The arrival of warm weather means people will be spending more time outside. This is a good thing, but you want to make sure your backyard is a place safe for you and your family. Your yard may have hidden dangers that could injure family members or guests. Many of these hazards might not be noticeable, but if you know what to look for you might be surprised at what you find.
You want a place that is safe for children to play in and for people to walk around on. And often you’ll find that many of the potential hazards in your yard are also eyesores. So take some time to walk around and see if there are things you need to take care of to keep people safe.
Get Rid of the Yard Waste
When winter hit it may have buried the leaves you never got time to rake. While 
this might not make for an attractive yard at the moment, it’s hardly a hazard. What could be a problem, however, are the branches that fell during the winter. Or maybe it’s the stump from the tree that you cut down. Rake the leaves and bundle or stack up the branches and sticks off to the side.
Do you have a lot of old wood piled along the house? Perhaps from the remodeling project you did during the winter months. If you have a fire pit and intend to use it, then that’s fine. If not, then this could be a place for small animals to nest. You don’t want it to become a housing facility for mice or other small rodents. Animals that can pass on disease or even bite.
Hot Tubs and Swing Sets
That hot tub you used to use so much is now just filled with stagnant water and doesn’t work. If it is filled with water you want to make sure you first empty it out as this alone could pose a risk to a young child with a curious mind. Yet, even
if its water free, it could be a potential hazard. If the plan is to eventually repair it, then put a strong cover over it to keep people from getting inside. If It’s no longer unusable, then have it hauled away.
If this is your family home and the place where you children grew up, your swing set may have sentimental value. Unfortunately, that swing set they used for so long is now rusted and the swings are cracked and broken. Like the hot tub, you can either repair the swings and maybe apply some paint to the poles, or simply get rid of it before someone gets cut or falls.
Check the Deck and Fencing.
Little hands can get caught in broken fencing. An adult could wrench their leg when they step on a deck plank that has weakened during the winter and now breaks. Look over the deck and look for any broken or weakened planking or rails. Replacing these shouldn’t take that long to do. As for the fencing, repairing it that shouldn’t be that time consuming. If It’s a big job, then it might just be time for a whole new fence.
Your Grills a Fire Hazard
Even with a cover, your grill would be exposed to moisture during the winter. Part of it could have become rusted and now when you light it up fire comes out of places that it shouldn’t. In addition to being a fire hazard, your grill might not properly heat your food anymore. You can often find replacement parts at the local home improvement store or maybe order some online. If it’s too bad, then consider buying a new grill, especially if you use it a lot.
What about the Garage
While the garage might not be noticeable from the outside, it’s often a heavy traffic area in the summer. Taking the lawnmower in and out. Kids, and adults, grabbing their bikes for a ride. Make sure that tools are properly hung and out of the way. If the garage has become a place where old appliances or other junk have been stored, then consider getting rid of it. You’ll have more room to get about in and more storage space for your belongings.
Also consider moving chemicals such as paints, oil, and especially any pesticides up to a higher area. Hopefully you have a shelf you can put these on, but if not buy a cheap one and screw it to the wall.
Getting Rid of the Junk
The problem with many of the things in your yard is that you can’t just bag them up and haul them to the curb. The city isn’t going to pick up your old swing set like they do your old Christmas tree. The same with the old hot tub.
You can load up a pickup truck, but with many of the bigger items you’ll have to break them down. Then you might also have to deal with rust that could get all of your truck. Or the metal could scratch the bed.
The best option is to hire professionals who have the trucks, the tools and the time to haul away your junk. You don’t have to break down any of the items you need hauled away and you don’t even have to do any heavy lifting.
At Nova Junk we’ve hauled all manner of items from people’s homes, from swing sets to grills to old lawnmowers. If your located in Washington DC, Northern Virginia, or Prince George or Montgomery County in Maryland, then contact us. We’ll show up at the time you schedule and haul everything away. Call us at (877) 211-6682 to schedule a pickup.
Your backyard can be your place to escape to on the weekends, while the front yard is part of the first impression your home makes. Getting rid of all these items not just makes your yard safer, but your home look nicer.
