Is It Time For A New Roof?

A new roof is every homeowners most dreaded home improvement task. Lots of homeowners want to renovate their kitchens or bathrooms, but no homeowner wants to install a new roof. If the roof over your head lasts as long as you own the home, all the better. But that is not always the case. Every 20 or 30 years, sometimes sooner, homes need their roofing either replaced or reinforced.

A homeowner that suspects it is time to install a new roof needs to be sure. In this homeowner’s guide to residential roofing, you will learn some of the basic symptoms of a roof in need of replacement. Followed by that will be a brief outline of the work necessary to properly install a new roof, including the extensive preparations. Also covered are some of the roofing features available like a drip edge and an ice shield. Let’s get to it.

How do you know if it’s time for a new roof?
If your roof is leaking it will be obvious. Stains on the ceiling inside are a tell tale sign. Sometimes, though, a leak in the roof can be repaired locally without the entire roof being replaced. For the big picture, look for a combination of factors including the following:

*Algae growth – Airborne algae produce a dark discoloration on the roof that resembles soot or dirt.

*Curling, blistering, or missing shingles – These can be caused by moisture, poor workmanship, or high winds.

*Damaged flashing – This is caused by drying or cracking on an old roof, improper nailing, or settling of the home over time.

*Buckling – Buckling can happen when the house settles, if new shingles are applied over old ones, or because of poor workmanship. Poor workmanship includes improperly applied felt, wrinkeld underlayment, or lack of spacers between the roof deck and boards.

*Missing granules – Granules naturally wear off of shingles, but if there are so many loose granules that they are filling up your gutters or if the mat underneath is exposed, then your shingles have officially gotten too old.

*Signs of rot – This is more common in organic base shingles. Consider replacing with fiberglass shingles to avoid rot.

What does it take to install a new roof?
A good roofing crew will have a system in place when you order your new roof, including preparation. Without undergoing significant preparation, a homeowner risks the integrity of their new roof. If a roof is poorly prepared, it will quickly develop crack, holes, and eventually leaks.

Typically, the team will take up most of your yard, laying out the new roofing materials. Also they usually pull a dump truck up to the side of the house to throw in all of the old roof detritus that will be torn off and trashed. If you cringe at the thought of a heavy dump truck crushing your lawn, ask your roofer about a new technology called Mr. Buggy, which is a great dump truck alternative. The team will remove all the old shingles and pull out the old nails. At this stage it is time to replace or secure the roof boards. Each roof board should be inspected individually to ensure the future integrity of the new roof.

All debris must be removed from the roof at this point, because demolition will be over. It will be time to begin the actual installation portion of the roofing project. Next the team must install an aluminum drip edge along the eaves of the roof using galvanized nails to prevent rust. After the drip edge, it is wise but not necessary to install an adhesive ice and water sheild. This can be expensive but it is well worth it in wet or cold climates. Some states’ building codes require the ice and water shield, so do your homework.

Then the team will entirely cover the roof area with felt or roofing paper in overlapping rows from the bottom up, fastening it down with roofing tacks. Finally the new shingles are attached, from the bottom corner of the roof up to the very top. Any hips and valleys are overlapped, using a herringbone technique.

It’s over now. Congratulations!

Roofing is arduous work, requiring lots of manpower, that is best handled by professionals. Roofing requires a significant amount of demolition and preparation before the familiar shingles or shake are fastened down. It sounds simple here, but it takes days, and it is a very dirty and labor intensive job. The good news is that when the roof is done, it looks so ordered, fresh and beautiful that the whole house seems to smile to be wearing a new top. And as a homeowner, you are allowed decades of cozy security under a healthy new roof.

Need More Space? Clean Out The Attic For Some Much Needed Room!

Remodeling the attic is a resourceful and imaginative way to increase the usable space of a home without building additions or making significant structural changes to the house. The first step of any attic remodeling project is a thorough assessment. If your attic has enough room for you to stand up in without bonking your head on a rafter, that is a good start. Read this attic renovation primer to learn some basic inspections you will need to do before planning to remodel your attic.

