Home Care with Riann: 7 Things I’d Check Around Your Home in Late Summer

 

By Riann, Warranty Manager at Highland Homes

One of the things I love about my job is helping our homeowners take care of their homes long after move-in.

A home is made up of a lot of different materials and systems, and all of them are affected by everyday use, weather and the changing seasons. Some of the questions I receive are warranty-related, but many are simply homeowners wondering, Is this normal? Should I be doing something about this? What should I be watching?

That's why we're starting the Highland Home Care section of our blog.

Throughout the year, I'll share some of the same advice and reminders I give our Highland homeowners, things I've learned to watch for, simple maintenance that can help prevent bigger problems, and a little explanation about how your home works along the way.

Late summer is a great place to start.

By this point in the season, our homes, and especially our yards, irrigation systems and air conditioners, have been working hard for several months. We're also getting closer to cooler weather, which makes this a good time to take a walk around your home and catch a few things before fall arrives.

Here are seven things I'd check right now.

1. Take a Walk Around Your Foundation

This is probably one of the biggest things I want homeowners to pay attention to, especially during irrigation season.

Walk around your home and look at where your sprinklers are actually putting water. Sprinkler heads can move, get bumped or become misaligned over time. Make sure you're watering the landscaping, not the house.

Also look for areas where water may be collecting next to the foundation or where landscaping changes may have affected the original drainage around your home. Soil should generally direct water away from the house rather than toward it.

Remember: more water isn't necessarily better.

Your lawn and landscaping need irrigation during our hot Idaho summers, but your foundation doesn't.

2. Run Your Sprinklers and Actually Watch Them

I know—watching sprinklers isn't exactly an exciting way to spend an evening!

But late summer is a perfect time to turn on each irrigation zone and walk the property while it's running.

Look for:

• Broken or leaking sprinkler heads
• Heads spraying directly onto the house
• Water hitting windows, doors or exterior finishes
• Areas receiving too much or too little water
• Water pooling near the foundation
• Sprinklers that have shifted or aren't rotating properly

Landscaping can grow quite a bit over the summer, too. A sprinkler that worked perfectly in the spring may now be blocked by a shrub or ornamental grass.

As temperatures begin to cool, your landscaping's water needs will also change. Don't assume the watering schedule you used during the hottest part of summer should continue unchanged into fall.

A quick irrigation check can catch a surprising number of little problems.

3. Check Your HVAC Filter

If you can't remember the last time you looked at your HVAC filter, this is your reminder!

Between construction dust, everyday household dust, pets and our occasional smoky Idaho summer days, filters can get dirty faster than you might expect.

A dirty filter can restrict airflow and make your HVAC system work harder, so don't rely only on the calendar. Take a look at the filter itself and replace it when needed, following the recommendations for your particular HVAC system and filter.

And here's one thing I always like to remind homeowners: a higher-rated filter isn't automatically better for every HVAC system. Your system needs to be designed to accommodate the airflow resistance of the filter you're using. If you're unsure, check your HVAC manufacturer's recommendation or ask your HVAC professional.

4. Look Under Your Sinks

This might be the easiest maintenance check on my list.

Open the cabinet under every sink in your home and take a quick look and feel around the plumbing connections.

You're looking for moisture, dripping, staining, swelling in the cabinet material or anything that simply doesn't look right.

Do the same around toilets, the dishwasher, refrigerator water connection and other plumbing fixtures you can easily inspect.

Small plumbing leaks aren't always obvious from outside the cabinet, and catching one early can make a huge difference.

I recommend making this a regular habit, not just a late-summer task.

5. Check Your Exterior Caulking and Sealants

Our Idaho weather puts exterior materials through a lot: hot summer sun, freezing winter temperatures and everything in between.

Before colder weather arrives, take a look at visible caulking and sealants around exterior penetrations, windows, doors and other areas where different materials meet.

You're looking for obvious gaps, cracking, separation or deterioration.

Caulking is a maintenance item, and it doesn't last forever. Keeping those seals in good condition is one of the simple ways homeowners can help keep water where it belongs—outside the house.

If you're unsure whether something you're seeing is normal maintenance or something we should look at during your warranty period, send us a photo. I'm always happy to help point you in the right direction.

6. Pay Attention to Your Gutters and Downspouts

Late summer is also a good time to give your gutters and downspouts a quick look before leaves begin falling.

Check that they're secure and that downspouts are directing water away from the home. If you've had landscaping installed or modified since moving in, make sure nothing has changed the way that water drains.

When those fall rainstorms eventually arrive, you want the system ready to do its job.

We'll talk more about gutters, irrigation winterization and other cold-weather preparation in my fall home-care checklist.

7. Walk Through Your Home and Look for Changes

Finally, just pay attention.

You know your home better than anyone because you live in it every day. As you walk through it, notice things that have changed.

Is a door suddenly rubbing or sticking? Are you seeing a new gap somewhere? Does something sound different? Have you noticed condensation, a water spot or a crack that wasn't there before?

Not every change means something is wrong. Homes are built from many different materials, and those materials respond differently to temperature, humidity and seasonal changes. Wood moves. Concrete can crack. Caulking can shrink. Doors can behave differently from one season to another.

Part of my job is helping homeowners understand the difference between normal home maintenance and something that deserves a closer look.

So when you're not sure, ask.

One Last Thing From Me

If I could give homeowners one piece of advice, it would be this: don't wait until something becomes a big problem to pay attention to it.

Most home maintenance isn't complicated. Often it's simply noticing a small change, keeping water moving in the right direction, replacing something that's worn out or doing a little preventive maintenance at the right time.

I'll be sharing more of these tips throughout the year, including what I recommend as we head into fall and prepare our homes for an Idaho winter.

Until then, enjoy what's left of summer, and go check those sprinklers for me!

— Riann
Warranty Manager, Highland Homes

Every home, property and situation is different. These tips are intended as general home-maintenance guidance and aren't a guarantee against future maintenance, moisture or other home-related issues. Always follow the recommendations provided by your home's manufacturers and qualified service professionals, and contact the Highland Homes Warranty team if you have a question about your home's applicable warranty coverage.