Lakeport Cluster

Spring 2025 Issue of Ripples

Lakeport News

From the Editor/President – Stephen Sapp
Landscape Committee Report – Mary Sapp
Social Committee Report
Maintenance Committee Report – David Michaelson
Neighborhood Watch – Chuck Foster
Book Club – Barbara Khan
Thanks to Our Volunteers
Lakeport Governance/Management

Helpful Information

Community is a theme I have often written about in this column in relationship to Lakeport, and I want to return to it now by asking a basic but crucial question: What is community? The answer of course is that it is a multi-faceted entity, something that carries a number of meanings.

If we put the article “a” in front of “community,” the connotation tends toward an almost physical entity, which of course Lakeport is. And it is a beautiful one, thanks to the efforts of our residents with regard to both our own homes and our common property. Although we all may sometimes feel frustrated by Reston Association’s Cluster Property Guidelines and Lakeport’s Cluster Standards, they are one of the main reasons our physical community is as attractive as it is. Please remember that if you are planning to make any changes to the exterior of your home, you must consult the applicable standard(s) and comply with the guidance you find there. If you have any questions about whether your project meets the standard, please get in touch with our Standards Committee Chair Jerry Beiter (jbeiter29@gmail.com).

Beyond the meaning of “community” in the physical sense, the word also carries the notion of fellowship, of “being in this together,” of sharing a common purpose and vision for life together—in short, of caring about one another and wanting the best for everyone with whom we share our physical environment. Although the world we live in today seems to pull in the opposite direction, my hope is that in Lakeport at least we can all feel as if we are truly welcome and “have one another’s backs.” But it’s up to each of us to make this ideal happen.

One way that this vision becomes a reality, of course, is for everyone to contribute to making Lakeport the kind of community (in both senses!) I just described (and as the accompanying picture shows, you’re never too young to do so!). Many residents give a great deal of their time and energy in many ways, and I (as should we all) want to thank them for all they do (see the “Thanks to Volunteers” article elsewhere in this issue). We still need volunteers for the Spring Workday on March 31, one of Lakeport’s two major annual cleanups, and later that day we will be able to enjoy the Spring Dock Party, a great opportunity to gather as the Lakeport community. Please email msapp@miami.edu if you can help with the workday, and sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0944AFA622A1FCC61-56851872-ilovelakeport#/ if you will be joining your neighbors for the dock party.

Finally, I want to repeat two requests I make every issue:

Please set up Direct Debit for your quarterly assessment payments, the next of which is due July 1 (see “Reminders” elsewhere in this issue for how to do this). The main advantage is that you never have to worry about being late and incurring extra fees, but you also save the hassle and expense of mailing a check (or being charged a fee for using a credit card online). I have heard from several people that they don’t like to use automated payments because they want to know exactly how much their bills are, but unlike electricity or water, for example, you already will know exactly how much your quarterly assessment will be: Rates are posted in the online “HOA Fee Payment: Charges for assessment, fees, administrative charges” in the Residents tab of the Lakeport website (under “HOA Fee Payment”)! So please consider this time- and cost-saving way to pay your assessments (it will also mean Board members don’t have to send reminders to owners who haven’t paid so they don’t get charged a late fee).
Also please check the Directory and add/update your information if necessary. If former residents are listed, email webmaster@lakeportcluster.org to request their names be removed. If you have renters, ask them to submit the form at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfFILfWGBoWIgWlBPSQmIKj4kIX0kPA7XsRjnsaOsNXuvVSkw/viewform?dods&gxids=7628.

Let us know what you think of this Spring issue of Ripples. If you want to submit an item for our Summer issue, please email me at ssapp@miami.edu. Photos of life in Lakeport (such as the photo above of Heidi, Alex, and Lizzie Driscoll working on the Kids’ Garden that was sent in by Sandy Laeser) are always welcome as well!

Landscape Committee

By Mary Sapp, Chair

Project in Progress

Please join us Saturday, May 31, for Lakeport’s Spring Workday. We will meet at Triangle Park at 9:00 a.m. If you want to help spruce up our community’s landscaping as part of I Love Lakeport Day, email msapp@miami.edu. Please bring work gloves and any garden tools (e.g., pruning shears, shovels, hand gardening tools to help with weeding) that you might have (or just yourself). We will haul debris from some of the dead trees and branches that will be cut down, weed by the RA path going to the pool and in the rain garden, cut back bushes behind homes on the north side of Lakeport Way, remove invasive vines, and trim dead branches from small shrubs around Lakeport. Volunteers are appreciated!

