Summer home repairs are often necessary to ensure that your home stays in top condition and you are doing what you can to protect your investment. Summertime can be a prime time for necessary repairs.
Some summer home repairs are unexpected like roof repair after a bad summer storm. Other summer home repairs are done to help improve your home. In all cases, summertime is a great time to update your home, and take care of what needs to be taken care of.
The Most Common Summer Home Repairs Are Actually Not Repairs
Many summer home repairs are less “repairs” and more maintenance that is exclusively needed during the warmer months of the year. A good example of summer home repairs that are more maintenance than repairs is residential mowing services .
Hiring a professional landscaping company to manage things like tree service and lawn care, can be an easy way to pass off some of the maintenance around your home so that you will have time to manage other projects.
Ant control and other pest control services are also one of those things that is more maintenance than repair. Most insects are dormant in the colder months so you really do not have to think about pest control, especially outdoors. You could hire a professional to handle for you, so you are freed up to do other summer home repairs.
There are a lot of activities around the house that are exclusively summertime repairs and maintenance. Getting some professional support with the mundane maintenance that is required during the summer months can help you to have time to design and install those custom patios that you have been hoping to build this summer.
The Most Common Summer Home Repairs that Are Actually Repairs
One of the most common summer home repairs are heating and cooling repair. AC systems are really put to the test during the hot summer months, and if something is going to go wrong, it usually happens on the hottest day of the year.
There are things you can do to help ease the stress and strain on your system, and avoid having to make that emergency repair call:
- If your system has filters change them regularly. Changing your filters regularly is one of the easiest ways to keep your system from working overtime. How often should you change your filters? That depends on the size of your household, your manufacturer’s recommendations, and whether you have pets. A good rule of thumb is at least monthly.
- Get your AC system “tuned up” before the season starts. Good maintenance can help your system to endure the rigors of the demands during the summer.
- Be kind to your system. If you have a heat pump system, keep in mind that your AC can only lower your indoor temperature by about 10 degrees lower than what the outdoor temperature is, if your system has not been run in a while, move the thermostat down in 2-degree increments.
While you can not control everything that happens with your cooling system, you can take the steps that you need to, to ensure that it is well maintained which can reduce the risk of problems.
Make sure you keep the area around your outdoor unit clear of any debris. Grass clippings, leaves, and other debris can cause problems. Using a water hose, gently spray around your unit to move debris away from the area.
Plumbers are typically busy this time of year as well. Septic issues, clogged drains because the kids are home more, and other plumbing repairs see an uptick this time of year.
Your local roofing contractor also sees a spurt in business during the summer storm season. Taking the steps that you need to, to avoid some of these summer home repairs can include things like:
- Regular drain and septic maintenance year-round.
- Have trees that are overhanging the roof removed. Have a regular roof inspection done to help remove any loose shingles and have them replaced.
- Prepare ahead for storms by securing any lawn furniture, and move other items out the way that can cause damage.
A little prep work can help you to stave off any emergency summer home repairs. Of course, you can reduce risk but it can be nearly impossible to avoid all risks. There are things you can do to help offset some of the costs of unexpected summer home repairs.
Keeping the Cost Down for Summer Home Repairs
Let’s say you have done all the maintenance that you can, and yet you are still in need of unexpected summer home repairs. How can you save some money on those repairs? The answer is pretty simple: shop around for pricing comparison.
It can be stressful when that AC stops blowing on the hottest day of the year, and your desperation to get some relief can mean seriously overpaying for service. Don’t make the mistake of overpaying out of desperation.
Before you pick up the phone to call for service, call friends, family members, and neighbors to get some referrals. Ask who they use, and what the costs and results were the last time they used them. Then call at least three services in your area to do some price comparisons.
You can save hundreds of dollars by just calling around, and taking the time to collect some information. Another way to save on summer home repairs is to do what you can yourself. Many repairs do require experts like adding electric service to your shed or making repairs to your roof, but there are quite a few repairs you can do on your own like:
- Repairing fencing
- Repairing, replacing window screens
- Replacing indoor and outdoor faucets
There is actually a litany of repairs you can make without having to have a lot of skills. Luckily YouTube and other online channels can deliver a wealth of information and how to’s that can talk you through a lot of simple repairs.
