You might dread hearing that phrase, “Honey , can you…” because usually the last part of the sentence involves some type of manual labor your wife has assigned for you to do during the busiest time of the football season. Your list of Fall chores hanging on the refrigerator grows longer every day, and your wife’s frown grows more and more impatient as she points out the window as the Fall leaves begin to change color.

Face it: you have to do those Fall chores or deal with the unpleasantness of living in the doghouse when the winter snow arrives. There’s just one problem. Should you be the one doing all of those chores?

While it’s nice of your wife to consider you as the Super Handyman of The Century, there are just some tasks that go beyond your experience or know-how to do. And the time has come for you to man up to the fact that the reason why you haven’t done the chores is because you can’t.

So let’s go tackle that list and separate those tasks that you can do during the weekend when your football team has a bye week from those tasks that a professional should do so the work gets done right.

Fall Chore #1: “Honey, Can You Please Clean Out The Gutter?”

Gutters. Nobody really wants to do them and if the neighbor has a kid, it might be best to throw him a ten-spot to clean the mud, decayed leaves, and other nasty gunk from the gutters.

But if you want to save your hard-earned cash, then this is a chore you can tackle yourself. Depending on the number of gutters you have, you might want to split the chore up over several days.

Fall Chore #2: “Honey, Can You Replace That Broken Window?”

There are a number of reasons why we sometimes need to replace a window. It could be an old drafty pane that lets more cold air in than it keeps out. Or the neighbor’s kid did a Tim Tebow and threw the football straight through the glass.

When it comes to replacing windows, you could do the job but only if you have someone helping you. But it’s a better idea to just have a professional do it for you. That way, it will get installed right and if the new window gets broken during the installation, you can get the professional to pay for the new one.

Fall Chore #3: “Honey, Can You Check Out The Furnace?”

The furnace needs inspected and serviced every year so that it is running properly during the winter. But sometimes having a professional come and service it can cost quite a bit of money. You could do some of the servicing yourself, such as changing the dirty air filters and sealing up leaking pipe work with aluminum tape – NOT duct tape which isn’t suited for ductwork.

When it comes to the mechanical aspects of the furnace itself, dig out that wallet and have a professional do it. You just don’t need the headache of the furnace breaking down on the coldest day of winter.

Fall Chore #4: “Honey, Can You Clean Out The Fireplace?”

Again, like the furnace, this is a task that can be split between doing it yourself and hiring a professional to do. Grab a bucket and a scrub brush to clean out the inside opening of the furnace. As for the flue pipe running up the chimney that is filled with creosote, hire a professional chimney sweeper to clean it out. The last thing you need is to have your house catch on fire from built-up creosote.

Fall Chore #5: “Honey, Can You Paint The House?”

While you could hire professionals to do it, it is a task that you can do yourself. Simply admit to yourself that your house is lacking curb appeal due to the old paint, and your home is losing value because of it.

Handle Those Chores Before Winter Arrives

Make your wife happy and deal with the chores whether you do them yourself or have a professional to do them. Once you get them done before winter arrives, your wife won’t be bugging you in the Spring during the playoffs to do those chores that you had put off.

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Think of your home’s roof as an investment. It’s like a car in that it needs regular routine maintenance to be truly long-lasting, especially in harsh weather where the likes of rain, snow and wind can do a number on it. But roof inspections and maintenance isn’t something you want to put off until after winter. No, it’s important to get any necessary repairs completed before harsh weather kicks when small problems carry the potential to escalate into major problems.

Roof repairs

are one home project you should take care of before winter. Here are a few others:

Man Caves:

You’re likely going to be spending a lot of time indoors in the winter time, so you might as well do it in the comfort and convenience of your very own “Man Cave.” Turn your unfinished basement into the hangout of your dreams or give your already finished basement the necessary TLC to achieve Man Cave status. Some items to include might be a flat-screen television, a bar, comfortable furniture and wall decor of your favorite sports teams. Then just invite the guys over when the game is on. No game on? The wife and kids can enjoy the area too – flip on a movie or have a family game night downstairs.

