Home Improvements

Metal roofs: what are the pros and cons of this type of roofing?

metal roofs cost vs shingle

You may have seen metal roofs on commercial or industrial buildings and wondered if they would be a good option for your home. Metal roofs have several benefits, but there are some drawbacks to consider before deciding. Here is a look at the pros and cons of metal roofing:

Benefits of metal roofs:

-Metal roofs are very durable and can last for 50 years or more.

-They are resistant to fire, wind, and hail.

-They are a good insulator and can help reduce energy costs.

-They are recyclable and can be made from recycled materials.

Drawbacks of metal roofs:

-They can be expensive to install.

Pros of Metal Roofing

Metal roofs have several benefits that make them a popular choice for homeowners Mike from Express Roofing said. They are very durable and can last for 50 years or more. In addition, metal roofs are resistant to fire, wind, and hail, making them a good option for areas that experience severe weather. They are also a good insulator, which can help reduce energy costs.

-They are recyclable and can be made from recycled materials. In addition, metal roofs can be recycled when they reach the end of their life cycle, which is beneficial for the environment.

Cons of Metal Roofing

While metal roofs have many benefits, there are also some drawbacks to consider before deciding.

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-They can be expensive to install. Metal roofs are more expensive than traditional roofing materials like asphalt shingles. However, they may offer long-term savings due to their durability and energy efficiency.

-They can be noisy in rain or hail storms. Metal roofs can make a lot of noise when it rains or hails, which may concern some homeowners.

-They can be a safety hazard in severe weather conditions. Metal roofs can be a safety hazard during harsh weather conditions, such as tornadoes or hurricanes. In addition, they can be pulled off of a house if they are not adequately secured.

It is crucial to weigh the pros and cons of a metal roof to see if it fits your home. Metal roofs offer many benefits, such as durability, energy efficiency, and recyclability. However, they can also be expensive to Commercial Roof Installation and noisy in bad weather.

If you are thinking about installing a metal roof on your home, be sure to weigh the pros and cons to see if it is the right decision for you.

When considering a metal roof, weighing the pros and cons is essential to see if it fits your home. Metal roofs offer many benefits, such as durability, energy efficiency, and recyclability. However, they can also be expensive to install and noisy in bad weather. So, if you are thinking about installing a metal roof on your home, be sure to weigh the pros and cons to see if it is the right decision for you.

Conclusion

In conclusion, metal roofs have many benefits, but there are also some drawbacks to consider before making a decision. However, if you are looking for a durable, fire-resistant roof that can help reduce energy costs, a metal roof may be a good option for you.

Common Myths about Attic ventilation

Roof Venting 101

attic ventilation boston

The roof’s lifespan depends on the contribution from the proper attic ventilation. It is also known that a poorly ventilated attic is the reason for the roofing system to destroy ahead of time. The roofing system can have a longer life by debunking some of the most common misconceptions about attic ventilation. This blog will help you clearing certain age-old myths, so let’s take a look below.

Myth 1: Any Vent Will Do

The roof vents are not all same and so is their efficiency. It has been proved by the roofing experts in Lowell MA that Ridge Vents tops the list among all the other vents. The Ridge Vents has many advantages to its credit for it is modeled and priced reasonably and is also very effective. When looking at the Gable Vents, they support air circulation in a tiny portion of the attic. For better ventilation, Static Roof-Lined Vents are perfect. However they are always on the risks of leaks. Soffit Vents will leave you with a trapped air on your attic top. So make sure that you get good consultation with the right professional to help you find the perfect ventilation system.

Myth 2: More is better

Common Attic Ventilation Myths

An efficient home will require just the right portion of ventilation. When the ventilation is insufficient, it leads to a decreased level of energy efficiency and moisture problems. At the same time, it can also allow too much ventilation as well. Additional penetration is created by the roof vents on your rooftop, or it can cause leakage problems in another area. It may also be the reason for blowing out during a storm or hurricane. Vents are most important for your homes, but too much of unnecessary vents will only add problems to your roof. A roofing expert must be consulted to know the perfect amount of ventilation that your home system demands.

Myth 3: Roof Vents are not good For Cold Climates

The roof ventilation is very important no matter what season. During summer it helps to improve the energy efficiency level. In winter it helps to prevent building up of moisture in the attic.  When the attic is properly ventilated, you will not have to stress about the roof sheathing’s condensation. It will also aid in avoiding water damage. The fact is, it does more good during the cold seasons.

