You never appreciate any of your home appliances as much as you appreciate your heater and air conditioner when they are not functioning correctly. Most of the time we take for granted that pushing a few buttons automatically gives us warm or cool air, depending on the season. It is just a part of our [...]
Planning your own wedding reception can be a big task. You will have a lot of decisions to make regarding the colors, food, and decorations. Decorations can range from flowers, centerpieces, and even LED curtains. Here are few decoration ideas that can be for any wedding reception.
Using balloons for decorating can be fun and affordable. [...]
It’s a nightmare scenario: while you are on vacation, that little inconsequential drip in the bathroom sink upstairs becomes a catalyst for disaster when the drain becomes clogged. The ensuing flood causes thousands of dollars in damage and exposes your family to the dangers of mold and mildew growth. Of course, disasters do happen; but [...]
You pay so much attention to every other facet of your home: from exterior paint color to what kind of couch to buy to the paintings on the walls. However when it comes to visitors’ all-important first impressions, nothing will make a greater impact than your entry door! Here are some tips on how to [...]
If you’re looking for “shingle roofs – how to” information, you’ve come to the right place. The trend towards thicker shingles makes the job of cutting them somewhat more difficult. Here’s three tools that will do the job…
Shingle Roofs: How to Cut the Shingles – Tool #1 Utility Knife
Go with a model that allows you [...]
If you’re looking for information on installing a roof, you’ve come to the right place. Although every step doesn’t apply to every project, here is an overview of the basics…
Installing a Roof: Step #1 – Planning
Who’s going to do the work?
What type of roofing will you install?
When will you do the work?
Where will you get [...]
If you’re looking for roof safety information, you’ve come to the right place. The following is a true story…
The two old ladies sat in the bank lobby, patiently waiting their turn to conduct business. They were completely unaware of the roof safety hazard unfolding directly above them. The peril was so great, it could scar [...]
If you’re looking for roofing safety information, you’ve come to the right place. The following is a true story…
The only good thing about a fall is the raw, terrifying fear of death usually passes quickly. Falling off the roof of a house is over in a split second. But falling from 24 stories is another [...]
If you’re looking for “do-it-yourself roofing” information, you’ve come to the right place. One tool you will definitely need is a good hammer. Almost any hammer will suffice for one job, but if you’re going to buy one, why not get one well suited to roofing?
At one time a roofing “hatchet” was the tool of [...]
If you’re looking for information on how to install roofing shingles, you’ve come to the right place. But first, a short story…
22 years ago I made a career change, going from a cushy desk job working in air-conditioned comfort to roofing in the sweltering heat of Southwest Florida in August.
My first job was installing a [...]
If you’re looking for “installing shingles – roof it yourself” information, you’ve come to the right place. Here are three tips to get you started…
Installing Shingles – Roof it Yourself Tip #1: Be Careful Out There!
The old sergeant on Hill Street Blues used to say that to all of the officers on his shift at [...]
If you’re looking for information on how to install a roof, you’ve come to the right place. But first, let me tell you a little story…
Back when I started roofing 22 years ago, I was a perfectionist. I had come from a tool design background where we routinely worked to precise tolerances and I did [...]
If you want to know how to roof, a good place to start is to learn the “Hat Trick.” I learned it when I started roofing 22 years ago.
My boss taught me that no matter what type of roof system we installed, our work had to accomplish three things. He called these mandates “The Hat [...]
If you’re serious about learning how to install roof shingles, you’ve come to the right place. But first let me tell you about a job I was on many years ago in Cape Coral, Florida…
It was a brand new house with a shingle roof. It also had a complicated roof design and six valleys. The [...]
If you’re looking for roof installing information, you’ve come to the right place. But first, let me tell you a little story that teaches an important lesson…
About 15 years ago I was working for a small roofing contractor in Cape Coral, Florida. The boss had sent our crew out to tear off a roof that [...]
If you’re trying to decide which roofing products to choose, you’ve come to the right place.
