No, patio cushions should not stay outside all year, unless the weather in your area is usually dry. If you live in Arizona with a year-round outdoor pool, your cushions will only need the occasional cleaning, but they may fade more quickly from constant sun exposure.
Conversely, “if rainfall is frequent where you live, you should keep them sneaked away inside a shed or storage closet of some kind,” says Kate Diaz, founder of Swanky Den. Exposure to moisture can degrade cushion fillings over time and encourage mold growth.
Here’s how to clean and store outdoor patio cushions to make them last.
For some, a lawn carpeted with leaves is a perennial hassle of autumn. For others, those leaves offer a windfall of free mulch and fertilizer. Whether you like them or not, fallen leaves play an important role in your yard’s life cycle.
As they gradually break down, they return nutrients to the soil and eventually become soil themselves. Too thick of a layer of leaves can damage your grass, but removing leaves entirely interferes with important ecological processes.
Here are some steps to find the balance and ease your leafy workload.
Has The Thinking About Raking Leaves Changed Over The Years?
“It depends on whose thinking you’re talking about,” says David Mizejewski, a naturalist with the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). “The whole idea about raking the leaves is very much about the lawn, to make sure they don’t smother the lawn. So for grass, fertilizer and lawn machinery companies, their thinking hasn’t changed.”
But ecologically speaking, more people are becoming aware of the role leaves play in maintaining healthy soil and ecosystems. Keeping a thin layer of leaves on your lawn going into winter also saves you money on fertilizer and mulch.
“The benefit of leaving them is they act as a natural fertilizer for your lawn,” says Tammy Sons, the owner of Tennessee Wholesale Nursery. “As they break down, their nutrients are returned to the soil. Another benefit is you don’t have to rake them!”
Adds Mizejewski, who works with NWF’s Garden For Wildlife program: “We are encouraging people to keep as many of those fallen leaves in their property as they can. It’s a real opportunity for regular average citizens to get involved in wildlife conservation literally right outside their door.”
Why Do Leaves Change Colors as the Weather Changes?
Leaves lose their chlorophyll, which gives them their green color. Chlorophyll absorbs energy from sunlight and transforms carbon dioxide and water into sugars and starches. In the fall, other chemical pigments in the leaf become visible. Things like carotenes, which make carrots orange.
The brilliance and length of fall colors depend on temperature, light and moisture. A wet summer and a cool fall create bright colors, but an early frost will turn leaves brown.
Why Do Trees Lose Their Leaves?
Trees ditch their leaves to conserve moisture and other resources.
“Essentially, leaves are there to capture sunlight, so that the plant can use that in photosynthesis to create food for itself,” says Mizejewski. But as the days grow shorter, trees can no longer photosynthesize and need to hold on to moisture, which leaves require. “Trees cut their losses and say we don’t need you anymore to be sucking up our resources,” Mizejewski says.
To discard their leaves, trees grow a layer of cells between the branch and the stem of the leaf, which severs the connection. The tree seals the cut and the leaves fall.
Do Some Trees Lose Their Leaves in One Part of the Country and Not in Another?
Not really. Generally, species of trees that lose their leaves will lose them regardless of location. However, within broader classifications of trees, this will vary. Northern red oaks lose their leaves while live oaks, their southern counterparts, keep them until spring. Then they shed them as new leaves replace the old ones.
Which Trees Keep Their Leaves During Winter?
Many deciduous trees, which generally have broad, flat leaves, lose their leaves during winter, while evergreens stay green all year long. But most evergreens also lose their leaves. It’s just not as noticeable because they keep them until spring, or they replace leaves as they lose them.
“Then there are some kinds of trees that, even though the leaves die, they hang onto them, such as some oaks, beech, willows and hornbeans,” says Mizejewski. There’s no consensus on why. It could be to protect buds from animals like deer, or to direct moisture to the roots, or to hang on to the nutrients for the spring when the roots are most active.
What Happens To Leaves During Winter?