Inspecting your attic includes making sure there is enough clearance to create a livable space up there. Inspect the ceiling joists and framing to make sure they are structurally sound. The ceiling joists are the wooden beams you have to stand on when you go up into your attic. These will become the support for any flooring you install in the attic. The ceiling joists must be a minimum of 2″ by 6″. If the joists are any smaller, they will not support the weight of the remodeled attic and it will crash down onto the rest of the home.

Make sure there is enough space to renovate the attic. Eight feet of clearance from the joists to the roof is a minimum standard. Also, depending on the pitch of the roof, the roof itself needs to be a certain width to justify the renovation. If the pitch of the roof is 1/2, then the roof needs to be at least 40 feet wide. If the pitch is 2/3, the roof needs to be 32 feet across. A 5/6 pitch requires a roof at least 24 feet wide for a satisfactory attic renovation.

Next, have an electrician inspect your home’s wiring to establish if your current electrical system can handle the load of an additional livable room, accounting for all the lighting and appliances you will add to the renovated attic.

Also, look for any leaks or damage in the roof that will need to be fixed during the renovation. Once finished with the initial inspection, it will be time to formulate a plan.

Once you have preformed the initial assessment on your attic, you will be able to decide for sure if you are going to renovate. If your attic is a good candidate for remodeling, your renovation plan needs to include some essential points. These essential points are: access, HVAC, flooring, and light.

Access
Most attics are accessed through a fold down lumber stairway or a ladder through a trap door. At best, the attic is reached by a cramped staircase that does not allow for normal foot traffic. Your renovation plan must make allowance, both spatially and economically, for a standard staircase from the living space in your home up to the proposed living space in your attic. Study your local building codes concerning egress in living spaces. For example, your renovated attic will need to have at least one window installed that will act as a fire escape.

HVAC
HVAC is an industry acronym that stands for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. Attics are typically heavily insulated for the sake of the entire home’s energy conservation. This mean attics are very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter. Your renovation plan must account for these unique temperature ranges in the new attic. Your homes HVAC system will need to be expanded to accommodate and appropriately ventilate your remodeled attic.

Flooring
Since the majority of attics do not have a real floor, one will have to be installed. The “floor” of most unrenovated attics consists of nothing but the tops of the ceiling joists of the room below, usually with insulation laid down between the joists. If your attic is being used for storage, you likely have random boards laid across the joists for places to step and keep boxes of Christmas decorations and whatnot. Think about what kind of flooring you will use in your new attic. Make sure flooring is both glued down and thoroughly secured with fastening hardware to prevent squeaking down the line. Carpet is a good flooring option for attics, because it insulates and dampens sound. But carpet must be reinforced with high quality carpet padding and a secure base flooring.

Light
Attics are dark places. When renovating your attic draw up plans for adequate lighting. Electrical lighting is not your only option. If you install a skylight or dormers, the attic will be flooded with beautiful quantities of natural light during the day. Since the space is small relative to the rest of the home, paint the walls a light color to reflect illumination and help the natural light fill the room more effectively.

In the end, an attic renovation can be a wonderful thing. What matters most before beginning an attic renovation plan is adequate preparation. Find a reputable contractor that is willing to answer your questions. Inspect your attic for basic structural integrity and minimum clearance. Then work with a contractor and a design team to draw up a sound attic remodeling plan. Before you know it, you’ll be playing billiards in your new attic hobby room. Good luck!

How To Install A Tile Backsplash

Tools

• Tape measure
• Level
• Tile cutter
• Tile nippers/tile saw
• Safety glasses 
• Notched trowel
• Rubber grout float

Materials

• Waterproof mastic tile adhesive
• Waterproof grout
• Glazed wall tiles
• Latex gloves
• Tile

TIP:  It’s always a good idea to have spare tiles of the same dye lot in case you break some or have to replace one in the future. If you can’t get the same dye lot, mix all of the tiles together so the color difference won’t be as noticeable.

 

Estimating the Amount of Tile Needed

Once you’ve designed your backsplash, measure the length of all your countertops where the backsplash will go. Then measure the height of your backsplash whether it’s four inches, full height or somewhere in between. Multiply the two numbers together to get the square footage of the area you need to cover. This will be the first question they ask you at any tile store.

