Don’t Forget These Outdoor Winter Maintenance Tips For Massachusetts Homeowners

Homeowners should tackle some of these jobs very soon, if they have not done so already. Beating the snow with the following tips is a very good idea!

• Clear away all items of clutter on the exterior of your home. Piles of firewood too close to the house can become a warm home for rodents.
• Rake your lawn one last time and apply winterizing fertilizer. You still have about one week past Thanksgiving to do this. Running the mower over stray, left-over leaves is allright as it can create a nice mulch for your lawn. Winterizing fertilizer can even help break down those leaves to feed your lawn over winter.
• Change any outdoor bulbs which are high enough that you need a ladder to change. Do you really want to be climbing up a ladder on a freezing cold, dark, possibly snowy night? 
• Consider applying weather-stripping to doors and applying window film to your drafty windows. This can increase your energy efficiency by a whopping 70%.
• Prune any trees that require fall pruning.
• Clear those gutters of all leaves.

Winter has settled in here in Andover and North Andover MA and so some of these jobs will jus have to wait until spring. Never the less you may still find an opportunity to prune some tree branches…particularly if you had any tree damage during this month’s ice storm.  On that note remember too that tree service contractors work throughout the winter months. Often their rate are lower than during the warmer months.  If you need a recommendation for a tree service or other experienced handyman…give me a call or send me an email.  I have a list of local service providers I’m happy to recommend.