After they fall, they cover the root zone of the tree, creating a natural mulch. Then they slowly break down and turn into compost. “They essentially become the soil,” says Mizejewski. “Then those nutrients become available to the tree to reabsorb.”
Is It Bad To Leave Leaves on the Ground?
No and yes, but mostly no. Fallen leaves are a wealth of free mulch and fertilizer. They’re also good for wildlife, attracting birds and butterflies. Some butterflies and most moths depend on leaf layers for part of their life cycles. And almost all backyard birds depend heavily on the insects and spiders that live in leaf layers to feed their young.
“It takes a lot of these insects,” Mizejewski says. “A nesting pair of chickadees catch between six thousand and nine thousand invertebrates to raise their babies. That means your leaf choices can make the difference for the survival of a nest of baby birds.”
The downside to leaving leaves? A thick layer on the lawn all winter will likely smother the grass so it won’t grow well come spring. So to keep the grassy parts of your yard happy, shred leaves with a mower once they’ve dried out. Then it’s fine to leave them in place, as long as some sunlight can still get through.
Generally you should dry or “season” firewood for six to 18 months before burning. But Mike Kuhns, a Utah State University professor and extension forester, says that time frame can be too broad to be useful. Luckily there are plenty of ways to narrow that window.
Factors To Consider When Drying Firewood
When planning your next firewood purchase, or when you dip into your existing woodpile, consider these factors:
Water content
Buying pre-dried wood is preferable, Kuhns says, “as long as you don’t have to pay a lot more for it.” If you’re buying green wood, which holds plenty of moisture, don’t plan to burn it right away. Water left in firewood boils off when the wood burns, using up some of its heat content and emitting more smoke. Rather, prepare an area where the wood can quickly and properly season.
To get a head start on the drying process, cut and burn dead trees.
“Burning wood from trees that were dead for a while when you cut it is OK,” Kuhns said. “Generally the dead wood will start burning more easily. However, if it has been dead for a long time, it will start to decay, which means less heat.”
Average humidity and temperature
If you’re buying green firewood to save money, do it as early as possible. Firewood seasons the quickest in the spring through the hot days of summer, when the temperature is high and the humidity low. If that’s not possible, you can super-charge the drying process with a homemade firewood kiln. In one of these, wood that would take months to season can be dried in days.
Wood species
Contrary to popular belief, denser wood doesn’t necessarily have a higher water content, but it typically will take longer to season. The wait might be worth it, though, because denser wood produces about double the amount of heat of a lighter wood.
“Quaking aspen, for example, is a light wood that is 2,160 pounds per cord dry, with heat content of 18.2 million Btus (British thermal units) per cord,” Kuhns says. “On the other hand, white oak is a very dense wood species, with 4,200 pounds per dry cord and heat content of 29.1 million Btus per dry cord. This is almost twice the heat content of aspen.”
Proper Stacking
Kuhns recommend buying split wood or splitting it yourself. “The sooner you do it and the smaller the pieces the better, though it is usually enough to split a round into two to four pieces,” Kuhns says.
The split pieces let air circulate better. Split wood with one side of bark catches fire more easily than pieces with bark on four sides.
Stack the wood loosely and off the ground to allow more air circulation, which quickens drying times. Keep the pile covered during rain and throughout the winter months.
How To Test Firewood for Dryness
So how can you tell if your wood is properly seasoned? There are a few simple ways.
The visual test
Look for cracks in the end grain, visible at the front of your wood pile. As wood dries, the ends split, gradually opening wider and wider. Green wood still has a bright color, while aged wood will look dull and gray.
The audio test
Dried wood will sound hollow if you tap on it or drop it on the ground. Green wood lands with a thud.
The weight test
Less water in the wood lightens the weight, sometimes by as much as half. This chart will tell you how much your seasoned firewood should weigh compared to its greener counterpart.
The electronic test
For utmost accuracy, try a simple moisture meter. Seasoned wood has a moisture content of less than 20 percent.
So, How Long Should You Dry Firewood?