Myth 4: Roof Vents Should Be Powered to Get The Easy Flow Of Air.

attic ventilation

It is one of the most popular myths. A simple ordinary vent, without any powered energy will do the job perfectly fine. Both the system has one thing in common – they work silently without disturbing the inmates. Whether it is powered or simply plain, it will do the job with perfection.

Myth 5: It Takes Away Warm Air during winter

It would be convenient to think this way, especially when it’s icy cold outside. But vents are not to be blamed for they may be leaks in your home that makes it hard inside the home. If your attic insulation is perfect, then the interior attic temperature would be similar to that of the pleasant atmosphere.

Vinyl Siding vs. Fiber Cement

Vinyl Siding vs. Fiber Cement

Vinyl Siding Vs. Fiber-Cement Board Siding – Which is Best?

There are plenty of ways to enhance the appeal and practicality of a house. House siding is an excellent investment that will maintain the visual appeal of the property for many years. In addition to enhancing aesthetics, siding offers protection to the exterior walls from sunlight, rain and other elements. Sidings are available in different materials such as brick, wood, stone, metal, and stucco. It can be confusing for you to choose the right one for your home. In this article, we will compare the two types of siding – vinyl siding and fiber-cement board siding.
Blog was also contributed to by Tim O’Sullivan from O’Sullivan Installs

Appearance

Both vinyl siding and the fiber-cement board offers plenty of options for coloring your exterior walls. Vinyl siding is factory made, and they come in over more than 300 colors. On the other hand, fiber-cement boarding can be painted with any color you wish. Moreover, you can repaint the painted fiber-cement boarding siding with a new color in the future.

Vinyl siding can be painted; however, you cannot repaint them in the future. So, you have to live with the same color till you replace the old vinyl siding with the new one.

Fiber-cement boarding siding is thicker than vinyl siding, and this makes the former advantageous in terms of appearance. Higher thickness allows the surface of the fiber-cement boarding to be embossed with deep patterns like of real wood. Though vinyl siding can be manufactured to give a wood-like look, they do not look so realistic due to the lack of thickness and texture. Moreover, fiber-cement boarding is available in brick and stone textures. Vinyl siding is not available in such textures.

Durability And Damage Resistance

Both fiber-cement board siding and vinyl siding are known for its durability characteristic. Vinyl siding comes with a warranty period of 25-30 year, while fiber-cement board comes with a warranty of 30-35 years. You should know that both sidings are vulnerable to insects and woodpeckers.

These reasons make both materials great choice for house siding, though they are not indestructible. Vinyl siding gets damaged when it is punctured or gashed, while the fiber-cement board siding suffers crack due to hard impact.

Both the type of sidings suffers damage due to flame and extreme temperature. Vinyl siding gets warped when it is exposed to excess heat. However, it burns slowly because it is treated with a flame-resistant coating. On the other hand, fiber-cement board siding has a fire rating of Class 1A, means it will not catch fire. This is why people, who live in areas that are prone to forest fire, use fiber-cement board siding.

Vinyl siding is water-resistant but not waterproof. If they are not appropriately installed, moisture can get beneath the surface and can become a breeding place for mold and mildew. Similarly, fiber-cement board siding is more prone to moisture damage, only when they are not appropriately maintained.

Maintenance

Vinyl siding is easier to maintain as you can simply clean with soap water solution and by gently scrubbing. Fiber-cement boarding requires relatively more maintenance.

By considering the above advantages and disadvantages, you should be able to determine, which one will work great for your house.

The Vаluе Of New Frоnt Entry Doors

front entry doors
If you’re іntеrеѕtеd in uрdаtіng the lооk оf уоur home, nothing beats іnѕtаllіng a nеw front entry door. Whеthеr you’re lооkіng tо upgrade bесаuѕе you’re planning tо mоvе оr уоu juѕt wаnt tо rеfrеѕh уоur еntrуwау, nеw front entry doors оr ѕtоrm dооrѕ are a ѕоund іnvеѕtmеnt.

