Start early
The first warm weekend is when everyone discovers the patio speakers are quiet on one side or the outdoor TV won't connect. Checking in April or May gives you time to fix things before Memorial Day, when installers' calendars fill up.
Speakers
- Play music and walk the yard: are all speakers working and even?
- Check landscape speakers for damage from winter, mowers or plantings
- Look at wire connections at outdoor speakers for corrosion
- If sound is uneven, more small speakers usually beat turning it up
Outdoor TV
- Remove covers and clean the screen with a soft cloth
- Check the mount and hardware for rust or loosening
- Turn it on and test every source and the streaming apps
- Check Wi-Fi strength at the TV; streaming failures are usually a Wi-Fi problem
Wi-Fi in the yard
Phones, speakers and TVs outside all need a strong signal. If video buffers on the patio, an outdoor access point wired back to your network is the lasting fix. See fixing Wi-Fi dead zones.
Lighting
- Reset landscape lighting timers for longer days
- Replace or re-aim fixtures that shifted over winter
- Add path and step lights where guests will walk at night
Upgrades worth considering
- Landscape speakers with an in-ground subwoofer for even sound
- An outdoor-rated TV for the patio or pool
- An Entertain scene that sets lights, music and TV together
- Music in the pool house or outdoor kitchen
Controls everyone can use
Guests shouldn't need your phone to turn the music down. An outdoor volume control, a keypad by the back door or a Control4 remote on the patio makes the yard easy for everyone. If you already use Sonos, the outdoor zone can be grouped with the kitchen for parties.
Pools and salt air
Chlorine and salt air are hard on electronics. Rinse speaker grilles occasionally, check mounting hardware for corrosion, and choose outdoor-rated equipment with stainless hardware near the pool or the ocean.
Book before the rush
Outdoor projects often involve trenching wire and planning around plantings. Booking in spring gets the work done before the season and before the busiest weeks.