Home maintenance in the summer usually means pulling out your green thumb to tend to your lawn and garden. But it’s also a great time to check in on the health of your home, and how it fared over the winter.

We’ve broken down some of the areas to monitor over the course of the summer. (It’s OK if you want to save most of these for a rainy day or schedule them during cloud cover. Enjoying your green space rightfully takes first place.)

During your first summer in your new home, you’ll particularly want to keep an eye out for any hints of defects in materials, labor, and design, as these are all covered under Kensington’s home warranty program as long as they’re reported within a year of your possession.

Defects in plumbing, heating, and electrical distribution systems are covered for two years, and a five-year warranty includes the building envelope, roof, exterior walls, windows, and doors, so it’s a good idea to keep a close eye on their performance. On the structural side, your home’s protected for 10 years – an industry-leading duration to give homeowners peace of mind with their purchase.

With all that in mind, check in on the status of each of these items on our summer checklist to make sure you’re on top of the maintenance of your new home.

 Inspect Caulking and Grout

Check in the interior/exterior caulking and the grout around tile on both the floors and walls, touching up as required.

Moisture and heat can cause deterioration in the seal around windows and exterior doors, so make sure to inspect and replace these as needed.

Monitor Humidity

Basement humidity needs to be kept below relative humidity levels of 50-60%. A telltale sign of too much moisture would be condensation or moisture beads on pipes.

Opening up basement windows to let the air out if it’s too humid – or even running a fan to help reduce condensation. If this doesn’t work, the use of a portable dehumidifier will help eliminate moisture + reduce humidity.

Clean Out Your Ducts

Take this time to clean your air conditioning unit outside, dust/dirt can accumulate in the grill (sure to be overworked this summer), and clean and replace HRV filters.

Disconnect your dryer duct and vacuum out lint in the duct as well as the dryer hood exhaust outside. Vacuum each of your bathroom’s exhaust grilles as well as clean the hood fan vent exhaust.

Keep Those Parts Moving

Check your door hinges and lubricate them or tighten screws as needed.

Your automatic garage door motor and chain may require lubrication. Be cautious around these moving parts when inspecting.

Test your windows for proper functionality and lubricate if they’re clunky to open.

Scope It Out Outside

It’s finally safe to assess the condition of your roof and note any damaged or missing shingles that may need replacing.

Inside and out, take a look at your guardrails and handrails to make sure they’re secure and haven’t been weather-damaged.

Check your exterior wood siding and trim for signs of deterioration, and clean, replace, or refinish as needed.

Notice any possible warranty issues? Submit a service request to our warranty representative for anything that may fall under our one-year material defects warranty. For extended warranty coverage, you’ll want to contact the manufacturers directly as listed here, or per your warranty manual.