Meadows Farms will replace two additional warrantied shrubs (no cost), Complete Landscaping Service will replace several liriope destroyed by snowplows at the entrance, and some other replacement heucheras will be purchased for Triangle Park.

Projects Completed

Complete Landscaping installed new landscaping at the entrance to Lakeport, including six callicarpa(beautyberry) bushes in the raised section on the entrance-lane side plus four purple Heuchera Plum Pudding, five green Heuchera Citronelle, and five gold Heuchera Caramel on the lower level to supplement three Blue Star Junipers and seven Heucheras remaining from earlier installations. They also planted three callicarpas and two pink Spirea Little Princess bushes in the raised section on the exit-lane side plus nine gold Heuchera Caramel and nine green Heuchera Citronelle on the lower level to supplement three Blue Star Junipers and a few Heucheras remaining from earlier installations.

Riverbend Landscapes & Tree Service removed two ailing white pines near the entrance that were deemed a threat to homes downhill from them and a dead chestnut oak at the end of Lakespray whose branches posed a hazard for nearby pedestrians and vehicles, and they also trimmed nine trees. In addition, they did tree work contracted by five owners. See photos of impressive tree work below.

Complete Landscaping replaced nine wax myrtles and two rhododendrons next to Lakespray at no cost and allowed us to replant the ailing wax myrtles and rhododendrons that had been struggling there. Most were planted by volunteers between 1930 and 1932 Lakeport Way (see photo to right).

Meadows Farms made two visits to install replacements for dead trees and shrubs in Triangle Park and our natural wooded areas that were warrantied and to move two other trees. The trees included two hollies, a sweet bay magnolia, a redbud, and a dogwood, and the shrubs included three evergreen inkberry bushes, a hydrangea, four clethra bushes, two ferns, and two sedges. Half of these replacements were free, and most of the labor costs of the rest were covered by credits from not replacing a tree in 2023 and a rhododendron this year.

The Fairfax Invasive Removal Alliance (FIRA), whose mission includes finding ways to help manage invasive plants on private land, paid a visit to Lakeport on March 1, pointing out invasive vines and helping volunteers remove them (see photo to right). More removal of invasives will be done during the Spring Workday on May 31.

Please remember that owners and residents are not allowed to remove, add, or prune plants in common areas without the permission of Lakeport’s Landscape Committee, and we ask that you consult with us before paying to have branches overhanging your property trimmed/removed.

Social Committee

A big thank you to Irene Nagley and Elizabeth Pan for agreeing to serve as Co-Chairs of the Social Committee. And thanks to everyone who participates and volunteers to make these events a success! Be sure to join your neighbors on Saturday, May 31, at 6:00 for Lakeport’s Spring Dock Party, part of I Love Lakeport Day. You can sign up to bring a dish at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0944AFA622A1FCC61-56851872-ilovelakeport#/.

A Mardi Gras driveway party was held March 4, and as you can see from the photos below, the good times rolled. Thanks to Diane Zoukis and Matt Callan for hosting and to Nancy Osborn for providing the King Cake (complete with the traditional “baby”).

Then on Earth Day, April 22, a number of Lakeport residents gathered at the home of Jeff and Heidi Warrington to learn how to reduce energy consumption and lower electric bills. After some social time, Jeff shared a PowerPoint presentation on various modifications that they have made to their home that have reduced their electrical use and his estimates of when he will recover his costs. If you are interested in a copy of his slides, contact Jeff at jswarring@aol.com.

Maintenance Committee

We are happy to welcome David Michaelson as our new Maintenance Committee chair (he’s already repaired a loose cable on the floating dock!). Thanks to Jonathan Hammer for serving this past year. Please let us know if you are interested in joining the Maintenance Committee or if you might be available to help with any projects that come up. If you notice anything around Lakeport that needs repair, please email Board@lakeportcluster.org.

As with our own homes, elements on Lakeport’s common property are showing the signs of age. This is particularly the case with our lighting. The fuses in three of Lakeport’s disconnect boxes were recently upgraded to breakers, and wiring to the last streetlight on Lakespray Way will be replaced soon.