Bеnеfіtѕ Of Inѕtаllіng A New Dооr

One major bеnеfіt to іnѕtаllіng a nеw еntrуwау іѕ thаt іt provides аn instant fасеlіft fоr уоur рrореrtу. But thаt’ѕ nоt аll. It саn аlѕо grеаtlу іnсrеаѕе уоur home’s rеѕаlе vаluе. Most start аrоund $2500 (storm dооrѕ аrе even lеѕѕ еxреnѕіvе) аnd a rесеntlу study fоund thаt an іmрrоvеd еntrуwау іnсrеаѕеd thе реrсеіvеd value of thе hоmе bу nearly $8000! Thаt’ѕ nоt a bаd rеturn оn іnvеѕtmеnt.

Anоthеr mаjоr bеnеfіt іѕ thаt a nеw dооr wіll likely bе muсh mоrе еnеrgу еffісіеnt. If уоu саn ѕее lіght рееkіng thrоugh the gaps іn your еntrу, іt’ѕ nоt juѕt light that’s coming through. Thеѕе gарѕ lеt іn рlеntу оf cold аіr in thе wіntеr аnd hоt аіr аnd еvеn bugs іn the warmer mоnthѕ. With the energy уоu саn save, уоu might juѕt fіnd thаt thе update рrасtісаllу рауѕ for іtѕеlf.

How Tо Choose Frоnt Entrу Dооrѕ

Whеn choosing frоnt еntrу dооrѕ and ѕtоrm dооrѕ, уоu might bе a little bit оvеrwhеlmеd. Thеу come іn a numbеr оf materials, іnсludіng wооd, wооd vеnееr, ѕtееl and fiberglass. Stееl іѕ a ѕtrоng mаtеrіаl, hоwеvеr, it’s not quite аѕ durаblе as fіbеrglаѕѕ or wood аnd іt can bе dаmаgеd when exposed tо еlеmеntѕ such as rain оr snow. Rеаl wood is thе mоѕt еxреnѕіvе option homeowners hаvе. Real wood dоеѕ rеԛuіrе regular mаіntеnаnсе, mostly repairing scratches, rеfіnіѕhіng or rераіntіng, whісh is ѕоmеthіng mаnу hоmеоwnеrѕ аrеn’t іntеrеѕtеd іn dоіng.

Fіbеrglаѕѕ, оn the other hand, is ѕtrоng аnd practically mаіntеnаnсе free. It lasts twісе аѕ lоng аѕ a dооr mаdе оf ѕtееl оr wood аnd іtѕ fоаm соrе hеlрѕ provide extra insulation аgаіnѕt thе еlеmеntѕ. Bеѕt of аll, іt can lооk lіkе rеаl wood аt a frасtіоn of thе рrісе and there аrе fіbеrglаѕѕ options іn nearly every hоmеоwnеrѕ’ budgеt.

Chооѕіng A Wіndоwѕ And Dооrѕ Cоmраnу Tо Inѕtаll Yоur Door

It’s a grеаt idea tо use a рrоfеѕѕіоnаl exterior home rеmоdеlіng company tо install уоur new door. Thеѕе professionals wіll be аblе to соmе tо your hоmе аnd mеаѕurе for thе соrrесt ѕіzе, but they’ll аlѕо knоw exactly how tо іnѕtаll it. Dоіng this уоurѕеlf саn cause bіg рrоblеmѕ, еѕресіаllу if уоu don’t knоw that you need to allow a lіttlе space for ѕwеllіng іn warm оr damp weather. Thеѕе соmраnіеѕ wіll also knоw whаt tуре оf weather stripping іѕ соrrесt аnd wіll use a sealant оn аnу cut еdgеѕ to kеер іt frоm wаrріng.

Mаnу hоmеоwnеrѕ knоw thаt new windows can аdd a grеаt dеаl of vаluе tо their home, but they don’t knоw that іt’ѕ bоth wіndоwѕ аnd dооrѕ thаt саn аdd vаluе. If уоur hоuѕе іѕ looking a little ѕаd, соnѕіdеr соntасtіng a соmраnу thаt саn hеlр уоu іnѕtаll a dооr оn уоur home. Yоu mіght juѕt be ѕhосkеd аt thе difference іt саn mаkе.

How to Clean Your Home’s Vinyl Siding

How to Clean Your Home's Vinyl Siding

Vinyl siding is attractive and stylish, and it’s also quite easy to take care of too. If you stay on top of general, day to day cleaning, then vinyl siding actually requires only a minimal level of upkeep. These tips will help you to keep your vinyl siding looking brand new for as long as possible.

