Living in the desert can be harsh if you are not prepared for it. Arizona has all kinds of desert weather that might surprise you. Yes, it can get unbelievably hot in the summer, but you should also expect humidity. You might even run into some monsoons on occasion. Thus, not only do you need to battle the excruciating heat at times, but you also have to battle the humidity and the risks it can pose to your home and health. As long as you keep up on your home maintenance in Arizona, you should be able to live comfortably all year long.  Getting into good habits now should hopefully reduce the need for repairs later. Here are 10 tips to hopefully keep your desert home maintenance on track.
1. Check your air conditioner regularly. True home maintenance in Arizona means making sure that your air conditioner is running all right. You need to make sure that it is draining properly and not clogging anywhere. A broken air conditioner can be quite the nuisance, so get in the habit of checking yours regularly and having a professional come check it out once a year or so.
2. Check for sun damage on the exterior and even the interior of your home. That sun is blazing hot, and it can damage all parts of your home that are exposed to it. Part of your regular home maintenance in Arizona should be to check your roof each year to make sure it isn’t getting too damaged, or to replace areas that seem excessively worn. You should also be aware that any furniture or items that are stored where the sun shines through the windows may also fade or crack.
3. Investing in good shades or drapes for your windows can help to keep some of the unwanted sunlight out. Shades and drapes allow you to control the sunlight coming into your home. This can help you both to combat the heat and to keep items within your home protected from overexposure to a very hot sun. You don’t necessarily need to even purchase heavy drapes or shades; you can also get sheer coverings that just help to lessen the effect of the sunlight, if you desire.
4. Although sealing up your home entirely is not desirable in Arizona, you also don’t want excessive air leaks around your windows and doors. When it comes to home maintenance in Arizona, you want to be able to keep your cool air inside in the midst of the summer heat. Check your seals to make sure they are holding up well and repair any spots that seem to be problematic. Again, exposure to sunlight might wear down seals over time.
5. Fluorescent lights actually produce less heat than your standard light bulb, so try investing in these for your home. They shouldn’t add to the heat, and they might even save you a little bit in energy cost. In addition, they should last for years. Check that your light bulbs are working and replace broken ones with a fluorescent bulb.
6. Make sure you can control the humidity, especially in a monsoon season. Use a dehumidifier if necessary for home maintenance in Arizona in the wet season. Excess humidity can lead to mold or mildew, so try to keep the humidity inside your home low by allowing good ventilation. You’ll need to find a happy medium with proper ventilation and keeping your home cool.
7. Get your windows treated. Window treatments can help to protect the interior of your home with or without shades or drapes. You’ll want to research the different kinds of window treatments and their benefits. Treatments that help to filter out harmful rays of sunlight might be most beneficial.
8. Try to do any home maintenance in Arizona at the coolest hours—early in the morning or at least when the sun goes down. Working during the hottest hours could pose a risk to your personal health, so try to take care of things when the temperature is still cool enough to be manageable.
9. Keep your gutters clean and clear. You’ll also want to check them for cracks and holes and repair any that you see. Keeping your gutters clean should help you with managing the humidity of your home and preventing the growth of mold.
10. Keep all your vent fans in good working order to help keep down humidity. You might be surprised at just how much home maintenance in Arizona is actually spent combating the humidity and the damage it can cause to a home. Again, you will want good ventilation to combat the humidity, but also want to keep your cool air in.