Last Updated on August 9, 2019 by Gardens Home Management Services

Whether you are a full-time or seasonal resident, it is important to start thinking about preparing your home for the summer. Did you know the average high temperature during the summer months in South Florida is nearly 90 degrees Fahrenheit (with heat indexes often reaching 105)? This is 15 degrees warmer than the winter months! Additionally, we receive nearly double the amount of rain during the summer months than the winter months. Compared with other regions, these extreme changes in weather cause additional wear and tear on your home. To assist you in preparing your home for the summer months, Gardens Home Management Services would like to educate you, our customers, about protecting your home, just like you would any other investment.

The following is a list of services we highly recommend….

Exterior of Your Home:

Gutter Inspection and Cleaning – Ensuring your gutters are working properly keeps the vegetation from being washed away during South Florida’s summer downpours. Additionally it ensures they are securely attached to your home to prevent water damage and reducing the risk of damage during strong winds.

Roof Inspection – Checks to make sure there are no cracked or loose tiles where water or critters could enter.

Tree trimming – Late spring and early summer are the best times to trim trees, particularly due to the growth that occurs during the summer months. Trimming your trees away from your home, helps reduce the risk of damage during a hurricane.

Landscape Pruning – A hard cut in late spring or early summer allows bushes to grow thicker and reduces regular maintenance.

Grill Cleaning – Grilling is a favorite activity of many of our customers, however it is important to thoroughly clean the grill at the end of season to prevent insect and critter activity.

Air Conditioning Check-Up – Having your A/C unit inspected decreases the likelihood you will have an issue during the hot and humid summer months.

Paint – Paint is not just for aesthetic purposes, it also acts as the first line of defense for your home. Paint seals any settling cracks that may be found on the home. Even if your paint looks fine, take a minute to rub your hand on an exterior wall and see if any paint powder comes off on your hand. If you have chalk residue on your hand, it is time to paint your home because it is not sealed as it should be.

Window Caulking – Caulk around the window serves as a seal preventing water and insects from entering your home.

Weather Stripping – Weather stripping for all doors and windows helps regulate the temperature inside of your home and can reduce your power bills.

Irrigation Check – Performing a wet check on your sprinkler system ensures all corners of your yard are being watered. This helps reduce the risk of grass dying in the hot summer months.

Hurricane Panel Organization – Different than GHMS Hurricane Preparation Agreement. We will label, check all screws and install all hurricane panels as a test run to be sure all securely fit.

Generator Installation – Having a generator installed provides benefits year round. Despite rolling blackouts during the most recent cold snap, those with generators stayed warm. Maintaining power at your home is also beneficial after hurricanes as it often takes FPL a few days to restore downed power lines.
Interior of Your Home:

Battery Checks – Installing new batteries in your smoke detectors ensures they will be working properly all summer. Additionally, we recommend replacing the batteries in your air conditioner control panel, reducing the risk of a/c problems during Floridas’ hot summer months.

Washing Machine Hoses – Something as simple as replacing rubber washing machine hoses with longer lasting and more durable steel braided hoses can make a difference between repairing a flood and peace-of-mind.

Garage Door Maintenance Service – Lubricating the moving pieces of your garage door ensure it will continue to run quiet and smooth.

Central Vacuum Cleaning – Ensures your central vacuum works at its best.

Dryer Vent Cleaning – Removing the lint from your dryer vent stack allows for dryer air to exit your home more efficiently.

Dehumidifier in The Garage – Place a dehumidifier in your garage can reduce moisture in your garage and in turn reduce the potential for mold.

Unplug Electric Devices – Unplugging your stereo, toaster, television… not only prevents damage in case of an electrical surge, it also saves you money. Many household appliances still use a small amount of energy even when they are turned off.

Thermostat and Humidistat Setting – If you are closing your home down for the summer we recommend setting your humidistat to 55 % relative humidity and your thermostat to 78 degrees.

Indoor Furniture – We recommend covering indoor furniture with Breathable fabric to reduce the exposure from the sun, or pulling down the blinds.

Outdoor Furniture – To reduce weathering bring in all outdoor furniture and place inside the home or inside the garage.

Refrigerator and Freezer – We recommend disposing of all perishables.

Water Heater – To reduce your electric bills while you’re away, lower the temperature of your gas water heater to vacation mode and unplug the electric water heater.

Icemaker – Turn off the water to your icemaker.

Mattress Cleaning – Dust mites are responsible for about 75% of allergy problems in the country today, and are becoming a greater problem every year. Rest assured, Gardens Home Management can help you in the fight against allergies through our mattress cleaning service. A quick mattress cleaning with Hygienitech® can drastically improve your allergy symptoms.

Vehicle Care:

Damp-rids – For seasonal residents who leave their vehicles in South Florida, we often place damp-rids in cars to reduce the potential for mold growth.

Trickle Charger – Placing your car on a trickle charger is the gentlest way of keeping your car battery charged during long periods of inactivity.

Golf Cart Preventative Maintenance – This service is popular amongst seasonal residents who want to hit the links upon arrival. GHMS will check battery water level, if low we add distilled water. Additionally, as part of the Gardens Home Management Services HomeWatch preferences we will also plug-in your golf cart every-other week.

Gardens Home Management Services is able to provide all of these services, as we are a complete Home Maintenance Company. Additionally, GHMS understands the economy is still slow, which is why we have attached our 2010 Stimulus Coupons. Please keep these coupons in mind as you begin thinking about preparing your home for the Summer of 2010.