Summer Home Maintenance

When the average homeowner thinks of a summer maintenance checklist, they usually include all the outdoor concerns like checking the pool, concrete patio, brick veneer, and vinyl siding for erosion and cracks. Most people will clean their gutters and downspouts, look at the roof for prospective trouble spots, and check the deck for exposed wood that needs to be painted or stained.

But summer home maintenance isn't just for the outside of the building where you live. It's equally as important to make sure that you've done everything you can to prevent water damage inside your home. Here's a list of considerations to keep what's under your roof dry.

* Check the hoses on the refrigerator, clothes washer, icemaker, and dishwasher for any signs of leaking.
* Check your water heater for leaks. This is especially important if the device is over five years old, but all hot water heaters should be checked at the base regularly for rusting or leaking.
* Turn off all faucets and don't flush the toilet for one hour. Check your water meter. If the triangular flow indicator is spinning, you've got a leak somewhere in the house.
* Know where the main water shut off is in you home and make sure it's operational.

Summer home maintenance means that you should pay attention to the three areas inside where most problems occur: the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room. But it's also necessary to look after the outside. Leaking roofs, poor drainage, and clogged gutters and downspouts can lead to water damage inside your home as well. The smart and savvy homeowner knows that summer maintenance is just as important as the winter counterpart, and he or she will keep roofs and gutters clean from leaves and twigs that could adversely affect drainage. The valley areas of the roof are especially important and pooling or ponds of water are a red flag for low spots that need to be repaired. Here are some other warning signs to watch for on the roof:

* Cracked, broken, missing, or curling shingles.
* Damage or deterioration around flashing or chimneys.
* Water stains on the ceiling. Here it's advisable to check in the attic for obvious damage around flues and chimneys.

Store bought water leak detection systems can help you stay alert to the problem even when you can't see it yourself, and homeowners should consider purchasing gutter shields as part of the summer home maintenance routine if they find the eaves are continually filling up.

This article has been brought to you by www.rainguardusa.com.

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