Garage Room:

Another way to stay entertained during the long Minnesota winter months is to create a playroom of sorts in your home. A good area for this is the garage, as it’s easy to fit large gaming items like pool tables and pin ball machines into the wide open space, rather than maneuver them down your basement stairs. What’s more is you can install VCT tile or another type of flooring to cover the cement, giving your garage room more of an at-home feeling. The only downside, of course, is that turning your garage into a playroom means that you’ll likely have to park your car in the driveway, which might lead to excess brushing and scraping when Mother Nature picks up.

Home Office:

You never know when you’re going to get blasted with snow in Minnesota, so it’s a likely bet that your boss is going to be a little bit more lenient with work from home policies in the winter months. Prepare for these days now by setting up a home office in that cluttered spare bedroom. Give the room a fresh paint job and pick up a nice desk and any other furniture you’ll need to work from home when it’s too much of a burden to drive into the office. This way, you can work comfortably without having to worry about brushing off the car and battling the elements to get to where you need to go.

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Tags: Basement Finishing, Garage Additions, Office Remodeling

Start Your Fall Home Improvement Project today!

This could be you Basement or Garage Rec Room

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Building shelter or finding it in nature has been a constant job for mankind since the beginning of time.  Before the last 200 years, man did not have the luxuries like coffee maker to brew the morning cup of Joe or the toaster to ever so gently warm-up the blueberry Pop-Tart all safely tucked under a strong roof.   A roof we depend on for protection and safety created using innovative thinking.  So how have things changed over the years?

Roof styles and materials have varied over time.  In Japan they used bamboo, in China and in the Middle East they used clay tiles. Then in 2,780 BC the Egyptians started to build pyramids. In 2,500 BC the British started to use slate.  Animal hides were used for not just shelter but also insulation.  The Taj Mahal was built with a marble roof!  Not practical for the average home owner, but gorgeous all the same.  Materials and design have always been different depending on culture, climate, and available products.

All Roof or No Roof?

Today companies like GAF offer us a variety of products like the Lifetime Timberland shingle your best investment for an ultra-dimensional wood-shake look.  GAF also offers a green variety that reflects sunlight to help reduce attic heat buildup and save energy.  You can even get designer shingles an industry first! Thanks to our advanced shingle design, we’re able to create the look of genuine European clay tile with up to 70% savings. Yet another designer option is Country Mansion II Shingles for the look of the original Country Mansion Shingles, but at an incredibly affordable price!

Roofing today is more efficient.  Although in the end it still serves the same basic principle to keep us protected and safe from the elements of nature.  Slate, clay, marble, and animal hides have all served their purpose, some are still standing strong.  Pyramids were also a remarkable creation and their shape which had no need for a roof, or was all roof depending on one’s perspective.  Today we enjoy quality products that are lighter, come in a variety of styles, colors, and qualities, and most importantly they can be delivered with a crane!

(ARA) – During summer, many of us look forward to fun-filled days at the pool or beach, but we definitely don’t look forward to exorbitantly high cooling bills during the heat of the season.

A typical single-family home shells out $2,200 in annual energy costs, according a recent study by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. And according to the Laboratory’s website, if a house has central air conditioning, even though the system is only used a few months out of the year, it is most likely the single biggest consumer of electricity, driving annual air conditioning costs that can exceed a shocking $1,000.

However, there are a number of ways you can improve the energy-efficient aspects of your home and save on electricity costs.

Seal the deal

According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), one of the most cost-effective ways to improve energy efficiency in homes is to seal and insulate windows and doors. Often, this means replacing old, leaky, sticky, poorly performing windows and doors. A typical home that replaces its single-paned, clear glass windows with energy-efficient windows can realize up to $494 in annual savings, according to the EPA.

“Windows are a wonderful source of natural light, but if they are old, they can act as giant heat lamps in the summer, allowing the sun’s heat into a home,” says David Harrison, chief marketing office of Champion Windows, one of the nation’s leading home improvement companies. “By installing our Comfort 365 Replacement Windows, homeowners can help shrink their cooling bills. Champion’s Double hung replacement windows exceed ENERGY STAR rating requirements by an average of 42 percent for Solar Heat Gain, which is the measure of the sun’s heat that comes through your window. Champion windows also help keep the cool air in and still let in natural sunlight – without the heat.”

For more energy saving window tips check out the U.S. Department of Energy’s website or Champion Window’s Energy Efficient Replacement Windows at www.championwindow.com.

