Tackle Fall Leaves the Smart Way

If you live in New England, you already know the drill: one day your lawn looks perfect, and the next it’s buried under a crunchy blanket of red, orange, and gold. While a few leaves can add charm, too many can smother your grass, invite pests, and cause slippery walkways. But before you grab the rake and start waging war, there’s a better, smarter way to manage your autumn cleanup.

The Case for Raking (and When to Do It)

When leaves pile up, they block sunlight and trap moisture, creating the perfect environment for mold, disease, and dead patches of grass. That’s why timing is everything. Start raking when about half your trees have dropped their leaves, and again right before the first snowfall. If you wait until every last leaf has fallen, you’ll end up with a soggy, compacted mess that’s harder to remove.

Dry days are your best friend. Wet leaves are heavier, stickier, and can quickly clog your rake. Choose a breezy, low-humidity afternoon, and work in sections so you’re not battling the whole yard at once.

Tools of the Trade

Not all rakes are created equal. A classic 24-inch plastic or poly rake is light, flexible, and easy on the back. Metal rakes are great for tough patches or wet leaves but can tear delicate turf. Some homeowners swear by “no-clog” rakes, which use tines spaced wider apart so leaves don’t stick.

If you want to save serious time, consider upgrading to a leaf blower or a mulching mower. A blower makes short work of large yards, while a mulching mower chops leaves into fine pieces that decompose right into your lawn, creating essentially free fertilizer.

Rake Smarter, Not Harder

Most people make one big mistake: raking randomly. Instead, start along your lawn’s perimeter and work inward, moving leaves onto a large tarp. When the tarp fills, drag it to your compost pile or curbside leaf collection. It’s faster and saves your back from hundreds of bending motions.

Use the wind to your advantage, not against it. Rake with the wind direction, not into it. And if your neighborhood allows curbside collection, check the schedule. There’s nothing worse than finishing your raking marathon only to watch your neatly raked piles blow around for two rainy weeks.

Mulch, Compost, or Bag?

Each option has its perks. Mulching leaves with your mower saves time, enriches your soil, and supports beneficial organisms in your lawn. Composting is another eco-friendly choice - just mix dry leaves with green materials like grass clippings or kitchen scraps for the perfect compost balance.

Bagging, while less sustainable, is sometimes unavoidable, especially if your town requires it. If so, look for biodegradable paper bags rather than plastic. Your local transfer station or public works department likely has them in stock.

Protect Your Lawn and Yourself

Don’t overlook safety and comfort. Wear gloves to avoid blisters, sturdy shoes for traction, and long sleeves to fend off scratches and ticks. Stretch before and after - yes, really - because leaf raking can burn up to 300 calories an hour. Think of it as an outdoor workout with built-in results.

When you’re done, give your lawn one final low-cut mow to keep it neat through winter. It’ll help prevent matting and give new spring grass room to grow.

When “Leaving the Leaves” Makes Sense

Here’s the good news: not every leaf has to go. A thin layer - an inch or less - can actually benefit your lawn and garden beds. It insulates soil, supports pollinators, and provides nutrients as it breaks down. The key is moderation: too many leaves smother grass, too few miss out on the natural benefits.

If you’ve got wooded or low-traffic areas on your property, consider leaving the leaves there entirely. It’s a small but powerful way to support local ecosystems and save yourself a few hours of weekend labor.

Fall cleanup doesn’t have to be a back-breaking battle. With the right timing, tools, and strategy, you can protect your lawn, help the environment, and maybe even enjoy more of the season in the process.

Smart Halloween & Fall Decorating Tips for Your Home

It’s that time of year when porches glow with pumpkins, leaves crunch underfoot, and homeowners across Connecticut start transforming their yards into festive fall scenes. Whether you’re stringing up orange lights or setting out a dozen jack-o’-lanterns, decorating for the season brings warmth and a little spookiness to your neighborhood.

Before you dive in, remember: safe decorating means you can enjoy all the fun and festivity while keeping your family, guests, and home protected. Here are some smart ways to celebrate the season without any Halloween horrors of the wrong kind.

1. Light the Way — Safely

Trick-or-treaters and guests will be navigating your walkway after dark, so lighting is everything. Swap old incandescent bulbs for bright, energy-efficient LEDs in your porch and pathway fixtures. Solar-powered lanterns and battery-operated candles are great for steps and railings — no cords, no risk of tripping.

If you love the flicker of a real candle in your jack-o’-lantern, consider switching to flameless tea lights. They look just as cozy and won’t turn your pumpkin into a fire hazard. Bonus: they’ll last all season without melting your masterpiece.

