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Posts Tagged ‘leaves<’
The team here at Mr-Skill know that autumn is a good time to prepare their gardens for the cooler months ahead whilst the weather is still pleasant. Of course, in the winter months the landscape can look somewhat drab, but Audrey – she is one of our London gardening and landscaping experts – will provide some guidelines and tips to keep your beloved patch in tiptop condition over the coming months. So, don those old gardening cloths, pop on the gloves and grab the usual tools as you prepare for a day communing with nature! 
Have a Plan
Audrey says, “Preparing the garden for the colder months will keep it looking neat, as well as protecting the less hardy plants to a great extent. You must formulate a plan before you get stuck in though. Autumn is the perfect time for dividing perennial plants, and spreading them around the garden, as this will maintain their health and ensure greater coverage in spring.”
Our green-fingered Audrey has even more to offer. “If you are planning to plant new shrubs, trees or bulbs, do it well before the winter months while the earth is still easy to work with. Winter is an important time to many of our hardier shrubs as that is when they build bigger root systems.”
Garden Clean Up
As the days start to cool down, the leaves will begin dropping, and this provides an excellent opportunity to start a compost heap – or add to the one you already have. Raking and weeding are important activities at this time of the year, but be careful not to add weeds to the compost pile.
Gentle reminder from our team of gardening experts – they are ready and waiting for action, so if you feel this is all too tiring, then get your garden and landscaping quotes right here.
Mulching
Mulching is only necessary for more delicate plants, but even a thin layer of mulch will help insulate them from severe temperature drops – and it helps boost the soil and reduce erosion too. Don’t forget to move plant containers indoors or at least under cover to avoid frost, and a layer of mulch will also help them greatly.
There we go, all done and dusted as they say. Not a difficult job, unless of course you are not the gardening type. If that describes you better, then look no further: find a garden and landscaping service right here on Mr-Skill. This will leave you free to enjoy the pleasant autumn weather!
Tags: autumn, bulbs, clean up, cold, find a gardening and landscaping service, frost, Garden, gardening-and-landscaping quote, landscape, leaves, london gardening-and-landscaping expert, plants, preparation, rake, roots, shrubs, tidy, trees, weather, weeds
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Now that the cold weather has moved on, it’s time to be thinking of your central heating system with a view to some maintenance. Just like a car, regular maintenance on your core heating system is vital. Left to chance, you could end up facing enormous bills for entire system replacement, where routine inspections could have avoided all that.
Thermostat Check
Modern home heating systems allow you to control the degree of heat through a conveniently mounted thermostat – it’s usually located in the hallway passage.  In the warmer months you can switch off the thermostat or set it well down, so that the system never actually kicks in. Keep in mind that thermostats can develop faults, but replacing them is probably a job best left to an expert – you can find a heating technician right here on Mr-Skill.
Other Areas You Can Check
Assuming you are quite familiar with your central heating system, there are some tasks you could perform yourself. Remember though, that the skills level is moderate, indicating that we assume a minimum level of knowledge and experience here:
- Furnace Filters – These should be changed each year, especially if you have furry friends such as cats and dogs. Moreover, if you run air-conditioning in the hotter months, you can expect more dust and fluff in the atmosphere of your home. Dirty furnace filters are easily detected when the central heating struggles to push warm air about.
Interlude: Don’t forget that central heating systems cost a lot of money, so rather than fiddle with them yourself, get a heating quote right here on Mr-Skill.
- Internal and External Wall Vents – It is essential to clear obstructions from the vents to ensure efficient air flow. Inside, you should check for household dust and insects, whereas outside vents tend to clog with leaves and other debris. Don’t forget to keep your cold-air return vents clear as well.
Cautionary
Pilot Light Inspection – About the only other routine maintenance you can perform yourself, is to check the flame-quality of your central heating pilot light. With the prevalence of natural gas these days, you should see a clear blue flame. If it’s yellow or orange in appearance though, then a problem is indicated, so find a heating technician without delay.
