How to Hot Weather Proof Your Home

Hot weather in Southern California means fire and earthquake preparedness, rolling blackouts, and smog alerts. Hot weather into the triple digits means that Southern California residents endure ants, earthquakes, brownouts and blackouts, pests, yucky messes and toxically high temperatures that last after dark. Hot weather is uncomfortable and any problems make it worse. Food turns bad faster and more cleaning is required.

Next time you're away for the day, the following tips could ensure you don't come home to a mess after the home has stood in over hundred degree heat all day. This can mean an army of ants or a kitchen full or critters. Safer organization and thinking ahead in hot weather home organization prevents residents from getting distracted and frustrated trying to deal with emergency fires or earthquake conditions and occurrences.

1. Throw all old foods, food with moisture in it, warped or melted plastic containers. Hot weather can create some ugly surprises in infrequently used cupboards. Get rid of pantry foods with leaking corners, rips in the boxes, or spilling containers or flimsy packaging. Hot weather emphasizes scents to ants, flies, and other things that go on 8 feet. Pay attention to things like wax, plastic, chocolate or sugar that can melt in high heat and create a mess.

Pests come inside during high heat temperatures and humid weather looking for food. Hot weather brings ants looking for water and bugs through the AC vents. Spray insecticide as needed. Clean out cupboards and throw away all food 6 months to one year old. Hot weather amplifies decay. Food, yeasts, sugary soda residue and fruit flavored air sprays and other odors can travel through vents to outside areas and bring varmints inside.

2. Examine all cleaners and store them in an organized manner you can get to in the dark. Hot weather will cause packaging to expand or burst. Check containers of bleaches, aerosol cans, spray cans, high alcohol or chemical cleaners fixatives and solvents. Throw out what you haven't used in the last six months properly.