Rain gutters on your home can easily become clogged with leaves and debris. That's why it's important to inspect and clean them twice a year; usually in the fall and again in the spring. Loosen dirt that has blown into the gutters and scrub with a stiff brush. You can then flush the gutters with a steady stream of water from your garden hose to clear any material that may be clogging the downspouts.

Another way to prevent clogs is to install a mesh screen or leaf-catching system. Make sure that you purchase a type that can be easily removed when it's time to clean.

You may want to adjust the slope of your rain gutters from time to time. Run water through them, and if you find they drain slowly, reposition them so they slope toward the downspouts at a rate of 1/4 inch for every 10 feet.

Be sure that your downspouts expel water away from your home. If necessary, add downspout extenders that carry the water away. Also consider concrete or plastic splashblocks that are slightly sloped and extend away at least 4 feet from the home.

Also check your downspouts for rust, flaking, or peeling paint & leaks. Make sure they are affixed tightly against the fascia boards of your home's exterior. Check the fascia boards themselves fro dry rot or other damage, and, if need be, replace them with lumber treated with wood preservative to prevent water damage. You can finish them to match existing boards.

Fall is not the time to neglect your garden! Here are a few tips we wanted to pass along to you which will help you ensure a beautiful, healthy yard. 

•  Planting: Fall is a great time. The soil is still warm and moist. Coupled with cooling air and you have happy plants.
• Mulch your falling leaves into garden soil or start a compost pile.
• Cover your plants with mulch, compost, woodchips, and bark can all be used to give your plants a layer of nutrients & protection for winter.
• Divide your perrenials. You should do this at least every 3 years to keep your perennials healthy & productive.
• Before the rains come fill in erosion in your yard, fertilize & reseed.
• Care for your trees: remove dead or detached branches, trim tree limbs that are close to power lines or your roof, look for rotting or disdease. Call a professional tree service if you notice problems.
• Prune trees & shrubs to encourage healthy spring growth.
• Clean & store tools, toys, and outdoor furniture. Dip tools into a mixture of sand & motor oil before storing. This cleans & lubricates them.
• Store propane tanks outside & cover with plastic or tarp.
• Uproot dead potted annuals in your garden.
• Make sure any and all surface water on your property drains away from your home.

For more tips visit these web sites:

www.yardcare.com

Here are some home maintenance and safety tips for homeowners as we enter the fall season:

• Check all window & door locks for proper operation
• Check your home for water leaks
• Review your fire escape plan with your family
• Make sure you have working nightlights at the top and bottom of stairways (indoor & out)
• Have a heating professional check your heating system (you should do this once a year)
• Protect your home from frozen pipes
• Replace your furnace filter
• Run all your gas-powered lawn equipment until the fuel is gone
• Test any emergency generator you may have
• Have a certified chimney sweep check and clean your flues and fireplace dampers
• Remove any bird's nests from chimney flues or outdooe electrical fixtures
• Test and clean smoke detectors & carbon monoxide alarms
• Ensure caulking around doors & windows is adequate to reduce heating/cooling loss
• Ensure caulking around bathroom fixtures is adequate to prevent water leakage

 

What is an allowance in a home improvement project?

Allowances are guideline budget numbers which indicate how much you can spend on certain items. These items are generally finishes such as tile, doors, moldings, knobs and hardware, fixtures, or floor coverings. They are items that, at the time of bidding and contract, homeowners have usually not yet decided upon.

The allowance is not a fixed price, but a reliable ball park number which is determined by the homeowner's budget, taste, and needs. Generally, as long as you do not exceed this estimated number, you will not increase your overall project cost.

Allowances can include many items, so you should be very specific in your contract about what the items are. The allowance for items should include sales tax and delivery charges as well.

When deciding upon your allowance numbers, your contractor can help guide you, but you should do your research so that you have a good sense of what items cost. Pricing items online and in show rooms prior to writing in your allowance numbers will be helpful. Of course, your contractor will also have a sense of cost and should ask you lots of questions to determine what level of finish work you can choose and still keep you within your budget.

Allowances give you flexibility and time to select finish items that you like. But be careful, they can add up. And since these are the cosmetic items, which are fun to select, you could get carried away. Remember, it's ultimately the homeowner's responsibility to be familiar with the cost of items for which you make allowances.

Your contractor is there to guide you so be sure you ask lots of questions and keep an open line of communication. This will keep your project on time, on budget, and as stress-free as possible.

Did you know that you  can check for water leaks using your home water meter? All water meters have either a triangle leak detection hand on the meter face or a sweep hand which can be used to indicate the flow of tiny amounts of water.

Locate your water meter. Carefully remove the meter box lid using a screwdriver or appropriate tool. Visually examine the area around the meter to ensure your safety (be especially cautious of spider nests). A cap covers the face of the meter; lift the cap so you can see it.

Check for leaks by turning off all known water uses inside and outside your home. This includes ice makers, automatic pool fillers, and evaporative coolers. When all water sources are turned off, the triangle (low flow indicator), should not move. If using the sweep hand, mark with a pencil the location of the sweep hand on the rim of the meter. Wait a moment to see if the sweep hand has moved. If it has, or if the triangle continues to move, there is water flowing somewhere on your property.

