Now that we’re in the rainy season, make sure you have taken steps to prevent water damage. Below are 5 tips to help you prevent damage and costly repairs to your home.
Home Maintenance Tips
Fall Home Prep Tips
With fall less than two weeks away, it’s a good time to implement some fall home prep tips. Here are six tips to help keep you warm, cozy and safe this winter.
Inspect Your Roof
It’s time to inspect your roof, before the weather changes from warm and dry, to wet and stormy. If you are unsure, or uncomfortable getting on your roof, hire a professional.
What Might a roof inspection include?
Scheduling a professional roof inspection every one or two years will catch potential roof problems before they become bigger. Also, it’s helpful to get an idea of how much life your roof might have left before needing to be replaced.
Typically, the following items will be checked in a roof inspection:
- General appearance of the roof’s exterior and interior to determine surface deterioration or physical damage.
- Evidence of ceiling cracks and leaks.
- Condition of fascia, gutters and drains, skylights, chimneys and vents.
- Curled, broken or missing shingles or tiles.
- Areas where water may collect, like roof valleys.
- Damaged or missing flashing points.
Ladybugs: Natural Pest Control
Keep your plants healthy and avoid dangerous pesticides by purchasing Ladybugs. Ladybugs are known to control aphids, mites and other insects that harm plants. Remember, ladybugs will fly to neighboring gardens when they have eaten the pests in your yard. Also, encourage them to stay and attract more by planting geraniums, cosmos and coneflowers. If you have pets and children, it is always best for them and the environment to seek natural pest control. Along with ladybugs, you can try green lacewing and assassin bugs. As a result, you’ll help protect the environment and have a beautiful garden.
For those with concerns about trapped vs. bred ladybugs, check out Insect Lore. This company sells larvae, which actually eat more aphids than adults. If you want to attract more native beneficial insects to your garden, try Predalure. Predualure sells a pheromone lure that attracts beneficial insects to your gardens to feed on destructive insect pests. For other beneficial insects, look into Beneficial Insectary. They provide a number of beneficial insects to control a multitude of problems.
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Mosquito Season
In Western Washington, May means the beginning of mosquito season. Take these steps to make your yard less inviting to mosquitoes:
- Remove objects like empty flower pots, buckets and containers that are collecting water
- Clean and unclog gutters to prevent standing water
- Fill in low-lying areas of flower beds and lawns to prevent water from pooling
- Fill in hollow logs and stumps so water won’t collect
- Repair damaged screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out
If you live in an area where you can’t control standing water there are still steps you can take. If you are a favorite of mosquitoes, you may already be aware of some of these.
- Stay indoors at dusk and dawn: while they can bite anytime, these are prime feeding times.
- Use CDC approved repellents: concentrate on your ankles, feet, lower legs and wrists
- Wear light colored, loose fitting clothing: apparently deep colors attract bugs
- Use Oil of lemon eucalyptus: the synthetic version is endorsed by the CDC as a repellent
These simple steps can help reduce your discomfort during mosquito season. Want more helpful tips? Click here. Would you like information regarding buying or selling a home? Get in touch – we’re here to help you reach your real estate goals.