This has been such a beautiful summer. As it heads out many of us are still plotting ways to make it stay and stretch the fun. But even while we hope for prolonged warm weather, fall is moving into the neighborhood anyway and now is the time to prepare for the best and the worst of it at home by doing a few tasks.
Outdoors
- Find out the municipal dump yard schedule.
- Clean the front, back and side yards of broken castoffs that were set aside “for later” and forgotten. Now is later. Take to the dump along with newly discovered discards.
- Check for and repair broken fencing, gates and gate locks.
- Secure basement windows.
- Check exposed water pipes beneath decks and porches. Insulate pipes, repair any leaks.
- Repair and clean outdoor furniture and prepare for storage. (Save this for last since you’re going to want to “sit out” as long as possible. Just don’t leave the furniture to fend for itself outside in the cold, wet weather ahead.)
- Check around the foundation for cracks, and repair.
- Check for loose siding, porch floorboards and bricks.
- Check the gutters and downspouts. Secure or replace loose or damaged lengths.
- Clean out any debris. Install a net screen or diverter in the gutters to keep leaves from collecting and causing clogs. Use a hose to flush the downspouts to loosen any debris stuck in the line.
- Trim and prune overhanging trees.
- To be safe, call utility company to trim branches overhanging power lines.
The new deck
You waited this year until spring — along with nearly everyone else — to think about adding a deck and it never got built. Now is a great time to have it done while deck builders are typically easier to schedule. Do it now and your deck will be up and ready long before next Memorial Day.
Whether you are doing it yourself or having someone do it for you, find out what is involved in time, labor, materials, design and costs. Figure out the design you want and though you may want to stand out from your neighbors don’t stand out too far. A little uniformity is easier on the eyes and more pleasantly attention-grabbing than bold distinctions. Check with homeowners whose decks you like. Ask about their experiences in functionality, material, maintenance and recommendations for contractors who could do the work.
If you’ve got young children and seniors at home, include in the design built-in benches, railings and safety gates.
Get the details out of your head and written on paper. And since a picture is worth a thousand words, find photographs of deck styles you like to show to the builder or to have as a visual to keep you on point if you plan to build yourself.
Have a deck already?
Get it looking gorgeous again by cleaning and treating it. A combination of weather, food and vegetation stains, fungus and high foot traffic can make a wood deck look really bad and become nearly impossible to get looking good again if left without care too long. Determine whether you want to do a simple power wash application or strip the finish and re-stain or stain for the first time.
Check the hardware store for the kind of finish remover and stain products you will need to restore the look of your deck and don’t let price alone rule your decision.
Also check the weather forecast to assure if you decide to strip and stain there will be at least two to three consecutive dry days before you start.
Clear the deck of everything movable.
Resist improvisation. Read and follow directions on the product label.
In the garden
Continue hand-weeding the garden, deadhead the annuals to encourage flowering and cut back perennials that are off bloom. If the vegetable garden has stopped producing start the cleanup. Pull up spent plants and get the soil ready for the cold, replenishing sleep. Turn the soil and add compost.
You’re just getting started. The list continues next time.
