The hottest weather period of the year is upon us. Time for vacations and relaxation, but there are some areas of the home that will also need some attention during this time.

• Set your thermostat to the “COOL” mode now and Remember to change the furnace air filter every 30 days.
• Depending on the temperatures, rain events and other forces of nature, you may need to exercise some judgement as to how much to water your lawn. You don’t want to let your new lawn go dry for long periods of time but you also don’t want to drown it or wash seeds away. Watering at night is not recommended. Watering should be done early in the morning or late in the day when the sun is not as hot. Maintaining the lawn and other plantings is the responsibility of the homeowner after closing. Check with your local landscaper for tips and information.

Time for baseball, hotdogs and hot driveways.Your new blacktop driveway will take 6 to 12 months to harden and cure. The heat of the summer sun could cause the asphalt to become soft and pliable during this time and some care must be taken to prevent scarring your driveway:

• Don’t start out or stop too fast on the driveway.
• Don’t turn the wheels when the car is not in motion.
• Don’t turn sharply when the car is in motion.
• Don’t park in the same spot every time.
• Don’t drive or park on the edges of the driveway.
• Don’t use equipment on the driveway that will exert weight on concentrated areas such as bicycles and motorcycles with kickstands, lawn chairs, trailers with tongue jacks, etc, and believe it or not, high heeled shoes. A 125 pound person will exert in excess of 2,000 pounds per sq. inch when wearing high heals while the average automobile will exert 30 pounds per sq. inch.
• Avoid gasoline, oil, anti-freeze, power steering and transmission fluid spills and leaks. Any holes left by these products should be filled with cold patch.

Watering down the driveway with a hose will temporarily harden the blacktop during hot weather conditions. Maintaining the condition of the driveway is the homeowners responsibility.

• Now is a good time to lubricate those roller bearings in the overhead garage door(s). This will help prolong the life of the bearings and keep the overhead garage door(s) operating smoothly and quietly. Check manufactures recommendations for lubricants.

Your cooling system will be working hard these days. Did you remember to change the furnace filter? In most heating/cooling systems in use today, the same air handler and ductwork are used for both heat and cooling systems.

In most heating and cooling equipment condensation is formed during the heating and cooling process and must be extracted by either gravity or by mechanical means.

• Inspect the condensate lines frequently during time of high usage for clogging and clean as needed. Condensate line will clog under normal conditions. It is the responsibility of the homeowner to maintain operation of the condensate discharge lines after per-close.
• Keep shrubs and grass from growing near the exterior condenser unit.