Create ‘Autumn-Atic’ Curb Appeal for Your Home This Fall

MOORESVILLE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--When most people think of fall, they think of the crispness in the air, shorter days and all of those leaves. To lighten the load on landscaping projects and help ready any home with seasonal updates, Lowe’s recommends five easy ways to welcome fall with style. You can plan now and enjoy the autumn season when it arrives.

Fall Landscape 101

Make the most of the cooler temperatures and make your neighbors green with envy. Add some new color to your garden by removing leftover summer annuals and replacing them with traditional fall plants such as chrysanthemums, pansies, ornamental cabbage and kale. If you’ve grown your own garden, autumn temperatures are ideal for planting broccoli, turnips, beets, carrots and other vegetables.

Ready the Lawn for Spring 2013

Aerating, seeding and fertilizing your yard this fall will help create a healthy lawn in the spring. Aeration allows for greater movement of water, fertilizer and air, stimulating a healthy lawn. Next, clean up leaves, sticks and rocks that can harbor diseases over the winter.

Time to Store

This is one project that can be easy to forget, but it’s important to keep your tools and home in working order with simple maintenance. Start with a tuneup on your lawn mower’s blade, engine and cables to keep them from corroding while in storage. Disconnect all garden hoses from outside faucets and drain the water; coil and store them where they won’t freeze. For sprinkler systems, hire a professional to blow out residual water before the ground freezes.

Keep Out the Big Chill

Keep Old Man Winter’s chill outside by sealing small cracks around windows and doors with caulk and weather-stripping. Autumn is the time to replace windows and you can save up to $150 to $500 a year (depending on local climate) by replacing single-paned windows with windows that have earned the ENERGY STAR® rating. Set the thermostat on the recommended winter setting (68 degrees Fahrenheit) or install a programmable thermostat for efficient use of the home’s heating system.

Spice up Curb Appeal

Spend a nice autumn afternoon updating your front door curb appeal. It’s inexpensive to add a fresh coat of colorful paint and a new kick plate after it dries. Afterward, add a new welcome mat and potted mums to complete the fresh look. Add extra light and bring the outdoors in by adding a ventilating storm door to see all the beautiful fall colors and enjoy the cooler temperatures. Another way to bring the fall colors inside: Fill a basket or bowl with gourds, leaves and pinecones for your dining room table.

Visit Lowes.com or LowesCreativeIdeas.com for more tips and information on how to enjoy your autumn season.

About Lowe’s

With fiscal year 2011 sales of $50.2 billion, Lowe’s Companies, Inc. is a FORTUNE^® 100 company that serves approximately 15 million customers a week at more than 1,745 home improvement stores in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Founded in 1946 and based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe’s is the second-largest home improvement retailer in the world. For more information, visit Lowes.com

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