A Little Knowledge Can be Dangerous
One of our London heating experts laughs to himself when he gets called out to fix a problem caused by a DIY “heating expert”. He says that the old adage “penny wise and pound foolish” is so relevant to his line of business!
Tags: Central Heating, dust, find a plumbing-heating-and-gas expert, flame, furnace filters, heat, knowledge, leaves, london heating specialist, maintenance, plumbing-heating-and-gas quote, thermostat, vents, warm air
Posted in Plumbing, Heating & Gas | Comments Off
It may not feel quite like it yet, but with the Winter Solstice passed on December 21st, the days are getting longer and Nature has already begun to react. Plants have increased their growth in accordance with the available ambient light, and already bulbs are  gently stirring beneath the snow.
Some, come on Gardeners, it’s time to brave the chilly UK weather and start helping Nature to get going once again. Alternatively, you’re due to get those Gardening Quotes in time again!
- The Vegetable Garden. Order seed potatoes and plant out garlic cloves in pots. Dig the earth over for asparagus plantings. Mmmm – that sounds really good!
- How about an Orchard? The right time for planting trees is when the sap is down. If in the City, find a London Gardener while their rates are reasonable still.
- The Flower Garden. Remove fallen leaves. Cut down and compost annuals. There’s just so much to do, including taking hardwood cuttings of your favourite plants.
 How about a Few More Roses? Dig deeply to prevent root stock from shooting, and then plant in rich organic matter. Remember to support with stakes in case the high winds come.
- And Finally the Greenhouse. If the weather’s inclement you may like to Find a Gardener to clean inside and outside, and check the insulation. After that, you just need to do weekly visits and tidy up.
Don’t be surprised if the neighbours gawk at you out in your garden in your winter woollies. They’ll be jealous in the Spring though! There’s no need to tell them either about the wonderful Gardeners on Mr-Skill. For now at least, it’s a secret between you and me! And it’s all free too … when it comes to finding the perfect tradesperson of your dreams.
Tags: annual, asparagus, bulb, chill, compost, cut, cutting, deep, dig, find a gardener, flower, Garden, gardener, gardening quotes, garlic, green house, greenhouse, growth, inside, Insulation, leaves, light, london gardener, nature, orchard, organic, outside, plant, potato, potatoes, react, root, rootstock, rose, snow, spring, sprout, stake, support, tidy, tree, vegetable, weather, week, wind, winter
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Gutters are important. They keep the rainwater away from windows and foundations, and generally protect our homes. A well-laid line of guttering makes a design statement too. All the more reason to follow these simple steps, and keep our gutters in good shape:
 Keep Them Clean. Remove accumulated leaves from your gutters at the beginning of every rainy season to prevent moss developing that leads to stoppages. While you’re up there, give them a wipe-down too. If you don’t have a ladder long enough, you can Find a Roofer right here.
- Check the Downpipes. An overflowing gutter is the sign of a blocked downpipe. Sometimes you can clear it by pushing down a garden hose turned on full blast. If not, you will need a length of stout wire to work around the bend.
- Straighten Sagging Gutters. Gutters are supported by a line of brackets that are set to the correct slope. When a gutter sags, it may either need clipping back into the bracket, or the bracket may need to be re-attached.
 Waterproof Leaking Joints. If a gutter joint starts leaking it’s often simpler to re-seal the joint, than to take the whole run down. Clean the affected area scrupulously, before attaching a piece of membrane with a water-proofing medium across the joint.
Is this the first time that you visited Mr-Skill? If so then welcome to our website! Our service extends to introducing tradespeople of all kinds to customers, from London Roofers to Carpenters in Scotland. Oh, and by the way it’s absolutely free to all our customers too. How’s that for a brilliant idea.
