5 Easy Home Repairs to Tackle This Labor Day
Labor Day isn’t just a three-day weekend or a harbinger of summer’s end. This historic U.S. holiday honors the spirit of the American worker and the many achievements made by the labor movement. No one would blame you for not wanting to tackle housework on such an occasion given the nature of this holiday; the whole point, after all, is to take a break from all the hard work. However, there’s no denying that Labor Day in many ways provides a final opportunity to take care of those things you’ve been putting off. With autumn right around the corner, the clock’s ticking on any remaining summer projects, and having three whole days to yourself just might inspire you to get across the finish line.
It being Labor Day weekend and all, you don’t have to take on anything too laborious, of course. You can always wait until later in fall to handle residential exterior painting and put off wallpaper removal until winter. When it comes to less intensive projects, though, there are plenty to consider before summer comes to a close. Let’s explore five of these relatively easy home repairs to tackle this Labor Day.
1. Pressure Wash Your House Exterior
As we’ve discussed several times before in previous blogs, it’s important to thoroughly clean your home’s exterior at least once a year (twice is ideal), especially after winter in preparation for spring. Pressure washing offers the most efficient means for removing dirt and grime for your siding, gutters, and other external features. If it’s been about six months since you last pressure washed your home, Labor Day weekend serves as a good reminder to have at it again. Indeed, the hot, sticky air coupled with harsh sunlight, regular rainfall, pests, and other summer conditions can leave your home caked in dirt by the end of the season. While your home will get dirty again during the fall and winter, it’s a good idea to give your home a fresh start to minimize the buildup of mold, mildew, and other debris that can create more serious issues.
Fortunately, it won’t take you all weekend to pressure wash your home -- the process typically takes only 1-2 hours at most. That said, unless you have access to a quality pressure washer and know how to use it properly, it’s best to hire pressure washing services to get the job done. Otherwise, you might end up damaging your home’s surfaces, leaving you with even more work to do this Labor Day weekend.
2. Check Your Deck
If you plan on spending some well-earned time on the deck this Labor Day, you might as well take a closer look at it while you’re out there. Ideally, you would have cleaned, inspected, and repaired your deck in early spring. Whether you did this or not, it’s worth running another examination at the end of summer to assess any potential damage that occurred over the past six months or so. Just as the heat, sunlight, rain, and various pests can harm your siding, these factors can do a number on your deck during the summer. You might notice holes in the wood from wood-boring insects or faded, peeling paint from ultraviolet rays. If you leave your deck in this vulnerable state, the incoming autumn weather can wreak further havoc. This Labor Day, then, you might tackle some deck sanding and staining to protect your deck’s surfaces from the colder months to come.
3. Liven Up Your Landscape
While not a direct “home repair” per se, landscape improvements greatly affect your property’s overall curb appeal. You can tackle this project in any number of ways depending on your personal preferences and the size of your lawn. For instance, you might simply mow the grass and plant some seeds in areas that lack growth. If you’re feeling more ambitious this Labor Day weekend, you might start a garden or update your existing one, install window boxes and seasonal potted plants, establish a fire pit in the back yard for cool autumn nights, etc. It’s also a good idea to start preparing your lawn for fall by testing and aerating your soil, fertilizing, controlling weeds, and so on. The more you do now to improve your lawn’s health and appearance, the easier it will be to maintain when things cool down.
4. Freshen Up Your Kitchen Cabinets
Your home’s exterior isn’t the only area that deserves your attention if you’re in renovation mode this coming Labor Day weekend. There might be many aspects of your interior that you’ve been meaning to either repair or change in some way. Kitchens tend to receive the most scrutiny in this regard, and for good reason. Your kitchen, after all, is one of the most valuable rooms in your home, and a lot goes on there. If you’re looking to update your kitchen in some way, start with your cabinets. First, consider their color -- are they due for a fresh coat of paint or stain? Note that there are many steps to paint kitchen cabinets properly, so this wouldn’t be considered an “easy” home repair. Fortunately, you don’t need to completely overhaul your cabinets to improve your kitchen this Labor Day. Something as simple as replacing your cabinets’ outdated hardware and touching up some faded or chipped spots can go a long way toward enhancing your kitchen as a whole.
5. Restore Your Front Door
The front door donning your home is one of the first features passersby will see. It’s also the primary portal into your abode. So, if you want to make your home more eye-catching and welcoming this Labor Day, consider updating your front door. One way to give your door some new life is to paint it a vibrant color. Of course, you may need to first remove your door to coat it fully and evenly -- this is often a good time of year to do so considering temperatures are usually reasonable. You might also hire professionals to refinish your door, coating it with paint or stain and updating its hardware if necessary. In the most extreme cases, you might replace your door entirely, but this can be a costly proposition in its own right.
Leveling Up Your Home for Labor Day
As summer nears its end, think about those smaller to mid-sized home improvement projects you’ve let fall to the wayside. This Labor Day may just provide the perfect opportunity to make up for lost time and set your home up for the coming months. If you’re not confident in your ability to tackle some of these projects or you’d rather not work over Labor Day weekend, the experts at Nash Painting will help pick up the slack. Our year-round experts have helped homeowners all across Nashville, Franklin, and Brentwood, TN improve and protect their properties for the long haul.
To learn more about us, our services, and our values, call us at 615-829-6858 today!