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10 Outdoor Enhancements For Your Home

Are you looking to improve your home’s curb appeal? We have a few outdoor enhancements that’ll not only do that, but also increase its efficiency and practicality.

Let’s back up for a second. There are many additions you can make to your home that’ll help make things more convenient, improve your curb appeal and are just plain cool. It can be something simple like maintaining your lawn to something more complex like completely building a stone fire pit.

outdoor enhancements

In this article, we’ll go over our 10 favorite outdoor enhancements and how they’ll improve your home.

1. Build a Fire Pit or Outdoor Oven

There’s nothing cooler than having an outdoor fire pit or oven. They’re perfect for hosting parties outside or just relaxing by an open fire. Plus, they’re sure to improve the curb appeal and value of your home.

You can buy fire pits and ovens at any hardware or department store or you can build them yourself. Building a fire pit out of stone or brick will take your backyard to a whole new level. There isn’t anything out there quite like a stone/brick fire pit or oven.

2. Replace Old, Worn Out Windows

There’s nothing worse than an ugly, worn out window. They detract from your home’s curb appeal and can even raise the cost of your energy bills. It’s time to ditch those old things for new replacement windows.

Vinyl windows are the way to go for Midwest homeowners. They have insulated frames and glass to prevent heated and cooled air from escaping your home. This removes a lot of stress from your air conditioner and furnace, lowering your heating and cooling bills. Plus, your home will be comfortable no matter the season.

many windows on a home

Don’t think that you’re substituting beauty for practicality. Vinyl windows come in many styles and colors – including wood grain finishes. You can have the look of wood windows without all of the problems associated with them.

The best place to get vinyl windows in the Midwest is Feldco. For over 40 years we’ve been known for our exceptional windows that are expertly installed. We’d love to help you with your replacement window project –  get a free quote now.

A Wall of Windows Looks Great

One thing that’s trending right now is having a wall of windows in the front of your home. Larger windows will improve your home’s curb appeal by giving it a unique look and will increase its value.

You’ll see major benefits inside of your home as well. Larger windows allow more natural light into your home which is proven to be better for your mood and productivity. You’ll also use your lights less because your home will be naturally lit. Using your lights less means lower electric bills.

One thing you might be worried about with large windows is your privacy. Don’t wait, there are window treatments that will cover your wall of windows so no one can see inside your home. Whenever you want to enjoy natural light, just draw the window treatment!

3. Keep Your Grass Green and Fresh

Having a well-kept lawn is important to many homeowners. Luscious, well manicured grass can be the difference between having a beautiful home and an absolute eye-sore.

Make sure you mow your lawn once a week so it doesn’t get unruly. Also, water the grass every other day so it keeps its beautiful green color.

Use a weed wacker to trim along the edges and in areas you can’t reach with your lawn mower. This will give your lawn the finish it deserves. Plus, it would look silly having over grown grass along the edges of your lawn.

You can also get creative with your lawn care. Try adding stripes similar to what you see at a baseball field or golf course.  Toro makes a striping system that’s sure to give you the perfect looking lawn every time.

Lawn Striping "How To"

Don’t Forget Your Trees and Bushes

Don’t neglect your trees and bushes either. They need to be trimmed so they don’t start growing out of control and overtake your home’s exterior.

If you don’t feel comfortable trimming taller trees, you can always hire a professional to take care of your needs. From mowing the lawn to trimming your bushes and trees, they’ll take care of all your landscaping needs.

4. Have a Patio or Deck in Your Backyard

You want your backyard to be more than just a patch of grass. Adding a deck or patio is the perfect way to create an outdoor living space or somewhere cool to entertain guests.

If you’re a handyman, building a deck can be a do-it-yourself job. Most decks are made of wood and need to be larger and stable enough to hold a group of people. If you’re not comfortable building a deck on your own, there are professionals who will help you.

Patios are a little different – you should hire a professional for this work. Most patios are made from concrete, stone or brick so the work is a little more vigorous. However, you’ll get a beautiful looking patio in the end.

You’ll also need to furnish your deck or patio. It’s important that you have an adequate amount of seating. You can have a patio table and chairs, or wicker furniture around a fire pit. Whatever you decide, make sure there’s enough seating for the number of guests you have over on average.

5.Install Vinyl Siding

If your siding is made of anything other than vinyl, you may be in trouble. Wood siding warps and rots when exposed to moisture (which is common in the Midwest) while aluminum and other metal siding materials retain heat causing your home to be sweltering in the summer. Vinyl doesn’t have those problems.

Vinyl siding is made to withstand any weather conditions. It won’t warp or rot when exposed to moisture. There’s also a foam insulation board installed beneath the panels of siding which prevents you from feeling any temperature extremes. This will also save you money on your energy bills.

a home with vinyl siding

Feldco is here to help you with your vinyl siding project. Our product specialist will make sure you get the right style and color for your home while the installation team guarantees a speedy and efficient installation.

