Sugarland Square HOA

Spring 2019

Spring Home Maintenance Tips

•  To stay cool all summer long and keep your electric bills low, it’s a good idea to tune up your air conditioner. A tune up will inspect refrigerant levels, verify your fan is running and the coils are not clogged. 
• To keep your AC running efficiently and to help filter pollen and dust from your home, change your air filter every 90-days. If you a pet, change it once every 60-days.  If you have more than one pet or someone in your home suffers from allergies, consider changing it every 30-days. DIY: https://www.wikihow.com/change-a-home-air-filter 
• At least once a year, you should check your roof. Finding problems early can help avoid major catastrophes later.
• Deep clean your fridge. Toss old or expired foods and vacuum the condenser coils. The coils are located either on the bottom behind the kickplate, or on the back (dusty coils can raise your monthly electric bills by $100).
• When’s the last time you changed the batteries in your smoke detector? 
• To prevent a house fire and help keep your dryer running efficiently, clean your dryer vent. It’s easier to do than you may think…  https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-clean-a-dryer-vent.
• Is your grill ready for summer? Dispose of charcoal ash and clean the grill grates. You can soak the grates in a large bucked with a degreaser, such as Dawn liquid dish soap. Never use harsh abrasives or metal scrubbers when cleaning your grates.   While the grates are soaking, scrub under the hood, clean the inside walls, toss any old foil and replace your drip pan. You can clean the interior hood, cabinet and exterior with stainless steel wipes. If you choose to paint the exterior, ensure you are using high temperature paint designed specifically for grills.
• Analyze your deck. Are you boards strong and safe? Are they splintering? Are there rotten spots that require replacing? Power washing your deck and applying a sealant is a great way to extend your decks life. 
• With the warmer weather, it’s finally time to turn off the heat and open the windows. This is a great time to replace torn screens and keep the bugs out.  https://www.familyhandyman.com/windows/window-repair-how-to-fix-a-window-screen