Top Five Tasks for September

If you only do five routine maintenance tasks for your property during the month of September, here are the ones that we suggest that you do, that will help you prepare your home for spring, save energy, and protect your home.

Prepare Central Air-Conditioning

September is a good month to begin to prepare your air-conditioning systems for the warmer weather that will be coming later in the season. Why?

If you wait for warm weather to hit and you find a problem with your AC system, you may find it difficult to schedule a service technician, and if the repair requires new parts, you may have to wait during hot weather for the repairs to be completed.

The following is a list of things that you should do during September to prepare your air-conditioning system:

• if you have covered your outside condenser unit for the winter, then you should uncover it;
• clear debris from around your outside condenser;
• if you’ve closed the inside air distribution registers for the winter, you should now reopen them;
• change your air filters (see types, costs, and reviews of air filters); and lastly,
• check the water drain overflow to ensure that it is not blocked, and if your unit has a water pump, then be sure that it operates properly when you pour water into it.

Garage Care

September is also a good month to do several important routine maintenance tasks for your garage. The first is to sweep dirt and debris out of your garage that has accumulated over the winter. If you don’t sweep this out, it will get tracked into your home, where it can do severe damage to your hardware floors and carpeting. So during September, you will want to use a broom or hose to remove all of this dirt and salt from your garage floor (including your doormat).

While you’re at it, you should also take the opportunity to lubricate and inspect your garage door and hardware. In particular, you want to pay attention to the springs that help lift the doors. If you notice any bolts or brackets coming loose, you should have someone repair these immediately.

Spring Lawn Care

September is a great time to start your lawn care.

Spring lawn care includes:

• removing fallen branches and accumulated leaves;
• doing spring pruning of shrubs and bushes (helpful accessory: pruning shears);
• doing an early spring fertilizer and weed control treatment;
• starting up your lawnmower to make sure it’s running properly;
• and getting your mower blade sharpened.

Reinstalling Windows screens

September is also a good month to inspect and reinstall your window flyscreens. If you notice any small tears in your flyscreens, they can be repaired using a screen patch kit which can be found at most good hardware stores. However major tears will likely need to be repaired by a professional.

While you are installing your screens you should also take the time to inspect and clean your windows and window frames, which may require re-caulking or other repairs.

Preparing automatic sprinklers for use
And lastly, September is a good month to prepare your automatic sprinklers for use. Like preparing your central air-conditioning system, it’s a good idea to prepare your automatic sprinklers early, rather than waiting until the last minute when your lawn watering needs are higher, and contractors are busier.