Extremes of heat and cold cause wood to expand and contract, causing gaps to appear between the door and the frame. If you're spotting strips of sunlight between the door and the frame, you're losing considerable amounts of money on wasted energy. Call a professional to repair the problem. You'll keep your home cooler and your energy bills down. For many of us throughout the United States, the arrival of the summer months also means violent thunderstorms.
Lightning causes house fires every year.
Make sure you've installed fresh batteries in all smoke detectors throughout your home, and test them for their effectiveness by lighting a match and holding it underneath. The summer months are your best bet for calling a professional chimney sweep to clean your fireplace and flue. Performing all of these indoor and outdoor maintenance measures makes good sense not only from the standpoint of protecting your home and family from the elements. You'll also be protecting your investment by preventing more costly problems. Those Skyrocketing Energy Bills Courtney Ronan is a freelance writer who contributes a weekly column profiling various communities.