Summer Lawn Care Explained

Did you know that most lawn problems are a direct result of over watering? Maintaining your lawn properly will help you save time, money and water!

Mowing

Is your lawn shorter than your carpet? Mowing your lawn at such a short length hurts the grass, wastes water and produces more green waste.

By raising your lawn mower height another ½ to 1 inch, you are promoting the conservation of water in grass. Grass will shade itself as it grows longer, reducing its overall water need. This, in turn, reduces the growth rate of the grass meaning less frequent mowing! Experts recommend cutting grass to a total length of 3 inches, and removing no more than one-third of the leaf blade per mowing.

Stressing

Ever heard the expression "What doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger"? In order to make your grass heartier, try stressing it out! By going an extra day without water here and there, you are promoting deeper root growth. The deeper the roots are allowed to penetrate the soil, the better overall health of your lawn. Roots will only grow as far as they need to in order to get water. If you are always giving them water up near the surface of the lawn, the plants have no incentive to grow deeper. You can easily check your rooting depth by using a soil probe or screwdriver.

Try waiting as long as possible in the spring before watering your grass. The longer you wait, the healthier your lawn will be in the summer months. And don’t worry. It’s virtually impossible to kill your lawn. The lawn may turn brown in areas, but it is just the plant going DORMANT, not dying. Adding water will make that spot spring back to life!

Fertilization

Fertilizing your lawn encourages healthy plant growth. In this case, however, MORE IS NOT BETTER! Fertilize sparingly, as you can actually over stimulate plant growth, making the lawn more susceptible to dry conditions and disease. Additionally, the more fertilizer applied to a lawn increases the likelihood of harmful chemicals running off into streams or seeping into groundwater. The combination of over-watering and over-fertilizing can be dangerous to plants and humans!

Why You Need a Home Inspection

Summer Home Maintenance Tips

- Check your toilets for erosion of plastic floater valves and pipe connections
- Clean and/or replace your furnace filter
- Check washing machine hoses for cracks and bulges, replacing as necessary
- Clean the clothes dryer exhaust duct and space under the dryer
- Wash and clean lint screen on dryer to eliminate fabric softener build-up
- Clean garbage disposal using ice cubes, lemon juice and running water for one minute

Air Conditioner Maintenance Explained

Your home’s heating and cooling systems should give you many years of service with proper maintenance. Preventive maintenance will lower your energy costs, prevent costly repairs and prolong the life of your systems. Don't wait for summer's full heat to check your system, if you need service, you will have to wait a lot longer. Regular maintenance will ensure that your system is ready to heat and cool your home when needed. Most heating and cooling systems should be serviced once a year by a professional heating or cooling contractor. The professional contractor has the tools, instruments and training necessary to maintain your system for dependable, trouble-free operation. The contractor should inspect your systems, including the thermostat, the blower motor and fans, and the ducting, as well as the AC condenser and evaporator units, including refrigerant levels, any furnace gas connections and/or heat exchangers and complete any necessary maintenance tasks, including checking all electrical components and controls, oiling motors and calibrating thermostats and adjust the entire system for optimal performance.

Having said all that, there are some things that you can do your self:

- Make sure the unit is level. The compressor piston/cylinder Is usually lubricated from the bottom up. A tilted oil reservoir can cause uneven lubrication requiring more power and resulting in faster wear.

- Sufficient Clearance: Both the inside (evaporator) and outside (condenser) units should have at least 30 inches of access clearance. Not only does this allow proper servicing of the unit, but more importantly it allows the air drawn in to be cooled and circulated and it allows proper dissipation of the heat from the evaporator. Remove obstructions such as debris and shrubbery from the outside unit and boxes, suitcases, etc from the attic unit.

- Filters: Change or clean the system filters once a month. This is especially important during the summer when dust and allergens circulate. Dirty filters restrict air flow, increase power demands, reduce efficiency and can even cause the evaporator to ice up.

- Registers: Reduce dust in your home by vacuuming the system registers and the cold air return as part of your regular cleaning.

- Hose Connections: Check all for leaks and make sure the condensate tube is draining freely.

- Ducts: Examine exposed supply ducts for gaps or leaks allowing conditioned air to escape. Look for gaps and run your hand along exposed supply ducts with the blower running to feel for escaping air. Seal any leaks with duct tape.

- Listen: Listen to your condenser, evaporator and furnace when they are running. If you hear unusual noises, follow the appliance manual’s directions or consult with your professional heating/cooling contractor.

- Obstructions: Remove any objects or debris that may have fallen through the registers. Remove any drapes, furniture or other objects blocking registers, interrupting airflow and lowering your system’s efficiency.

Gain peace of mind in the current condition of your home!

Part of the joy of owning a home is being able to make renovations and improvements to truly make it your own. But which projects do you tackle first? With homeowner inspection services from Hidden Valley Property Inspection, The inspector will help you learn more about the current condition of your home, prioritize any maintenance needs, and identify any potential home issues before they become major repairs. And if you hire a contractor to work on your house, the Hidden Valley Property Inspection home inspection will confirm if the work was done correctly. The knowledgeable and experienced inspector will help you develop a solid plan for current needs and future updates. You’ll know what to focus your efforts on and when, so you can keep your home safe, secure, and in solid condition throughout the seasons, for years to come. Call: 801-913-7183 or visit www.hiddenvalleypropertyinspection.com for more details.

Don’t let minor issues become major repairs

Weather, wear, and the effects of time can all impact a home—both in its outward visual appearance as well as what’s hidden beneath the surface. Don’t wait until something serious happens. Homeowner inspection services from Hidden Valley Property Inspection will identify current and potential issues with your home and help you get them under control, before they get out of hand.

Hidden Valley Property Inspection inspectors are trained to observe and analyze hundreds of items throughout the home. Depending on your needs, you can schedule one-time, seasonal or annual service to help you stay on top of your home’s condition and plan and prepare for any maintenance or repairs.


Home Maintenance Evaluation

A thorough visual evaluation will be made of hundreds of items, from the foundation to the roof and all the major systems of the house including the electrical, plumbing, and heating/air conditioning systems. The evaluation takes approximately 2 hours depending on the size of the home.

Gain peace of mind in the condition of your home

Hidden Valley Property Inspection will identify any minor issues before they become major repairs, ultimately saving you time and money down the road.

Keep your home safe and secure

Hidden Valley Property Inspection will conduct a thorough review of the home’s major systems and components (including the plumbing, electrical and heating/air conditioning systems), and check typical safety issues, like gas leaks, smoke detectors, electrical hazards, and areas of moisture intrusion so you’ll know your house is safe.

Get the information you need to make informed decisions

Hidden Valley Property Inspection works for you and only you to provide objective evaluations and unbiased recommendations for correcting any issues within your home. The goal is to provide you with the information and guidance you need to make sure your home is safe, sound and in top condition.

Come away with a home maintenance schedule and help prioritizing repairs
Hidden Valley Property Inspection will consult with you to help prioritize repairs and improvements based on the results of the home maintenance evaluation. You’ll know which issues need to be repaired now, and which can wait until later.

If you Prune Those Trees: Be careful

After the rash of storms many of us have damaged trees and wish to prune them. Be careful. "Pruning is a double-edged sword, either helping or hurting according to if, where, when, how, and why it is applied. When properly executed, a variety of benefits can occur. Benefits include reducing risk of branch and stem breakage, better clearance for vehicles and pedestrians, improved health and appearance, enhanced view, and increased flowering. When improperly performed, pruning can harm the tree's health, stability, and appearance."