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Preparing Your Commercial Landscape for Winter

Winter is simply around the corner. This means that it is time for you to prepare your landscape for the cold months.  

You may not know it. However, there are tons of benefits you can get if you prepare your commercial landscape for winter in advance.  

Preparing during the fall season is vital to ensure that your landscape has the protection and foundation it requires to survive the cold months and come in strong when spring arrives.  

Proper fall cleanup will also provide you peace of mind knowing that your property is ready for the harsh weather conditions.  

Most people usually hire a tuinaanleg gent company for help. However, if you want to do it yourself, here are some tips to follow: 

Take Care of Shrubs 

Shrubs support your commercial landscape with functionality and aesthetics. Thus, you’ve got to ensure they are well taken care of when winter arrives.  

Shrubs are important for your landscape. They act as subtle barriers for cars and pedestrians. They also add depth.  

When it comes to taking care of shrubs, not all of them have the same needs. A couple of shrubs require simple trimming and pruning. On the other hand, some require being cut down a lot more.  

If you don’t know how to take care of your shrubs, a landscaping professional can help you. 

Drain Cleanup 

Another thing to consider is that your drains and drainage areas should be free of debris. There are a lot of things that can get caught in your drainage fixtures. This includes grass clippings, pinecones, walnuts, acorns, sticks, and leaves. If you don’t get rid of them before winter, they can clog the drain and become flooded with the snow melts during spring.  

Mulch 

Another vital element of commercial landscaping is spreading mulch. Aside from looking great, mulch also helps preserve plant life over the winter. 

There are tons of benefits you’ll get if you apply mulch. This includes encouraging the presence of earthworms for natural aeration, avoiding soil compaction, insulating plants, helping preserve moisture, natural barriers to weeds, and more.  

Mulch is made up of a combination of woodchips and bark. Always remember that mulch will break down over time due to environmental exposure, temperature changes, weather, and sun. You’ve got to ensure you regularly replace it. 

Aerate, Dethatch, and Rake Your Lawn 

Raking your leaves is perhaps the most common chore during fall. It does not matter if you dread it or like it. You need to do it if you want to keep your lawn healthy. Aside from raking, you’ll also have to dethatch the lawn. 

If you don’t like doing these things, you can always hire a professional to rake and dethatch your lawn.  

Another factor to consider is aeration. Aeration can help to churn your soil and integrate thatch remains into your landscape. The process allows grass to go back into the soil. This causes your grass to grow back thicker during spring.  

Again, you don’t have to do these things. A landscaping company can help you with these tasks.  

How to Avoid Dumpster Rental Overage Fees

Once you’re done renting a dumpster, your total bill will reflect the initial quote the company provided to you. However, this only happens if you follow the terms of your dumpster rental agreement.  

On the other hand, you might have to pay for the overage fees if you don’t follow the terms. Fortunately, you can easily avoid these additional costs. All you need to do is to talk to the dumpster rental company about the details of your project before you hire them. 

Before you hire a dumpster and container huren company, you need to figure out the amount and type of waste you’re planning to get rid of. You can then ask the company for a quote once you have finalized the details of the project.  

Here are several other tips you should consider as well: 

Recycle, Sell, or Donate 

If you want to get rid of a lot of waste in no time, dumpsters are the ideal solution. On the other hand, you can recycle or donate reusable items instead of throwing them into landfills.  

Donating kitchenware, reusable construction materials, gently worn clothing, and furnishings are all options you should think about.  

Don’t Fill the Dumpster with Additional Waste 

Though you might get tempted to utilize the dumpster for purposes other than what you’ve intended, you should not do it. It can easily lead to an overweight dumpster.  

For instance, if you’re planning to demolish your shed and rent a dumpster for all the waste, you should not stack it with old items, yard debris, or other household waste.  

If you do so, there’s a huge possibility that you will overfill the dumpster. With this, the rental company will charge you an additional fee for exceeding the agreed weight.  

Do Not Allow the Waste to Get Wet 

Wet waste can easily get heavy. This is particularly true when it comes to construction waste. This increases the risk of getting an overweight dumpster.  

Because of this, a lot of professionals recommend that you cover the dumpster once you’re done using it. This is especially true if heavy rain is in the forecast.  

As much as possible, try to keep the contents of the dumpster dry to avoid overage fees.  

Understand the Policy of the Company 

Keep in mind that not all dumpster rental companies have the same policies. They have different rules when it comes to overage fees. They also have different concepts about waste materials.  

Some companies will charge you additional fees if your dumpster contains prohibited waste, while others don’t care what you put inside the dumpster.  

Because of this, it’s important to clarify the details first before you rent a dumpster. Doing so will help you avoid additional expenses down the line.  

Choose the Right Size 

This is perhaps the most important thing to consider when renting a dumpster. Always choose the right size in the first place. You might end up spending more money if you rent a dumpster that is too small. You might also end up wasting money if you rent a dumpster that is too big.  

A professional dumpster rental company can help you choose the right dumpster size for your project.  

How to Avoid Locksmith Scams

Throughout the world, there is an increase in the number of locksmith scams. Almost every single one of these scams is known to target home and car owners whenever they’re most vulnerable.  

Typically, almost every individual thinks they’re doing the right thing by looking for a local locksmith online. Well, that is not the case. The reason for this is that most locksmith scammers are just copying real local locksmiths. These scammers don’t have their own local shop.  

Fortunately for you, there are ways to avoid locksmith and slotenmaker Gent scams. Here are some of them: 

Hire a True Local Locksmith 

Performing advance research is one of the greatest ways you can utilize to know if a locksmith is real or not. Make sure that you call these locksmiths and ask them several questions. Checking their client reviews is also one great way. 

If a locksmith answers your calls with a standard phrase, then you have to be cautious. Usually, locksmith scams use phrases such as “locksmith services” instead of their specific name. Search for another locksmith if this is the case for you. To confirm their location, always ask the company their address.  

Verify the ID and License of the Locksmith 

After a locksmith arrives at your location, you have to make sure you always ask for their ID right away. For those who do not know, there are only 15 states in the United States that require locksmith licensing. So, if a person works or advertises as a locksmith without having the correct credentials, then it makes it a criminal offense.  

In addition to that, any locksmith that’s legitimate will always ask for your ID. With that, they can always verify if you are really unlocking your own home or car.  

If a locksmith shows up with a mobile unit with a different business name from the one you hired, then you have to look for another one. Also, you should always be wary of a locksmith with an unbranded mobile unit. 

Ask for a Cost Estimate 

For those who don’t know, locksmith scams usually use call centers. Whenever you contact them, they will quote you a price of around $15 up to $45. You have to be wary of this because this is a bait-and-switch method. They will bait you with a low price and then they will increase it once the job is done, claiming that the job is more complicated. If a locksmith advertises you a service cost of around $15 up to $45, then there’s a high possibility that it is a scam. 

Do not hire any locksmith that does not offer any estimate when you ask for it. 

Ask for Additional Fees 

It’s vital to ask for extra fees for things such as mileage, emergency hours, or service call minimums. In addition to that, a locksmith scammer may also claim that you have to change your lock since it is outdated. If this is the case, don’t fall for it. They will usually sell you a low-quality lock replacement for a high price.