We are continuing to apply non-toxic goose repellant regularly to try to keep the geese away. So far this approach has been effective (until it rains), and the new pollinator garden seems to be an additional deterrent. We continue to monitor (and clean up). Thanks to all those who help to remove the droppings; please feel free to lend a hand whenever you see droppings on the dock (there are brooms behind 1939 Lakeport Way).

Neighborhood Watch

By Chuck Foster, Chair

Unfortunately, package theft is a concern in Lakeport as it is in almost all communities, so we’re sharing these tips to help keep your deliveries safe.

Sign Up for Delivery Alerts. Stay in the know by signing up for delivery notifications. It’s good to know when your package arrives.

Don’t Leave Packages Unattended. When your package arrives, make sure it’s tucked away safely. Ask a friendly neighbor to watch over it and offer to return the favor.

Require Signature Delivery. Make sure your delivery is extra secure by requesting a signature upon delivery.

Explore Alternative Delivery Options. Many delivery services offer convenient pick-up spots or lockers. Check out your delivery service’s website for details and rest easy knowing your packages are safe until you’re ready for them.

Consider Delivery to Work. If you're expecting a delivery during the week, ask if it can be delivered to your workplace.

Hold Mail and Packages if You Plan to Be Away. Put a hold on your deliveries to keep them safe while you enjoy your getaway or summer holiday.

Be on the Lookout for Suspicious Activity. Keep an eye out for unfamiliar faces or vehicles in your neighborhood. If something feels off, don’t hesitate to call the Fairfax County Police Department non-emergency number (703691-2131).

Consider Installing a Security System. Package theft happens all year. A security system can be a great investment to keep your home and packages safe.

Book Club

By Barbara Khan, Coordinator

Want to join some of your neighbors and talk about a good book? Lakeport has an informal book club that is always open to new members. We meet monthly on the third Monday from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., rotating among members’ homes.

So what has the Lakeport Book Club been reading recently?

Becoming Madame Secretary, by Stephanie Drey
In Search of Berlin, by John Kampfner
In Memoriam, by Alice Winn
Wonder, by R.J. Palacio
The New York Trilogy, by Paul Auster

If these books interest you and you want to join the Book Club or have questions, contact Barbara Khan at bskhan@att.net.

Thanks to Our Volunteers

Please be sure to thank your neighbors who volunteer their time and energy to make Lakeport a better place for all of us to live while also saving the HOA considerable money. If you want to volunteer, let the Board or a committee chair know—it’s a great way to meet your neighbors and contribute to your community.

Landscape

Mary Sapp (chair), Kristen Bobik, Steven Browning, John Janowski, Marjorie Myers, Don Nagley, Elizabeth Pan, and Rosemary Welch – serving on the Landscape Committee
Heidi, Alex, and Lizzie Driscoll – planting herbs in the Kids’ Garden
Jerry Beiter, Steven Browning, David Fleming, Andy Nagley, Don Nagley, Stephen Sapp, Rosemary Welch – transplanting wax myrtles and rhododendrons
Kristen Bobik, Steven Browning, John Janowski, Susan Kilcup, Robin Kolko, Marjorie Myers, Andy Nagley, Elizabeth Pan, Stephen Sapp, Rosemary Welch – removing invasive plants identified by the Fairfax Invasive Removal Alliance.
Steven Browning, Mary and Stephen Sapp – laying soaker hoses at entrance
Steven Browning – watering plants on Lakespray Way
Mary and Stephen Sapp – watering new plants at entrance (Bobby Chan and Michelle Zeng – supplying water)
Rosemary Welch - watering plants in Triangle Park
Marilyn Bursch - watering plants next to rain garden
Elena Simonenko – watering trees in wooded area between Lakeport and Lakespray homes
Kevin Dandy – watering plants in front of transformer

Social

Irene Nagley and Elizabeth Pan – co-chairing Social Committee
Diane Zoukis and Matt Callan – hosting Mardi Gras party
Jeff and Heidi Warrington – hosting Earth Day gathering and presenting on energy savings
Carol Leos – welcoming new residents

Maintenance

David Michaelson – chairing the Maintenance Committee
Jonathan Hammer – cleaning up after geese on dock

Standards

Jerry Beiter – chairing the Standards Committee

Other

Chuck Foster – chairing Neighborhood Watch
Barbara Khan – coordinating the Lakeport Book Club
Tom Barnett – maintaining Lakeport’s online directory and listserv for announcements and posting Ripples
Stephen Sapp – editing Ripples

