Everything You Need to Know to Get Ready for Fall!

August 2024

It's that time of the year again: It's fall prep time! Around this time every year, we make sure to create a newsletter that is all about getting ready for the fall season. Why? The difference from the spring and summer seasons, to the autumn season, is a dramatic one. From temperature drops, to falling leaves and garden clean-up, and much more, there are a lot of things to take care of with this change of seasons. With much to be done, NOW is a great time to get started! No need to go it alone.... HRC is always here to help, no matter what season it is. "We do the little things that never seem to get done", and much more!

Are You Ready for Fall? Check Out These Tips & Find Out!

While it is still a few weeks away from the official start of fall (September 22nd, to be exact), now is the perfect time to get ready for the upcoming season. From yardwork to cold weather home care, there's quite a few things to be done! Taking care of them now will give you more time to enjoy all that this season has to offer. Let's go!

I. Keep Your Fall Tools in Tip-Top Shape

Look over all the tools you use for your fall yardwork:

Inspect rakes and replace those that have seen better days.
If you have an electric leaf blower, test it NOW to make sure it's ready to use once the leaves drop.

II. Furnace & Fireplace Maintenance

These tasks are particularly important to take care of:

Have your furnace cleaned EVERY fall.
Fireplaces should be cleaned, and chimneys should be swept, to remove/prevent dangerous, highly flammable creosote build-up.

III. Rid Your Home of Drafts

Attack existing and potential drafts in your home, head-on, by doing the following:

Seal gaps around windows and doors by using caulk or weather stripping, to keep out drafts during the cold months (this will also help keep hot air out in the warm months!).
Save on your annual energy bills by properly sealing and insulating your attic/basement ducts.
Use homemade "draft snakes", just like the ones grandma used to use, to keep cold weather drafts out, by placing them against door thresholds. This can help lower your monthly energy bills, too!

IV. Protect Those Pipes!

Prevent major water damage to your home by taking care of these tasks:

Remove exterior hoses which, when left attached, can trap water during the cold weather, freezing and damaging the hose bib.
Be sure to turn off interior shut-off valves for your hose bibs, and open the hose bib to allow it to drain.

V. Some Other Things You Should Keep in Mind

Reversing the rotation of ceiling fans in your home can make a difference. Clockwise rotation circulates warm air near the ceiling and sends it down to the living area!
September and October are the best times to plant bulbs. Take the time, now, to plan for and purchase bulbs for spring blooms.

Annual furnace maintenance and chimney cleaning are jobs best left for furnace and chimney pros, but many of these jobs can be done yourself. Even better, why not give US a call, instead, to lend a hand? While HRC doesn't provide furnace or fireplace/chimney maintenance services, we can take care of everything else, and so much more! Think of us when you're ready. We'd be happy to help!

Before you know it, the leaves will be changing color and the temperatures will be dropping. Take care of these fall prep tasks NOW, so you can enjoy every bit of this beautiful season when it's here!

Staying On Top of Autumn Leaves: What's the Best Way??

Whether you love them or not, the leaves are coming! It's inevitable! Some homeowners prefer to remove fallen leaves from their lawn, while others prefer to leave them be. Some who choose to remove leaves from their property prefer to bag them and put them out to be hauled away, and some like to burn their leaf piles. For something as seemingly simple as fallen leaves, there sure are a lot of things to think about when it comes to how to manage them once they hit the ground. What is best for your lawn? What is best for the environment? Let's take a look and see.

First, some PROS for both sides of the debate:

Arguments for REMOVING leaves include aesthetics (some think a leaf-covered lawn looks unkempt), and lawn health. Too thick a layer left on the lawn can smother the grass and cause mold and disease to flourish, instead.
There are also plenty of arguments for NOT REMOVING the leaves, including using them to make a great natural mulch and fertilizer for your grass and garden areas, by mowing, instead of raking, the leaves. Additionally, letting leaves be can also help protect important wildlife habitats that depend on leaf debris for their food, and for making their nests/shelters.

