August Maintenance Tips

Routine home maintenance is integral to great curb appeal during any month of the year. Keep your home looking its best with these recommended maintenance musts for the month of August.

Clean Dryer Vent Duct
Experts advocate cleaning your dryer duct at least 2 times each year. This can be done by disconnecting the duct from the rear of the dryer and pulling lint, dust and other debris from the duct with a long, wet/dry vacuum wand. Be sure to also vacuum the back of the dryer, where the duct connects, before replacing the duct.

Test Your Sump Pump
Many homes have sump pumps installed to remove water at the base of your home. To avoid flooding, test your sump pump once a year to make sure it’s in working order. You can do this by manually lifting the sump float—a piece in the pump that floats up as the water level increases. When it gets to a certain height, the pump should turn on. Dirt and other types of debris often accumulate in a sump pit. Ensure your sump pump doesn’t get clogged by regularly scooping out dirt and sludge. Then run clean water through the pump until all debris flushed out of the machine.

Indoor and Outdoor Lighting
It’s important to maintain curb appeal during all hours of the day—even after the sun goes down. Indoor and outdoor lighting should highlight your home’s assets. Outside, make sure driveways, walkways and entrances are illuminated. Consider strategically placing lights in a well-landscaped yard in order to conceal less attractive elements and showcase great vegetation. In addition, replace light bulbs inside and outside your home. Well-lit indoor space creates the illusion of larger rooms, closets, walkways and other areas.

Prepare Landscape for Cooler Temperatures
It may be August, but it’s not too early to prepare your lawn and garden for cooler temperatures. You can start by fertilizing your lawn this month. Remove dead grass from your lawn with a rake, and add grass clippings to a compost pile. Control insects and fungus this season and next year by eliminating large patches of weeds near your lawn. This is an easy way to make your lawn more manageable. Begin planning how you’re going to winterize your garden. Build a solid compost pile now that you can spread over your garden in the following months when you winterize. Nutrient-rich compost encourages flower and vegetable growth next year.

Routine home maintenance is vital to consistent curb appeal. If your home is on the market, ask us for more tips on how enhance the appearance of your home and attract buyers.

Nanie Ingram - 937-645-6542 - Nanie.Ingram@RealLiving.com
Dana M. Garrett - 937-645-6545 - Dana.Garrett@RealLiving.com
Jamie Collins - 937-645-6523 - Jamie.Collins@RealLiving.com