Summer is coming to an end, and as the weather gets colder, adjust your living space accordingly. The fall brings cool, breezy weather, fallen leaves, and often the season’s first ice. While spring cleaning is commonly known, tidying up your house for fall is just as important. Here are some ways to prepare your home for fall to welcome the chilly temperatures.
Prepare the Garden
A garden adds vibrance and color to your lawn and backyard. With the cooler fall weather, new vegetables, bulbs, and trees can make your yard stand out. Now is the right time to plant bulbs that will bloom in spring, such as tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils.
Lawn Care to Prepare Your Home for Fall
Take care of the grass to prepare for fall. To protect your lawn, use fertilizer to rejuvenate the yard after the summer heat protects the lawn. Use a rain gauge to monitor how much water your grass is getting. In the fall months, there is less evaporation, and the soil will stay moist for longer. With a rain gauge, you can adjust your watering accordingly.
Other than watering, make sure to rake frequently. Fallen leaves break down and help fertilize the lawn. However, a thick layer of leaves can block sunlight from the grass and encourage fungi growth. To prepare for fall, take steps to keep your lawn green and healthy.
Keeping Out the Cold
Dealing with decreasing temperatures can be challenging if your home is not prepared. When fall arrives, set the ceiling fans to rotate clockwise. The angle of the fan blades will push air upwards and towards the edges of the room, properly distributing warm air as it rises.
Check for drafts around doors and windows. Cracks and gaps will allow cold air into your home, making the living spaces uncomfortable and forcing the HVAC to work harder. Use caulk or weather-stripping to seal openings efficiently.
Take Care of Equipment to Prepare Your Home for Fall
Drain the outdoor faucets and sprinklers before it gets too cold out and these fixtures freeze, causing permanent damage. Turn off sprinklers and make sure hoses and pipes don’t have water trapped inside. This water could freeze, leading to burst pipes and leaks. Stagnate gasoline can cause issues with equipment such as lawnmowers, weed eaters, and chainsaws. Remove gas from these tools before the colder weather arrives and store them safely for winter.
Help your home effectively transition into the fall season. By taking care of plants around the house, cleaning lawn equipment, and protecting yourself from the cold, your house will be ready for the chilly weather.
360 Home Inspections provides inspections to customers throughout Northern New Jersey. Contact us to schedule our services.