A Guide to Siding

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There are many components that go into a home’s structure, some more important than others. One of the most versatile and important components is siding. Siding comes in many different shapes and sizes, and serves many purposes. Siding adds aesthetic appeal, protects from weather, and can even increase value of your home, depending on the style you choose. Even with its great importance, many remain uninformed of the many different, styles, uses, and materials used in siding your home. We’ve created this Siding 101 Guide so that you can make an informed decision before you choose the siding for your home!

Currently there are two main types of siding used in the home improvement market: Vinyl and Fiber Cement. Both have various styles, benefits, and cost factors. Here’s what you need to know:

Vinyl

  • Features
    Vinyl Siding has many beneficial features. The most obvious is the durability of vinyl siding. Thanks to PVC resin, vinyl siding maintains its color for years, and is both impact and pest resistant. Vinyl siding is relatively inexpensive to install and maintain. Any good contractor can install vinyl with ease, and maintenance is as easy as a good scrub down with soap and water.
  • Styles
    Vinyl siding comes in many different shapes and sizes that allow for a variety of style choices. Smooth vinyl siding is the basic vinyl style. It creates a minimalistic appearance by having no surface texture. For a different appearance, you can consider board and batten vinyl siding. Board and batten siding will give your home a more rustic appeal with its rough texture that is similar to wood. Lastly, the most widely used style of vinyl siding is the beaded seam. Beaded seam siding is versatile and can be used to achieve many different styles. Lines are emphasized in this style, and can give a handmade appeal.
  • Cost Factors
    Vinyl siding owes a great deal of its popularity to its inexpensive nature. Vinyl siding averages around $5 per square foot, which is much cheaper than wood or other forms of siding. Still, you should assess your home for various cost factors such as size, amount of old siding that needs removed, and unusual design features.

Fiber Cement

  • Features
    Fiber cement siding has many features to consider. Fiber cement has a more natural, wood-like appeal than even board and batten vinyl siding. It comes painted, typically does not need a new coat for years, and is fire-resistant in nature. Though, fiber siding has many benefits, is tends to be a heavy material, which can make the installation process tedious and often more costly. With fiber cement, the decision must be made between aesthetic appeal and ease of installation.
  • Style
    Fiber cement siding has a variety of styles, but is not as versatile as its vinyl counterpart. It is meant to emulate cedar wood siding, so think cedar shingles when you think of fiber cement siding. Fiber cement is great if you have a very specific home style in mind, but vinyl might be better if you are considering a variety of different options.
  • Cost Factors
    The cost factors of fiber cement siding are greater than vinyl siding shingles. Due to the heavy material, installation prices are traditionally much higher than other forms of siding. Also, fiber cement siding requires more man power to install, which will add to the overall cost.

 

While vinyl and fiber cement dominate the market, the difference between the two is great. Vinyl siding is more versatile, cheaper, and easier to install. Fiber cement is storied, looks more like wood, and is fire resistant. Once you come to a decision, find a quality contractor to install your siding. The award-winning contractors at AROCON Roofing and Construction are experienced in both vinyl and fiber cement installation are here to assist you with all your home improvement needs!

Choose A Quality Roofing Contractor

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Installing a new roof is one of the most important, and expensive, home improvement projects you’ll run into as a homeowner. Considering this, and since your roof is the first line of defense for your home against the elements, it’s important that you hire the best roofing company possible. Roofing contractors are a dime a dozen, so it’s important to follow a few basic rules when finding, choosing, and hiring a roofing contractor.

1. Talk to Several Contractors

You should talk to several roofing companies so you can gauge an honest and reasonable price range. You probably don’t want to make your final hiring decision on a couple hundred dollars for a project that costs several thousand dollars, but you should be wary of any remarkably low or excessively high bids. Of course, this will also help give you plenty of opportunity to build rapport and trust and to adhere to the other rules for hiring a roof contractor.

2. Research Credentials

Besides talking to several different roofing companies, it’s important that you do a little research on the contractor you choose to hire. Reputable contractors should be licensed and willing to provide you with at least three references verifying that they do good work. Once you’ve checked your roofing companies out and are satisfied that they’re legit, hiring a roofing contractor is more fun than stressful.

