Category: Home Improvement

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How to Prep Your Home for Roof Replacement

Replacing the roof on your home is a great investment into the comfort of your household, into the thermal efficiency and curb appeal of your building as well as into the resale value of your property, but it is also a process that entails lots of disruption and discomfort and needs careful planning and preparation. If you have done your roofing homework – you have scheduled the work, you have picked your roofing material and you have hired your contractor –, here are a few tips for you about how to prepare your home for the project.

Prepare the Access to Your Roof and the Area around the Building

Your Omaha roofing company contractors will need to be able to access your roof without any obstacles, so removing any objects from the area around the roof, including the path or the driveway leading up to it is essential. Don’t forget that the process of tearing off the old roof will generate a considerable amount of debris, so you will need to make sure that all the valuables are removed from the area around the building.

If you have lawn around the building, it is a good idea to mow it short to be able to find nails and other debris more easily and to prevent the injuries caused by accidentally stepping on small, sharp objects. If your building is surrounded with flower beds, you should protect them as much as possible covering them in tar or plastic foil.

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Communicate with Your Neighbors

You might think that your new roof is none of your neighbors’ business, but it helps to maintain a good relationship with them if you inform them about your upcoming project and you discuss your plans with them in short. Communication with your neighbors will make them more understanding and more helpful in case your project is accompanied by a lot of noise or if the completion takes longer than expected.

Clear the Attic

Some of the debris generated during the roof replacement will probably land in your attic, so it is very important to move as many of your precious items, such as heirlooms and  items used only periodically, to a safe place where they will not get damaged.

Arrangements for Kids and Pets

Children and pets running around in the construction area can create dangerous situations and increase the risk of injuries as well, therefore it is a good idea to make arrangements for them. Try to send your kids away to stay with the grandparents or with a friend for the duration of the project and find a way to confine your pets as well.

Preparations Inside the House

Many re-roofing processes involve the use of heavy equipment that might cause vibrations in the walls, which might cause mirrors and picture to fall and other valuable items to fall and to break. Make sure to remove such items from the walls and place them in safety. Remove sensitive light fixtures from the walls on the level right underneath the roof to prevent damage.

 

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The Best Siding Options for Homes in Illinois

The siding that you use on your home plays an important role in making your home the safe and comfortable place that you want it to be – it is an important component that can make or break the overall appearance of your home and it is also essential for protecting your home against the elements. The double role fulfilled by home siding means that when you choose your panels, you need to pick not only products that enhance the curb appeal of your home, but also siding that is able to withstand the climate that dominates your area and to protect your building against the harmful effects of moisture and the costly effects of improper thermal protection as well. In the case of siding chosen for Illinois homes, the most important weather-related aspects to take into consideration are high humidity, strong winds, frequent storms and extreme temperatures, so here are the siding materials that can hold up to all these vicissitudes.

Vinyl

This common, lightweight and affordable material is very durable and very versatile as well. The siding panels made from vinyl can stand up to heavy rain, to extreme heat, to freezing temperatures and to winds and storms as well. Being a synthetic material, vinyl is not sensitive to pest infestations, it does not absorb moisture and it does not catch fire either. Vinyl panels are very easy to install and require very little maintenance.

Metal Siding

Another very popular option, metal siding panels are durable, affordable and they come in many great colors, some even made to replicate the hues and veins of natural wood. The most common metals used for making siding panels are steel and aluminum, both warranted for 50+ years without requiring extensive care and maintenance. Metal siding is the preferred choice of many homeowners also because it is lightweight and it can be installed in DIY fashion.

Fiber-Cement Siding

Fiber-cement is a mixture of cement, clay, sand and wood fibers – all strong, durable materials that make an even more durable combination when they get used in siding panels. Fiber-cement is also resistant to moisture, to changing temperatures, to pest attacks and to fire as well, what’s more, the manufacturing procedure that shapes the siding panels from liquid material makes it possible to create textures that resemble wood, stucco or masonry. Fiber-cement siding panels can be easily repainted whenever you feel like changing the overall color theme of your home.

When it comes to installation, you must know that fiber-cement sheets are quite heavy and the process of mounting them requires special tools as well, so cement siding cannot be installed in DIY fashion and hiring a professional for the job will increase the overall costs of your siding.

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Final Thoughts

All the above types of siding are suitable for Illinois homes, but if you still don’t know which one to choose, you can turn to a local Barrington roofing contractor for consultation. The roofer will listen to your expectations and your possibilities, he will inspect the building on which the siding will be installed to determine how strong it is and he will outline the best options for you.

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Siding Types to Consider for Your Colorado Home

residential home with both stone and board siding on the facade.

Siding is an important and multifunctional component on any house – it plays an aesthetic role by conferring a harmonious appearance to the entire home and it also has an important protective role, stopping moisture from getting behind it, into the walls and into the home, preventing the attacks of rodents and insects and preserving the thermal comfort of the home interior. The siding chosen for Colorado homes needs to fulfill a third role as well: it needs to be able to protect the home against the impact of the harsh climate, against harsh winds, the extreme temperatures, the hails and the storms. According to Denver roofing companies in the know, here are some of the materials that are the most suitable for homes in the Centennial State.

Vinyl

The most popular and most affordable siding material is available in a very wide range of colors, textures and shapes and it is very resistant as well. Vinyl is not susceptible to rot, to insects, winds and debris do not affect it, it can withstand wide temperature variations and it stands strong in strong winds, in heavy rain and snow as well. The material is almost maintenance-free – it is recommended to perform a detailed inspection of the siding panels once a year, but other than that, you don’t need to do anything else with them. There is only one thing that you must know before you choose vinyl for your new siding: vinyl siding comes in large panels, so if one of the panels gets damaged, you need to replace the entire panel, you cannot just fix the damaged part.

Fiber Cement

Another durable and attractive solution, fiber cement siding works great in urban areas, among the mountains and on the planes as well. These panels are also available in many colors and textures, they are durable, lasting up to 50 years and they require very little maintenance to provide your home great, overall protection against fire, the elements and rodents.

Wood Siding

A more expensive and more sensitive solution that offers unparalleled beauty. Wood siding is suitable for homeowners who can handle the permanent upkeep needs of the siding on their home – the panels need to be regularly caulked, sanded, coated for protection, stained and painted to preserve their beauty, but if you can invest the time and the energy, your siding will give your home the curb appeal and the protection that only wood can provide. Another benefit of wood siding panels is that they come in smaller pieces, so if you find a damaged panel that you cannot repair, you can easily remove it and replace it without losing structural stability or disrupting the design.

Steel Siding

An inexpensive and durable solution that has recently become popular, steel siding panels offer all the benefits of the metal, such as durability, resistance to fire, to water and to insects and they are very easy to install as well, but they can easily become dented, so they might not be the best choice for areas that get a lot of hail, with large hail stones.