On the side
Another great way to cut costs is to increase insulation by installing energy-efficient siding. Vinyl siding and energy-efficient underlayment can increase a home’s R-value, a measure of insulation’s ability to resist heat traveling through it. The higher the R-value, the better the thermal performance of the insulation. By increasing the R-value, homeowners can save more than 20 percent on their electricity bills, according to energysavers.gov.

“Installing an energy-efficient siding system, including ENERGY STAR rated insulation board, can help insulate your home against the heat, reduce the amount of air flow into your house, making it easier to keep cool air in during the summer,” says Harrison. “At Champion, our customers have told us they were pleasantly surprised to see a decrease in their energy bills after their siding installation.”

Other ways to improve energy efficiency and lower summer electric bills include:
* Increasing insulation in attics
* Making sure you have proper roof ventilation
* Sealing air conditioner ducts
* Keeping your blinds closed when the sun is shining in
* Using a programmable thermostat

By making a few of these changes, you won’t cringe when you open those utility bills, and you might even be able to reap benefits beyond the summer.

“If homes are not properly insulated or sealed, cool air is leaking out and homeowners are throwing money out of the window,” says Harrison. “By making a few energy-efficient changes to your home, you can help keep electric bills in check and even increase the value of your home.”

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By Brandon Boyce | Published 07/19/2006 | Home & Family , Home Improvement , Real Estate |

Curb Appeal – Simple Tips to Dress Your Home For A Quick Sale

Pricing a property properly and using a good REALTOR® are important factors in selling your house quickly and maximizing your profits, but ultimately the most important consideration in selling your home is curb appeal.

What’s curb appeal? Curb appeal is a synonym for how eye-catching your home is from the street. Making the right exterior decor choices and performing the right type of repairs can give your home curb appeal that causes buyers to stare in awe when they arrive. Even more lucrative, making the right type of “finishing touches” can add plenty to the sales price of your home.

Go out to the road and walk past your home. What catches your attention? The dirty windows? The pinestraw on the roof? The weeds in your planters? These are the items you want to take care of. Make a list of the things that catch your eye and stand out. Tackle the ones that can be remediated without a lot of expense and make the biggest difference in the curb appeal of your home.

Remove the clutter and debris from your yard. Lawn mowers, children’s toys, grills, flashing neon pink flamingo statues… you get the idea. Pickup any fallen branches and rake up leaves and pine needles.
Work on the landscaping. Purchase some inexpensive plants and flowers from Lowes, Home Depot or your local nursery and apply liberally. Don’t forget to put some type of mulch (clean pinestraw, cypress chips, rock, etc.). Mow the lawn and keep it neat throughout the period that your home is on the market. Sweep off the driveway and edge any concrete (driveway, walkways, patios) if necessary.
Don’t ignore the exterior of the house itself. If the wood surfaces such as lap siding or fascia and eaves are looking rough, now would be a good time to make a new friend who will give you a good discount on exterior painting. Replace any rotted wood on the exterior of the house — 9 times out of 10 you will need to replace it eventually in order for your buyer’s lender to extend financing on the house. An inexpensive feature that is often missing from many homes is decorative shutters. If they jive with the exterior style of your house, install them beside all of the front windows and any other windows that are visible from the street.
Check all “attachments” on the house such as front porches, patios, even things such as corner lights and landscaping lights. Make sure that everything is in good shape and working order.
If you happen to live on the water, make sure not to overlook your dock and related structures. Replace the styrofoam floatation pieces under a sagging floating dock, seal the planks on the surface with a decorative type sealant, etc. In many areas, interest in homes on the water is generated not only by people driving by on the road, but also by passing boaters on the lake or river. This is very important in coastal markets where recreational boating and fishing are dominant activities. In addition, worn out decking and rails may mislead prospective buyers into thinking that dock supports may be worn out also.
If you’ve gotten this far, you’ve got some serious curb appeal! Keep it up while your house is on the market and hopefully you’ll see a big payoff when the right person sees your home!

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by: 

Christine Dunbar

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A life of a building’s roof depends on several contributing factors including the quality of the materials, the quality of installation, and preventative maintenance to spot problems before they become large ones. Some roofs are designed for a life expectancy of 30-plus years while other roofs have a life expectancy of 10 years or less. Research proves that the number one reason why roofs do not survive their anticipated life cycles is the neglect of maintenance.