3. Review the Contract and Warranties Closely

Never sign a contract without reading it over carefully. Professional contractors won’t be annoyed by you taking the time to understand the terms of your agreement, and most will be happy to sit down with you and explain parts you don’t understand. Also, make sure you understand the warranty that comes with your new roof. All materials and workmanship should be guaranteed for at least 5 years, and the roofing itself ought to come with a 20- to 40-year warranty.

4. Cover Your Bases

Before work begins, be sure to cover your bases. Check with your contractor about whether you need to acquire a permit or not (most roofing companies will take care of this as part of their service), and make sure their employees are covered by workers comp as well. Finally, if you’re submitting an insurance claim on your roof, make certain that you’ve followed all the necessary procedures and had all work approved before work on your new roof begins.

5. Never Pay the Entire Balance Upfront

Never pay the entire balance of your new roof upfront. This goes for all large projects. If your contractor requires this of you, don’t sign the contract. Asking for a deposit as a good faith offering or a payment schedule that parallels the work are pretty common and accepted practices. Either way, don’t pay with money. Using a credit card increases the likelihood that, in a worst-case scenario, you can recover your money without expensive litigation.

Winterizing Your Home

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Is your house ready for winter? All it takes is a little bit of time and a few simple steps to find out. These do-it-yourself tests are quick, easy and free. If your home passes all of these inspections then you can rest assured that your home is ready for winter. But if not, now is the time to call in a professional, before winter arrives and the problems get worse (and more expensive to fix!).

Insulation

Your basement, attic and the outer walls of your home should be properly insulated. Check for cold air by holding your hand up to electrical outlets and switch plates. If you feel cold air then your house is not properly insulated. Poor insulation will let the cold in on all levels of your home (including the basement, even if it’s underground), and an attic that isn’t insulated sufficiently may let in not just cold air, but water (rain or melted snow), as well.

Doors and Windows

Hold your hand up to exterior door and window frames. If you feel cold air, an easy do-it-yourself solution is to caulk, or install weather stripping, to seal the gaps between the frame and the wall. These products are inexpensive and readily available in stores.

If the windows are several years old then you may want to think about replacing them with newer, more efficient and better-insulating windows. Caulking and weather stripping may last through this winter, and new windows aren’t cheap. But an investment in new windows guarantees a higher quality of window that won’t require short-term fixes (which do add up when you have to repeat them year after year).

Heating

How often do you check on your house’s furnace? Now is a great time to make sure that the furnace is clean. Check for leaks (this is something you may want to ask a professional to do). A clean furnace lowers your heating costs, and a well-maintained furnace can last years longer than one that isn’t.

Water Supply

When your yard work is done for the year, it’s time to turn off the water supply to outdoor pipes and sprinkler systems. If you don’t, the water will freeze and the pipes can burst, which is not only a pain to clean up but very expensive to repair.

Gutters

After the leaves have fallen and before it gets too cold, check your gutters and downspouts. Climb up on a ladder to clean debris from the gutters, or hire a professional to do the work for you. Water will follow the path of least resistance, so if your gutters and downspouts are clogged, it will find its way into your home through the roofing and edging. If you discover a leak due to clogged or low-quality gutters, chances are there’s a gap or hole somewhere that is bringing cold air inside along with the water. You may need to hire a professional to locate the source of the leak and repair it. It might be most cost-effective to install new gutters and downspouts; ask the installer about wider 6” gutters and gutter guards, which will keep your gutters clear all year round.

Time to Winterize!

The bottom line is that it’s better to spend the time and money now to winterize, instead of waiting for the damage to be done, and then having to spend even more time and money later on. By conducting these easy tests yourself you can determine if it’s time to call in a professional to help winterize your home. AROCON Roofing and Construction, LLC, will inspect your roof, siding, insulation, doors, windows, gutters and downspouts, and make repairs or replacements if needed. If you think your home may not be ready for winter, AROCON is ready to help keep your home warm and cozy throughout the winter.