Tags: attach, bend, bracket, care, clean, clip, dizzy, downpipe, find a roofer, foundation, gutter, Guttering, height, hose, infirm, joint, ladder, leak, leaves, london roofers, maintain, membrane, moss, overflow, rainwater, remove, roofing quote, safe, safety, sag, seal, slope, stoppage, straight, waterproof, wipe, wire
Posted in Roofing, Gutters & Drainage | Comments Off
Before you get a roofer in to repair your leaking gutters, it’s wise to know something on the subject. This will put you in a position to better understand the Gutter Quotes you get. That’s because gutters can be quite a complex subject every homeowner should understand.
 Gutter Types
- Traditional half-round gutters are common in UK homes and smaller commercial buildings, and make a classic under-statement.
- Square gutters provide a similar purpose and some regard them as more attractive. They have a slightly larger capacity and have become popular on conservatories for unrelated reasons.
- More ornate ogee gutters have an ornate look about them than make them perfect for older buildings. Their greater capacity makes them well-matched for old-fashioned higher roofs – this makes them popular with London Roofing Firms.
- Deep-flow gutters are similar in design to half-found ones, but with deeper profiles. They look best on larger building where they do not spoil appearances.
 Keeping Gutters Clear
No gutter works well when full of leaves, and clearing ones on upper stories can be downright dangerous. That’s why gutter covers are so popular these days when labour has become so expensive.
These handy devices clip on top of existing gutters where they allow the water to flow freely while keeping leaves at bay. When you fit yours you’ll wonder why you never installed one before, because they really are such a simple solution to blocked gutters.
Finding a decent Roofer these days is difficult, and it’s well-nigh impossible to climb onto a roof to make sure the work’s done properly. Mr-Skill offers a free service to homeowners in the UK to help them Find the Roofer that they really can rely on. Why not contact us today, and get your gutters sorted finally?
Tags: block, capacity, clip, cover, deep-flow, find a roofer, flow, free, gutter, gutter quotes, half-round, large, leaves, london roofing firms, ogee, profile, repair, roofer, solution, square, traditional, water
Posted in Roofing, Gutters & Drainage | Comments Off
Winter is upon us, and without a doubt we’re in for a long cold one to add to Britain’s woes. But at least we can keep our gardens going despite the frost by doing a few simple things. That way we’ll all be smiling when Spring blossoms bloom again.
- Protect tender plants on open ground and those trained up walls with fleece-covered frames sold at garden shops. You can
 make your own too, by sandwiching bracken leaves or even straw between two layers of chicken wire for use on frosty nights. You might need to Find a Gardener to do this for you though, because the wire mesh is harsh on hands. While one of Mr-Skill’s Gardeners is at it, ask them to cover your bulbs with a thick mulch of manure or compost too.
- Keep the roots of evergreens frost free by mulching around their bases, and move pots of tender plants inside to the conservatory. Crowns of tree ferns and their trunks are easily insulated with fleece or hessian stuffed with straw. You can protect the heads of palms and cordylines by drawing their leaves over them with twine. If you do not have the time to do this properly, why not get a Gardening Quote on Mr-Skill instead?
Recovering Plants from Frost
 If your plants do get frosted this does not mean that they are going to die, although you do need to take remedial action to reduce the damage.
- Protect frosted plants from morning sun to prevent them from warming up too rapidly. If they’re potted move them to a shady spot, otherwise cover them with black plastic bags. When Spring returns cut off the damaged branches to encourage new growth. After you have done that, remember to feed them with a balanced fertiliser to give them the extra boost they need.
- Even better move tender frosted plants to the greenhouse, and plant them out again after the frost is over. Chances are that they will recover sooner than you thought. In fact they might even bloom earlier in Spring.
Our London Gardeners are particularly adept at protecting the exotic plants from frost that City people keep on their balcony – often in pots that are far too large to move indoors. You’ll find them and all other kinds of UK tradesmen listed on Mr-Skill for virtually every postcode. Why not surprise yourself with the discovery that quality workmen can still be found.