Identifying Common Roof Problems

Lack of maintenance and failure to correct minor roof deterioration in early stages is one of the major causes of premature roof problems.  A good time to inspect your roof is in the spring; checking for any damage that may have occurred during the winter.

Here are some of the most common problems found on today’s roofs:

Blisters

Blisters form due to voids in the roof system.  Voids can result from skips in bitumen mopping, entrapped debris, uneven substrates, un-relaxed membranes, or entrapped gases resulting from moisture in the materials. During the heat of the day, air and moisture trapped in the void expand. The pressure developed in the void stretches the warm flexible membranes and displaces them to form a blister. During the night, the membranes cool, become stiff, and resist returning to their original shape. This process creates a partial vacuum within the blister, and more air is drawn into the blister through micro-cracks in the membranes.  A few blisters do not generally lead to problems, as long as the blisters remain intact (watertight) and do not become too large. If a blister is ruptured, water can attack the reinforcement/bitumen interface and degrade the membrane strength. Therefore, it is important not to break blisters. People should avoid stepping on them, particularly when the membrane is cold. If rupture occurs, the blister becomes too large, or the blister pulls the seam apart, a repair is recommended.

Ponding Water

Improper roof installations can produce voids in the membrane, block drains, and result in ponding water.  Other causes could be HVAC units without condensate drain lines, drains that are blocked by dirt or debris, or an improper slope.  UV Rays compounded by ponding water can have adverse effects on roofs.  Before roof repairs are hastily made, the source of the ponding water should be investigated. Always inspect for causes listed above thoroughly before making a repair.

Inadequate Supports for Rooftop Equipment

Often, the rooftop is used as a platform for all types of mechanical equipment, ladder struts, antennas, flag poles, signs, bracing, etc. These items should not be placed on the rooftop except when absolutely necessary. They should never be mounted or placed directly to the top of the roof membrane.  Rather, they should be mounted to a support structure or to raised curb-type supports. Flat flange or curb flashings can then be used to keep the roof watertight, and roof replacement and recovering can be done without disturbing or removing the equipment.

Penetration Flashings

Penetrations through the roof membrane are usually flashed in one of two ways. Individual pipes and small vents usually use flat metal-flanged flashings that are placed directly on the top roofing material and stripped in.  Larger penetrations and groups of smaller penetrations usually use curbs constructed of wood, metal, or concrete, flashed in, and have metal counter flashings installed.

Common problems are:

• Failure to properly design the flashing for the penetration
• Open or broken seams in metal curbs caused by expansion and contraction
• Standing water behind penetration curbs caused by the omission of crickets
• Sagging or separating base flashings caused by omission of top wood nailers.
• Missing or deteriorated counter flashing
• Splitting or separation of the stripping over the edge of metal flanges
• Improper priming and stripping of metal surfaces
• Fastener back out and separation of metal flange from the roof around penetration flashings
• Movement between stack vents or pipes and the flashing

Surface Deterioration

All roofing materials deteriorate from exposure to the weather at rates determined largely by the kind of material and the conditions of exposure.  Inorganic materials generally tend to deteriorate less rapidly than organic materials.  If areas of deterioration are evident, inspect the membrane for possible moisture infiltration.

Fastener Back-Out

Back-outs are generally caused by inadequacies with shank length, nature of drill point, thread design, stress plate and fastener head.  If back-outs are noticeable, evaluate the roof system to assess whether or not other back-outs are likely.  If a large number of fasteners have backed out or are starting to back-out, reroofing, rather than repair may be needed and should be considered.

Preventative Roof Maintenance

Roof care and preventive maintenance should be on every business or building owners’ “To Do” list. This is an effective way to stop roof problems before they start and fix existing problems before it’s too late. Proper maintenance also prolongs the life of the roof.

An Annual Roof System Preventative Maintenance includes the physical inspection of an existing roofing system to determine its current condition, detect weaknesses and failures, and identify any potential problems. Regularly scheduled inspections allow our technicians to assist owners in protecting their roof investments by seeking to identify damages in its early stages.