In 22 years spent as a roofer and roofing contractor, I have developed some pretty strong opinions about roofing products.
For example, I believe roofing products should be relatively safe to walk on. You shouldn’t have to put your life at [...]
If you’re looking for information, you’ve come to the right place. In 22 years of leak chasing, I’ve learned that finding the leak is half the battle. But repairing it is the other half. Here are five tips to get you started.
Tip #1 When re-roofing, save some of the leftover material to use for [...]
If you’re choosing roofing material, you’ve come to the right place. One of the most important, yet frequently overlooked considerations is the Safety Factor.
Let me tell you a true story that illustrates how one type of roofing material is more dangerous than others.
Several years ago I worked for a big commercial roofing contractor in Fort [...]
If you have a shingle repair to make, this little trick will make it a lot easier.
You have probably heard the saying: “the early bird gets the worm”. But you may not know that being an “early bird” will make a shingle repair much easier. Let me explain…
Asphalt shingles have a temperature-sensitive tar strip that [...]
Learning how to roof your own home is a lot easier if you choose roofing systems that are “do-it-yourself” friendly. Here are two options that are good choices, depending on the slope of your roof.
How To: Roofs for Do-it-Yourselfers, Option A
If your slope is 3:12 or higher, your best bet is an architectural shingle with [...]
If you’re looking for “how to flat roof” information, you’ve come to the right place. Here are some pointers on the five essential components.
How to Flat Roof: The Slope
Positive drainage is the first and most important factor to consider with any low-slope roofing system. You don’t need much slope, just ΒΌ”:12 is sufficient. That’s enough [...]
If you’re looking for “how to: roofing shingles” information, you’ve come to the right place. This article is about five resources that can tell you what you need to know.
How to: Roofing Shingles – Resource #1 Shingle Wrappers
Most building codes defer to manufacturers’ installation instructions and they are printed right on the shingle wrappers. Pay [...]
If you’re looking for “how to measure roof” information, you’ve come to the right place. This article will take you through the five basic steps.
How to Measure Roof: Step #1 – Making Your Drawing
A good place to start is to make a birds-eye sketch of your roof. Visualize the roof as if you were a [...]
If you’re looking for “roof shingles – how to” information, you’ve come to the right place. One key to both speed and quality is to avoid shiners.
“Shiners” are nails which have been installed too low and show on the exposed portion of the shingle. They are a common cause of leaks on shingle roofs that [...]
If you’re looking for “roof repair” information, you’ve come to the right place. This article will help you find the leak, which is half the battle.
Finding a leak can be tricky because the place that it’s showing up inside may not be directly under where it’s coming in outside. Still, that’s the best place to [...]
If you’re looking for “DIY roof” information, you’ve come to the right place. This article explains what you can get by doing the work yourself.
DIY Roof – Benefit #1 You can save thousands of dollars!
You save the labor cost of the roofers. You save the cost of workers compensation and liability insurance. You save the [...]
If you’re looking for roofing tools, you’ve come to the right place. It’s been said: “If your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail”. So it’s always best to have the right tool for the job. It will help you do quality work and do it fast. Many projects require special [...]
If you’re looking for “roofing shingles – how to” information, you’ve come to the right place. One of the most important things to learn is exactly where to put the roofing nails. A typical roof requires thousands of fasteners, and any one of them can leak if not installed properly. Here are seven tips to [...]
If you’re looking for information on “how to design a roof”, you probably know that a “rafter tail” is the end of the rafter that overhangs the wall. What you may not know is that the design you choose can determine whether you have a leaky roof edge or not. If you’re going to attach [...]
If you’re considering a Stanley Bostitch Roofing Nailer, you’ve come to the right place. This is an executive summary of 23 reviews, revealing exactly what buyers liked… and what they didn’t like!
This tool is the latest model in a line of popular roofing nailers from Stanley Bostitch. The body is made from lightweight magnesium and [...]
