Summertime in Portland is a great time to tackle home repairs and maintenance, as the weather is great for several months. If you did experience any damage during the rainy winter months, now is the perfect time to start planning your home projects. Here are a few tips to keep your real estate investment in top shape.

Clean and re-seal decks. Ideally, you need three consecutive warm, sunny days. On the first day, let the deck dry out. Apply deck cleaner and scrub the deck on the second day, and let it dry for a full day. On the third day, apply a deck sealer or stain.

Have a professional inspect and clean your chimney. Taking care of this in the summer, rather than in the peak season, allows plenty of time for repairs before the next wood burning season. It’s also easier to schedule a sweep in the summer than during the fall season, and sometimes, rates can be lower as a result of off-season discounts.

Wash the exterior of your home using a garden hose and a mild detergent. Pressure washers are not always the best idea, as the power is sometimes too much and can force water under the siding, where it can encourage mildew and rot. If power washing is truly needed, hire a professional.

Caulk all the exterior joints around windows and doors. Caulking helps keep the house weather-tight and reduces energy bills. It can also help keep bugs out of the house.

Clean the entire clothes dryer vent system, from the dryer to the exterior vent cap. Lint is flammable and build up can create a fire hazard. If a gas clothes dryer is not properly vented, it can even force carbon monoxide back into the home.

Check the attic fans and vents. Attic fans run on little energy and can greatly reduce cooling costs, not to mention increasing comfort inside the home. Many Portland home owners never need to use their air conditioning because of great ventilation.

Repair the cracks in concrete patios and driveways. For most cracks less than 1/4″ wide, applying concrete caulk is a good way to make the repair. Clean the crack out with a high-pressure hose, let it dry, then apply the caulk into the crack. For larger cracks, use a concrete patch. Whether the cracks are large or small, repair is necessary as water that finds its way into cracks it will soften the ground underneath and cause more cracking.

Clean and repair gutters. For clogged downspouts, try using a pair of barbecue tongs to reach in and remove leaves. To repair loose gutter nails, consider replacing them with longer screws. Lag screws are stronger, hold better, and can easily be installed with a cordless drill equipped with a nut driver.

To repair a sticky window or door, first mark where it is sticking. Then, remove the window or door and carefully remove any excess material with a hand plane. For sliding windows, the surrounding trim is often the problem. Usually, it must be removed and then reinstalled to allow for greater movement. To keep windows and doors from sticking in the first place, make sure that they are sealed with a good coat of paint, including the tops and bottoms. Be careful not to paint the channels where windows need to slide and use a light coat of linseed oil as a sealer.

Paint and repair rusty fixtures. Paint additives are available to help paint stick to rust, while also neutralizing the rust and stopping corrosion from continuing under the paint. If left untreated, rust will eventually cause fixtures to lock up. To prevent this from happening in your home, keep fixtures well lubricated. For fixtures like gate hinges and latches, use a heavy grease. It will not evaporate and its heavy viscosity is the best thing for heavy-duty parts.

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