When summer rolls around, there are few things most people in the Carolinas would rather do than spend time outside. Fortunately, even if you don’t have a large outdoor living space on your property, there are plenty of tasks you can do on the exterior of your house to not only enjoy the beautiful summer days but improve your home’s curb appeal as well. In this guide, you’ll discover five projects that are sure to change the look of your home, while giving you a chance to soak up the sun.
- A new coat of paint – If your house has wood siding or wood trim that hasn’t been painted in a while, summer is the perfect time to update its look with a fresh new color. Since both North Carolina and South Carolina can be balmy and hot in the summertime, it’s a good idea to start your painting project early in the morning before the heat of the day, then break until evening. This way, you won’t run the risk of the temperature being too hot for the paint to dry properly. If you are concerned you won’t have time to paint your house on your own, professional painting contractors are an excellent option; they will get the job done as quickly as possible and it is sure to look amazing!
- Add new mulch to your flower beds – Until you put new mulch around the flowers and other plants in your yard, you are unlikely to notice how unfortunate the old mulch actually looked. Fresh mulch, which is an extremely affordable way to update the look of a lawn, makes a huge difference in regard to curb appeal. In addition, mulch is helpful to the environment. It helps plants to conserve their nutrients and water, thereby preventing you from having to use as much (if any) fertilizer and allowing you to water your yard less frequently than you would otherwise have to.
- Make your windows sparkle – Autumn and winter can be tough on your home’s windows. If you live in a region of the Carolinas that regularly gets ice and snow, all of your panes are probably streaked with salt and other residue left over from the coldest months of the year. Summer is a great time to get your windows sparkling clean, either on your own or with the aid of a window washing service. If you choose to do the job yourself, make sure you set aside an afternoon when the weather is supposed to be sunny and invest in high-quality cleaning materials. If you choose to use a professional company, do your research first to find the most reputable option in your local area.
- Prep for pest prevention – One of the downsides of living in the American Southeast is that there seem to be bugs everywhere once summer rolls around! Fortunately, there are quite a few things you can do to prevent the worst of the potential pest problem in your lawn. For starters, make sure there is no standing water to draw mosquitos; even a bucket or a cup that is filled with old rainwater can attract dozens of these pests! Then, inspect your home for any noticeable gaps in siding or holes in screen doors. These can serve as entry points for both insects and rodents. If you already seem to have a pest problem at the beginning of the summer, contact a trustworthy pest control company to perform an assessment of your house.
- Start getting ready for autumn – Even though summer has barely begun, autumn weather will be here before you know it! This is an especially important consideration for people who live in mountainous North Carolina, where the weather can quickly turn chilly and inclement. Summer is the perfect time to start preparing for the colder seasons by having your home’s gutters cleaned and inspected and making sure your roof is in excellent shape.
If you are thinking about undertaking any of these tasks, but aren’t sure you can manage the project on your own, we hope you will allow the team at Hatch Homes to handle the task for you. We enjoy doing all sorts of outdoor remodeling projects and we are excited about the opportunity to help your home look the best that it possibly can, not only this summer but in the future as well.