While it is impossible to make a property accident-proof, there are many things that can be done to make our yards safer. Regardless of who is at fault, the best kind of accident is the one that is avoided! Here are a few tips on assessing and improving the safety of your property’s outdoor areas.
Poorly laid walkways can create trip and slip hazards. (Photo credit: Author)
Uneven Walkways
Uneven sidewalks, pathways, stairwells, and other walking surfaces can cause unnecessary trips and falls, as in my example above. Many such walkways started out flat but became uneven over time due to settling, frost heaves, tree roots, erosion, or heavy use.
Walk on all of the walkways of your property in search of trip hazards. Now imagine that same journey if you were a running eight-year-old boy. Or at night. Or in the rain. If any of those situations alarm you, then a repair is probably in order.
Many walkway repairs can be done by the homeowner, provided the walkway was properly constructed in the first place (e.g. has a base layer of crushed stone for support and drainage). For stairwells and more complicated walkways, a licensed hardscaping professional should be used.
Outdoor Lighting
Good outdoor lighting can help avoid falls in areas commonly traveled in the evening such as driveways, walkways, stairwells, and patios. In addition to safety, outdoor lighting can add curb appeal to your home, and also act as a theft deterrent.
Outdoor lighting can be simple, such as this soft white rope lighting on my porch, or complex to include timers, motion sensors, and special effects.
Motion lights can be a great addition, and the technology has improved to become more “human sensitive” and energy efficient (in other words, you’re not spending $10 every night for the light to turn on for each passing rabbit). This is particularly true in outdoor stairwells, which are definite trip hazards and where adding a manual switch at the top and bottom of the stairs can be difficult.
There are also lots of options for low voltage and solar lighting to illuminate walkways and driveways. Do a quick search for “Walkway Lighting Ideas” on Pinterest, and you’ll see the opportunities are endless. Should you use LED lighting, I recommend selecting “warm white” rather than “cool white” or “daylight” for a more pleasant effect. The latter two hues have a bluish tint that is better suited for the inside of a Walmart rather than your home. Believe me, your neighbors will thank you!
Many kinds of outdoor lighting are simple to install, such as solar pathways lights that need only be staked where you want them. There are also weather-resistant remote control outlets that require no wiring and can be easily installed and operated. For more complicated jobs, a reputable, licensed electrician will be needed. There are enough options that you can enhance the safety of your walkways without spending a lot.
Drainage and Moisture
Poor drainage can lead to several safety issues, not the least of which is contributing to the growth of mold in your home. The build-up of ground water during wet weather creates hydrostatic pressure against the foundation, pushing water through tiny cracks and openings in the concrete. When water gets in the basement, it creates the perfect conditions for mold growth. Ideally, the water will puddle and you can see that you have a drainage issue, but more often, it happens behind drywall or in other other hard-to-see locations.
Black mold, as seen in this photo, can start behind walls and not be noticed until it has spread extensively. (Photo credit: Author)
We have all learned in school that some mold has beneficial properties, but no one ever got healthier because their basement walls were covered in penicillin. More likely, the mold growth will be the kind that causes allergic reactions, especially for those with asthma or otherwise compromised immune systems, and may be accompanied by an undesirable musty smell.
If you have ever gone through a mold remediation process, you know that it is expensive and lengthy. At the same time, unaddressed mold issues can be grounds to break a lease. Therefore, it is always best to avoid mold issues rather than address them after it is established.
If there are pools of water collecting near your foundation when it rains, have french drains or other drainage solutions installed to direct water away from your home, either yourself or by a professional. Furthermore, if you suspect mold in your basement (due to dampness or a musty smell), have a mold test done to see if any harmful molds are present. They can be bought at any hardware store, and mailed in to a lab for analysis (similar to a radon test). I did this recently, and found my basement had five different molds, including the aforementioned penicillin, though thankfully none were harmful.
Finally, consider installing a dehumidifier in areas that show signs of dampness. This is easier to do if your home has floor drains and/or a sump pump in which collected water can be automatically directed. If not, then the dehumidifier will need to be manually emptied, a task that is often much more important to the homeowner than the tenant.
Gutters and Downspouts
It surprises many people that clogged gutters are another cause of mold in the home. Gutters clogged with leaves will back up, overflow, and cause water to either pool along the foundation or seep in behind the walls. This situation can get worse if seeds are allowed to germinate in the clogged wet leaves, filling your gutters with a small forest of tree saplings. The still water in clogged gutters also creates a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes.
Rain water at this home pools next to the porch foundation, a recipe for problems! (Photo credit: Author)
A simple corrugated drain pipe can direct water from your downspout to wherever you’d like in the yard. (Photo credit: Author)
Similarly, I have found that many homeowners (and home builders) often overlook where water goes when it leaves the downspout. It makes no sense to have gutters on your house at all if you only use them to dump water right next to your home’s foundation.
Most leases state that tenants are responsible for “maintaining exterior gutters”, and to have gutters “cleaned by a professional company acceptable to Landlord” at the end of their lease. In practice, some tenants will try to do the leaf cleaning themselves, or worse, skip it entirely until the final professional cleaning at the end of their lease. By then, the damage may already be done.
If your home is under trees or has a history of collecting leaves or debris in the gutters, consider having gutter guards installed. There are a variety of types, and each has its pros and cons. I have them installed at my house which sits adjacent to a towering southern magnolia, and simple screen gutter guards work great for my home. If your gutters clog with smaller items like pine needles, more expensive micromesh may be needed, which must be professionally installed. Keep in mind that installing gutter guards does not mean that the gutters can then be ignored … they will still need occasional cleaning, but not nearly as often.
Another alternative is to consider hiring a gutter cleaning service to come twice a year (spring and fall) to professionally clean and inspect the gutters. It will be one less thing both the homeowner and the tenant need worry about, and you can add the cost to the rent the next time the lease is renewed.
Finally, it is also a good idea to buy downspout extensions to direct water away from the home if it doesn’t flow away naturally. They are not expensive, and can be very effective.
As always, please contact your property manager if you’d like any help finding contractors to help with these or any other landscaping projects.
[NOTE: Links in this blog post are used for examples only, and are not recommendations nor do we receive any compensation for subsequent purchases.]
John F. Krotzer is a property manager on Team Yukon, and is a Fairfax County Master Gardener volunteer.
John F. Krotzer - Property Manager (Northern Virginia) Contact:yukon@globetrotterproperties.com