Mid-Summer Home Maintenance Checklist: 10 Smart Things Every Sacramento Homeowner Should Do Before August

Summer has a way of flying by. Before you know it, the hottest weeks of the year have arrived, and your home has already spent months battling heat, sun, dust, and daily wear. Taking just a little time in July, using this mid-summer home maintenance checklist, to inspect a few key areas can help prevent costly repairs later this year.

Here are ten simple things every homeowner should check before August arrives.

1. Replace or Inspect Your HVAC Filter

A clean HVAC filter helps maintain proper airflow, improves indoor air quality, and reduces unnecessary strain on your heating and cooling system. Most homes use either a 1-inch disposable filter or a thicker media filter. Follow your HVAC manufacturer's recommendations for the correct replacement interval and filter type. If you're unsure which filter your system requires, your HVAC service provider can help.

2. Clean Your Dryer Vent

Cleaning the lint screen after every load is important, but it's only part of the job. Lint also builds up inside the dryer vent, restricting airflow and creating a potential fire hazard. Most manufacturers recommend having the vent system inspected and cleaned approximately once a year, or more frequently for households that do a lot of laundry or have long vent runs.

Signs your dryer vent may need cleaning include:

• Clothes taking longer to dry

• The dryer becoming unusually hot

• A burning smell during operation

• Excess humidity in the laundry room

• Little airflow coming from the exterior vent

Learn more in our Dryer Vent Safety Guide.

3. Test Your GFCI Outlets

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlets help protect your family from electrical shock in areas where water and electricity may come into contact, such as kitchens, bathrooms, garages, laundry rooms, and outdoor locations.

Testing them only takes about a minute. Press the "Test" button to verify the outlet shuts off power, then press "Reset" to restore it. If the outlet fails to trip, won't reset, or behaves unexpectedly, it should be evaluated.

Read our complete guide: How to Test a GFCI Outlet (And What to Do If It Won't Reset).

4. Check Under Every Sink

Open each cabinet and look for signs of moisture, corrosion, mineral deposits, swollen cabinet bottoms, mold odors, or active drips. Catching a small leak early can prevent expensive cabinet, flooring, or drywall damage.

5. Inspect Your Shutoff Valves

Most plumbing fixtures in your home have individual shutoff valves so the water can be turned off to that fixture without shutting off water to the entire house. You'll typically find them beneath sinks, behind toilets, behind washing machines, at your water heater, and behind many other plumbing fixtures.

These valves are designed to allow repairs to be made quickly and safely, but many homeowners don't think about them until there's an emergency.

Take a quick look at each accessible shutoff valve. If you notice corrosion, mineral buildup, signs of leaking, or the valve appears heavily aged, do not try to turn or "exercise" it yourself. Older shutoff valves often fail when they're disturbed after sitting untouched for years. Instead, make note of any concerns and have them inspected before an emergency forces you to rely on them.

Learn more about aging shutoff valves and flexible water supply lines in our article, The Unsuspecting Danger of Flexible Water Supply Lines and Angle Stops.

6. Inspect Exterior Caulking

Walk around your home and inspect the caulking around windows, doors, trim, hose bibs, exterior light fixtures, and utility penetrations. Cracked or missing caulk allows moisture to enter, which can lead to wood rot, water intrusion, and costly exterior repairs.

7. Clean Your Bathroom Exhaust Fans

Bathroom exhaust fans remove moisture that can contribute to peeling paint, mildew, mold growth, and damaged drywall. Remove the fan cover and vacuum away dust buildup. If the fan has become unusually noisy or no longer clears steam effectively, it may be time to replace the motor or the entire fan assembly.

8. Check Your Hose Bibs and Irrigation System

After running your sprinklers, take a slow walk around your yard. Watch for puddles, overspray onto sidewalks or driveways, leaking hose bibs, broken sprinkler heads, or sprinkler heads spraying in the wrong direction. Often, a simple adjustment can improve watering efficiency and reduce water waste.

9. Test Your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms

Test every alarm in your home and replace the batteries if needed. While you're at it, check the manufacturing date on the back of each alarm. Most smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years, even if they still appear to be working properly.

10. Make a List of Small Repairs

Loose door handles, sticking doors, damaged weatherstripping, dripping faucets, loose handrails, worn caulking, and damaged trim are easy to ignore—but they rarely improve on their own. Addressing several small repairs during one visit is often more efficient than waiting until they become larger problems.

With the Mid-Summer Home Maintenance Checklist a Little Maintenance Goes a Long Way

Home maintenance doesn't have to be overwhelming. Spending just a few minutes each month inspecting your home can help catch small problems before they become expensive repairs. A little preventative maintenance today can save thousands of dollars tomorrow—and give you peace of mind knowing your home is ready for whatever the next season brings.

If you discover a repair that's beyond your comfort level, McCray & Sons Home Services is here to help homeowners throughout West Sacramento and the greater Sacramento area with plumbing repairs, electrical repairs, carpentry, dryer vent cleaning, and general home maintenance.