Even more important than choosing whether or not to remove the leaves, is how we dispose of them, if we do choose to remove them. This is the real issue. Consider the following when deciding how to dispose of leaves, should you choose to remove them:

Bagging Leaves:

The worst thing to do with leaves is to put them into bags to be hauled off to a landfill. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides some shocking statistics: "...leaves and other yard debris account for more than 13% of the nation's solid waste". That's 33 billion tons a year. Not only does that take up a HUGE amount of space in the landfills, it also causes an environmentally harmful problem. Unable to properly decompose in the landfills, this organic matter releases the greenhouse gas methane, making US landfills the biggest source of man-made methane, which greatly affects climate change by contributing to increased warming. This is definitely not a good option!

Burning Leaves:

It's also a bad idea to burn leaves. While banned in many areas, burning leaves poses a fire threat, and it pollutes the air, contributing to health issues such as respiratory problems and heart illnesses. Also not a good option!

Try These Ideas, Instead:

Find out if your municipality has a curb-side pickup program that will pickup and dispose of leaves properly. They may even have a composting service!
Mulch and/or compost the leaves yourself!
Use small leaves as mulch by raking them directly into planting beds, vegetable gardens, and around trees.

Before the leaves start falling, take a moment now to decide what's best for you, for your lawn, and for the environment. Even the simple act of raking leaves (and grass clippings, too), and what we do with them, can make a big impact!

Get to Know Us Better!

Home Repair and Care has a facebook page! We put reminders for upcoming events and other useful things here! CLICK HERE to follow us. You can even leave a review for HRC! We greatly appreciate hearing some kind words from our long list of terrific customers!

You can also give your review of Home Repair and Care on Google (CLICK HERE!).

We also have a nextdoor account! You can join our neighborhood, HERE. Feel free to "Fave" us and leave a review, also!

Upcoming Events

9/7/24: Somerset County (NJ) Electronic Waste Recycling Event, Hillsborough, 8am-2pm. For more information on this event, CLICK HERE!

9/14/24: Hunterdon County (NJ) Document Shredding Event, Flemington, 8am - 11:30am. For more information on this event, CLICK HERE!

9/21/24: Mercer County (NJ) Hazardous Waste & Electronic Waste Recycling Event, Lawrence Twp., 8am-2pm. For more information on this event, CLICK HERE!

9/21/24: Somerset County (NJ) Document Shredding Event, Hillsborough, 9am-1pm. For more information on this event, CLICK HERE!

10/5/24: Hunterdon County (NJ) Electronic Recycling Event, Flemington, 9am-1pm. For more information on this event, CLICK HERE!

10/5/24: Somerset County (NJ) Electronic Waste Recycling Event, Hillsborough, 8am-2pm. For more information on this event, CLICK HERE!

10/19/24: Hunterdon County (NJ) Document Shredding Event, Flemington, 8am-11:30am. For more information on this event, CLICK HERE!

10/19/24: Mercer County (NJ) Document Shredding Event, Trenton, 9am - 12pm. For more information on this event, CLICK HERE!

10/19/24: Somerset County (NJ) Household Hazardous Waste Day, Hillsborough, 9am-2pm. For more information on this event, CLICK HERE!

11/2/24: Somerset County (NJ) Electronic Waste Recycling Event, Hillsborough, 8am-2pm. For more information on this event, CLICK HERE!

11/16/24: Hunterdon County (NJ) Electronic Waste Recycling Event, Flemington, 9am-1pm. For more information on this event, CLICK HERE!

Bucks County (PA) Electronics Disposal Information. The following is a list of locations for electronics disposal. NOTE: A fee will be charged at these sites. Contact individual locations for further details. For list of locations, CLICK HERE!

August Monthly Maintenance List

Inspect visible pipes for leaks.
Check area around water heater for leaks.
Check for cracks, signs of dampness/leaks, and evidence of termites, rodents, etc. in basement or crawl space.
Check for wear or damage of electrical wiring/cords/plugs and replace if necessary.
Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors for proper operation.
Inspect water softener for proper operation. Add salt as needed.
Inspect loose/missing grout or caulking. Regrout or recaulk if necessary.
Inspect shower door/tub enclosure for proper fit. Adjust if necessary. Inspect caulking and recaulk if needed.

Thank You!

HRC is always thankful for having such wonderful customers to work with. Owning a home takes a lot of work but, if we work together, we can get it done! We're just a phone call away, so remember: "We do the little things that never seem to get done", and so much more!

Don't forget, we also post tips, reminders and project updates on our social media!