Is Your House Freezing?

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So the groundhog says we’re in for another six weeks of cold weather (doesn’t he do that every year?), and that may have you thinking about keeping your Maryland home warmer and saving on energy costs.  New replacement windows and doors can make your home much more comfortable in the colder months and can pay for themselves over time in reduced heating – and air conditioning – bills.

How do you know when it’s time to replace?  Here are a few telltale signs:

You’re Cold!  This might seem a little obvious, but if you can feel cold air moving through your existing windows you’re wasting a lot of money.  We’ve had people tell us they can see their curtains move when the wind blows … if that describes your home, it’s time for new windows.

Seeing Daylight.  Stand inside your closed door during the day and look around the edges.  Can you see daylight?  If so, imagine how many dollar bills could fit through the gaps you see … that’s a great visual for the expensive heat that’s escaping your home.

Ummmpf! Can’t open or close your windows without a strain?  A window that doesn’t open easily means you’ll probably leave it closed in nicer weather, and that means you’ll probably use your air conditioning when you might not need to.  Similarly, a window sash that won’t stay up indicates a failure of the balance system inside.  Again, that window will tend to remain closed, and operating it can be dangerous to your fingers … and your children.

A Foggy Feeling.  If you already have double- or triple-paned windows and there’s condensation between the panes of glass, you’ve had a seal failure.  Besides not looking very nice, that means your insulated glass is no longer doing its job of protecting you from the elements.

Obstructed View: If you have old single-pane windows, chances are they’re dirty.  That’s because they’re hard to get to, so cleaning the outside glass doesn’t happen too often, especially on the upstairs windows.  Newer windows have sashes that tilt in so you can easily and safely clean both sides of the glass from inside your home.

Wooden You Like to Stop Painting?  If you’ve tried scraping and taping and painting your old wood windows, you know how tedious it can be … not to mention the danger of releasing lead paint dust in older homes.  New vinyl replacement windows never need painting, and the grids (or mullions) are sealed between the glass panes, so cleaning is super-easy.

How To Tell If Your Roof Needs Replacing

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The roof is understandably one the more neglected components of a home.  After all, you probably only see it from a distance, if at all, and it doesn’t cry out for your attention like a leaky faucet or a door that doesn’t close properly.  Your roof just sits there, protecting your most important investment from the elements … until it doesn’t.

So how can you tell whether your shingled roof is nearing the end of its life, especially after a long and challenging winter like this one?  More importantly, how can you tell before it fails and leads to costly interior damage?

Obviously, you can contact us for a roof tune-up.  We’ll inspect your roof, replace up to 10 shingles, and even caulk and re-attach any loose shingles.  You’ll get a full 21-point report so you’ll know exactly the condition of your roofing system.

In the meantime, here are some signs that your shingled roof may be nearing the end of its lifetime:

1. The Age.  If your roof is more than 20 years old, it’s probably time to start planning for its replacement, especially if those no-longer-a-teenager shingles are nailed on top of another layer.  Is your roof vented properly?  If not, expect a shorter life span.

2. The Obvious.  Look for torn, curled, buckled or missing shingles, or exposed nail heads among the shingles.  You may need binoculars to get a good look.  Remember to check all sides of the roof: depending on how your home is positioned, one side may weather much more quickly than the others.  Finding bits of shingles in your yard?  That’s another red flag.

3. The Less Obvious.  An accumulation of shingle granules in your gutters is another sign that your shingles are past their prime.  We don’t advise getting on a ladder to check – that’s our job – but sometimes a portion of the gutters is visible from an upstairs window, especially a dormer window.  If so, take a look.  You can also look at the places where the downspouts discharge at ground level.

4. The Inside Out.  If you have easy access to your attic, go up in daytime hours, turn off any lights and look closely around the edges of the chimney.  If you can see any daylight, that’s a sign that the chimney flashing – an important part of your roof system – needs to be re-done.  While you’re in the attic, look at the underside of the sheathing (the plywood the shingles are nailed to).  There should not be any damp or spongy areas, although there may be water spots from before the last time the roof was done.  Mark or photograph these so you can look for any changes next time you inspect.  Finally, make sure that any venting from bathrooms is directed through the roof, as opposed to discharging steam in your attic, which will shorten the life of your sheathing.

