Seven summer home maintenance tasks you've probably forgotten to do

Summer holidays are a great time to relax, play cricket, go to the beach, perfect that slow-cooked, smoked brisket on the barbecue, and reward yourself for a long, hard year.

But if you enjoyed the perfect summer doing all of that, you’ve probably forgotten to take care of the house. With wild weather recently lashing much the country, you might now be paying for it.

Regular maintenance doesn’t require a lot of energy but can save time and money if done consistently. Here are some easy tasks to get to before summer ends.

1. Clear out the gutters

Although deciduous trees may not usually shed their leaves in summer, the weather conditions this year have stressed trees, particularly gum trees, causing them to drop more leaves than normal.

A heavy downpour onto a roof with blocked gutters will cause water to overflow, potentially flooding the perimeter of the house or getting into eaves and causing water damage.

To avoid blocked downpipes, have a look at your gutters and ensure they are clear.

If the leaves in your gutters are quite dry, the easiest way to clear them is with a cordless blower. Simply walk around the perimeter of your roof, blowing debris out of the gutters.

This method does involve getting up onto the roof, but it avoids repeatedly climbing the ladder and moving the ladder every metre, and minimises the chance of scraping your hands or overextending on the ladder.

2. Clean airconditioner filters

Dirty filters can cause respiratory and other health-related issues, as well as harming the mechanisms of your airconditioning unit.

Leaving the filters dirty means the airconditioner will not be able to filter the air properly, allowing dust and contaminants to be released into your house.

To help your airconditioner function properly, the filters should be cleared out every two weeks. This will help remove dust and pollutants and even residual smoke from recent bushfires.

Air filters can be found in the return air duct or blower compartment. You can remove the dust with a vacuum cleaner, or wash it in lukewarm water, but allow it to dry before reinstalling it.

3. Inspect watering systems

Irrigation systems are a huge time-saver, but tend to get clogged by dirt or even ants, meaning some plants will not get the water you intended.

Frequently check the outlets around your garden to ensure they are running properly. If clogged, turn the system on and pull the spray units apart to allow the water to clear the blockage.

If it is still clogged, remove the spray unit and thoroughly clean it before reinstalling.

4. Refinish the deck

Left to age naturally, timber decking will ultimately deteriorate. Check the condition of your deck by dripping water onto the surface. If the water bubbles on top, your decking finish is in good condition, but if the water gets absorbed into the timber, you should apply a new surface finish for long-lasting protection.

Choose between tinted decking oils to achieve the look you want, from red-hued Merbau stain, dark brown jarrah or even beach house grey. The result will not only protect your deck for ongoing use and exposure to the elements, but give it an instant makeover.

5. Do a pest check

In summer, ants, flies, wasps, spiders and mosquitoes make their presence known. Regular inspection is a must to ensure you stay in control, and the numbers of pests do not increase.

Keep the kitchen and bathrooms clean, vacuum carpets and empty rubbish bins regularly. Ensure flyscreens are properly sealed around the edges and maintained.

Surface sprays are excellent for deterring pests from entering, but can contain toxic ingredients, so you can look for more environmentally-friendly alternatives which use ingredients such as lemon eucalyptus oil, peppermint oil, citronella oil, catmint extract, rosemary extract or rose geranium oil.

6. Protect your winter woollies

There is nothing more disappointing than putting on your best cashmere jumper in autumn to discover that over summer the moths have attacked.

As moths find wool quite tasty, you need to prevent them from creating holes. Wash your winter clothing, and protect it by placing it in sealed plastic bags. Also take the opportunity to check any stored winter clothing for mould.

7. Mulch the garden

Summer’s baking sun removes nutrients from soil and plants begin to become stressed due to insufficient food.

Mulching the garden during summer benefits the plants in two ways: it helps to shade the soil so moisture is retained; and as it breaks down, essential nutrients are released into the soil giving your plants strength.

Choose mushroom compost, straw or sugar cane to add nutrients to the soil, rather than pine or eucalyptus bark, which can be acidic.