With every season comes new projects for a homeowner. Whether it’s regular maintenance or renovations to keep your home from looking dated, it all works towards the same goal of maintaining your investment. Here are some tasks for you to add to your honey-do list this summer, to ensure your home shines bright during these hot summer months.

When it comes to owning homes, there is so much to keep them maintained and in the best condition so that we can enjoy them to the fullest. However, once the hot summer weather comes, homeowners who have been eagerly awaiting the high temperatures end up spending more of their time outdoors, enjoying the city and soaking up the sun. This makes keeping up on home projects difficult, especially if you have not planned accordingly. To ensure you keep your house in tip-top shape, we have done some brainstorming for you! Here are 5 items to add to your “honey-do” list this summer to elevate your home and potentially save you time, money and a homeowners headache down the road. 

Honey, install a security system, please?

If you have plans to get out of town and relax on a much needed vacation this summer, preparing your home is essential. During the summertime, break-ins to residential homes are more frequent. Have your honey ensure your home is kept secure by installing a home security system. Research different types to find out which one fits your needs best. You may also want to look into home automation services so you can control things such as lighting, heating, and cooling directly from your smartphone. This way, it can appear as if someone is home at all times and potentially deter intruders. 

Honey, let’s renovate the shower!

Summers in Ottawa are hot, and boy do we feel it. Enhance your shower experience with a bathroom renovation that will have you showering in luxury at the end of a hot summer’s day. Not only is this a great way to elevate your bathroom for personal use, it also has an excellent Return on Investment. Or, if you are someone who spends a lot of time outdoors, and in the garden, building a private outdoor shower is a great way to ensure you are clean before heading back inside. 

Honey, where is the drill? It’s time to clean the garage. 

While many people perform a thorough spring cleaning of their home, sometimes the garage is left and forgotten. Like with any major cleaning project, it’s important to start with the four piles: keep, donate, recycle, and toss. Doing this first will help clear some space for you to put things away and make sure everything is in its designated space. 

Honey, have you changed the furnace filter lately?

Changing your filters on your appliances and furnace is key to maintaining their conditioning so that they can work optimally. Begin with the air filter on your furnace; this system takes the air from a room into its system where it is then heated or cooled by coils before being blown back into your home through the floor vents. The air filter prevents pollen, dust, and other particles from being blown back into the air. Follow up by replacing other filters around the home including those on dishwashers, range hoods.

Honey, the lawn mower won’t start.

Maintaining your equipment is essential to ensuring its longevity. If you have noticed that your lawn mower is not performing like it did when you first purchased it, it may be in need of a tune up to bring it back to life. Change out your spark plug, air filter, get an oil change, clean the carburetor, sharpen your blades and your grass cutting machine will be in tip-top shape to finish the season and keep your lawn looking healthy. If mechanics is not in your skill set, hire your local handyman to get the work done! 

Remember, no project is too big or small when it comes to home maintenance. Your home is your biggest investment, and ensuring it is kept in good shape will help maintain its long-term health.