There are too many variables to offer a definitive answer. If you do everything correctly when seasoning the wood — cut it into smaller pieces, stack it loosely off the ground, cover it in the rain and snow, dry it in a warm climate with little humidity — you’ll likely have fine, burnable wood in six to nine months.
But what’s your hurry? Our best advice: Season your wood as long as possible. As long as your wood is seasoning properly and you don’t need to burn it right away, there’s no harm in waiting two, three or even four years. (After four years, the wood may start to decay.) By waiting longer, the moisture level in the wood will continue dropping, making it even more efficient to burn.
Did you know your grass can go through an autumn growth spurt? The best times to plant cool-season grasses are fall and spring, when temperatures are lower.
According to certified lawn care technician and House Grail consultant Emilly Barbosa Fernandes, some lawns actually need more water in the fall than they do in the summer. The source of that water and when to stop watering lawns will depend on the weather in your area.
“This window of seasonal change represents that last and best opportunity for recovery before winter,” says Dr. Frank Rossi, chief science officer at Sunday. “The best natural defense for spring weeds and other lawn problems is to patch and seed a healthier lawn today.”
Besides its importance in lawn care tasks like fertilizing, water helps your lawn recover from the summer. And even if your turf grass growth slows in the fall, it will grow some. It needs water to do that. “Typically, the lawn requires one to 1.5 inches of water per week,” says Fernandes.
Adjust your watering based on rainfall. If it tends to rain more in the fall in your area, you’ll likely water less. So if you get 1/2-in. of rain per week in your area, Fernandes suggests resetting your irrigation system to water only 1/2-in. to one inch.
Temperature is another consideration for fall irrigation. Grass dries out much more quickly in the summer heat. “As temperatures cool during the fall, your lawn will need less and less water,” Rossi says. Gradually reduce your watering as temperatures drop to match your lawn’s need.
When To Stop Watering the Lawn in Fall
You might be surprised by how late you can mow and water your lawn. Fernandes says to continue watering until the ground freezes, but take care not to overwater. Gradually reduce watering until the average nighttime temperatures are in the low 30s, then stop. Water won’t penetrate once the ground freezes.
“Watering in colder climates can lead to disease, so it is critical to reduce how often and how long you water your lawn,” Rossi says. Overwatering is one of the most common grass problems homeowners face. It can lead to yellow grass and fungus issues, such as mushrooms.
Do You Need to Water in Winter?
Like fall watering, winter watering depends on your location and weather. “You should stop watering completely in colder climates,” says Rossi. “In warmer climates, that means greatly cutting down your water use.”
If your ground never freezes and your grass grows all year, some winter watering may be necessary to keep your lawn looking fresh. But if you’re getting some rain, that might be enough. Ask your neighbors or local garden center to find out what works in your area.
What About Sprinkler Systems?
Unless temperatures never dip below freezing in your area, you’ll need to winterize your sprinkler system before the first freeze. Water left in the pipes can freeze, and frozen pipes will burst. You can hire a professional to winterize your system or do it yourself with an air compressor.
Permits are required for many projects, and not all building departments require permits for the same ones. But here’s a good rule of thumb: If you’re working underground or behind a wall, you’ll probably need to pull a permit. Because permit costs vary from location to location (and even from neighborhood to neighborhood), we’ll cover a range of expected costs for common projects. Contact your local Building Department to get the specifics.
Here is a sampling of projects, from relatively simple to complex, and what you can expect to pay for the necessary building permits:
Fence Installation
Fence permits generally cost between $50 and $100. Some cities simply collect the fee, while others require an inspection.
If your city does perform an inspection, check to see if they need to inspect the post holes. Some municipalities want to see the depth and stability of the post hole. You don’t want to redo any of your work because you forgot to have them come out to the jobsite.
Window/Door Replacement
Window and door replacements are perfect examples of building permits that vary wildly in cost. Some municipalities don’t require permits at all if the replacement windows or doors are the same size as the original.