Lakeport Governance/Management

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Stephen Sapp - President
Rich Kolko - Vice President

Jerry Beiter - Vice President

Andy Nagley – Secretary

Tod Vollrath - Treasurer

Email: Board@lakeportcluster.org

What Residents and Board Can Expect

COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Architectural Standards Committee - Jerry Beiter

Standards Committee Charter

Landscape Committee – Mary Sapp

Landscape Charter

Maintenance Committee – David Michaelson

Maintenance Charter

Neighborhood Watch Committee – Chuck Foster

Neighborhood Watch Charter

Social Committee – Irene Nagley and Elizabeth Pan

Social Committee Charter

OTHER VOLUNTEERS

Webmaster and Listserv Administrator – Tom Barnett

Editor for Ripples, community newsletter – Stephen Sapp

Book Club Coordinator – Barbara Khan

Fill doggie-bag stations – Kevin Burke and Steven Browning

Keep community dock clean – Jonathan Hammer

SELECT COMMUNITY SERVICES

Portfolio Manager: Alexandra "Ali" Long

Email: along@scs-management.com

Direct: (703) 230-8725

Fax: (703) 266-2804

PO Box 221350

Chantilly, VA 20153

Hours: Monday-Thursday 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.mm, Friday 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Website: https://app.townsq.io/login

RESTON ASSOCIATION

Danielle Myers

Covenants Advisor

phone: (703) 435-6559

dwilliams@reston.org

https://www.reston.org/

Reminders for Lakeport Owners and Residents

Maintenance of the Exterior of Your Home: If you are contemplating maintenance involving possible changes to the exterior of your home, be sure to check Lakeport Standards, and if a relevant Lakeport standard doesn’t exist, you need to follow the appropriate Reston Association (RA) Guideline. Links to Lakeport and RA architectural requirements, the DRB application, discussion of RA’s counterintuitive party-wall rules, and resources for landscaping and replacement trees (required by RA if you remove a tree) are all available in Section A at https://www.lakeportcluster.org/p/documents.html.

Contractors: Please ensure that your contractors do not leave building materials (especially nails that may puncture tires) on your driveway or on the nearby street, both during and after their work. Also make sure they do not dispose of building material or clean their paint brushes on common property.

Maintenance Resources: Be sure to review the Home Maintenance Checklist in this issue for smaller maintenance projects that could save you major expenses and headaches in the future. And remember that RA has arranged with Sherwin-Williams for a discount of 30% to 40% off paints and stains (exterior and interior) and 15% off paint supplies at Sherwin-Williams store #3385, located at 495A Elden Street in Herndon (703-471-1484). If you want to take advantage of the discount, the code is 2214-8496-7. Washington Consumer Checkbook is an online publication (www.checkbook.org) that offers a huge user-friendly database of reviews of many types of local service providers, along with high-quality advice about how to approach selecting and working with them.

You Must Replace Any Tree You Remove: If you plan to remove a live tree on your property, you need approval from Reston Association. Furthermore, if you will remove or have recently removed a tree (dead or alive), RA requires that you replace it with another tree, preferably a native. RA has several resources for finding a replacement tree. See https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a1epMYHN4gx8EB7l_K68ewk8bZnXnh1-/view

and https://www.dropbox.com/sh/f4ch21s6x062qsc/AABzwoLgm7q7-HL-WcrWbmCOa/Native%20and%20Invasive%20Species?dl=0&preview=Trees+in+Reston.pdf&subfolder_nav_tracking=1.

Party Walls: Although sometimes counterintuitive, the RA Deeds make the repair of any architectural element that falls on the property line between two houses (e.g., wall, trim, fence) a joint responsibility. If you aren’t sure whose responsibility it is to pay for the repair or replacement of a shared wall or trim, please see https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxSpjzCTaI6Jd0xnbEZEcEhLT3NiWjRKODNlZDBtTWdRdTBJ/view for information relating to party walls.

Drive Slowly: Neighborhood kids will start to be outside more as the weather gets warmer, playing on sidewalks and in the streets. Please remember to drive slowly and keep your eyes out for children (and other pedestrians).

