God bless the sun and its gaze of summer. The incredible energy it gives to the world during this season is simply unrivaled by any other. All types of wildlife and nature are enjoying this time of year because there is so much food, a lot more daylight to forage and the conditions are great for their health.
After many months of autumn and winter, they are finally in warmer temperature and the weather is spurring on their growth and survival. But, for homeowners, it is not so rosy.
The summer presents totally unique challenges to the home and it can be very taxing on your patience to have to deal with them. Your garden is also in the firing line and it is perhaps the most under threat. Let’s see how you can turn summer woes into summer bliss.
Cobwebs Galore
In the summer, cobwebs appear in abundance around the home. Spiders proliferate throughout the home and they do so because the number of bugs and flies has substantially increased.
But, because their silk dries out quickly, their webs become very thin and almost unseeable. This can mean that you do not even see the cobwebs in your home, but the effects are felt, as in dust mites, problems breathing, itchy skin, and allergic reactions in children.
You can get rid of cobwebs by simply wiping them away with a kitchen towel or a feather duster. Both work fine but the latter is far more controllable and easy to use.
However, once you have gotten rid of the cobwebs you don’t want them to reappear when you wake up in the morning. So, spray some anti spider spray in the corners of your rooms, but also, by doing a number of tried and trusted things.
- Keep the space clear. Spiders love to make webs in crowded and dark places.
- Seal any cracks in the window which could be their front door to your home
- Regularly clean the area, make sure the spider knows that he can not keep making his home here because every other day it gets smashed. Eventually, he will move somewhere else.
Yummy Woolen Clothes
Don’t you just hate it when bugs, flies, and moths keep flying into your house? Well, we keep our windows open because the heat of summer is just too much to bear but that gives all kinds of winged creatures free reign to waltz in like it is their own place.
Moths, in particular, are very dangerous to your clothes because they like to eat their way into woolen jumpers, suits, coats, and trousers to lay their eggs. When the eggs hatch, they eat holes into your clothes and then fly away.
If you can see that there are small holes beginning to form in your socks, coat, suit, jackets or jumpers, then you have a moth problem. Chances are they have made a home in your wardrobe.
Look up at the ceiling of the shelf, this should have many moths clinging to it during the daytime, fast asleep. Try a certified Pest Authority that knows how to trap and get rid of moths in your home.
They have covered many troublesome areas, particularly in the South where flies and summer bugs are very prevalent. Thankfully, their methods do not cause damage to your home and they are quick and efficient.
This way you don’t need to leave your home for any long period of time, and they use safe treatments that won’t leave bad smells or damage your family’s health.
Caterpillars Eating Your Flowers?
Caterpillars are amazing creatures. They will soon sprout and fly away as gorgeous new butterflies. But, in the meantime, they will have destroyed your garden. Your flowers are under siege by these wonderful critters, but what can you do about it without harming them this summer?
Bacillus thuringiensis is something that occurs in the soil naturally. It’s a bacteria that exists in soft soil, and that you can put in your garden to grow your flowers and vegetables.
The non-toxic chemicals, at least to humans, will not have any effect on your flowers or anything you are trying to grow. However, when caterpillars swarm your foliage and try to take great big chunks out of it, you will start to see a difference.
For one thing, they will literally drop dead. They will fall off the flowers and or plants and you will begin to see piles of caterpillars on the soil at the root of the foliage. Leave them be as birds will come and scoop them up, or they will become food for the plants.
Heatwave Days
Everyone knows that heatwaves are dangerous to humans, but what about your home? Your wood will expand and so will just about every material you can think of that makes your home. How can you prevent this swelling and why?
You need to prevent too much swelling or expansion from your home because when it contracts on a rainy night or when the fall arrives, you will find that repairs need to be made. The materials and features of your home are literally pushing against each other.
You can keep your home cool and strong with these following methods.
- Water your concrete driveway to stop it from cracking. This can literally cool down the material and stop it from expanding due to the air bubbles or water content in the concrete trying to escape.
- Water your garden twice a day. Once in the morning and once in the evening. This keeps the flowers, plants, and vegetables you are growing, strong, and healthy.
- Keep your windows open on both floors of your home. This will allow the hot air that is constantly rising, a way out of the home and not into your ceiling and roof. This prevents cracks in your roof tiles or shingles.
Blocked Drains
Why is it that during summer, we tend to forget that our drains are blocked with leaves, dirt, soil, and debris? It’s mostly because there is no breeze, so if you do not feel anything, we do not think about it.
But, there is more chance of your drains becoming blocked in summer than spring. This is because as water content dries up in soil and dirt, it becomes lighter and easier to move with the gust of the wind.
Leaves and grass blades that we cut from tree branches and from our lawn, all play a part too. Have you been trimming your hedge? Chances are some of it ended up in your drain.
So, cleaning your drain now, in time of the fall is highly recommended. You should wear rubber gloves and get to work!
- Using a torch, shine a light into the drain, to see how deep the blockage might be.
- Use a leaf blower to move debris away from your drains.
- Consider fixing a garden border so large debris does not make it outside the parameters you have designed.
- Use a bucket of hot water to pour down the drain in order to clear it. You can also mix it with a lot of bleach to get rid of stubborn dry bits.
- Consider putting a new grating over the drain to prevent this from happening too often.
Final Thoughts on Summer
The summer is amazing. It is hot, humid, relaxing, and full of slow days. The wildlife is out and doing its thing, but that presents some issues. Keep your garden safe from caterpillars and your wardrobe safe from pesky moths. Invest in your home, watering the garden twice a day, and taking care of your driveway too.
Do you have any other suggestions for caring and maintaining areas of your home in summer? Please add them to the comments below.