Your Florida Home Checklist for the New Year

At the end of every year, it’s not only a time for reflection; it’s also a time to review your home! As the holidays come to an end and another year begins, I always strongly recommend that every homeowner perform a basic home checklist. This way, you can have peace of mind when it comes to your house and as you embark on new endeavors.

Of course, for a Florida home, there’s also a unique set of factors that you might not read about elsewhere. Our regional weather obviously plays a big role in just about any homeowner’s checklist. But without further ado, here are the items I recommend you check over for the new year!

Check Your AC Unit and Handler

During the winter, it’s common for many Floridians to never even turn on their heat, let alone their AC. Because of this fact, take the opportunity to peak at your unit and handler. Also, turn the air on to make sure it’s working properly before the weather warms up.

Clean Out Your Home’s Gutters

While there are many trees that shed their leaves in Florida, it can be easy not to notice the build-up, since it may occur gradually in our part of the world. During these drier months, you may want to ensure all your gutters are cleaned out, so you can avoid any issues further in the year.

Service Your Lawnmower

Now, this one on our checklist is often overlooked by homeowners in Florida. If you’re a new homeowner, you may not know yet that our grass doesn’t grow too much during winter. But during summer, you can feel like it needs to be mowed every few days. So, check that your lawnmower is starting correctly and not having any issues.

Review All Your Windows

And before the weather starts to warm up, review all the windows in your home. Even the smallest cracks or breaks inseams can represent costly power bills later in the year. Pay special attention to any drafts you may feel in your home as a result.

Perform a “Roof Audit” Before the Rainy Season

Oh, and speaking of the rainy season, make sure you take time to “audit” the current condition of your roof. Since around wintertime is our dry season, you can make sure that there aren’t any issues that could balloon out of control when the spring and summer showers come.

Re-paint the Outside of Your Home

And on that note, re-painting your home during the drier season is also a great idea. Your home’s paint might look okay now, but if it’s a little older, jumping on this task during wintertime can make for a far easier job.

Make Your Landscaping Plan

Finally, I love to update my landscaping plan during this time of year. With every new year, you have a chance to enhance and refine your plan for your home’s greenery. Whether you want to put in new shrubs or a whole veggie garden, right now is the right time to start thinking about it.

Terry Records