6 Fall Maintenance Musts
Don’t fall behind on maintenance this season. Here are 6 seasonal maintenance musts.
1. TAKE CARE OF YOUR SMALL ENGINES
It’s about time to put away the lawn mower and weed whacker and break out the snow blower. But without proper storage and maintenance, your power equipment isn’t going to be running at its best.
For summer equipment being stored, run the engine out of gas, clean thoroughly, and then store in a safe, dry place.
For fall and winter equipment being brought out, make sure the engines start, and change the oil if you haven’t since last year. Plus, make sure there’s air in your snow blower’s tires before there’s a foot of snow on the driveway.
2. FERTILIZE YOUR LAWN
Sounds counterintuitive, right? But taking care of your lawn before winter is a great way to have it come back healthy and green in the spring.
Even though the grass isn’t growing, the roots are still active. Many lawn and garden stores will sell nitrogen-rich fertilizer made specifically for this time of year.
3. DRAIN OUTDOOR WATER LINES AND FAUCETS
An easy way to prevent an expensive fix. Start by shutting off the water lines and opening outdoor spigots to drain them. Periodically check the faucets to be sure there are no leaks and the water is completely shut off outside.
If you have a lawn irrigation system you might need a professional to drain it.
4. FIX CRACKS IN CEMENT AND ASPHALT
Use this time of year to take preventative measures against cracks in front walks, driveways, and patios. Leaving cracks exposed through winter can result in irreversible damage.
For small cracks in concrete use concrete sealer or concrete caulk. For cracks in asphalt use asphalt crack filler, or if the crack is larger, asphalt patch material. A quick online search can give you easy-to-follow DIY instructions, or you can leave it to professionals.
5. CLEAN AND STORE OUTDOOR FURNITURE
Most everyone knows to bring in the outdoor furniture once the weather starts to change. It’s the cleaning part that is usually skipped. Cleaning your patio furniture before storage can extend its lifespan significantly, and protect against discoloration.
6. TEST YOUR ALARMS
With big turkey dinners and chestnuts roasting over open fires just around the corner, now is a great time to make sure your fire alarms are working properly. And while you’re at it, make sure your carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguisher are working, too.
To browse homes you’d be proud to take care of, head over to any of Bielinski’s
model homes today.