Fall Has Arrived! Start Prepping Your Home Now For Cooler Weather

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Tis the season for vibrant reds, golden yellows and vivid oranges, pumpkins, and refreshingly cool temps. But, it also means winter isn’t far away.

Here are a few projects—from looking after your exterior to maintaining your heating system—that can help your home brace for the cold and save you some cash.

 Install and Maintain Paths and Walkways

When crossing your muddy yard to fetch the daily paper turns into an obstacle course of slips and slides, perhaps it’s time to think about an alternative path—literally. Holiday guests to come would also appreciate safe passage to your door. So, take a weekend to lay a brick walkway. Make sure you check sidewalks and driveways for cracks. If you don’t fill them now, water can seep in and freeze, making them even larger. Take the time to resurface worn concrete now and save you a whole lot of time and money later.

Light the Way With Outdoor Lanterns

Less daylight calls for illumination. You can also enhance the nighttime curb appeal of your home, while adding a measure of safety and security, by installing low-voltage landscape lighting. These exterior-grade fixtures are typically placed along walkways and driveways, but they’re also ideal for illuminating steps, trees, stonewalls, fences and other prominent garden features. You can also add a charming lamppost to mark the start of your driveway.

Prep Your Landscape and Start Composting

Grass roots keep growing until the ground gets down to around 40 degrees; so this is a good time to feed them. Apply a high-phosphorus (12-25-12) mix to lawns in fall to encourage roots, so turf greens up earlier in spring. It’s also a good time to seed a new lawn, start a compost pile, and trim shrubs and trees.

Build a Trash Shed to Hide Unsightly Containers

Nothing mucks up the holiday season curb appeal of your house more than a bunch of beat-up trash cans and overflowing recycling bins scattered next to the side door. Build a sturdy storage house that hides two 32-gallon trash cans and several stacked recycling bins. Flip-open lids give it easy access so that you can quickly toss something away in the right place. Bifold front doors make it easy to move heavy cans in and out.

Put Light Where You Need It With a Garage Floodlight

If you’ve never been stuck with the task of taking out trash after dinner clean-up, then lucky you. But, in the fall and winter, the last haul often goes out after-dark. Install a motion-sensor garage floodlight to keep you company. It’ll also welcome you and your guests home with its warm illumination. Speaking of garages, now’s a good time to tidy up the place. For most, the garage sees a lot of action during the summer with yard tools and pool accessories moving in and out. It might be handy to actually get the car in there now that winter weather is on the way. Create a garage storage plan and build a work bench to stow tools if you have the space. Consider replacing the stained concrete slab with an epoxy-coated garage floor that’ll resist oil stains, bead water, and wipe clean. Tip: While you’re in the garage, fuel up the snow blower so you’re not caught with your gas down when the white stuff comes. Take some time to put your lawn mower to bed with a tune-up that’ll ensure it’s working like new come spring.