What Happens to Your Outdoor Living Space in the Fall
Where does summer go, anyway? This is a common question homeowners ask themselves every September, especially as they take stock of their outdoor living space. After spending so much time getting your deck, patio, or porch summer-ready, you might not feel ready to transition to fall. If you don’t make some key preparations, however, your outdoor spaces will suffer from the seasonal shift. If nothing else, planning ahead of time will allow you to keep enjoying your outdoor areas all autumn long. Let’s go over the various things that will happen to your outdoor living space as fall enters the fray and what you can do about it.
What to Expect in Outdoor Living Spaces in Fall
The Outside Air Might Get Too Cold for Comfort
The drop in temperature is the most obvious harbinger of fall. Just because things cool down doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy your outdoor living space, however. While there’s still some warm weather left, consider the different ways in which you might keep your outdoor space cozy. A patio-ready fire pit is a strong addition to any outdoor living space, keeping everyone warm while providing a bright centerpiece for family and friends to gather. You can also warm things up with propane heaters, which provide some ambient heat while adding some style to your space.
The Evening Falls Earlier
Not only do things get cooler during fall -- the days get shorter, too. While the diminishment of daylight can be a bummer, it’s also a great excuse to enjoy some evening outdoor hangouts, if your outdoor areas are well-lit, of course. Indeed, if you want to get the most out of your outdoor living space during autumn, consider adjusting or adding to your current lighting setup. You might go with dim, warm lights for ambience or really brighten things up with color-changing LEDs. The way you decide to light your outdoor living space will in no small part determine its atmosphere and influence its function.
Leaves Litter Your Outdoor Surfaces
Autumn is nicknamed “fall” for a reason. As the season takes hold, leaves begin to change color and eventually fall from their branches. While this annual shedding is a beautiful sight, it also makes quite the mess. Before long, leaves can swarm your deck, porch, and/or patio, along with your outdoor furniture. While these fallen leaves certainly get you in the mood for fall activities, they won’t allow you safely to enjoy your outdoor living spaces. Not only that -- an abundance of wet leaves can deteriorate your outdoor surfaces, leading to rot, mold, mildew, and more. So, the sooner you remove this debris from your property, the better. Daily sweeping will help you keep up with the season’s gifts, but nothing can compete with a good power washing (so long as you know what you’re doing -- otherwise, hire professionals).
Wood Materials May Warp
The shift from summer to fall creates many conditions that can cause outdoor wooden surfaces to crack and warp. For starters, regular rainfall will allow moisture to seep into any nooks, crannies, and pores it can find. Then, as temperatures continue to fall and become more chaotic throughout the day, the water inside these wooden materials will expand and contract, moving the wood with it. If your wooden deck isn’t protected with durable deck stain or paint, these outcomes are much more likely. During and after the season, then, you may need to invest in carpentry and staining services to keep your outdoor living space safe, sturdy, and appealing.
Don’t Let Your Outdoor Living Space Fall to the Elements
Whether you’re looking forward to fall or dreading the end of summer, your outdoor living space doesn’t have to pay the price of seasonal change. The experts at Anderson Painting are here to help you protect, maintain, and repair your exterior features via our wide range of year-round services, including pressure washing, siding repair, carpentry, concrete coatings, deck staining, exterior painting, and more. To learn more about us and all we can do, call today at 919-610-1855 or email us at info@andersonpaintingnc.com!
