It's no fun doing home maintenance, and even less so when it's 90 degrees with 90 percent humidity. That's why fall and winter in the Tampa Bay area are ideal times to perform your exterior home maintenance. Here are a few maintenance tasks you should do every year to keep your home in good condition.
Window Caulk
The Florida sun can take a toll on your window caulk. Walk around your home and look at the caulk around your windows. If it’s cracked, broken or missing, you need to replace it. Window caulk aids in the energy efficiency of your windows and keeps driving rain out of your home. All you need is the right kind of caulk and a caulking gun, both of which can be found at your local home improvement store. Don’t neglect the caulk on the inside of your windows as that’s just as important although not as quick to deteriorate as it’s not exposed to the elements like the exterior caulk.
Weather Stripping
Each of your exterior doors has weather stripping. Typically, it’s made of plastic, and it will wear out over time. Sometimes you can tell if it needs replacing just by looking at it. Another test you can perform is to shut the door and see if you can feel exterior air coming through or see light. If your neighbor has ever slipped a letter through the side of your door, chances are good your weather stripping has seen better days. It’s easy to replace as you only need to buy the right size and color and then remove the old and reaffix the new.
Clean Your Gutters
Your gutters serve an important purpose. They funnel the rainwater away from your home’s foundation. If they’re clogged and water runs over them, you could end up with damage to your roof, fascia, landscaping, or even to your foundation. Although this may be the most dreaded of exterior home maintenance tasks, cleaning them in the dry season is a much easier and less messy task than cleaning them after rain.
Mulch
The proper amount of mulch conserves water and helps prevent weed growth. Three inches is the recommended amount unless you have small plants, then use slightly less. Also, remove old mildewed mulch before applying new.
Proper maintenance helps improve your home’s value and curb appeal, and it also keeps your home as energy-efficient as possible so utility costs stay lower. If you are new to the area and would like to purchase a home which has been well-maintained, give me a call. As a full-service real estate office, we are happy to help you search for the best home to meet your needs. Reach out to us at (813) 992-7771.
One way to learn about the ocean life that is so close when you live in Tarpon Springs is to take a trip to the Tarpon Springs Aquarium. It’s currently located at 850 Dodecanese Boulevard, but they have recently purchased a larger Pinellas County property, just a mile away, and are raising money to build a much larger facility. The current location may be a bit small, but it gets rave reviews from out of town visitors and those who live in Tarpon Springs. The aquarium staff are friendly and knowledgeable and are happy to chat with curious kids and adults and answer questions.
Learn about creatures great and small at the Lowry Park Zoo located near Florida homes. Open daily from 9:30 a.m to 5 p.m. visitors can explore this expansive piece of Tampa real estate and the many animals calling it home. Monkey around with chimpanzees and orangutans. Marvel at several species of tortoise and flip for the frogs. Many of the animals here come from lands far away from Florida homes including the Queensland Koala and African Penguins. Some however hold local origins such as the manatee and the endangered Florida Panther. The Lowry Park Zoo’s Florida Panther, Lucy was rescued as an injured cub and would not survive on her own as an adult in the wild. See differences in wildlife habitats mimicking specific geographical areas like Asian Gardens and Wallaroo Station.
Set sail on the Kai Lani Catamaran and cruise the ocean near your Pinellas County property. With catamarans extending to 50 ft, there is plenty of room to stretch out and enjoy the day. For sunbathers who live in Clearwater Beach, there is plenty of room on deck to catch some rays. Shade seekers will definitely appreciate the covered area with lots of seating. Party cruises are a great way to meet and mingle with neighbors and friends who live in Clearwater Beach. A dolphin sighting cruise is fun for the whole family. You can be assured that the captain knows exactly where these playful sea creatures like to frolic and play. Sit back and enjoy the day while the crew sees to your every need.
A8 Studio and Galleries ensures that all Florida homes are adorned with fine art. This business gives the public a chance to come take classes and create art themselves, or purchase it from their gallery. There are also opportunities for children to learn art techniques and create masterpieces with their own hands. After school programs are available for as little as $20.00. This is a great enrichment activity for kids, especially for parents who cannot get back to their Florida homes right after school.
If you live in Redington Beach and are looking for a place to hang out with friends or go on a special date, check out the Conch Republic Grill. This is a local favorite for amazing seafood and a fun atmosphere. Come in between 2 and 5 p.m. to order off the Sunset Menu. All entrees are just $10.95 and come with a side salad. Try sweet and spicy salmon over coconut rice or “floribbean” jerk mahi mahi. Happy hour goes every day from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., with discounts on draft beers and two for one glasses of house wine and signature cocktails.
Golf enthusiasts living in Florida homes can play a quality game at Fox Hollow Golf Club. Located on prime Trinity real estate, the beauty of this course with contrasting lush greens and white sand bunkers will take your breath away. Whether you’re just beginning the course or putting on the back nine, Fox Hollow provides a challenge for golfers of every skill level. With over twenty hitting stations, a state of the art practice facility has been designed with plenty of space to work on enhancing skills in putting, driving and overall swings. For those who want to improve on their total game, professional instructors are available to assist. From group to private lessons as well as periodic clinics there is plenty of opportunity for progress. Fox Hollow Golf Club offers a variety of membership options to choose from for frequent golfers.
The Palm Harbor Museum offers residents who live in Palm Harbor an opportunity to learn about their community and how the past shaped their city into its present landscape. Crystal Beach, Curlew, East Lake, Sutherland and other smaller areas now form Palm Harbor. The Palm Harbor Historical Society based their building blocks for forming this Pinellas County property on the theory that “You cannot know where you are going until you know where you have been”.
Those with St. Petersburg real estate are neighbors to the Dali Museum. The Dali Museum is dedicated to displaying the many works of Salvador Dali and creating a unique cultural experience for all who enter. The museum contains a variety of Dali’s works including many sculptures, paintings, documents, bookworks, and drawings which allow visitors from Florida homes to enjoy a historic and inspirational experience.
MOSI is a non-profit organization and educational institution devoted to science and the community’s interest in science. This museum attempts to bring science and technology into the lives of those who own Florida homes by teaching how it can be used to make a difference. Since 1980, the MOSI museum has provided exhibits and programs for the public in an effort to teach society about science and how to improve the community and world around them. MOSI offers a variety of hands-on activities and exhibits for children that teaches kids about different areas of science, as well as offering an enjoyable experience. There are idea zones, planetariums, drone and robot zones, and many more! The museum also provides an IMAX dome theatre to take children and families on a journey to learn about the vast outer space, interesting animals, and our big green earth. MOSI is known for its history of bringing interactive learning to children and adults in the Tampa real estate area through multiple organizations. This museum offers programs and classes for homeschooled students and other school groups, families, and even organizations such as boys and girls scouts, making it the perfect spot for a field trip!
