Prepare Your Home for Warmer Weather / by Sasha Davies

It's time to give a little love to the systems and appliances in your home that will work harder when the rain tapers off and the temperatures rise. Cleaning your air vents between the heaviest heating and cooling seasons will help with indoor air quality and keep your HVAC system in good condition. Basic steps: Clean or replace air filters. Remove air vent covers and clean off dust and debris with a cloth or a vacuum.

When the weather heats up, refrigerators and freezers work harder to stay cool, so it's also a great time to clean their coils. Older models have coils mounted on the back; newer models may have coils at the base behind a removable protective plastic panel. Basic steps: Vacuum the coils and the floor beneath your fridge.

Here's a handy guide to recommended home maintenance through all four seasons>>