If you have any of the above signs, or other red flags you may notice, it’s best to have a professional come out and take a second look. As always if you have any questions, feel free to contact your local home improvement experts at AROCON Roofing & Construction!

Work With an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor

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Successful businesses in America have historically shared similar qualities, such as ambition, innovation, dedication, and reliability. Owens Corning has epitomized said qualities since 1938. So when a company such as Owens Corning selects another as one of their Preferred Roofing Contractors, they search for contractors who share the same qualities. Companies with respect and reliability, much like AROCON Roofing and Construction.

To better understand just how much weight an Owens Corning endorsement holds, we’d like you to take a quick look into the legacy of Owens Corning.

Owens Corning has a history of innovation, dating back to The Great Depression. Through the advent of FiberGlas Owens Corning was able to thrive in one of the hardest periods of American history, by giving the U.S. a a distinct advantage during WWII, by providing our nation’s army with its FiberGlas technology.

After the war, Owens Corning found yet another window of opportunity to reinvent their business: the housing market. Owens Corning changed the housing industry forever with innovative new FiberGlas shingles. They continue to innovate, to this day, with FiberGlas infused asphalt shingles for roofing. Owens Corning shingles has not only become a household name in shingles, but also the number one brand in America.

With such an important legacy, Owens Corning takes great care in choosing contractors to associate with. In order for Owens Corning to associate with a contractor, they must see the same capability for innovation, professionalism, and reliability that they possess. More importantly, they must trust said contractor to represent the Owens Corning legacy. That is why they chose to represent only 1% of nation’s best roofing contractors. AROCON is proud to be one of a select few roofing contractors to carry this honor.

Legacy. Innovation. Professionalism. Reliability. That’s what it means to work with an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor and that’s what it means to work with AROCON Roofing & Construction.

5 Spring Cleaning Tips to Enhance Your Curb Appeal

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Spring has sprung and it’s now time to bring your home out of its hibernation. Unfortunately, months and months of bitter cold and damaging weather has likely left your home looking worn down and beat up—just in time for the spring season! All jokes aside, winter often leaves many projects for the spring season.  Gutters are clogged or broken, siding is worn, roofs are damaged, and to make matters worse, the sun has returned to highlight all of the blemishes. While you could try to sweep these defects under the rug, you could also take these problems head on and ensure you home is looking great this spring.

If you are a homeowner who wants to take spring cleaning head on, here are some tips to brighten up your home.

Spring Cleaning Projects:

1. Repairing Damaged Siding: Damaged siding can make even the nicest of homes look unsightly. After the beating winter gives, inspecting your siding should be a high priority on your spring cleaning list. Sometimes siding makes it through the winter needing only a few new fasteners to secure loose pieces, but sometimes your siding, which traditionally makes up 80% of your home’s exterior, not to mention keeps your home nice and insulated, is damaged beyond repair. Keeping up with your siding repairs is a great way to improve your homes spring look and interior feel.

2. Window Shopping: Windows can really make or break any home. A faulty window can have negative effects on your homes temperature, pest control, and lighting. Not only that, since windows are one of the most looked at parts of home exteriors, damaged or broken windows lower your home’s appeal. Give your windows a thorough inspection, and consider replacing old, damaged windows! Window assessment and repair should be on any good spring cleaning list.

3. Fixing Up Those Gutters: Gutters have tedious, but relatively easy upkeep. However, neglect can not only leave gutters damaged, it can cause multiple eyesores for your home. Leakage and build up can leave your home streaked with grime, your gutters filled to the brim with sludge and also water to get near the foundation of your home. So when spring cleaning, be sure to address your gutters as soon as possible. That way you can determine if they simply need a quick clean, or if the damage is more serious, you will have time to replace them before the April showers hit.

