Spreading Out Home Maintenance Expenses Throughout the Year Will Keep Budgets on Track and Your Home Looking Great RALEIGH, N.C., Sept. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Owning a home can quickly turn from exciting to expensive as home maintenance costs continue to skyrocket. From the roof to the lawn, home ownership can get very expensive, very fast. "The easiest way to stay within your budget and keep your home safe and looking great is to spread your home maintenance costs throughout the year," says Bill Duggan, popular home and garden host. As the weather cools down, start the fall season off right by planning for the cool winter months and preventing costly damage. Keep plumbing running smoothly by making sure that all pipes are well insulated before the dropping temperatures increase the risk of freezing. If gone unchecked, repairs can be expensive, particularly in winter when plumbing services are in high demand. Prevent the cold from coming indoors by ensuring that your house is weather- tight. Caulk the joints around doors and windows, or add weather stripping to keep out chilly drafts. Fall is also the best time to add to your lawn by putting trees and shrubs in the ground. Spruce up your yard by planting pansies and discover a colorful surprise when springtime arrives. While beautifying your lawn, don't forget to take care of pests too. Fire ants alone cause over $2 billion in damage a year. These creepy-crawlies can be pricey to eliminate once an infestation occurs. And when the cooler temperatures arrive, they move deep below the soil surface for warmth. So, prevent these pests before they arrive. A preventive treatment like professionally applied TopChoice(R) Fire Ant Control is the best method available as it lasts an entire year, so you can ensure a virtually fire ant-free spring and summer. When winter keeps you indoors and out of the cold, use your time wisely. Update your indoors by repainting your kitchen or den with bright colors to kick the winter blues and have your home ready for the sunny season ahead. Keep costs down by purchasing spring-colored paints in the "off season," and reduce the need for extra coating by painting when the weather is cold and paint will stick easier. "The best way to keep spring costs down is by prepping your home in the winter," says Duggan. Repairing a deck or patio can be expensive, so prevent future damage by taking a few days to clean debris from the deck area and refasten any loose nails or screws. Clean the deck with a commercial cleaner, making sure to remove any mildew. Finish with a wood sealer and your deck will sparkle for springtime. By always staying a season ahead and spreading home maintenance costs throughout the year, your home will stay looking great without breaking your budget. By taking preventive measures you can eliminate costly repairs in the long run, and enjoy a safe and happy home every season. Bayer Environmental Science is a business group of Bayer CropScience LP. Best known for its flagship product, Bayer Aspirin, Bayer Corporation with its affiliates produces a broad range of health care, life sciences and chemical products that help diagnose and treat diseases, purify water, preserve local landmarks, protect crops, advance automobile safety and durability and improve people's lives. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Bayer Corporation had sales of $10.1 billion in consumer products in 2000 and is one of Fortune magazine's, "Most Admired Companies." The company employs 23,200 people. It is a member of the worldwide Bayer Group, a $29 billion international health care and chemicals group based in Leverkusen, Germany. The Bayer Group stock is a component of the DAX and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: BAY). Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in our public reports filed with the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission forward- looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments. DATASOURCE: Bayer Environmental Science CONTACT: Jamie Plaxco of Tierney Communications, +1-215-790-4386, or , for Bayer Environmental Science; or Jennifer Remsberg of Bayer Environmental Science, +1-919-549-2484, or

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