

The first step is to deep clean the whole area. That means taking a pressure washer and clearing any dirt and debris left there. Then the area should be sanded down. This ensures that there is no leftover residue that will contaminate the finish.

After the deck has been fully cleaned, you can apply whatever finish onto the wood. That might be a paint or a stain, depending on the desired look.

If you’re feeling extra ambitious, you could upgrade your deck to a more sustainable material for even less maintenance. Deck renovations for parties are a great way to start your summer!

11. Add Some Landscaping

While you’re out working on your deck, an easy addition is to plant some new landscaping around your property.

Plants can make a huge difference for your exterior. If you’re looking for a quick, cheap, and easy project planting a few things around your yard is a perfect choice.

The great thing about landscaping is that it’s completely customizable to your needs. You can go for a huge, entire yard project, tackle just the flower beds surrounding the home, or just a few pots on the porch.

There are so many options between how many and what kinds of plants. This kind of project is a great creative outlet as well.

Not only do plants add a lot to the design and appeal of your exterior space, but they also are known to make people happier. Having a positive place to be outside is a big boost to mental health.

12. Create an Entertaining Area

One of the most popular summer home upgrades is creating an outdoor entertaining space.

That could include a variety of options to fit your specific needs. Both for functionality and budget. This is another creative type of project that can be a fun undertaking.

If you’re interested in barbecues, an outdoor kitchen and dining area would be the perfect thing to tackle. Do your kids love to have friends over? An outdoor movie theater can make every night an easy party. If you just love to have people over to enjoy the weather, a comfortable seating area might be your focus.

Whatever the case may be, this type of project is easy to pull off. It may even just require some shopping!

Easy Home Upgrades You Can Start Today

While summer is a great time to check home projects off your to-do list, you don’t want to spend your whole vacation working.

Hiring a professional to get these easy home upgrades done can help to reap the rewards without all of the work. They can finish the jobs quickly and efficiently, getting your house back for you to enjoy.

If you’re interested in getting started on some summer projects, contact us today!

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