Tips for Getting Your Home Ready for Fall
By Paige Tepping
RISMEDIA, August 27, 2010--Now that summer is beginning to wind down and
cooler weather is on its way, it’s time to get some of the routine home
maintenance out of the way before it gets too cold. If you don’t
prepare your home in the fall season, and clean up the yard, when spring
comes along, you could be left with an unsightly mess. Lisa Udy, a
Realtor in Utah offers the following tips to prepare your home for the
cold months ahead.
Clean out the rain gutters – If you have rain gutters
on your home, fall is the best time to get them cleaned. Cleaning rain
gutters isn’t that difficult of a task, it’s just a tedious one. The
easiest way to get rid of the junk is to use a high pressure hose, and
then use a small trowel to get rid of the rest of the debris. Once you
have gotten rid of all the debris, give your gutters a final spray.
Take care of your pots and planters – If you’re like
most homeowners, you have some planters or potted plants sitting around
the yard. Before it gets too cold, be sure to empty the dirt out of any
pots or planters and put them in a place where they won’t freeze. If you
don’t empty or store your planters, there’s a good chance they will
either crack or fall apart.
Rake the leaves – Keeping your yard free of leaves is
an important task for homeowners. If you have numerous trees in your
yard and piles of leaves that you don’t take care of, you might find
that your grass is dead once spring arrives. Leaves can smother your
lawn and replacing a lawn can cost a lot of money, so it’s a good rule
of thumb to get rid of the leaves in the fall.
Weed and feed the lawn – The best time to weed and feed
the lawn is in the fall. If you add weed killer in the fall, the weeds
will store the poison in their roots during the winter season, and will
prevent a breakout in the spring. By feeding your lawn with fertilizer
in the fall, you are promoting healthy root growth, and this will help
your lawn grow greener and faster in the spring.
Give your tools a tune-up – Once you have finished your
fall maintenance chores, make sure you clean your tools and store them
in a dry place so they will be in working order once spring arrives. Be
sure to store metal shovels with the head upwards, as this will help
detour rusting when it dries. Sheers need to be oiled up, wheel barrels
should be left upside down and don’t forget to spray off the underside
of the lawnmower.