4. Consider Adding Roof Skylights: One of the greatest things about spring is the sunshine. After months and months of grey skies, people want to take advantage of every way possible to soak in some sun. One great way to add some sun to your life is installing a Skylight in your home. Skylights are installed in roofs to allow natural sunlight to light your home, while benefiting your health and well-being. Adding a Skylight installation to your spring projects will could be just the thing your home needs to shine.

5. Mulch Needed Landscaping: With spring comes flowers, trees, and life. While not everyone is born with a green thumb, there are things anyone can do to freshen up their landscaping. Perhaps the easiest solution is mulch. A new mulching for spring can make your home look fresh and ready for a new season. Mulch is relatively cheap and easy to install, so it should be on every home’s spring cleaning list.

Getting your home ready for spring can be overwhelming. While these tips can surely help, not everyone can determine a loose piece of siding from an irreparable one. For spring cleaning that goes beyond your abilities, consider award-wining contractor AROCON Roofing and Construction. AROCON is be proud to be an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor that can help get your home ready for this spring season.

Why MHIC Matters

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When it comes time for home improvement, there are many routes you can take. One such route could be hiring licensed contractor to do the job. The other would be hiring a local handyman to do the job. He is a local after all, and a friend of yours swears by him. The best part? He comes at a low rate, he’s trusted by friends and he’s cheap. What’s not to like? Sure, he is not a licensed contractor, but that really doesn’t matter, does it?

Unfortunately it does. Choosing the unlicensed route can be hazardous to your home. Sure, they may come at a slightly cheaper rate than a licensed professional, but the risk is hardly worth the reward. Contractors licensed by the Maryland Home Improvement Commission are held to certain standards that ensure quality work is done on your home. Unlicensed contractors are not held under such scrutiny. In fact, many unlicensed contractors are former MHIC members who had their contract revoked due to negligence shown during home improvement. So, before you give the local unlicensed handyman a call, consider these five ways unlicensed contractors can be a detriment to your home.

  1. Take the Money and Run Scam – Unlicensed contractors make a living from offering prices that seem too good to be true. Unfortunately, most of the time said prices are just that. Unlicensed contractors have been known to make a cheap deal, take the money, and leave without ever doing or properly finishing the job.
  2. The Old ‘Bait and Switch’ – Another way unlicensed contractors deceive you into employing them is by using what is called a bait and switch technique. While giving a quote, they will give a very low estimate, only to jack the price up once the job begins, with odds and ends items that were “not found during the estimate” or “accidentally left off of the contract”.
  3. Hidden Fees – Again, unlicensed too good to be true prices are just that: too good to be true. This money stealing technique involves tacking on to their pay by charging for “unforeseen” repairs that are often unnecessary or service charges that were not displayed on the estimate.
  4. Subpar Work – Most often, unlicensed contractors would prefer to be licensed. The reason why they are not? Their work does not live up to the quality demanded by the MHIC. Their cheap prices will not be worth it when your home requires work to fix the less than stellar job they performed.
  5. Crime doesn’t Pay- If you are not yet convinced of the pitfalls of unlicensed contractors, you are about to be. In the state of Maryland, it is actually illegal for unlicensed contractors to perform work on homes. That’s right, hiring a unlicensed contractor is a crime.

Though unlicensed contractors may seem like a good idea, they can cost you your valuable time and money in the long run. To ensure your home gets the proper work it needs, hire a MHIC licensed contractor, like Arocon Roofing and Construction, who will give ate  a FREE estimate to repair your home today!

Prep Your Home For Spring

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As the snow begins to melt and homeowners everywhere prepare for a shift in the climate, making sure your home is prepared for the changes that can occur is vital to having a problem-free spring.

“When it comes to your roof, the real problem is that the changing temperatures will cause the plywood deck to expand and contract, “ says Roofing Expert, Eric Consuegra, “This expansion and contraction causes the roofing nails to back out and pop through the shingles which result in “nail pops”. Aluminum ridge vents are also susceptible to this expansion and contraction due to temperature changes which cause the ridge vent fasteners to back out to the point where a strong wind can rip the entire ridge vent off the roof.”

