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Home / Home care

This season

Fall projects

What to get done before the rains and Santa Ana winds, with the tools you need for each.

Clean gutters before the first rain

Clean gutters before the first rain

2 to 4 hours

Extension ladder with standoff ›Gutter scoop and bucket ›Leaf blower with gutter kit (optional) ›Garden hose ›Work gloves and eye protection ›

Set the ladder on firm, level ground; never lean it on the gutter itself.
Scoop debris from the downspout end toward the far end.
Flush with the hose and watch each downspout drain freely.
Unclog a downspout from the bottom with the hose or a drain snake.
Add splash blocks or extensions so water lands at least 4 to 6 feet from the foundation.

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Weatherstrip doors and re-caulk windows

Weatherstrip doors and re-caulk windows

An afternoon

Battery caulk gun ›Exterior-grade sealant ›Utility knife and scraper ›Door weatherstrip kit and sweep ›Rubbing alcohol and rags ›

Close the door on a sheet of paper; if it slides out easily, the seal is gone.
Scrape old cracked caulk and clean with alcohol.
Run a steady bead with the caulk gun at 45 degrees and tool it smooth.
Replace door weatherstrip and the bottom sweep.
Check again on a windy day for drafts.

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Clear brush for Santa Ana wind season

Clear brush for Santa Ana wind season

A weekend

String trimmer ›Chainsaw or pruning saw ›Leaf blower ›Rake and green-waste bins ›Chaps, eye and hearing protection ›

Clear dead plants, leaves and needles from roofs, gutters and within 5 feet of the house.
Cut grass and weeds low out to about 30 feet, and thin brush beyond that as local rules require.
Limb trees up off the ground and away from the roof.
Move firewood and lumber piles away from the house.
Check your city or county fire department rules for required distances.

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Hang holiday lights safely

Hang holiday lights safely

2 to 3 hours

Ladder ›Plastic light clips ›Outdoor-rated extension cords ›Outdoor GFCI outlet or GFCI cord ›Outdoor timer ›

Test every strand on the ground first; toss frayed ones.
Plug into a GFCI-protected outdoor outlet.
Use clips, not nails or staples, on gutters and shingles.
Don't link more strands than the package allows.
Put them on a timer so they're not running all night.

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Fix sunken pavers before the rain

Fix sunken pavers before the rain

A day

Plate compactor ›Paver extractor or flat bars ›Base gravel and bedding sand ›Screed board and level ›Polymeric sand and a blower ›

Pull pavers from the low area and stack them in order.
Add base gravel in thin layers and compact each one.
Screed an even inch of bedding sand.
Reset the pavers and compact the area.
Sweep in polymeric sand, blow off the surface and mist per the bag.

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Aerate and overseed a cool-season lawn

Aerate and overseed a cool-season lawn

Half a day

Mower ›Core aerator (rent) ›Broadcast spreader ›Grass seed and starter fertilizer ›Sprinkler timer ›

Mow short and bag the clippings.
Run the core aerator over the whole lawn.
Spread seed and starter fertilizer at the bag rate.
Water lightly once or twice a day until the seed sprouts.
Mow the new grass when it reaches mowing height.

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