2. Clear the Path

Leaves, hay, and decorations might look charming - until someone slips on them. Keep walkways swept and free from clutter, and check that your extension cords are tucked out of the way or taped down. If you’re using inflatable decorations or light-up figures, position them so they don’t block paths or stairs.

If you have uneven pavers or steps that could be a trip hazard, a few well-placed solar lights or reflective markers can go a long way. And don’t forget your pets. Keep cords and small decorations out of reach of curious paws and teeth.

3. Keep Fire in Check

Fall means candles, fire pits, and cozy porch displays, which are all great until something gets too close. If you’re decorating with dried corn stalks, hay bales, or fabric banners, keep them at least three feet away from open flames or heat sources.

For outdoor lights, make sure they’re rated for exterior use and plugged into a GFCI (ground-fault circuit interrupter) outlet. If you’re stringing multiple light sets together, check the manufacturer’s limits and get rid of any with frayed cords or broken bulbs.

4. Think Weather-Resistant

October weather can be unpredictable. Dry and windy one day, damp and stormy the next. Choose decorations made from durable materials, and secure them well. A few zip ties or heavy-duty clips can keep your spiderwebs and garlands from blowing into your neighbor’s yard (or worse, the street).

If you’re setting up extension cords, keep all connections off the ground and protected from moisture. A simple cord cover or plastic housing can prevent short circuits and save your decorations from early retirement.

5. Protect Your Home While You’re at It

Fall decorating season is also a great time for a quick exterior check-up. While you’re hanging lights or setting up pumpkins, take a minute to look over your siding, roof, and gutters. Clogged gutters can trap water against your home’s exterior, and loose shingles or siding panels are easier to fix now than after winter hits.

If you spot damage, like cracked trim, peeling paint, or rotted wood, make a note to have it repaired before freezing temperatures arrive. Preventive maintenance now means fewer surprises later.

Enjoy the Season

Halloween and fall decorating are all about creating a welcoming, festive atmosphere that feels warm, safe, and uniquely yours. With a few simple precautions, you can enjoy the glow of your pumpkins and the laughter of trick-or-treaters without worry.

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

Upgrade Your Gutters For Less Maintenance Year Round

While most people think about gutter cleaning in the autumn, the falling of spring blossoms can cause serious clogging that creates overflows and inadequate rainwater drainage. 

Gutters have come a long way in the past few years. Back when many of the homes in this area were built, open gutters were used to collect rain off the roof and deposit it onto the ground through a system of downspouts. Open gutters, however, allow not only water but leaves, whirlybirds, blossoms, and sticks to also fall into the gutter, blocking them and eventually causing overflow without regular removal.

Gutter cleaning keeps me busy, mainly because it’s a dirty job that can also be dangerous if you’re not used to working on a ladder. Luckily, over the past few years, gutter manufacturers have smartened up, creating shields to install over your current gutters, as well as closed gutter systems that can replace your current setup.

Gutter guards come in a variety of materials and sizes, but they are all designed to maximize water flow while keeping tree debris out of the channel. The least expensive option is steel mesh screens which slide in and sit above the gutter lip itself. The arch design helps to ensure that debris can’t get stuck in the back of the gutter and they generally come with a five-year warranty against rusting or corrosion.

A step up from mesh screens is a heavy-duty aluminum option that can be fitted from the front and back, avoiding the need to remove roof shingles for installation. These products come with a ripple design to prevent leaves from drying on the surface and they are generally backed by a 20-year warranty so you don’t have to worry about replacing them often. I like these because the design strengthens the gutter which comes in very handy during major snowstorms when many homes in the area suffer from heavy and dangerous ice dams.

Finally, there is Leaf Relief, a heavy aluminum gutter shield that can drain nearly 30 inches of rainfall in one hour, which is 15 inches more than the highest rainfall ever recorded (for inquiring minds, that’s 12 inches in one hour in Holt, Missouri). For homeowners who want no maintenance, this is the gutter product for you. The 25-year no-clog, no-overflow warranty gives it the same lifespan as a new roof and the inset design makes it invisible from the road. Best of all, dry debris blows away with only a six-mile-per-hour breeze.

No matter what type of gutter guard you choose, you want to make sure that it’s the best product for your home. While any gutter guard will reduce debris getting into your gutter, the right guard will depend on the trees in the area, how much rainfall you get, the position of your house, and the size and age of your current gutters. Once those factors are taken into consideration and the appropriate product is chosen, you can say goodbye to messy cleaning and enjoy less maintenance at your home.

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.