The springtime season, as joyous as it may be, can bring some downfalls in the form of heavy rainfall and stormy weather that can lead to flooding. Preparing your home for the coming season can be done by taking the time to ensure that you’re the exterior of your home is in tip-top shape.

Get Outside.

As the weather is warming up, it’s time to get outside and enjoy it! While you’re out there take the time to check these key exterior areas of your home for problems on the rise.

Check #1: The Roof.

Your roof is perhaps the most important part of the exterior of your home. Making sure to give your roof a good once over before the start of every season can prevent you from costly repairs in the future.

Here is a quick checklist that can give you some insight into the health of your roof:

  1. Check your Roof for Cracked, Torn, Bald or Missing Shingles. Anything over ten shingles can be a serious problem and a sign that your roof may need replacing.
  2. Look for Roof Stress Signs like loose material or wear around your chimneys, vents, or pipes that may need further inspection. “Something that homeowners can easily spot from the ground is loose fascia metal…” explains Roofing Expert, Eric Consuegra, “Fascia metal fasteners can come loose with the change in temperature and blow off of the boards causing the vinyl soffit to fall down”.
  3. Another common sign of roof wear is when the shingle granules start to deteriorate. When this happens, often you will see shingle granules start to show up in gutters
  4. Other issues may include wearing caulk and dark spots that show your roof may becoming a victim to the elements.

Another tip to keep in mind is if it’s not easy for you to get onto your roof, binoculars can be a great tool to aid you in checking your roof for damage from below!

It may also be beneficial to you to get a “Roof Tune-Up” before the start of every season, so that a Certified Roof Technician can examine your roof for problems and catch things that you may not see on the roof. Remember that a little preventative maintenance to tighten up loose nails on the roof can save homeowners thousands of dollars in damages.

Check #2: The Gutters.

Keeping your gutters in great shape can not only save you money from having to replace your gutters in the future, but also save your money from roof and water damage that can occur from a clogged gutter as well.

Here are a few tips that can save you time and money, when making sure your gutters are ready for the springtime.

  1. Clean out those gutters. Cleaning of your gutters should ideally occur twice a year, in early spring and late fall. However, this will depend on how many trees you have in the yard and how much debris can easily enter your gutters.
  2. When cleaning your gutters, pay close attention to the area where the gutter meets the downspout. If this area is clogged it can create water build-up that will eventually cascade over out of your gutters and wash away your landscaping or even worse weaken the foundation of your home.
  3. If you have the spike and ferrule gutter system (seen on the right), you’ll want to be sure to keep the spikes tight all year round. This way your gutter can avoid being ripped off the fascia board in times of snow and ice, which we all know has taken quite a toll on our homes this year.
  4. Once your gutters are cleared out, we recommend that you seal the ends and seams of the gutters with a high-density gutter sealant to prevent water from escaping in places where it’s not meant to.

While checking up on your gutters, always remember that the Best Solution for your gutters is to invest in a gutter guard. Gutter guards will protect the openings of your gutter to prevent falling leaves and debris from entering your gutters and allow only water to get in.

We recommend using the RhinoGuard Gutter Protection system, which uses combines a stainless steel mesh, to prevent even shingle granules from entering, with a typical gutter protector that prevents leaves and larger debris from getting into your gutters.

Make giving your home a Pre-Spring Check-Up easy, by calling us at AROCON Roofing & Construction, we’d love to give you a FREE estimate and ensure that your home is ready to go for the coming season!

As Roofing Expert, Eric Consuegra says, “Pay a little now instead of lot later.”

Lazy Days of Summer

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It’s the great smell of neighbors grilling, it’s the sound of kids laughing, and it’s the long warm days letting you sit back, relax, and enjoy the lazy days of summer.
That’s right, summer has arrived, and as the temperatures rise, so do your energy bills. Arocon Roofing and Construction is here with some simple tips that will help you save money this summer so you can focus on your tan instead of your wallet.
The most important step you can take to save money this summer is to make your home more energy efficient. The best part is that saving energy doesn’t have to mean going completely green. Some easy maintenance measures from Arocon Roofing and Construction can save you major bucks this summer.

