Summer home checklist for heat, storms and bugs

Heating and cooling take nearly half of a home's energy use. Extreme heat, at temperatures above 90°F for two or three days, causes more deaths each year than any other kind of weather.

The air conditioner

• Check the filter every monthChange it at least every 3 months.
• Clear the drip pan and the drain lineA line that backs up spills water around the indoor unit.
• Watch the indoor humidityKeep it below 60 percent, and ideally between 30 and 50. A hygrometer, a small humidity gauge, gives the reading.
• Insulate around window air conditioners

Keeping the heat out

• Cover the sunniest windowsUse drapes, shades or window reflectors that send heat back outside. West-facing glass takes the afternoon sun.
• Weatherstrip the doors and windowsThe same strips keep cooled air from leaking out.
• Do outdoor work early or lateAvoid hard outdoor work in the midday heat.
• Give outdoor pets cool water and shadeAsphalt and dark pavement can burn their feet.
• Find the nearest cooling centerDo this if the house has no air conditioning. Fans move air, but they don't lower body temperature.

The yard

• Empty anything holding water once a weekThat includes tires, buckets, toys, pools, birdbaths and flowerpot saucers. Scrub, turn over, cover or throw out each one.
• Repair holes in the screensScreens on windows and doors keep mosquitoes outdoors.
• Keep insect repellent by the back doorUse an EPA-registered repellent, and reapply it as the label directs.

Storm season

• Put a thermometer in the fridge and the freezerAfter an outage, throw out food that sat at 40°F or higher for two hours or more.
• Keep a flashlight for each personAdd a portable charger or power bank for each phone.
• List everything in the house that runs on electricityPut medical devices and refrigerated medicines at the top, with a backup plan from the provider.
• Unplug appliances and electronics when the power goes outPower can come back with surges that damage them.
• Check for a carbon monoxide alarm on every levelIf you run a generator, keep it outdoors, at least 20 feet from windows, doors and attached garages.