An Indoor Home Maintenance To-Do List for the Month of August

It’s no secret that Middle Tennessee falls victim to the hot, overbearing, and uncomfortable August heat year after year. Whether it’s humid or just plain hot, the last thing you want to do is go outside and complete yard work. Instead, this month’s home maintenance guide takes you inside to cool off, check on trusty appliances, and ultimately, check more items off of your to-do list.

How’s That HVAC System Doing?

You may have noticed this tip in previous PARKS home maintenance articles. It’s imperative that you monitor and check on your HVAC system a few times per year. Be sure to look for any signs of distress, leaking, odd sounds, and even foul smells.

If you are concerned about the state of your air conditioning system, particularly during the summer heat, contact your local HVAC technician right away. The last thing you want is for your AC to break during the hottest weeks of the year!

Clean In, Under and Around Your Refrigerator

Think of all the excess crumbs, dust, and dirt that are under your refrigerator right now. It’s a gross thought, right? Did you know you can lower your monthly energy bills just by cleaning under the refrigerator?

If your vacuum does not come with the right extension, you can easily craft one yourself from household objects such as a cardboard gift-wrapping paper tube. Use this tutorial to get started!

August is always a great time to give your refrigerator a good internal cleaning too!

Donate Unwanted Items

Over the years, our homes can become cluttered with old clothing, gifts, items, and more that we might not actually need. Don’t let these items pile up in the corner of your room. Instead, donate them to an organization such as Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee. PARKS partners with Goodwill to help you move and donate large items from your home. This opportunity is ideal for someone moving or relocating!

If you simply dive into purging your home of unwanted items, you are likely to become overwhelmed. Instead, start with one specific room per day, identify items you no longer have a need for that are also in good condition, and put them aside. Repeat this process every day until you feel like you’ve donated the right amount.

Clean Kitchen Appliances

From the oven to the refrigerator, your kitchen appliances could use a good cleaning. If by chance you have left your appliances a bit dirty for the past several months (or worse, years!), you’re actually setting yourself up for higher energy bills each month.

The more your appliance has to work to cook your food or keep it cool, the greater energy it requires and therefore uses. Before you rack up monthly charges, just take time to clean your kitchen appliances thoroughly.

When cleaning a kitchen oven, be aware of your surroundings and follow all safety precautions. Even though the self-cleaning mode should lock the oven door, the temperature inside your oven can be anywhere between 800-900 degrees to burn off the debris, crumbs, etc.

Do you have an indoor maintenance task you regularly complete during the month of August? Let us know on Facebook!