Cleaning Vinyl Siding

Vinyl siding should be washed with a soft cloth, or, for those hard-to-reach areas, with a long handed brush with soft bristles. If the siding is textured, then use a soft bristled brush to clean the grooves in the texture and stop them from staining. Start at the lower end of the siding, and work up, then rinse the cleaning solution away completely, before the solution dries and leaves unsightly marks. If there is brick facing, then make sure that the brick is covered so that it does not get stained by any run-off.
Vinyl Siding on clean home
Manufacturers disagree on whether or not it is a good idea to use a power washer on vinyl sidings. Some allow it, but place strict limits on the amount of pressure that the washer can be set to, and what sort of cleaning solution can be used. Some expressly forbid it because excessive pressure may damage the vinyl, and if you use the wrong angle (aiming the washer upward, for example) then water may be driven behind the siding, causing damp issues. Most manufacturers advise against using a pressure washer near a window, door, or any opening for wiring, plumbing, etc for this reason.

Removing Mold, Mildew and Mulch

There is no need to spend a lot of money on expensive cleaning agents. You can remove mold or mildew with a cleaning solution of 70% water and 30% vinegar. You can also use standard laundry detergent, such as Tide, or other simple, mild household cleaners (common laundry bleach), watered down to 1 gallon of water to one quart of laundry bleach. Mulch residue is harder to deal with, and if the residue is from artillery spores then you may have a more serious issue to worry about. Consult an expert to identify the spores, and if necessary replace the mulch, and the siding at the same time.

Protecting Your Siding

To protect the siding from discoloration, cover it when you are working around the house �” do not allow the siding to come into contact with stains, concrete or sealants, and be sure to read the instructions before spraying herbicide or insecticide to the siding �” there are some products that are designed to ward off pests, but different manufacturers recommend different products. Heat can damage sidings, so keep your barbecue and anything else that produces heat away from the side of the property. Do not allow dry leaves, mulch or anything else combustible to build up against your house.

Reflected sunlight can be incredibly concentrated and can cause heat to build up in a focused area. If you are worried that this is happening to a specific spot on your wall (perhaps because your house is in the path of reflected light from a conservatory or greenhouse) then consider protecting the house with strategically placed trees or bushes, or by fitting external shutters if the glass is under your control. This should help to filter the light and reduce the problem.

For the most part, sidings are quite easy to take care of. If you are unsure about anything in particular then check the documentation that came with the siding that your contractor installed, because using the wrong products to clean it could void your warranty.

Top four home improvements for less than $1,000

home-improvements

If you have decided to remodel your house, then this can be a tedious and expensive process. Many homeowners give up upgrading when they hear the costs. But, your home can still look stylish and improved, with small adjustments, which fit your budget. Considering that average prices for bathroom remodeling go up to $16,000 and windows replacing $8,000, kitchen and master bedroom projects run many times that amount. On the other hand, you can start some small projects that will improve the appeal of your homes. So, here what you can do?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pwBg0VLskM

Improve the lighting

Keep in mind that unique modern light can transform your room and make it look larger and warmer. If you have outdated fashioned fixtures, you can always update them with new and energy efficient models. If you don’t have an idea where to start, then visit some retailer websites, they often present latest trends, such as copper and bronze fixtures. Pendants and chandeliers designed in attractive metals can change the look of your home and make it feel warmer. You would be surprised how light can upgrade your house.

Redo your entrance

One of the best ways to improve the condition of your property is to make your entry more attractive. The best method to accomplish that is to replace the entrance doors. You should buy solid doors with contemporary fittings and locks. On the other hand, if this is a significant investment for you, then you can change the handles and just paint the door with same or different color. If your front door is in excellent condition, then you can merely remodel your porch, by adding new lights, house number, rug and potted plants.

Improve the bathroom

bathroomWe already addressed the bathroom remodeling expenses, but in most cases, people have small baths, and $1,000 can go a long way. For example, you can replace the toilet and sink, and in addition, you can pay the plumber to install them. You can always find the best prices when it’s a sale season. You also have another possibility; you can pain the room, which can be done in one weekend. In this case, even the smallest change will be noticed, for instance, change the mirror or vanities.

Hire a professional cleaner

A clean home is the best home you can live in. A professional cleaning will not only improve the look of your home but also make a living more comfortable. While many people think they can perform this task, professional cleaners will do the better job. For example, carpet cleaners use powerful machines to suck out dirt and dust, which is impossible in-home conditions. You can hire a company which provides this service; they will save you the time and leave your house spotless and clean.