Location & Hours

The Habitat ReStore is located at 3000 East College Avenue in Appleton. Please call us at (920) 830-8400 with any questions.

Green Living Tips

Fall Tips Outside of your House

Garden

Did you know that the Community Garden Partnership has a great program on how to garden over the winter?  Yes, I did say garden over the winter.

You say, how can that be??? Nothing can grow in the frozen tundra in the winter! Not so! When it snows, only the first couple of inches freeze, so the ground offers great storage and can keep your carrots over the winter (Providing you keep them protected. Even greens can grow over the winter months.

And when plants are dormant over the winter, proper preparation can help them to prosper and fruit even better the next year. This Saturday at 5:30 pm in the learning garden at Columbus Elementary School, you can meet with gardeners who did this last year and are getting ready for the next winter growing season. Everyone is welcome.

Mulching

Now is the time to start cleaning up your gardens. Any vegetation that is done fruiting and flowering should be clipped back. DO NOT THROW THE CLIPPINGS! Mix them in with the top layer of dirt. This will start the decomposition process. When the leaves fall, use the leaves that nature drops to protect your plants over the winter months. Make sure that you keep the leaves away from the house so that your foundation breathes. You want to keep mold from growing on your foundation and keep the leaves away from the foundation which will help to deter moles, voles and mice from burrowing near your foundation. If you aren't ready to cover your plants yet (and most of us aren't quite ready to put the gardens to rest) put leaves and clippings in your compost. If you don't have a compost, start a pile in your garden. This will at least keep it contained. Once your garden is completely harvested, till leaves and clippings into the soil to give it some nutrition to carry it through to the next season.

Cleaning up the Yard

• Clean your gutters now! If you didn't clean your gutters in spring, do it now, before the leaves fall. You want to make sure that rain will run freely in your gutters. Having blocked gutters is not only dangerous, it can cost you a lot of money if not maintained.
• Once the leaves are done falling, make sure you clean those gutters again. Rake leaves under trees and over your flower beds. Cover tender saplings to prevent the rabbits, squirrels and deer from feasting on them.
• Bring in your lawn furniture and make sure that anything needing to be covered gets covered to protect it from the winter elements.
• Scrape peeling paint, and apply touch up paint to your siding, trim, and fences.
• Check the condition of your deck and apply a waterproofing sealer if necessary.
• Blow out sprinkler systems and winterize exterior faucets and water lines.
• Fertilize and reseed lawn.
• Remember to do your seasonal maintenance on all your yard machines once the first frost hits. You want to make sure your lawnmower is drained and maintained and that your shovels are out and your snowblower is ready for the first snowfall...before it actually snows.

Automobile

• Make sure your tires are adequate for the winter weather in your area.
• Check your car battery.
• Check antifreeze levels.
• Make sure you have extra windshield wiper fluid in your car, as well as a brush and ice scraper, blanket, jumper cables, and first aid kit. If you live in an area where you expect extreme winter conditions, you will also want to keep a tow rope, shovel, and a bag of sand or kitty litter to help your tires gain traction on icy roads.

Fall Tips for inside your House

Furnace

Before the heating season, change your air filter. This is really important because clean air not only keeps you healthy, a clean filter helps your furnace to operate more efficiently and it extends the life of your furnace. Change your filter monthly or as recommended by the manufacturer. While you're at it, when was the last time you had your forced air ducts cleaned? If you have allergies, this is very important in keeping the dust and allergens from blowing into the air of your home. Now is the time to set your furnace to a cool but comfortable temperature and add the

Attic

Make sure your attic has adequate ventilation and that there are no signs of condensation. Be sure to check around bathroom and kitchen vents and in corners.

Keep mice out

September inspires nesting in mice as well as humans. Mice are looking for a winter home now, and that newly insulated attic would be just the spot. Mice can squeeze through 1/4-inch openings; rats need a half-inch. Make sure all exterior vents are screened, and that there are no gaps underneath garage doors. If you are careless about leaving doors and windows open this time of year, you'll be setting mousetraps later. Pet doors are another favorite access point for rodents.

Clean dryer vent and exhaust fan vents

This is another one of those tasks that should be on your to-do list every six months. Scoot your clothes dryer away from the wall, unplug it, and vacuum behind it. (If it's a gas dryer, turn off the gas supply to the dryer at the appliance shutoff valve.) Unhook the tube that leads to the vent and clear as much lint from the tube as you can. Grab a shop vacuum, go outside, and tackle the outside dryer vent as well.

If you have exhaust fans, you might as well vacuum those as well and clear any plant debris from them. Make sure that the vent closes when not in use, otherwise it is an open entryway for air, insects and small rodents.

Water Heater

Every year you should drain about a gallon of water out of your water heater. This helps to remove iron and other deposits. Vacuum under the appliance your water heater to keep it running efficiently. Wrapping your water heater with an insulating blanket and your water pipes with insulation can save you some cash too by keeping your water hot longer resulting in your water heater working less often. Less operation = less environmental emissions! YEAHHH!

Windows & Doors

Did you know that making a few small very inexpensive changes in the way you insulate can save you a lot of green? Check around the frames of all your windows and doors on a windy day. Use an incense stick and watch for directional changes in the smoke. If you have a leak, the incense smoke will blow instead of rise. You want to check to make sure that doors and windows shut tightly and seal out the wind, but you also want to check where the outside of the frames meet the wall. Many times, this goes unchecked, and it is a source of leakage which can be easily corrected with some clear caulk. Wash your windows, remove and store screens and install storm windows. If you have single pane windows, another great energy saver is the window wrap...you know the one you tape on and use a hair dryer on to shrink it removing all the wrinkles. This is a great option for windows that have blinds or curtains mounted to the outside frame of the window. If your blinds are mounted inside the window frame, you can still cover the window, you just won't be able to adjust the blinds once the plastic is on the window.

Switch Plates and Outlet Covers

Do the incense check with your switch plates and outlet covers. If you sense a leak, there are some great products out there to help to seal them to prevent loss of warm air or cool air infiltration. One word of caution:  AVOID USING AN EXPANDING FOAM. THESE CAN DISLODGE WIRES CAUSING FAULTY CONNECTIONS AND INCREASE THE RISK OF FIRE. When in doubt, ask an expert!

Check and Update

• smoke detectors
• carbon monoxide detectors
• fire extinguishers
• family emergency plan and emergency escape plans
• check flashlight batteries and make sure they are accessible.
• check your emergency supplies for adequate amounts of water, non-perishable food, manual can opener, weather radio and extra batteries with flashlights or emergency candles and matches.

Switch to warmer bedding. Replace cotton sheets with flannels. Add warmer layers to beds.
Make sure your family members are outfitted with everything they need for the cold winter months.

Holiday Green Living Tips

Decorating for the holidays can be so much fun. But it can be a waste of energy too! Holiday lights can eat away at your pocketbook faster than you can imagine! Try LED lights, use timers, and re-evaluate how many days you want lights on. Consider using solar lights. Did you know that Solar LED lights are also available? Talk about a true savings! These last forever and don't cost a thing! Decorate by reusing and repurposing whenever possible. Get the family involved and challenge each member to come up with an environmentally friendly way to decorate. (Think popcorn and berry strings for winter, etc).