It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for. As I announced last Friday, we have an exciting guest joining me for today’s post.
He’s a know-it-all with many names: the James Bond of Home Improvement, Mr. Fix-It, and Ace Hardware’s Helpful Hardware Man are just a few. Have you figured out who it is yet?
It’s Lou Manfredini, a nationally recognized DIY expert who’s a master of giving tips on gardening, lawn maintenance, and home improvement safety.
If his name sounds familiar, that’s probably because he has authored five DIY Books, has a call-in radio show with WGN Radio in Chicago called “The Mr. Fix-It Show,” and hosts a nationally syndicated TV program called “House Smarts.”
But today, he’s adding a new moniker to the list: Mr. Home Know-It-All. And he’s here to help you get your home ready for winter. So, without further ado, let’s get the Helpful Hardware Man talking.
Q: In a lot of the country, it's getting to be crunch time-if homeowners don't tackle outdoor maintenance soon, it might be too late to beat the snow. What should homeowners' top priorities be for outdoor maintenance right now?
A: Clean up all the clutter around the outside of the home. Those areas where firewood or junk may be piled up against the house can be a safe haven for rodents. And they want to get it! Other priorities should be to rake up the lawn one last time and apply some winterizing fertilizer, you have until about one week after Thanksgiving to do this for most of the country. Also, change any outdoor lighting especially those up high to make sure you are not up on a ladder in the freezing cold for some of you.
Q: The idea of weatherproofing can be intimidating-it seems like it will be time-consuming and challenging to many busy homeowners! Why is it worth doing-and what are the basics homeowners should make sure they take the time to do?
A: By applying weather stripping and or a window film to a drafty window or door you can increase the energy efficiency of that opening by 70%! We all have time for that kind of savings. Most of the products use double-sided tape so if you can wrap a present you can weather strip a door.
Q: All the leaves in our yard right now are the bane of my existence. Any tips for getting them out of the way as quickly and easily as possible before my neighbors run me out of town?
A: Rake up as much as you can but then feel free to run the mower over what's left to create a mulch. If you add winterizing fertilizer you will actually help that mulch to break down and help feed the lawn.
Q: Maybe this is a no-no, but I'm going to ask anyway: What typical fall maintenance chores could homeowners get away with skipping if they run out of time?
A: Pruning trees and bushes and applying winterizing fertilizer to the lawn (although in the spring you will need to wait a little longer for it to green up).
Q: Now that we're stuck indoors more, what are easy maintenance projects to tackle indoors this time of year?
A: Vacuum all of the HVAC registers to improve the indoor air quality in your home. You can also upgrade the furnace filters to pleated types that will catch more airborne particulates. Another great project is to bring your kitchen cabinets back to life with a product called Howards-Restore-A-Finish and #0000 steel wool. It's like a face peel for your cabinets.
Q: Are there any great tools or products that can make fall maintenance easier for homeowners?
A: How about 66,000 of them—that's what we have access to at Ace! But there are all new lines of eco-friendly tools for outdoors that I would recommend investing in. Cordless lawn mowers, propane-fired weed trimmers, natural fertilizers and good old-fashioned outdoor tools to let you work up a sweat as you get your home ready for the winter all will help you be more environmentally friendly while working in the great outdoors!
That’s it from Lou—for now. Thanks for sharing your expertise with readers, Lou. We look forward to chatting again soon!
Until tomorrow,
The Home Know-It-All
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