Improve Lighting in Lakeport: As the days grow longer, it is important to adjust the time your outdoor lights come on. A well-lit community is one of the most basic measures we can take to ensure the safety of our residents and the security of our property. One way to further the goal of safe lighting is for residents to leave their exterior lights on at night, especially those in units with post lights, which according to long-time Lakeport residents used to be standard practice. This is of course voluntary but doing this one small thing would be a gracious contribution to the overall safety and attractiveness of our community.

Lock Your Cars: If you park your car outside, be sure to lock it, and do not leave valuables visible, especially at night. Also remind guests to do the same.

Report Suspicious Activity: If you see suspicious activity, don’t confront anybody but instead call the Fairfax County Police non-emergency number, 703-691-2131 (use this number also to report vandalism or any other crime that has already occurred). The police request that even if you just have a “gut feeling” something is wrong, please notify them with as many details as possible. It is helpful if you can also take photos unobtrusively. Police will be dispatched (or you may be able to provide a report over the phone). Also notify Lakeport’s Neighborhood Watch coordinator Chuck Foster at chuckfost@aol.com. Please pay special attention to suspicious activity or sounds near the Lakeport dock, in the woods, or at night.

Visitors: If you have visitors whose car will be parked in common space for more than one night, put a note on the dashboard with your name and address and the dates the vehicle will be parked in Lakeport so the car is not towed.

Glass Recycling: Please remember that glass is not included as part of regular weekly recycling pickup. Therefore do NOT put glass of any kind in your blue recycling bin!

Lakeport residents have two options to recycle our glass:

1. Free glass recycling is available at Fairfax County Purple Bins:

https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/publicworks/recycling-trash/glass

The closest locations to Lakeport are at Reston South Park & Ride and at Baron Cameron Park (Wiehle & Baron Cameron).

2. Glass Goat Recycling offers glass recycling with pickup for a fee:

Bi-Weekly Glass Pickup

Composting. If you are tired of smelly trash cans and want to reduce the amount of garbage you send to the dump, consider signing up for the compost pickup service offered by Veteran Compost DC–From Combat to Compost, which will turn your food scraps into high-quality compost. The company provides a bin, which has a sealing mechanism that is effective at trapping odors inside and is picked up and replaced once a week with a clean bin (currently early on Thursdays, meaning you can put everything curbside at the same time). The discounted group rate for residents of Lakeport is $28 per month. For more information, see https://veterancompostindc.com/ or call (202) 556-3806.

Help Keep Our Community Clean and Beautiful: Please contribute to the appearance of our community by picking up trash anywhere you see it while you’re out walking and enjoying nature in Lakeport (and elsewhere).

Geese: We continue to experience problems with goose droppings on our dock, though much reduced from earlier. We are paying Complete Landscaping to apply FlightControl, which appears to be effective in deterring (but not harming) the geese that eat the grass next to the dock. Please do not feed the geese (not only does this attract them, it’s not healthy for them), but do feel free to shoo them off the dock (just be sure not to harm them or allow them to attack you—we just want to make their time on our dock unpleasant enough that they will choose to hang out somewhere else!). It would be appreciated if you could help sweep the dock (there are brooms behind 1939 Lakeport Way that you are encouraged to use).

Never Again Be Late Paying Your Quarterly Assessment: If you’ve been contacted by the Board for not paying your assessment as the end of the month nears (or even if you haven’t), please consider paying your quarterly assessments by direct debit through your bank instead of mailing a check or paying on TownSq (which incurs an extra fee). Using direct debit means that you never have to worry about incurring late fees because you forgot to make the payment ($35 in 2025, plus the $25 administrative charge from SCS for sending the letter). Alternatively, you can pay the entire assessment at the beginning of the year. Either approach means the Board does not have to spend time contacting you or pay SCS for mailing quarterly statements to owners who have not set up direct debit or prepaid. A third option for avoiding late fees (but you’ll still get a quarterly statement, which costs Lakeport money) is to use your bank’s electronic bill-pay option to set up recurring checks. For information about any of these three options and for mailing checks, go to https://www.lakeportcluster.org/p/hoa-fee-payments-lakeport-cluster-hoa.html.