 1. Prepare the wall
• If there’s old tile, wallpaper or paneling, remove it. You need to apply the tile to a smooth, clean surface of either plaster or gypsum board. Scrape off any loose paint. Remove all the switch plates and outlet covers from the backsplash.
• Measure and mark the exact center of the room’s visual focal point at the counter level.
• Using a sharp pencil and a 2-foot level, draw a perfectly plumb starting line through the center mark. 

2. Apply mastic or thinset
• Scoop some tile mastic or thinset out of the bucket with the edge of the V-notched trowel.
• Holding the trowel to its long edge, use a sweeping motion to spread the mastic across the wall, covering only an area large enough for eight tiles.
• Look for any bare spots and fill them in with mastic.

TIP: Check with the tile dealer to make certain you’re using a trowel with the correct-width notches for your mastic.

 3.  Set the field tile
• Start setting the tiles at the bottom of the vertical center line. Place the edge of the first tile right on the line and make sure the base of the tile is parallel with the edge of the counter leaving just enough room for a bead of caulk.
• Firmly press the tile into the mastic. Then continue setting tiles, working out in both directions from the center line. Continue with the next rows up until you reach the row against the cabinets or one requiring decorative tiles.

TIP: If a skin forms on the mastic surface, stop setting and scrape the wall clean. Then apply a fresh coat of mastic.

4. Cut tiles to fit
• When you get to a cabinet or pattern edge that requires you to trim a tile with a single straight cut, place a full tile in the space and mark it.
• Using a score-and-snap tile cutter, score the tile once with the cutting wheel.
• Carefully snap the tile along the scored line.

 5.  Notch tiles with a wet saw
• Mark any tiles that need to be notched around a cabinet corner, switch box, or electrical receptacle.
• Lay the tile on the sliding table of a motorized wet saw (easier for shaped cuts) and push it forward into the blade to cut one side. Pull back the table, rotate the tile, and make the second cut.
• Use tile nippers to remove any material in the notch.
• Finish tiling the backsplash. On inside corners, butt the edges of the tiles against the tiles on the adjoining wall, leaving room for caulk. Install bull nose tile at open ends of the backsplash and at the top if there are no upper cabinets for the tiles to butt against.

 6.  Fill the tile joints with grout
• Allow mastic to dry overnight.
• The next day, mix a batch of unsanded tile grout. Sanded if grout lines are wider than 1⁄8 inch, following the directions on the carton.
• Scoop some grout out of the bucket with a rubber grout float and smear it across the surface of the tile diagonally to the grout lines.

• Pack the grout deep into the joints, but don’t get any into the seam between the tiles and the countertop or existing 4-inch backsplash.

 7.  Clean and caulk
• After grouting the entire backsplash, clean the surface with a soft sponge and clear water, rinsing the sponge often. Wipe diagonally to the grout lines so as not to pull any grout from the joints.
• Wait 30 to 45 minutes for the grout to set and for a hazy film to appear on the tiles, then buff off the haze with a clean, dry cloth until the tiles shine.
• Squeeze a thin bead of tub-and-tile caulk, the same color as the grout, into the joint at the very bottom of the backsplash, in the corners, and between the tiles and the cabinets. Smooth with a wet finger.

 

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Screened Porches and Decks Make Prime Outdoor Living Space

On a balmy spring day or a hot summer weekend, one of the greatest joys of home ownership is relaxing on your deck. A back deck or a screened porch creates the perfect refuge from hot weather, by creating shade and keeping out insects.
Some decks and screened porches develop in phases. Often your home already has the outdoor space, but it needs fine tuning, perhaps an expansion of the space, or some more windows. Enclosing a porch in screening creates a barrier against animals, insects, and detritus like leaves and twigs. Screening in a porch gives you a shaded sitting area to sip lemonade and while away a hot afternoon.

Often the porch is not quite big enough to do a sitting area justice. A deck is the answer for a home where the porch is too small. Incorporating the outdoors into the livable space of your home is a wise and satisfying home improvement that benefits everyone, from your family to future buyers. Not only will a deck make your home dramatically more valuable, it will bring a smile to your face every time you step onto it and see the dappled sunlight playing across the floor of your outdoor living space.

