When summer arrives, your to do list likely includes heading to a pool, barbequing, and maybe traveling. What likely didn’t make it on to your calendar is summertime home maintenance. If you’re planning to put your house on the market this fall however, August is the time to tend to those bigger maintenance jobs that maybe got pushed aside earlier this summer! Here’s a short list of the most frequently recommended summertime maintenance projects.

Safety first

Let’s start with one that takes little time and effort but a huge impact. While tending to everything on this list will ultimately help make your home safer, your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are part of the frontline in protecting your family. Test and replace batteries where necessary. While you have your mind on safety, check out your fire extinguisher. Allstate has several recommendations for essential upkeep.

Air Check

If dust collects for too long in vents and HVAC units, not only will the inefficiency cost you more money, but there could be a safety issue. Change out vents with the changing of the seasons, and have a professional inspect your HVAC once a year.

Warm it up

It may be counterintuitive to think about insulation and keeping your home warm when it’s already hot outside, but once winter hits you’ll be glad you did! First, check the most likely culprits for air leaks- windows and doors. Then, pick up some caulk and fill in cracks or holes to seal the leaks.

Clear gutters

(Image credit to Home Tips)

This is one of those tasks that makes the list because of how disastrous (read: expensive) it can be if it goes ignored. Debris that blocks regular water flow through your gutters can cause clogs, and clogs mean overflow and damage to the outside of your home. After you remove twigs, leaves, and other debris, flush the gutter with water to check that regular flow is restored and no leaks are present.

Whether you are planning to relocate soon or not, tending to the items on this list will make your home inviting and, more importantly, safer. And if a move is on your horizon, go ahead and check “find professional movers” off of your to do list. George Moving & Storage commits to quality and always places the needs of customers first; let our award-winning service help make your move seamless.