Tags: balcony, bracken, bulb, chicken wire, climb, compost, conservatory, cordyline, evergreen, exotic, fern, find a gardener, fleece, frame, frost, frosted, Garden, gardening quote, greenhouse, head, hessian, leaves, london gardeners, manure, mulch, night, palm, plant, plastic, pot, protect, root, shady, straw, sun, tender, treefern, trunk, winter
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Now that the Autumn pruning and tidy-up is complete, you probably have a pile of garden waste ready to remove. Why not Find a Waste Management Specialist on Mr-Skill and have it taken away before the heavy snowfalls come? If you don’t, it could be staring back at you until the Spring.
 These days the practice of simply taking garden waste down to the local collection point are far gone – in fact some London Waste Management Services are focusing on the job because of the constraints. They also know of smart ways to cut down on charges levied by over-burdened landfill sites.
When you ask for Waste Management Quotes from responsible waste removers on Mr-Skill, you will find that they are keen to help you manage your garden costs down by acting responsibly up front. Their main focus will be on recycling leaves and flowers, grass cuttings and small twigs and branches through your own compost heap at home. This has the added advantage of providing rich mulch for free for those long dry mid-summer months – it’s great when you can use Nature’s bounty wisely.
 You can also cut down on what sometimes seems like a never-ending burden permanently. Why not get rid of that messy deciduous tree and replace it with a stately evergreen conifer? You could replace your annual flower beds with perennial scrubs like azaleas and hydrangeas too. In the long run, you’ll save pounds both ways, and take some pressure off Council disposal systems at the same time.
Is this the first time that you visited our blog? We hope you do enjoy it. Remember, if you are looking for a service of almost any kind you’ll find your service provider easily here. What’s more our unique multi-listing service ensures that you could be choosing from quotes significantly lower than general market rates. Mr-Skill doesn’t charge its customers a single penny either, let alone the pound we heard that some competitors charge. How’s that for old fashioned value in the modern age?
Tags: autumn, branch, charge, collection, compost, constraint, cut down, decidious, disposal, evergreen, find a waste management specialist, flowers, Garden, grass, landfill, leaves, london waste management service, manage, mulch, prune, recycling, remove, responsible, save, snow, spring, tidy, twig, waste, waste management quote
Posted in Disposals & Waste Removal | Comments Off
Posted in Handyman Services on Oct 23
I was looking around my yard the other day and just couldn’t believe the number of odd-jobs waiting to be done. It’s not the lack of wanting that’s holding me back, it’s the lack of time. I think I’m going to take my own advice and get a London Handyman estimate. And then I think I’ll accept it and then get on with things.
•  Clear out the gutters on the house. They’re full of leaves again! I’m fortunate to have a bungalow but just don’t feel like climbing up a ladder. Besides, how much can this cost?
• Clean the outside window frames. These looked so crisp when I had them put in a few years ago. They’re UPVC. They’ll just need a good wash with detergent.
• Tidy up the back porch. Five years of muddy boots have taken their toll and the spiders have done the rest. That’s one Handyman Quote I’m definitely going to accept!
• Tidy up the path around the back and sides. Paths under the eaves provide a valuable service by handling rainwater run-off. My house is hardly new, and I think it’s time to sort out the cracks before the weeds take hold. Don’t you too?
•  Sort out the garage. While I’m at it, I think I’m going to Find a Handyman to give the garage roof and door a make-over. I’m planning a new car next year, and I’m sure it will appreciate a near-new place to sleep at night.
That’s enough for now. I’m really looking forward to getting in a Rated Handyman from Mr-Skill to catch up on my backlog. The twin advantages are that I’ll be getting a better price, and will be able to review feedback from other previous customers too.
Come on all you Handymen. I can’t wait to see my garage door looking half as smart as this again!