You probably know that roofing slope is the amount of incline in a roof surface. It is usually expressed as a ratio of “rise over run”. For example, a 5:12 slope rises 5 vertical inches for every 12 horizontal inches. It is easily determined with a level and measuring tape.
What you may not know is [...]
Don’t spend a dime on cedar shake shingles until you understand the “fatal flaw” inherent in wood roofing…
Wood shingles and shakes go back to colonial times when they were the roofing system of choice. They are typically made from Red Cedar. The shingles are sawn uniformly, in a few standard sizes. Shakes are split, creating [...]
A “roofer” is a general term applied to many of the jobs in roofing. But I’m referring to the workers who are actually tearing off, installing, repairing and/or maintaining various roof systems. That’s how many of us in the trade got started.
Roofing is a tough, dirty job that is in the top ten list of [...]
Although water heaters typically last for a number of years, they do need to be replaced from time to time. This means you will need to decide which type of heater you want, how big it should be, and whether you should change the heating method you use. It would be a good idea to [...]
Roofing installers are some of the hardest working people and they should be paid very well because of the risk associated with roofing. Some of the hazards would be from possibly falling off the roof or staging leading to possibly being paralyzed or worse even death. Now, don’t get me wrong most roofers that I [...]
After the heating and air conditioning equipment in your home, the next biggest energy user is your water heater. In fact, it can account for as much as 20% of your utility bill, so you may not want to wait until water is spilling out of the old one to replace it. Given the money [...]
Take care of the inside and outside of your home, whether that home has a foundation or wheels. Protect it, decorate it, accentuate it and preserve it. There are a number of easy ways to accomplish all of these things. Take a look at a few of the products that can make your home, wherever [...]
You might think you know all there is to know about concrete. If so, maybe you should think again. Sure, it has been used time and time again for patios, driveways, sidewalks and the like. When most people think of concrete they think of a solid and dependable material that they can use and then [...]
First developed by James Hardie over 100 years ago, Cement Board Siding is known for being extremely strong as well as resistant to fire, insects and rot. Because it is so highly mold-able, it can appear in a variety of different styles, the most popular being the appearance of wood grain. However other styles, including [...]
Many people see roof installation as a difficult and intimidating task that should be left to the professionals. However, putting on your own roof is something that more and more homeowners are doing themselves. With the availability of DIY books chock full of roofing installation tips, this kind of project is well within the skill [...]
If the wood siding on your home is starting to warp, swell or just constantly needs repairs, then you may want to consider looking into Masonite Siding. These siding boards are synthetically constructed from a mixture of wood fibers, wax and other resins and bound together through a process of heat and pressure which creates [...]
Properly protecting your home or business or other structure from the weather is nothing you want to skimp on. To that end, metal roofing has become more and more of a preferred material. Especially in regions subject to severe weather (Chicago to Detroit to Phoenix), installing metal roofing just makes sense.
Many contractors enjoy working with [...]
For just about any house, the best kind of vacuum cleaner that you can buy is a floor steam cleaner. But with so many kinds of steam cleaners available, how can you choose which one is right for you?
Here are the top retail cleaners available on the market today.
Hoover Steam Vac Plus Cleaner
This is a [...]
The basement is an integral part of your house and traditionally used as a storage area for unused and excess items. This is the main reason why most homeowners who are constructing a new house are phasing out putting a basement as part of the house. However, if you happen to have a house that [...]
Whether you are thinking of selling your home or you would like to enhance its appearance, a new landscaping could help improve your home a lot. If you intend to upgrade in order to sell, you should be thorough in your preparation in offering the best appeal of your home to prospective buyers, especially since [...]
If you are looking for the best way to improve the functionality and beauty of your home without spending most of your hard-earned money on it, you should try to consider using natural lighting for your home and make the most of its cleaner and free advantage. Nowadays, home innovations are leaning towards eco-friendly or [...]
Before you start landscaping, go out and explore the forests, parks and the natural areas near your home. These places could give you an idea of the natural plant communities existing in your locality and you could consider this when you do your landscaping. If it is possible, visit these areas at different seasons to [...]