Outdoor Projects for Fall

Fall is officially here. While most days it still may feel like summer, we know there are colder days and harsher weather not too far ahead. It’s time to prepare your home and your outdoor living spaces for the colder months to avoid costly repairs later. We’ve compiled a checklist of items to take care of before winter hits here in PA!

Trees and Leaves: Take a look at your trees and bushes. Now is the time to prune branches. After leaves have dropped, it’s much harder to determine which tree branches are dead and should be removed. Pay close attention to any trees growing near your home and fence. They should be trimmed to avoid damage if a winter storm hits. Snow is heavy and winter wind is strong – both can bring down branches and topple trees.

Roof and Gutters: Review your roof. If you have loose or missing shingles, contact a roofer for repairs right away before your roof is covered with snow. Check your roof gutters and make sure they are free of debris. Fall leaves can clog those gutters, causing water issues along your roof line. You may need to hire a professional to clean the gutters.

Pressure Washing: If you own a pressure washer, now is the time to get it out of the garage. Pressure wash your fence, your deck, and yes, even the entire exterior of your home in the fall.

Swimming Pool: It’s time to close up your pool if you haven’t done so already. Now is also a good time to head to the pool supply store. You may find that since the swimming season is over you can snag some good deals on pool supplies for next season.

Decks: If your deck needs to be painted or sealed, early fall is a good time to do this. You will have less foot traffic on your deck than in the summertime. Painting or sealing a deck in the fall is also cooler for you and the sun is less harsh.

Home Heating Systems: Check that your home’s heating system is in good working order. It’s a good time to call your heating company to have any cleaning and maintenance repairs done now. If you have a wood burning stove, fireplace, coal stove or pellet stove – get what you need now – firewood, coal, wood pellets. Don’t wait. You don’t want to be rushing to try to find what you need when that first winter storm hits.

Winter Gear: Last but certainly not least, make sure your winter gear is in good working order. That could include snow shovels, a snowblower, a snowplow, even a generator. Make sure everything is functioning. Test it out (well maybe not the shovels!) and make sure you have gasoline on hand.

Drafts: Check all your windows and doors to make sure all the weather stripping is intact and all storm windows are in good shape. If you live in an older home, you may need to seal any drafty windows with tape specifically made for this purpose.

We hope that this checklist is helpful to you in preparing for this winter. Please know that we do yearly fence and deck installations. If you want to get started on a project now, rather than wait for spring, contact us! We can provide a free estimate, assist with securing proper permits, and install a new fence or deck that is perfect for your needs. Call us at 610-718-1151 or text us at 217-394-5670.