Tags: backlog, block, car, clean, detergent, door, estimate, find a handyman, frame, garage, gutter, handyman quote, handyperson, house, job, ladder, leaves, london handyman estimate, mud, odd job, oddjob, path, porch, price, quote, review, roof, spider, tidy, time, want, wash, water, window, yard
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There’s nothing quite as irritating as a leaking gutter, is there? It’s not just the dripping sound at night that keeps you sleeping light. It’s also the fact that gutters are generally so inaccessible too. The answer, of course, is to make sure the  roofer gets the job right in the first place.
Every London Roofer knows that the trick is to get the gutter sloping correctly when installing it. There are various rules of thumb here, but my favourite test is to see whether a dry tennis ball will roll slowly down from the topmost point until it pops out where the downpipe is normally attached.
The next most common fault is downsizing of components. This can result in too much water pouring down into a single gutter, or an insufficiency of downpipes. Unfortunately there is no tap to turn off in the sky, and so the only solution is a modification, or at worse a complete redesign.
 Damaged components can also cause a gutter to begin to leak. The main cause of this is someone using them as steadying points for a ladder, although I have also seen a few gutters smashed by exceptional hail in my time. When this happens, you had better hope spares are still available – if not, then you may need to get Roofer Quotes to replace the entire installation, or put up with a mismatched appearance.
The most common problem though is gutters and downpipes stopped up with leaves. This is an irritating problem at the best of times, and can be costly to resolve, especially where the building is double- or even multi-storey. The solution is to get rid of all overhanging trees. I doubt though that you could get Find a Roofer to do this even on Mr-Skill, although I’m sure you could Find a Gardener here to sort things out for you.
Tags: ball, block, component, damage, downpipe, downsize, drip, find a roofer, gutter, hail, instal, insufficiency, job, lack, ladder, leak, leaves, london roofer, modification, redesign, replace, roofer, roofing quote, rule, sleep, slope, smash, spare, stop, test, tree, water
Posted in Roofing, Gutters & Drainage, Uncategorized | Comments Off
Not cleaned the greenhouse yet? It is almost summer already and time to get going. Clean it to maintain the structure. Clean it to get rid of pests. And do it on a warm breezy day so your plants don’t catch a chill and everything dries nicely.  You could Find a Gardener on Mr-Skill to do this for you, or you could take the weekend off and do it yourself.
o Begin with the Exterior by washing it down with warm water and a sponge. By all means use a little washing up soap but do remember to rinse. Use a soft inside broom soaked in warm soapy water to reach the roof and upper sides. Mind the glass!
o Check the frames and glass for any damage as you go along. Replace where necessary to keep your greenhouse looking good and to extend its life. If yours has a wooden frame, sand it down and paint it. Anything less and it will rot away. If rot has already set in however, get Gardener Quotes to build a new one, rather than throwing good time and money after bad.
o  Before cleaning the Interior please make sure that the electricity is turned off and isolated. Remove the contents to a sheltered place away from wind and fierce sun.
o Have a general clean-out of leaves and dirt. De-clutter your greenhouse – throw the junk away. Scrub down, including brick walls and inside pathways and disinfect thoroughly. When you are satisfied that everything is clean and functional inside, you can bring your plants back home and turn on the electricity again.
A Gardener in London who I know quite well always leaves a cyclamen behind as a special thank you, and believe me she gets regular return business. I’m not a gardener myself however I do think that this is a beautiful idea that should be propagated everywhere, just like cyclamens.
Tags: breeze, broom, clean, dirt, disinfect, dry, electricity, exterior, find a gardener, find a landscaper, frame, gardener london, gardener quote, gardening london, gardening quotes, glass, greenhouse, inspect, interior, isolate, junk, landscaper london, landscaper quote, landscaping london, landscaping quotes, leaves, maintain, off, paint, pests, plant, replace, rinse, rot, sand, soap, sponge, summer, warm, wash, water, wood
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