Fall Chores Can Be Healthy

It’s time for the Fall season, which means the annual chores need to be done. Many of us put these chores off as long as possible. From raking, to cleaning the house, to splitting firewood, to getting ready for the holidays, these tasks need to get done. Many of these fall chores are physically exhausting. But, depending on your health, they can also be a great form of exercise and calorie burners.
Here are some healthy reasons why fall chores can help you get some exercise.
Raking Leaves – on average burns 280 calories per hour.
Whether you have to rake leaves or grass clippings from your lawn, this chore is exactly that – a chore. However, raking is a great aerobic exercise that uses upper body strength and back muscles.
Splitting & Chopping Firewood: 400-500 calories per hour
This activity is very physical and works almost every muscle of your body. From squatting to get the wood, to stacking and chopping, you are working various groups and getting a good aerobic workout. Be sure to take precautions (safety) wear gloves and take breaks.
Fall Gardening: 200 -250 calories per hour
In some areas, gardening is still growing strong. In others, fall gardening chores might include cleaning out the garden for next year. Pulling out plants, weeds, as well as planting spring bulbs all burn calories and exercise your body.
Cleaning the House: 200-230 calories per hour.
Forget spring cleaning, there are many holidays in the fall that require some cleaning for guests, decorations and more. There are various levels of housecleaning, but for purposes here we’re talking moderate cleaning of many different household tasks. (Put some music on in the background and you might make this cleaning workout a bit more effective.)
*Calories burned based on an average 145-pound person.
On my next Post, I’ll give the fall chores that need to be accomplished to keep your lawn and landscaping looking good in the fall and through the winter.

Comments are closed.

Popular Articles

Do you qualify for a disabled facilities grant?

Wouldn’t it be nice if the physically disabled could have accommodations to meet their needs right at home? Each room might reflect the design that provides adequate space, easy access, and storage for what is needed to maintain independence and a quality of life some people simply may take for granted.

Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG) benefit recipients regardless of age. For those who face the challenges of maintaining independence, Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG) are available. These grants address quality of life issues and focus on creating supportive home environments regardless of age. Through a DFG, a more active role at work, at school, and around town may be enjoyed.… Read the rest
Top 5 Reasons to Get a Building Inspection Before Buying a Home

One of the most important things you should do before purchasing a home is to have it checked out by a professional. They will be able to investigate your potential home for termites, mold, water damage and a host of other problems. These building inspections could save you from making one of the biggest financial blunders in your life. The following are the top five reasons it’s a good investment to have a building inspected before you decide to purchase it.

1. It Allows You Peace of Mind

A home inspection will help you better understand the condition that your potential home is in and if there are any defects.… Read the rest
Home Chore Chart for Spring

1. Check gutters for leafs and debris and clean out if needed
2. Low areas in the yard or next to foundation need to be filled in. Low areas (negative grade toward home) will cause water to pond and if not corrected could leave you with some unwanted foundation problems. All grading around house should drop 6 inches every 10 ft away from the home.
3. If you used your fireplace over the winter, good time to have the chimney swept and cleaned and be ready for next winter.
4. Look for exterior paint issues, cracking, buckling and etc. Look for areas that need caulking.… Read the rest
Do You Have Bed Bugs

When people think about blood sucking insects, they first picture a mosquito or tick. Did you know bed bugs are also blood suckers. The tiny, sneaky insects are spreading so rapidly across the United States that almost no region or area is unbitten, a new survey suggests. The United States has seen a 50-fold increase in bed bug infestations over the last five years, according to the National Pest Management Association. An entomologist told MSNBC, “It’s like the return of the wooly mammoth,” as many of his peers had previously never seen a single bed bug in their careers. The outbreak has affected most parts of North America and Europe, especially in urban areas.… Read the rest
Hidden Reason to Get a Home Inspection

Just another example of why you should get a home inspection prior to spending your hard earned money on your dream home. As you can see by the picture, a shoddy repair job would have given a few clues something wasn’t right. As a buyer of a house, what would you have done next?

Part of my passion as a Dallas and Fort Worth area home inspector is to get to the bottom of little things that others wouldn’t think to observe. My first move was to look at different areas located around this particular area, ie, laundry room, bathroom, etc.… Read the rest
Preparing Your Fireplace Prior to Winter

With Winter around the corner, now is probably a good time to get that fireplace in shape for this season of sitting by the fire with a good book, spouse or significant other.
Even with our mild winters here in the Dallas Fort Worth area, the Chimney Safety Institute recommends that homeowners who light fires in their fireplaces three or more times a week during the heating season should have their chimneys inspected and cleaned once a year.
If unseasoned wood is burned in the fireplace, twice-a-year cleaning and inspection may be necessary, because unseasoned wood usually burns at a lower temperature than seasoned wood, causing more smoke and therefore more creosote.… Read the rest
Roof Flashing

The main purpose of a roof is to protect the home from the elements. Rainfall is the #1 culprit of water getting underneath the roof structure. Water needs to be shed away from valleys, chimneys, ridges, eaves, rakes, skylights, roof penetrations and roof to wall intersections. Water built up in these particular locations can cause serious damage to the structure in wood rot and not to mention mold which is known to cause respiratory problems. The water usually doesn’t just stop there, it can penetrate down the attic structure, to the ceiling sheet-rock or down a wall and cause even more serious issues.… Read the rest
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program

10 Easy Ways to Save Energy in Your Home

Most people don’t know how easy it is to make their homes run on less energy, and here at Leahy’s Inspections, we want to change that. Drastic reductions in heating, cooling and electricity costs can be accomplished through very simple changes, most of which homeowners can do themselves. Of course, for homeowners who want their homes to take advantage of the most up-to-date knowledge and systems in home energy-efficiency, Home inspector energy auditors can perform in-depth testing to find the best energy solutions for your particular home.
Why make your home more energy efficient?… Read the rest
Finding Your Modern Look With Window Treatments

You may be surprised at just how much your window treatments can affect the appearance of a home. Many people tend to see them simply as additions to the home that are only there to serve a practical purpose. This couldn’t be further from the truth as certain window treatments can help you achieve certain looks and effects in the home. One such example of this is the understated, subtle option of wooden venetian blinds, which can really play a big part in helping you give your home a modern appearance.

Colours

One of the very first things that people consider when it comes to any factor of interior design is colour, and venetian blinds are no exception to this rule.… Read the rest
Cleaning and Maintaining Your Jetted Tub

I recently performed my routine maintenance on the jacuzzi tub we have in the master bath. I thought I would share some of the tips I’ve picked up during my home inspection career. I’m always seeking to better my knowledge on questions that may come up during one of my home inspections.
All whirlpool bathtubs have a small amount of residual water left in the pipeline. Minerals in water begin a process of calcifying around the insides of your pipes. This hard scale build up not only restricts water flow, but becomes a perfect breading ground for infectious bacteria. As the algae breaks off, you will see it in your bath water as ugly black flecks.… Read the rest