Let’s Start from the Top—Your Roof

Most people only think of their roof as cover—protection from the wind, rain, and snow. You might be surprised to learn that, according to the the U.S. Department of Energy, air leaks in the exterior of your house (like your roof) can be extremely costly. During the hottest parts of the summer, your roof gets an intense beating from the sun, so you want to make sure that it’s in tip top shape.

If you’re up for an adventure, climb a ladder and take a look at your roof for potential problems. Some common roofing issues to look out for include:

  • Loose Shingles
  • Chimney Damage
  • Visible Nails
Or if heights aren’t your thing, get a professional inspection from a certified roof technician. Not every roof needs to be replaced. Most just need a roof tune-up. A simple roof tune-up now can save you hundreds this summer.

Gutters Are Your Friends Too

When inspecting your roof, don’t forget about the gutters. They help keep water away and protect your home’s foundation, siding, windows, and doors. Gutters also ensure that your roof is functioning efficiently.

Clean your gutters of debris frequently so that they do what they are supposed to; keep the water away from your home. And if you want to put that rain water to use, install rain barrels to your gutters. Rain barrels capture the rain so that you can use it for watering your lawn or garden.

As water bills continue to increase, you will be sitting pretty knowing you are using free water to spruce up your lawn. There is no better cost savings than free!

Schedule a tune-up; let the professionals tune-up your gutter and win with lower water bills when you add a rain barrel (or two).

The Always Forgotten Attic

To go along with your roof inspection, you’ll want to ensure the attic is assessed as well.

Many attics, especially those in older homes, have very poor insulation—another culprit letting the cool air leak out of your home. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, adding insulation to even a new home can pay for itself within a few years.

If you aren’t ready to go all in with the insulation, inspect the attic yourself. Once you’ve managed to make your way through the treasures of Christmas past, be sure to check your attic for water damage, stuctural cracks, and mold, which can all be early warning signs of a bigger problem.

A little maintenance and attention now can mean big savings in the future. So venture into the uknown. Explore what lies in the depths of your long-forgotten attic. It could cost you if you don’t!

Windows—The Light of the Home

Aside from the roof and attic, windows are another important and potentialy problematic area in your home. They add to the aesthetic of a home’s interior yet can also be extremely costly when it comes to loss of energy dollars. According to Arocon, “more than 20 percent of the heating and cooling losses in the average home can be blamed on windows.” Imagine all of the windows in your home letting cool air escape, like money flowing out of your pocket, while your air conditioner works harder to compensate.

Many windows don’t need to be completely re-installed but just maintained. Getting window maintenance will extend the life of your windows at a lower cost to you.

In the meantime, check your windows for water damage and cracks along the frame. Run your hands along the frame, making sure you can’t feel any air coming through. Next, try to jiggle the rail along the lower part of your window. Rattling or movement may mean that there are major air leaks in the window.

To help keep your home cooler this summer add window treatments or heavy duty shades and keep the shades closed when no one is home.

The Key to Great Curb Appeal-Your Siding

We all want our house to have curb appeal, especially during the summer months as we spend most of our time enjoying time outside with friends and family. Another external feature of our home that can take away from curb appeal and energy efficiency is siding.

Siding makes up the majority of the outside of your home and therefore takes a lot of damage from the weather.

Check your siding for warping, mold, algae, and loose tiles. Siding that has already warped will buckle further in high temperatures so catch the problems early to prevent further damage.

Get a professional inspection  and siding tune-up to make your house sparkle all summer long.

Make Energy Saving a Habit

Although maintaining the exterior of your home is important for energy efficiency, there are a few other steps that you and your family can take this summer and all year long to maximize savings:

  • Use energy efficient bulbs
  • Turn off the lights when you leave a room
  • Manage your thermostat closely, and let the house stay warmer while no one is home
  • Consolidate your loads of laundry and dish washer runs into fewer cycles
  • Water your lawn sparingly

Got more ideas for energy savings this summer? Drop us a line with your creative ideas for saving energy! And remember, while you bask in the glory of all of your cost savings during these lazy days of summer, always wear sunscreen and bug spray when doing any work outside!

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