Building a deck is a more involved and exciting project than screening a porch. You get to choose what sort of shade structures and traffic flow you would like on your deck. On the hottest of days you can still enjoy a refreshing light breeze. You can even create a custom cookout nook. Kick back on your deck during a long, bright summer day reading a book by natural light.

Beyond the beauty a deck or screened porch adds to your home, consider the value. A recent survey by Remodeling Magazine found, in 2007, that a wooden deck is the most cost effective home improvement you can perform on a mid range home. Installing a moderately sized, pressure treated deck can raise the value of a home so much that the deck may be over 80% paid for by the time it is completed. Screened porch or full size deck, an enclosed outdoor living space immediately adds several thousand dollars to the value of a home. That home could be yours.

Many people love the idea of a deck but feel that screens compromise the open-air feeling of a deck or porch. Though this can be true, there are many innovations in screening that will remedy the problem. Let’s say your deck is surrounded by a garden, for example. You want to enjoy, without barriers, the beauty of the plant life on your property, but during the hot times of the day, the bugs start buzzing around and invade the deck. There are several types of removable screens, even convenient Velcro-mounted screens that can be quickly put up or taken down according to daily needs. Using methods like removable screening you can convert your screened deck into an open-air pavilion and back again all in the same day.

A deck sounds great! Where do I start?

The best time to start is before spring and summer actually arrive, so your deck will be ready when you are. Of course, any well-executed home improvement project begins with research. Before buying any materials or calling in any professionals for an estimate, you must call your local city government. Check with zoning and building officials in your city to make sure you can get approval to build the deck you envision. Most zoning codes will allow you to install a patio near your property lines, but not an open air structure with a roof.

After checking in with the city, find a professional remodeling contractor. If you’ve never built a deck or screened porch before, you may find it challenging to draw up plans, and prepare a shopping list for materials. Call around town and speak with several contractors. Find someone you can communicate with, who is willing to answer your questions and help guide your design. An experienced builder will be versed in the conventions of decks and screens. This way you will get the best materials, maintenance, and product for your time and money. Even if you still would like to build the deck yourself, get a couple of free estimates to give yourself a ball park sense of the scope of your project. Good luck!

Bathroom Remodeling – Aiming For Proper Accessibility

The bathroom can both be a relaxing and dangerous place for anyone at home, especially when we deal with the elders. Bathrooms can be dangerous for those older people who cannot already be up steady on their feet. Hence, it could help a lot that in your bathroom Remodeling plans, you remove anything that would put them in much danger. And instead, apply some other accessories that would make that portion of the house much safer.

In your bathroom Remodeling, you can choose to install walk in bathtubs. These prevent the idea of getting out of the tub and slipping accidentally on wet floor, no matter what your age may be. These walk in bathtubs come in a wide variety of models, shapes and sizes which of course serves as your regular bathtub. Some of them even come with powered bath seats and watertight doors to limit the dangers of tripping.

You can also decide to install transfer benches which help the user slide into the tub without any danger. In shopping for this, what’s important that your choice of a transfer bench can be able to support the weight of anyone. The average transfer bench can only handle about 250 pounds and below. If you are something that can handle more than that, then seek to know more about the bariatric models.

The grab bars can be seen as useful too not only for the older people. It can be installed in numerous locations all around the bathroom and not just in the shower or tub. You can be sure that it won’t ruin the aesthetics of your bathroom’s total look for in the market today, grab bars already come in various finishes and colors too.

If you have an elderly with you in your Nashville area home, then you must consider to include in your bathroom remodeling plans to widen up the bathroom door just a little bit more. Even if they are not yet using the wheelchair to get around in any place, you might want to expect that happening soon enough as well. So consider addressing all the possible concerns you might encounter so you can steer away from always giving your bathroom another luxurious Remodeling. In fact, you might want to decide having a sliding glass door for easier access to your bathroom.

You can choose to do the bathroom Remodeling on your own but it can help you a lot better if you would seek the help of a bathroom Remodeling contractor.