8 tips to prepare your home for summer

Are you ready for summer? We don’t mean that new swimsuit or holiday plans. Are you ready with a summer home safety plan (especially in rural or bushy areas) and have you prepared your house for the special challenges that a hot summer will bring?

Spring is already here and now is a great time to plan ahead for an enjoyable summer. Here are our 8 hottest homeowner tips for summer to help you stay cool:

Top tips to prepare your home for summer

1. Minimise energy consumption

Energy bills can creep up as the heat of summer blazes into your house. Temperatures are getting hotter every year and one of the must haves on your summer maintenance checklist is how to save energy while keeping cool. Try:

• Using a timer for air conditioning
• Beefing up your home’s insulation for natural cooling
• Double glazing windows and add curtains that effectively block heat at the hottest time of the day
• Closing rooms that are not being used

2. Put away winter until next year

Look around, both inside and out, and identify things that you only use in winter months. Things like:

• Portable heaters
• Blankets/rugs
• Gumboots, coats and gloves
• ALL winter clothing

Declutter your home for summer. Store anything that you are not going to use. It gives you and your family more room to move and may even improve the air circulation within your home.

3. Re-green your space

Greenery inside your home helps to keep it cool and reduces your stress levels. Add some plants to refresh your home for summer, or if you have a busy lifestyle and are afraid they will wilt with neglect try artificial plants to brighten your home that don’t need any attention at all.

4. Check cooling systems

If you already have air conditioning installed, make sure that the filters are clean and your unit is functioning correctly before it gets hot. Don’t forget to clean the vents! If you don’t have cooling installed in your home, look around for options that fit your budget and space before the heat arrives.

5. Test seals for bug free living

Bugs love the heat and come out in droves on hot summer days and nights. Check your screen doors and windows so that you can keep these pesky creatures outside when you open a window for a bit of fresh air.

Make sure windows and doors are properly sealed and there are no gaps where critters can enter your home and cause havoc.

6. Migrate outdoors

The Aussie barbeque is an icon of Australiana and as soon as it starts to get warm we love to cook outside and enjoy our outdoor spaces. Scrub, sweep or even replant your outdoor areas so they are ready for you to start entertaining in summer.

7. Change fan direction

If you have a ceiling fan, change it to clockwise during summer so that it will create a breeze and improve your air circulation. Stand fans are an effective way of circulating air in your home and fairly cheap to run as an alternative to air conditioning.

8. Stay safe

Prepare a fire safety plan, this should be relevant all year round but it is especially important as part of your summer home safety. Share your plan with everyone in the house so they know what to do in case of fire.

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