Cleaning Your Vinyl Siding

While vinyl siding is very low maintenance compared to other materials, it’ll still need to be cleaned once per year. You want to prevent dirt and grime build up which can lead to other problems such as mold growing and gnat infestation.

6. Create a Grand Entryway

When you think of outdoor enhancements, the first thing that probably comes to mind is your entryway. It’s how you make a first impression with guests. It’s your job to ensure that your first impression is a good one. You can do that by making a grand entryway.

Start with your porch. You want it to be neat and not cluttered, while still making a personal statement. Plants, furniture and decoration should tasteful but not plentiful. When in doubt, keep it simple.

You can also create a walkway up to your entry door. This can consist of bushes or shrubs lining a path and even a couple of columns on each side. Make it feel like your entrance is the gateway to somewhere extremely important.

The Biggest Part of Your Entryway: The Door

Your entry door is the most important part of your entryway. It’s what separates you from the outside world. That’s why it needs to be durable, energy efficient and make a statement about you. Steel and fiberglass doors are your best option to do all three of those things.

Both of these doors are built to withstand anything thrown at them. Not only do they never warp or rot when exposed to moisture, but they’re strong enough to handle dings, dents and attempted kick-ins. You know you’re safe with a steel or fiberglass entry door.

In addition to being strong, steel and fiberglass doors are energy efficient thanks to their foam-filled core. This helps prevent cooled and heated air from escaping through your doors. You’ll also save money on your heating and cooling bills.

You’re probably worried that steel and fiberglass entry doors won’t have the same look as a wood door. We’re about to dispel that fear. There are many styles and colors available including wood grain finishes. You can have the look of a wood door without any of the problems.

Protect Your Entry Door with a Storm Door

You can protect your entry door with a lovely storm door. Storm doors are installed on the outside of your entry door and work as a barrier. It’ll shield the entry door from rain, snow, ice and wind. With the help of a storm door, a replacement steel or fiberglass entry door can last a lifetime.

You’ll also notice an improvement in your entryway’s energy efficiency with the installation of a storm door. Since it works as a barrier, it also traps heated and cooled air inside. You’ll love how much more comfortable your home is thanks to your storm door.

Many storm doors allow you to change between screens and glass depending on the season. This gives you the ability to enjoy a cool breeze or extra sunlight. There are even metal mesh screens for homes with pets and small children. These screens are much harder to tear than a traditional screen.

Both entry doors and storm doors can be found at Feldco. We’ve been named America’s #1 door company and we back that up with professional service and excellent products. Get a free quote now and see why over 400,000 homeowners have trusted us.

7. Think Contemporary with Your Outdoor Enhancements

It’s important to think contemporary when it comes to your outdoor enhancements. Contemporary home styles are trending now so designing yours this way will increase its value.

What is a contemporary home, though? Simple designs, grand entrances and sleek lines are all qualities you find in a contemporary home. We wrote an article about contemporary home styles that can teach you more.

8. Cracked Driveway? Repaving it Can Fix the Problem

A driveway that has suffered extreme cracking can be absolutely appalling. It’s in your best interest to get it resurfaced otherwise your home’s value is sure to plummet.

cracked driveway

There are many different types of driveway cracks. From spiderweb cracks to driveway sinking, each problem is caused by a vastly different reason. Check out Popular Mechanics article on different driveway problems and what causes them.

9. Get a New Garage Door

Your garage door is the largest entryway into your home so you want to make sure that it looks its best. Steel garage doors don’t just look great, but they maintain their aesthetic appeal for years to come.

Not only does a worn garage door look bad, but it can also be very dangerous. When a garage door ages and gets unbalanced, it affects your garage door opener and the chains. That means your garage door can come crashing down at any moment.

If this describes your garage door, it’s time to get a replacement. Look no further than Feldco – we’re the Midwest’s best garage door company. Get a free quote now and start your garage door project.

10. Keep Your Fence Looking Great

One of the outdoor enhancements often forgotten about is the fence or gate. The fact is, your gate is extremely important to your home’s curb appeal. A rusted chain link fence or gate that has chipping paint looks terrible. Make sure your fence or gate is well maintained and looks great.

Outdoor Enhancements That Will Improve Your Curb Appeal

There are many more outdoor enhancements that’ll help improve the look and functionality of your home – these are just our 10 favorites. By following these tips, the value of your home will skyrocket.

Feldco has it’s hand in helping many homeowners with their outdoor enhancements. We provide high quality windows, siding, doors and garage doors that are built specifically for the Midwest. We’ve proudly served over 400,000 homeowners and would love for your project to be our next.

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