Summers in New Jersey can be fierce, with temperatures often 90 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer and occasionally surpassing 100 degrees Fahrenheit. With scorching hot weather like this, it becomes essential to have a summer home maintenance checklist focusing on keeping your Country Classics home cool during this season. 

In our latest blog, we've detailed a few home-cooling tips and a few home-maintenance tips you might want to explore. We hope this blog's list of summer house care tasks will help you stay ahead of the heat, avoid costly repairs, and keep your house cool in the summer months.

Summer Home Maintenance Checklist – The Items to Check Off to Keep Your House Cool and Efficient

Summer home improvement should begin with a summer home maintenance checklist. Before you set your heart on achieving summer home projects, it's best first to tackle how to keep your home cool and energy efficient throughout the season. Below, our team has shared the items to check off your list when maintaining your home this summer: 

1. Schedule Your Air Conditioning Maintenance

Before summer is fully underway, it's important to schedule air conditioning maintenance so that you can enjoy efficient air conditioning use. After all, the last thing you want to experience is a faltering AC unit that leaves you sweaty and sweltering in your own home when it breaks down. 

During the air conditioning maintenance service, a technician will inspect coils, clean filters, check refrigerant levels, and calibrate your system. These steps help extend the lifespan of your system, saving you money and preventing sticky days in the long run.

2. Seal Windows and Doors

It might not seem like it, but one of the best summer home energy-saving tips you should follow to enjoy a cooler home is to seal windows and doors. You can check for weather stripping and deteriorated caulking around windows and doors, or hire someone to do it for you. 

We wouldn't blame you if you chose the professional route. They can fix sealing issues quickly, leaving you to enjoy minimal moisture and pest problems with hot air staying out and conditioned air in. 

3. Set Ceiling Fans to Spin Counterclockwise

One of the most commonly ignored and simplest energy-efficient home tips you can add to your checklist for keeping your home cool in the summer is setting your ceiling fans to spin counterclockwise. 

Fans that rotate counterclockwise push air down and create a cooling breeze. It might be a subtle change, but it's a neat trick, especially in rooms with open layouts and large windows. Not to mention, you can also give your AC a break by employing this trick. 

4. Inspect and Improve Attic Ventilation

To get your house cool and efficient in the summer, you might need to employ summer home-repair tips like inspecting and improving attic ventilation. 

Many don't realize they need to do this because they don't know that a poorly ventilated attic traps heat and makes the entire home harder to cool. So, if you have ridge or soffit vents, inspect them for blockages and consider adding insulation yourself or calling a professional to do it for you. 

5. Test Your Thermostat and Consider Upgrading

Even in modern homes like ours at Country Classics, it is important to ensure a thermostat is working as it should and is installed away from heat-generating sources like electronics and windows. 

We recommend installing a smart thermostat if you want better energy management, where you can fine-tune the temperatures you experience indoors throughout the day. 

How Can I Keep My House Cool in the Summer Without Using Air Conditioning?

You don't need to rely on air conditioning alone to stay cool. These minor adjustments can make your home feel noticeably more comfortable on even the hottest days:

• Place a bowl of ice in front of a fan: As your pedestal fan blows air over the ice, it creates a chilled breeze that can cool down a room surprisingly fast.

• Use breathable cotton sheets: Lightweight natural fabrics like cotton or linen help your body stay cool at night by wicking away moisture and improving airflow.

• Roll-up heavy rugs: Exposing cool tile or hardwood floors allows heat to dissipate more quickly and prevents rooms from holding onto extra warmth.

• Close off unused rooms: By limiting airflow to just the areas you're using, you help retain cooler temperatures where you need them most.

• Add outdoor shade: Use tall potted plants, outdoor curtains, or even a pergola to block direct sunlight from hitting windows and exterior walls.

• Run your attic fan: If your home has one, this is a powerful way to pull trapped hot air out of the upper levels, reducing the heat that filters down into your living space.

Use this Summer Home Maintenance Checklist for Keeping Your Country Classics Home Cool and Efficient

If you want to keep your Country Classics home cool and efficient, use our summer home maintenance checklist we shared in this blog. By completing all five checks, you are sure to enjoy a much cooler and more comfortable space during the hot summer months. If you would like to learn more about our home offerings and where you can put down roots, contact us here. We're only a phone call away.