BY BETHANY BROADWELL

Record-Eagle contributing writer

First came the spring cleaning. Then, it was time for summer fun. Now, fall maintenance and clean-up tasks are likely to be next on many people’s agendas.

Shawn O’Brien, operations manager for Maxbauer Ace Hardware, said the number of new fix-it items is somewhat limited this year, but a few products do have useful, innovative features.

The Pole Saw Wizard by Remington, for example, has an electric chainsaw on an extendable pole that reaches 15 feet to trim trees and branches.

“It’s a good idea to trim branches away from your house,” O’Brien said, “so branches don’t lay on your roof and build up moss or fill your eaves with leaves that may plug them and cause an overflow.”

Scotts Super Turf Builder with WinterGaurd and Super Turf Builder with Winter- Gaurd plus Weed Control, O’Brien described, are newly formulated fertilizers to help customers specifically prepare their lawn for winter.

“Applying a ‘winterizer’ fertilizer to your lawn will make sure it’s strong going into the winter and help get it going in the spring. This can be applied in September or October,” he said. “This will help establish weak lawns and help them survive winter and prevent some reseeding in the spring.”

The Black & Decker Leaf Hog is a new leaf blower that can attach to a bag or be used with a hose attachment to vacuum the leaves, shred them and blow them through the hose into a large, movable trash can.

O’Brien also mentioned Rubbermaid’s 27-gallon Spring Bag that springs open to hold yard waste and collapses for space-saving wall storage. According to him, it is ideal for cleaning out flowerbeds at year end because it is “lightweight, yet durable.”

Those who need more product information may call any of Maxbauer Ace Hardware’s three locations: in Traverse City at 946- 2140, in Acme at 938-2021 or Chums Corners at 943-8288.

Fall maintenance and clean-up projects left undone, according to O’Brien, can cause great damage and prove costly for homeowners. To guard against these consequences, he suggested:

• Changing a furnace filter to allow a furnace to run more efficiently and cleaner.
• Adding a fuel stabilizer to power equipment to make it easier to start in the spring.
• Caulking and insulating around windows and doors, replacing worn thresholds and installing window coverings to cut heat loss through these areas, which results in lower gas and electric bills.
• Sealing cracks and holes to help prevent pests from getting into the home.

While some perform fall household chores out of necessity, O’Brien said, “Many people enjoy doing fall clean-up because it’s some of the last nice days of the summer, and it gets them outside to enjoy it.”

“Lawn renovation of any kind is best done in the fall,” said Brian Macdonell, president of Traverse Outdoor, Inc. “The cooler evening temperatures and consistent rainfall make for ideal conditions for filling in bare or deficient areas or complete re-seeding of the entire lawn.”

For those thinking of pruning, Macdonell said, “It is important to realize that the proper time to prune trees depends on the species of the tree, the condition of the tree and the purpose of the pruning.”

He indicated the late fall season is a good time to prune for shape and structure because leaves are not present. Trees such as elm, maple and birch, he described, tend to ooze sap, so it is best to prune them in the winter when the sap is not flowing throughout the canopy of the tree.

Macdonell suggested contacting the local agricultural extension office for specific pruning recommendations.

The services Traverse Outdoor offers in the fall are lawn fertilization and renovation, dormant fertilization of trees and shrubs, pruning, winter protection for all plant material and sprinkler system winterization. Macdonell added that it is also a great time, maybe the best, for new plantings.

For more, call Traverse Outdoor at 947-4496.

Phil and Carole Swiderski have been homeowners on Old Mission Peninsula for about the last four years. They are a couple who manages to complete nearly all of their maintenance projects on their own.

With their steep driveway, it is already on their minds to be making sure their snow blowing equipment is all tuned up and ready for use. Getting out the snow shovels and having the ice melt ready are precautions they like to take before the first snow.

The advantage to doing the work himself is straightforward for someone like Phil who is extremely capable with tools and home maintenance.

“I like the idea of performing most of these tasks myself, as I know they will be done right,” he said. “The only time I hire someone to help me is if I cannot do it myself.”

For homeowners who need to rely on a handyman, Paul Tyrer, president of Expert Handyman Services in Williamsburg, just might be the one to call.

Sealing homes by caulking windows and doors, cleaning gutters and winterizing summer residences are among the jobs he is most frequently asked to handle. Customers, he said, should typically plan on giving him two weeks lead time if they want his service.

People need to consider hiring a handyman, according to Tyrer, if they have time constraints or if they need professional guidance.

He advised that clients should expect their handyman to be experienced, licensed and insured, prompt, available, responsive, honest and willing to name satisfied references.

Tyrer concluded a handyman should be “someone whose main objective is the customers’ satisfaction, keeping their best interest at heart.”

For more information, contact Expert Handyman Services at 264-0129.