A Guide to Moving to Fort Myers
Updated May 2024
With spring temperatures rising and hurricane season on the horizon, summer is right around the corner in Florida! It’s important to take the time to maintain your home this summer and prepare it for the uncertain weather it could be facing.
Check out these summer maintenance tips for keeping your Florida home in tip-top shape this year, and find out details about each one below:
- Get Your Cooling System Ready
- Clean Out Gutters and Downspouts
- Consider Getting Your Roof Inspected
- Inspect the Caulking Around the Windows and Doors of Your Home
- Schedule Your Annual Pool Maintenance
- Pressure Wash the Exterior of Your Home
- Trim Back Any Overgrowth
- Declutter Your Garage
- Spruce up Your Outdoor Furniture
- Give Your Hard-Working Washer Some TLC
It’s time to think about the summer home maintenance projects you want to tackle and how to focus on the things that matter the most.
1. Get Your Cooling System Ready
A functioning AC unit is absolutely critical to Florida homes during the summer. It is imperative to change out your AC filters regularly throughout the year. If your air conditioning system is not working properly or you think it needs inspection, consider calling a local AC company to come take a look.
"A clogged drain is our most common service call that can be avoided with regular maintenance visits," advises Chas Gurney of Arctic Air Services, Inc. in the Sarasota area. "The cleaner an HVAC system, the longer and healthier life it will live."
Setting an appointment at least 3 to 4 times a year to have your air conditioning system thoroughly checked is important in maintaining a functional system. During the summer months, Floridians are desperate if their AC breaks or stops working, so avoid that feeling by scheduling a regular maintenance appointment.
2. Clean Out Gutters and Downspouts
If you have a lot of trees around your home, your gutters can get clogged very quickly. With the Florida afternoon rains, mildew and mold can build up in your gutters if there are leaves and sticks clogging up rain drainage.
3. Consider Getting Your Roof Inspected
Hurricane season typically occurs from June 1st to September 30th, meaning that Florida homes could be facing intense weather conditions and high winds. Normal preventative maintenance and inspections make sure your roof stays secure all year round, but now is the time to double check.
Fix any small holes or gaps in your roofing to prepare for hurricanes. Make sure all roof hatch doors close properly and secure any rooftop mechanical equipment with hurricane straps.
4. Inspect the Caulking Around the Windows and Doors of Your Home
Keep ants and bugs outside by checking all access points to your house. Small gaps in windows and doors are perfect access points, and Florida insects can creep inside even the smallest holes to cause problems inside your house.
There’s nothing worse than a run-in with a creepy crawly bug late at night when you walk into your kitchen with bare feet, so make sure all outside access points are secure!
5. Schedule Your Annual Pool Maintenance
If you have a pool, you'll want to get your annual pool maintenance done before you invite friends and family over for a swim this summer. Many Floridians don’t properly prepare their pool for summer use. With increased time swimming and playing in the water, drains can get clogged quickly and cause problems.
It’s best to get your whole pool system serviced before the start of the summer.
6. Pressure Wash the Exterior of Your Home
Moss and mildew can build up slowly without you ever realizing it until you happen to notice the exterior of your home with a blackish green tint one day. If you were thinking about selling your home soon, one of the first things that buyers notice is the exterior of the house.
Rent a pressure washer at your local home improvement store or hire a trusted professional.
Kevin Archer, the VP of Operations for M/I Homes – Sarasota says, “A dirty, slippery walkway or dirty exterior can be a big turn off for summer guests and visitors. You can easily spruce up the entire look of your home and give it an extremely fresh feeling with just a few hours of work.”
7. Trim Back Any Overgrowth
Palm tree leaves or shrubs hanging or touching the side of your home can be the perfect entryway for bugs or cause damage to your home during a hurricane.
Trim all plants and bushes back at least 3 feet away from the house, and prune any trees that are overgrown. Toss out this yard waste on your local plant waste day.
8. Declutter Your Garage
With more family members spending more time at home during the summer months, you probably have kids anxiously wanting to play more games outside. You might have toys and activities you didn’t even know about crammed into a section of your garage.
Take a weekend to do a thorough declutter of your garage to sort through what you have. This will also prevent buying multiple items, creating even more disorganization in your garage or blowing your summer activity budget.
In many Sarasota-Manatee areas, the Salvation Army will directly pick up donated goods from your home if you schedule an advance on their website.
9. Spruce Up Your Outdoor Furniture
If you already have a patio set you love, consider giving it a pressure wash or taking the cushions and covers to a local dry cleaner. A quick wash will have these features looking like new.
To spruce up an outdoor deck even more, consider hanging some lighting or putting up some bug zappers to keep mosquitoes away. Solid, sturdy outdoor rugs can make a great play mat and will bring a fresh look and centered feel to any outdoor area.
10. Give Your Hard-Working Washer Some TLC
Washers and dryers are one of the appliances homeowners forget to maintain the most. As your washer and dryer clean your clothes, it’s normal to assume they are clean themselves, but over time they build up gunk of their own.
Follow this quick rinse cleaning method to remove any weird smells or build up:
- Add 2 cups of white cleaning vinegar to the detergent dispenser
- Set your washer on the highest, hottest setting and let it run
- Wipe down the inside with a damp microfiber cloth once it's finished
This will keep your washing machine smelling clean all summer.
Simple summer maintenance will keep your home the heart of the fun all season long. With more guests and visitors over to enjoy beautiful Florida nights, you’ll want your home to look the best it can be.
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