Also part of a Roof’s Preventative Maintenance – annual inspection, light maintenance should be performed on each roof. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Re-attach any loose metal edge cover
• Clean drain grates
• Remove debris from roof
• Replace loose or missing caulk
• Replace loose or dislodged shrouds and pipe covers
• Redistribute ballast that may have moved
• Clean blocked scuppers

Business owners and property managers contribute to the early demise of their own roofs by not properly maintaining them and failing to repair small problems, before they become big ones. Consult a roofing professional to assist in determining the health and remaining life of the roof and discuss options about potential roof problems.

In today’s economy, prolonging the life of a roof is a prudent business decision. Remember that a little maintenance can result in a lot of savings, especially when compared to the cost of replacing the roof.

Is your commercial or industrial roof in need of maintenance, repair or replacement? Do have questions about your building’s condition? Consult a reputable Minnesota Commercial Roofing Contractor that has experience in commercial and industrial roof systems.

Explore posts in the same categories: Commercial Roofing, Roofing 

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Failure of roof structure can endanger safety of the occupants and the presence of roofing contractors play a significant role in correcting all the problems related to roofs through ideal methods of repair, replacement as well as maintenance.

Through this article, we’ll come to know about the purpose, process and prevention of roof repairs. Let’s discuss them one by one.

Hail Damage to a Roof

Purpose

Regular inspection of roof systems is required to detect the roof problems, protection of assets as well as maintenance of working environments for building occupants. With this purpose, the roofing contractors determine if the systems are working according to the intended functions. It also helps in identifying the main signs of deterioration, weakness or hazard. And finally it makes the experts to identify needed repairs.

Process

Maintenance or inspection process is classified as formal and informal inspection. The formal is meant to check the roofs are free of materials or snow annually. On the other hand, informal inspection means to inspect the roofs after every severe rain or wind condition.

The experts review and follow ideal roof safety procedures and enquire about the problem roof conditions. Before performing the inspection, they check the construction documents, past inspection reports & photographs, particulars of any replacement or repairs, etc.

If any moisture infiltration is found with the roofs, the professionals opt for the non-destruction inspection process. They get approvals of regional superintendant before following the detection or demolition work on any wall or ceiling.

In order to verify any alterations in the structure, they include test data and photographs in the report. This is meant to help future inspectors to understand the historic condition of the structure. And they also record and report inspection findings so as to keep the clients aware of present conditions of their building roofs and structure.

To correct the conditions, they develop a maintenance workplan. And they also follow such methods to minimize damage to the roof membrane and structure and also for the safety of professionals doing the maintenance task.

Prevention

Giving prevention the major priority can make one to stay saved from the huge expenses. Proper roof maintenance is beneficial in various ways. It can increase the life expectancy of the structure, save cost of roof replacement, etc. Adding to it, one can also remain unaffected from costly damage of assets.

Thus, with the above discussions, it can be said that professional roofing contractors follow ideal methods of roof inspection checklist including purpose, process and prevention.

Williams Roofing among leading roofing contractors, offer a complete range of services of roof repair, replacement and maintenance in Surrey, BC.

Source: ArticleTrader.com

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Stio Roofing and Construction Goes Social!

At Stio Roofing and Construction we care about our Minnesota customers.  We pride ourselves on our quality workmanship and professionalism as your roofing contractor or siding contractor.  Now Stio Roofing is hoping you will use us for a resource.  We have gone social and want to hear from you about past projects and future ones.  Whether is roofing, siding, windows, kitchens, porches, patios, or anything else, we want your feedback.  Send us your pictures. Write a testimonial.  Ask your questions.  We provide industry news for you and will answer any questions you may have about the construction industry.

Long ago we felt it was very important to establish and document our winning process. 25 years of experience has taught us that we can always improve but to deliver “consistent” results, we wanted a process we could replicate on each and every roofing, remodeling, siding, or addition job. Big or small we strive to deliver the best.  What does this mean for you? It means that our proven process assures you the peace of mind that we can complete your project on time, on budget and to your specifications. Our long history and track record of successful projects speaks for itself. It’s really quite simple, find a system that works and stick with it.

These days everyone is online!  Stio Roofing and Construction wants to be the same source of knowledge we are onsite for customers online.  Word of mouth has always been a great source for references.  The internet and social outlets now make word of mouth spread more quickly and easily.  If someone is asking who they should call for a home project we want you to think of us.  So, please use our expertise!  Ask your questions and give us the opportunity to prove that we are your resource.

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