Update Your Contact Information: Please go to the Lakeport Directory https://drive.google.com/file/d/13Pr6_zpGlgmO2beIns_hqfhg0kzvawwS/view (PW=lakespray) and check the contact information listed there for you. If a correction is needed, either 1) send an email to webmaster@lakeportcluster.org and copy along@scs-management.com or 2) fill out the form at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfFILfWGBoWIgWlBPSQmIKj4kIX0kPA7XsRjnsaOsNXuvVSkw/viewform. If your home has renters, have them to fill out the form so they will be listed in the directory. If the directory lists someone who no longer lives at your address, please ask the webmaster to remove that name. Remember also that if you need to contact a neighbor or just remember someone’s name you have forgotten, you can always check this directory.

Home Maintenance Checklist for Spring/Summer

Important note: If you are addressing issues with the exterior of your home, please consult the Lakeport Design Standards and remember that you may have to seek approval from Reston Association’s Design Review Board.  

Outdoor Checklist 

Be sure to water your plants. The longer days and increased heat of summer mean that the plants in our yards come under greater stress, especially during periods of no or sporadic rain. To maintain the appearance of your yard (not to mention to save yourself the expense of replacement), please remember to water your plants when needed. When watering, it is best to soak the area around the roots but not re-water again until the soil 3”-4” below the surface is no longer damp (fewer and longer waterings are the best way to encourage deeper roots while avoiding root rot). Helpful information can be found at https://www.meadowsfarms.com/blog/tips-on-watering-your-plants/.
Check wood siding and trim for signs of splintering, deterioration, softness, green mildew, or other discoloration. These are signs of potential wood damage. Replace damaged siding and trim following Cluster standards for paint color. In the case of mildew or discoloration, ask a home improvement provider to suggest the appropriate cleaner to preserve the wood.
Exterior metal railing is prone to rust. Home Depot has a product that cleans the rust effectively. One bottle of Rustoleum Rust Dissolver is probably a lifetime supply (or sufficient to share with several of your neighbors). Scrape rusted areas with a putty knife or flat screwdriver, spray on the rust dissolver, let it sit for about 15 minutes, and then wash it off with water (clear directions are on the spray bottle.) Keep doing this until all the visible rust is gone. Dry the metal, sand it lightly, and then spray it with a Rustoleum primer. When that dries, you can paint it with the approved trim color for your house. There’s no guarantee that the rust won’t eventually return, but you can prolong the life of your exterior railing pipes (and particularly the collars that attach the pipes to your trim wood) by many years.
If you haven’t checked your gutters already this spring, you should do so now. Remove leaves and other debris from gutters and make sure gutters are still firmly anchored and properly connected to downspouts.
A dark vertical line on the middle of your garage door is most likely caused by insufficient tension on the chain from your garage door opener to the front wall of your garage. Over time, the chain will slacken and start to drag on the door, which leaves that black mark and eventually will wear through the paint if left uncorrected. Most of these chains have a tensioner or turnbuckle that can be tightened to fix the problem. Once you have tightened the chain, the door can be cleaned with something like Scott’s Outdoor Cleaner and the gentle use of a scrubbing sponge from your kitchen.
Driveways should be maintained in good condition with no loose sections of asphalt, holes in the surface, or crumbling edges. All older asphalt driveways will crack, and we recommend filling these cracks annually with semi-liquid driveway patch (available from Home Depot either in a squeeze bottle or in caulk-style tubes). Patching the cracks will prolong the life of the driveway considerably, though this type of product works well only in cracks that are no wider than about ¼ inch. When small sections of asphalt break up and are no longer easily patchable with a liquid product, cold patch can be used to repair that section: Dig out the loose asphalt, put cold patch in the hole (available in 60-pound bags from Home Depot), and pound with the top surface of a sledge hammer to compact it. Be sure to bring the cold patch up to the level of the existing driveway and smooth it into the original surface.
Driveway sealers help to improve the look of the driveway and cover the differences among the original surface, crack fills, and cold patch fixes; they also help extend the life of the driveway. Sealers typically come in a five-gallon can and require a squeegee for spreading.
All driveways eventually will reach a point where small fixes are insufficient, and they will need to be repaved. When your driveway is more than 5% cold patch or has many cracks that can’t be filled, this is a good indication that professional repaving is needed.

Indoor Checklist 

Homeowners should check and if necessary replace gasket/pressure regulators in bathtubs and showers (including the overflow) to avoid flooding from a leak.
Be sure to replace or clean your HVAC filter regularly.
If you didn’t change the batteries in your smoke detectors earlier this spring, you might want to do that now.