Preparing Your Second Home for the Summer Season

In the summer months, there is nothing quite like relaxing by the water. If you own a secondary home on a lake or by the ocean, the following steps can help you prepare your property for residence.

Check for Damage

The winter months may have taken their toll on the property. The property should be walked and inspected for damages. Check the roof for fallen tree limbs or other damage. Open and close doors and windows to see if they still function properly. If the property has a deck, look for rotting boards or damage. Check exterior fixtures and lighting to see if anything should be replaced. Frayed or damaged electrical cords should be replaced.

Set Up Services & Utilities

If you stopped any services like cable, internet, or electric for the winter months, call to have them turned back on. Don’t forget about other services like garbage, lawn care, and pest control. Before you settle into your summer home, consider changing your delivery address on any shopping websites you use and see that your mail will be forwarded.

Connect With Your Property Manager

If you have a property manager for your second home, make time to connect and get a briefing of anything that has happened while you were away. Touch base on any yearly preventative maintenance scheduled and any general repairs that need to be done.

Make Plans for Your Boat

If you need assistance putting your boat in at the marina, calling to schedule ahead of time can help. Also check to make sure your boating registration is up to date.

Check Systems, Filters, and Vents

If your secondary home has a furnace, be sure it is inspected each year and that the filter is regularly changed. Check all air conditioning systems and replace any that are not working.

Test Your Smoke Alarms

Make sure your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly. If your smoke alarms are hardwired into your home, they should be checked at least twice a year. If your smoke detectors have replaceable batteries, they should be checked quarterly. If the alarm sound is weak or no sound is heard during the test, the batteries should be replaced.

Arrange for a Deep Cleaning

Check each of the rooms for any areas that need to be cleaned. Look for signs of pests. For the kitchen, don’t neglect the fridge or the pantry. Bring outdoor furniture out of storage and make it ready for use. Now is also a good time to refresh any décor and see if any furniture needs to be updated or replaced. Test your appliances to see if they are in working order, and check for things like water leaking from them.

Be Sure You Have Insurance for All Your Adventures

Be sure all of your boats, Personal Watercrafts (such as Jet Skis and WaveRunners), and ATVs have proper insurance coverage. Depending on which carrier you choose to purchase your boat insurance through, there are a number of other optional coverages that you may be able to add, such as Personal Items Coverage or Emergency Assistance. At Cross Private Client Insurance, we work with the top personal lines carriers who concentrate on the private client market. Our knowledgeable team is experienced with many lines of insurance including secondary homes, flood, exotic automobile coverage, valuable articles insurance, and more.

If you have questions or want to talk about your insurance coverage, reach out to our team and we would be happy to listen. We have offices in Southwestern Connecticut and Massachusetts, but serve clients nationwide as well as internationally.  

Prep Your Outdoor Spaces

Pools, firepits, water features, outdoor dining areas – outdoor amenities come as unique as the homeowner. Don’t forget to give some TLC to these spaces so they are set for entertaining in the summer months. Whether it requires a quick tidy, or you need to hire a professional, make a plan so these spaces sparkle when the warmer months hit.

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This article is for general informational purposes only and is not to be relied upon or used for any particular purpose. Cross Insurance shall not be held responsible in any way for, and specifically disclaims any liability arising out of or in any way connected to, reliance on or use of any of the information contained in this article. The information contained or referenced in this article is not intended to constitute and should not be considered legal, insurance, accounting or other professional advice, nor shall it serve as a substitute for the recipient obtaining such advice. The views expressed in this article are that of its author and do not necessarily represent the views of Cross Financial Corp. and its subsidiaries and affiliates (“Cross Insurance”) or Cross Insurance’s management or shareholders.