Just as you’d tune up a convertible to drive into the summer sunshine, now is the time to perform routine maintenance on your home so it’s ready for the hottest months of the year. Use this summer maintenance checklist to get your home in tip-top shape — and to avoid repairs down the road.

• Do an outdoor inspection. Walk around the outside of your home and check for peeling or cracking paint, then patch up the spots to avoid wood rot later on. Inspect your gutter system to see if it’s in good shape or if it needs repair. Take a look at your lawn’s watering hoses and faucets and replace as needed.

• Get outdoor air conditioning units ready. While you’re outdoors, remove any debris from the fan area in the outdoor central air conditioning unit, ensuring that it runs efficiently. If you have window air conditioners, remember to change the filters.

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• Clean your indoor air. As much as you love the warm summer air, it also can trigger allergies, so this is a great time to install an indoor air cleaner. American Standard’s AccuClean Whole-Home Air Filtration System can remove up to 99.98 percent of airborne particles and allergens such as pollen, dust mites, mildew, pet hair and dander, fungus and bacteria from the filtered air, so everyone in your home can breathe easier.

• Keep indoor temperatures under control. Don’t place lamps, TV sets and other heat-producing devices beneath a wall-mounted thermostat, as rising heat from that equipment can cause your air conditioning unit to overcool the house. Locate the thermostat on an inside wall, where it’s away from windows and doors that give it direct sunlight. People also generate heat, so if you’re planning to host a party, this is the perfect season to get everyone out of the house and onto the deck for a barbecue.

• Reduce humidity. Infiltration of humid air can be your air conditioning system’s worst enemy, eating up excess energy to keep you cool. Find the places where air can sneak into your home, such as around the foundation, the entrances to doors and windows, and plug them with caulking, weather stripping or plastic. To further reduce humidity, make sure appliances that produce moisture, such as clothes dryers and dishwashers, are properly vented to the outside.

• Schedule cooling system maintenance. Caring for your home’s air conditioning system allows it to work smarter for you and your family. A qualified customer care dealer can inspect, clean and make necessary adjustments to your home’s indoor and outdoor cooling units to ensure trouble-free operation and peak performance during the hottest months, when you need it most.

By following this checklist, you’ll not only be revved up for summer — but your home will be, too.

This article is courtesy of Brandpoint.

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