If your local building department does require a permit, expect to pay about $50 to $100 to replace a single door or one or two windows. If you’re replacing more than that, the cost can vary more dramatically. Many locations top out costs around $250 no matter how many units are being replaced, but other cities don’t have that limit, so replacing a dozen windows could run $600 in permit fees.
If your local building department requires a permit, it may be a so-called “drive by” permit, where the inspector simply drives past and verifies that the work has been done. This may make the permit seem less important. But remember: Because window and door work is so visible from the street, skipping the permit will likely result in a fine or stop-work order from the city.
New Window/Door Installation
A window or door installation that requires a new opening (or an opening expansion) will almost always need a permit, and may require a stamped engineer’s drawing.
The permit fee is also likely to be more expensive than a straight replacement. Figure a minimum of $75 to $125 for the base project, with some municipalities charging up to $250. It’s rare to put in multiple new windows and doors, but if your project will involve cutting in more than three or four openings, expect to scale the permit cost accordingly.
Deck Installation
A new deck installation usually requires a permit, with a fee in the range of $150 to $350. Inspections will likely occur for the footer holes and at completion, although that will also vary from department to department. Note that if you’re replacing an existing deck, most municipalities won’t require a permit as long as the footprint of the deck remains unchanged.
Roof Replacement
Most roof replacements require a permit, but it’s rare to find a city that charges outside the $200 to $500 range. Much like a window or door installation, a roof job is highly visible and likely to be spotted by local building authorities, so it’s well worth the time and money to get your permit pulled ahead of time.
Bathroom Remodel
In general, expect to pay between $400 and $750 in permits for a full bathroom remodel. That may seem expensive, but consider that these projects often involve electric, plumbing and HVAC, as well as a general construction permit. That means even a small bathroom remodel requires the same number of permits and inspections as a much larger job. Luckily, many municipal Building Departments have costs that scale to match the square footage of the project.
Also, remember our rule of thumb about work behind the wall needing a permit. In general, if you want to replace your bathroom sink, lights or vent fan, you do not need a permit. But if you move that sink two feet to the right, and need to adjust the supply and drain lines, that most likely will require a permit.
New Garage
An unfinished garage with no plumbing or HVAC will likely only require an electric permit for the garage door opener and overhead lights, and a general construction permit. Your specific municipality may also require a roofing permit. As always, these costs will vary, but $450 to $1,000 is a reasonable range.
Kitchen Remodel
A kitchen remodel requires the same inspections as a bathroom remodel, but on a larger scale. Check with your Building Department, but once you factor in electric, plumbing, HVAC and a general construction permit, you’ll likely be in the $750 to $1,500 range.
Two-Story Addition
A two-story addition is about as complex as a project gets, short of building an entirely new home. This type of project requires multiple permits and inspections throughout the process. Expect to pay somewhere between $1,250 and $2,500 to cover electric, plumbing, HVAC, framing, drywall, insulation and roofing.
The exact permit cost will depend on the size of the addition as well as whether your Building Department gives a price break for having multiple permits on a single project. Also worth considering is whether your neighborhood or homeowners association (HOA) has a review board, and whether they charge a fee. As always, this due diligence should be done before you firm up the details of your project plan.
Note: No one seems to know for sure, but it is generally accepted that the term “pulling a permit” comes from a time when someone had to physically pull the paperwork for the permit out of a filing cabinet!
There’s no denying the ambiance of a wood-burning fireplace. The rosy glow, crackling sounds and gentle heat create an unmistakably cozy space on chilly fall evenings. But owning a fireplace is a lot of work — too much for many people. If you hardly use your fireplace, the upkeep might be more than it’s worth. That’s one of the reasons people choose to close off a fireplace.
Closing off a fireplace means “sealing off the fireplace opening and or flue system to stop the flow of air to and from your home,” says Carol Ann Blaken of MCP Chimney & Masonry INC. This flow of air can hurt your home’s energy efficiency. Even with a damper, chimneys can let warm air out and cold air in, or vice versa in the summer. Some of these ways to close off a fireplace are temporary, so you can save on heating bills while preserving the fireplace’s functionality.
