Summer is a season of heat and relaxation. However, it’s important that you take a little time this season to do some preventative home maintenance. Taking care of small problems or doing tasks to prevent issues from coming up will cost you a little time and money but can save you big headaches and repair bills in the long run.

Here is a basic home maintenance checklist to tackle this summer!

Inspect Your Exterior Walls

In most regions, summer is hot and wet. That means that there is a chance of moisture and rot issues on and around your home. Inspect the outside of your home for any loose, damaged, or rotten spots. It’s best to repair them quickly when they are small to avoid larger moisture damage down the line. Look for areas where water is settling on or near the side of your house, and make a plan to improve the drainage. Also check for any places where you might need exterior paint or caulk touch-ups. Making regular touch-ups can help to extend the life of your home’s paint.

Clean Your Gutters

Spring and summer often bring a lot of wind and rain. Debris buildup in your gutters or downspouts can create clogs that lead to bigger, more expensive repairs in the future. Clear out your gutters at least once a summer to avoid this. Consider adding covers to your gutters to help keep them clean longer. Finally, this is a great time to add a rain barrel to the end of a downspout to capture some of that rainwater and reuse it for watering your plants. This can help reduce your water bill that might be high from keeping your thirsty plants happy.

Update Your Garden Beds

Summer is the time for your home’s landscaping to really shine. Clear your garden beds of any weeds or dead plants and lay down a fresh layer of mulch. Mulch helps plants retain moisture, and fresh mulch makes flower beds look more polished, too. Trim any bushes or hedges that have been neglected. Come up with a watering schedule for your grass or plants and stick to it through the hot summer months. Make sure to water in the early morning or late evening for best results, not in the middle of the day.

Repair Your Fencing

Examine your fence for any loose or rotten boards or chipped and peeling paint. Replace boards that need replacing, add reinforcement nails where needed, and touch up any damaged paint or stain. Once again, making small repairs to your fence as problems pop up will extend the life of your fence overall.

Have Your Air Conditioning Serviced

Summer is when your HVAC system is going to be working its hardest. You don’t want to have to call an emergency after-hours repair person on the Fourth of July – instead, have your HVAC system inspected and serviced at the beginning of the season and make sure to have the coils cleaned, filters changed, and the Freon topped off.

Prep Your Fans

If you have ceiling fans inside your home, this is their season to really shine. The airflow can help you run your HVAC less. Get them ready to work by cleaning them off. Use a microfiber cloth to clean both sides of each blade. You can use a damp soapy rag if they are very dirty. Then be sure that the fan is spinning counterclockwise to push air down and create a much-needed cool breeze.

Let the Light In

It stays light later in the summer, so capture that light inside your home. Wash your windows inside and out. You can buy cleaning sprays that attach to your hose for easy window cleaning. Use a rag to wipe down your blinds to remove dust buildup. If you have curtains that are machine-washable (check the tag for cleaning instructions), take them down and run them through the washing machine. If you have windows that face the sun during the hot hours of the day, close the shades during that time to keep your home from getting hot.

Wrap Up Your Home Maintenance

Home maintenance isn’t glamorous, but staying on top of these small tasks will help you to avoid big problems in the future. This checklist will give you a great place to start when tackling your home’s necessary maintenance this summer season.

Morgan McBride is DIY lover and home decor enthusiast living in Charleston, South Carolina. She has been blogging at CharlestonCrafted.com alongside her husband since 2012, where they empower their readers to craft their home into their dream home through the power of DIY.