If this is the case try tunring off the house shut-off valve (usually located where the waterline enters the house). If the low flow indicator or sweep hand is still moving, there is water flowing outside the home. If the low flow indicator or sweep hand stops moving with the house valve off, then water was flowing/leaking inside the house.

We hope this is helpful!  

What does a Structural Engineer do?

When preliminary design work is finished,  and the size and shape of the home is set,  the structural engineer gets to work. They tabulate the vertical loads of building materials, occupants, and contents of the structure, and then they select the appropriate sizes and strengths of the building's supporting members. The path of vertical loads is traced (roof, floor, columns, footings), to the supporting soil. They establish and design the limits which prevent the wall finishes and ceilings from cracking. The structural engineer also works with geotechnical engineers to limit the settling of a structure over time.

While it's critical to measure and assess vertical loads, a structure's lateral load is important as well.  Using applicable building codes, the structural engineer matches forces with resisting elements from the peak of the roof to the bottom of the sturture's footings. Walls are checked to assure that they support both the load from the floors above and gusts from severe winds and storms. Structures are bolted form their foundations to resist the lateral sliding forces of earthquakes.   Through careful calculations, a structure becomes a logical mathematical proof where all forces cancel.

The structural engineer is responsible for translating his or her calculations into construction drawings for use by the contractor. Plan views of the individual building levels are then developed. Details of the various connections are created and cited on the plans. Specifications for the structural materials and required inspections are added to complete the work. No variations that affect the building's performance escapes the scrutiny of the structural engineer.

When choosing green home improvement projects, you have many options. Especially in the kitchen. Consider green and eco-friendly materials should you be thinking about a kitchen remodel. Especially your countertops. It's one of the first things people notice in the room and it can change the whole look of your decor.

One of the most popular green building materials for kitchen counters is recycled glass. It's a fantastic look. Ice Stone countertops are made from recycled glass and concrete. Ice Stone surfaces have similar durability to quarried stone, while reducing waste and CO2 emissions. Have a look at www.icestone.biz.

Bamboo can provide an excellent alternative to hardwood countertops. This  beautiful, all-purpose material can be half the cost of many other countertops, too. It's durable and and completely renewable. A good resource for bamboo countertops is: www.teragren.com.

Another material to consider is reclaimed wood. This is great for the environment. Recycled paper compressed into a solid block then covered in a natural resin is another green strategy for counters. It incorporates paper and reclaimed wood. Check it out at: www.paperstoneproducts.com.

Recycled aluminum is another great option. Companies that produce these countertops use 90% recycled aluminum. Some companies even use recycled abrasives and recirculated water to finish the production of their countertops. The best thing is, these materials can be recycled should you ever want to remove them.  How green can you get?!

If your home is in need of window replacements, your options are retrofit windows or new construction windows.  Retrofit windows are installed rather quickly by removing existing window glass and sliding in a new window frame assembly within the existing frame. However, homeowners should be aware that if the existing windows have moisture problems, more than likely, retrofit windows may not slove the problem. Thsi is when new construction windows should be considered.

New construction windows require that the entire window assembly (glass and frame), be removed prior to new window installation. Flashing, building paper, and sealants muast all be reapplied. Additionally, stucco or siding may need to be cut away during installation and replaced upon completeion. Obviously this requires more time, effort, and cost than a retrofit, but often it is the most economical and best choice in the long term. Updated windows are a key to maintaining your home's value and energy efficiency. Therefore, it's important not to cut corners.
 

Landscaping elements give you a great opportunity to use salvaged or recycled materials. Lumber made of recycled plastic or recycled composite lumber makes very durable landscape edging. Broken concrete can be used to create attractive paths or retaining walls, as can tumbled glass.

Use slavaged or recycled-content for hardscapes (planter beds, patios, edging, walls, walk-ways and driveways). You can also use FSC-certified (Forest Stewardship Council) sustainably harvested wood, though this can cost a bit more.
 
For landscaping and hardscaping, composites and recycled plastics are generally more durable than wood since they don't rot, crack, splinter, or require wood treatments like staining.
 
The Forest Stewardship Council website has many resources on green building suppliers and the FSC-certified program:
Visit them at: www.fsc.org
 

According to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), an attached garage (which most of us have these days), is one of the biggest contributors to poor indoor air quality in your home. Car exhaust contains many known cancer-causing chemicals, and it can migrate into living spaces through doors, or cracks in walls or ceilings adjacent to the garage. Other pollutants commonly found in garages include benzene from lawn mowers and power tools, pesticides used in your garden, toxic cleaning agents, and the chemicals contained in paint and adhesives. One or all of these items are probably sitting in yours right now!

But properly designed and sealed garages can keep this polluted air out of your home. You can also use foams, caulking, or weatherstripping to create a barrier between the garage and your living spaces. Be sure to completely seal garage walls and celings adjacent to the interior. Doors should have full wetherstripping and sealed thresholds. If using a spray-applied foan, be sure it creates a complete air barrier. 

As an additional measure, install an exhaust fan in the garage on th eopposite wall from the door into the home. It can be triggered by an electric garage door system and put on a timer to run after the door has opened or closed.