Can your home handle the heat? The experts at Climate Plus tell us how to get your house summer-ready
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When it comes to prepping for summer, your mind probably jumps straight to holiday road trips, dusting off the barbecue or stocking up on sunscreen.
But before you completely switch into holiday mode, there’s one crucial thing to consider: is your home actually ready to handle the heat?
We’ve teamed up with the experts at Climate Plus to share the most overlooked maintenance steps homeowners forget to take before the summer heatwave hits, ensuring your home stays comfortable all season long.
1. Don’t wait until the heat hits to test your air-con
Climate Plus Director Liam Zeller says the single biggest mistake people make is waiting until the first sweltering day to switch on the air-con for the first time in six months.
“Every summer we see people discover a problem on the first very hot day, when the system is suddenly being asked to work at full capacity,” Liam says.
“Our main advice is not to wait until the first extreme-temperature day to think about your home. Spring is a good opportunity to switch the cooling system on, clean what you can safely maintain yourself and organise a professional service if one is due.
“For refrigerated systems, homeowners can help by cleaning filters, keeping indoor vents clear and making sure the outdoor unit has good airflow around it. For evaporative systems, a pre-summer service by Climate Plus can check components such as the pads, water distribution and general operation.”
2. Preparation is key
Liam says being summer-ready means looking at your home as a whole ecosystem, given that small, unnoticed issues can quickly spiral into big (and costly) headaches.
“Canberra homes have to cope with very cold winters and very hot summers, and that makes preventative maintenance particularly worthwhile,” Liam says.
“Whether it’s plumbing, electrical, hot water or heating and cooling, regular checks and servicing can help identify potential problems early.
“The benefit of Climate Plus is that we have the expertise across these areas to help homeowners keep their home in good working order, and our technicians understand they are working within a much bigger home system. If somebody notices an obvious plumbing concern while they are on site, such as signs of leakage, corrosion, unusual water behaviour or another issue worth investigating, we want that raised with the homeowner rather than ignored.”
3. Consider passive cooling hacks
Want to keep those electricity bills from skyrocketing? Lean into passive cooling.
“Closing blinds before the heat arrives, addressing draughts and using ceiling fans can reduce the amount of work the system has to do,” Liam says.
If you’re looking to reduce the cost of keeping your home cool, it could be worth speaking with Climate Plus about whether solar suits your home.
“We’ve helped loads of Canberra homeowners bring their energy bills down by installing solar. It’s particularly effective here in Canberra, given we have sunny days year-round and all throughout winter,” Liam says.
“The important part is sizing and designing the solution properly. An inexpensive unit that is wrong for the space can end up being poor value if it struggles constantly, while an unnecessarily large or complicated system can mean spending money where it isn’t needed.”
4. Trust the experts
With Climate Plus offering heating, cooling, electrical, plumbing, solar and hot water services, staying on top of your entire home’s summer health check has never been easier.
“For us, it comes back to giving homeowners clear advice, explaining their options in plain English and helping them make a decision that suits their home rather than applying the same solution everywhere,” Liam says.
“With all these services under one roof, we can make it easier for Canberra homeowners to maintain and care for their entire property, not just fix individual problems as they arise.”
Ready to cross off your summer checklist?
Head over to the Climate Plus Book a Service page to book your pre-summer cooling service, or speak to the team about plumbing, electrical, hot water and solar.”
Images supplied.