Of course, the big things like asbestos clean up needs to be left to the professionals. You have to find a balance between what you can do and what you will need to rely on a professional to get done. However, you may surprise yourself at how much you can take on, on your own.
Most people are able to carry out simple repairs on their own, and some people are so dedicated they can manage even the big repairs. Find out what you can do, and get busy doing it. The cost savings can be tremendous if you learn how to make at least some repairs on your own.
Don’t Put Off ‘Til Tomorrow What Can Be Done Today
Summer time is normally reserved for fun in the sun, and it can be hard to plan summer home repairs because you want to be outside enjoying life, but you should never put off until tomorrow what can be done today.
One of the easiest ways to keep summer home repair costs down is to address problems as they arise. It can be tempting to put repairs off so you can spend the weekend at the beach, but in almost all cases, necessary repairs only get worse with time. The longer you wait to address repairs the more likely the cost will rise. So invest in those garage door repairs sooner than later.
Let’s use roof repairs as an example. Let’s say the last storm came through and you noticed some roofing materials in your yard. That is never a good sign. You quickly picked up the parts and went about your day.
A few weeks later while in the attic you notice a wet spot that is seeping through the ceiling. If you would have acted as soon as you noticed that there was roof debris in the yard, you could have avoided damaging the interior of the home.
The longer you wait to make repairs, the more damage you are likely to experience. Of course, the more damage the more cost is associated with the repairs. Never put off a repair. Address the problem head-on, then there will be plenty of time to enjoy the summer fun.
Summer Is an Ideal Time for Certain Repairs
There are some repairs that just cannot be done any other time of the year. A good example is having new windows or a new roof installed. Any type of exterior repairs or improvements are best to be done in the summer.
Why are some repairs best done in the summer? The weather. When you have to make exterior repairs other times of the year, the weather can be a huge consideration. For example, roofing in the winter, or even in the spring can mean being up against inclement weather that keeps the roofers down on the ground.
Exterior repairs in the summertime are easier. The daylight is longer, the weather is more cooperative, and of course, you get to enjoy the fruits of the labor immediately. Repairs like painting, paving, and more just work better during the summer months when there is less chance of bad weather.
There is another benefit of doing summer home repairs. It can actually be more cost-effective. Everyone gets busy around the house in the springtime, which can make it a prime time to hire contractors, and buy materials. As the spring unwinds into the lazy days of summer, the costs may start to dip.
Of course, there are some costs that skyrocket in the summer like the cost of AC installation and repair, or anything having to do with the cost of a pool, but other repairs can be made more cost-effective by having them done in the summer.
Here are some summer home repairs that can be cheaper in the summer:
- Roof repairs and roof replacement.
- Concrete paving.
- Interior repairs and upgrades.
You may be surprised how much savings there can be during the summertime when it is “off-season” for many contractors.
Repairs vs Upgrading
Some summer home repairs are not really repairs but fall more under the renovation or upgrading category. In some cases, fixing what you have is not the best option. For example, an old worn-out air conditioning unit that is running up your energy bill may not be worth repairing.
Sometimes it is just better to replace what you have. Upgrading to a new unit may cost you more than you want to spend during the summer, but it will pay you back in energy savings and comfort. How do you know when it is better to replace instead of repairing? There are some signs that repairing is not the best choice including:
- It is not your first rodeo with similar repairs. If you have tried your best to patch your roof together over the years, and have had to have it repaired more than 3 times, it may be time to replace it. At some point, you are throwing good money after bad.
- You are dealing with outdated appliances. If your AC unit is 10 years or older, and you have had it repaired more than 2 x’s, upgrading to a newer model may be the right answer.
- If the cost of repairs is very close to the cost of replacement. Sometimes it can be a better option to just go with new.
Summer home repairs should be balanced against upgrading and replacing to figure out what the best value is. If you have to keep fixing similar issues, it may be the better value to just go ahead and replace or upgrade.
Sometimes replacement just makes more financial sense especially when the cost of replacement and repairs is not too far apart. When you choose replacement you get worry-free operation for years to come, so next summer you will not have to worry about repairs.
There are a lot of great ways to save with summer home repairs, but you have to make sure that the savings are going to be worth it in the long run. Now that you know the ins and outs of summer home repairs, it is time to start looking around the house and see what needs to be done.
