Curb Appeal Matters
A home’s curb appeal or general feeling of comfort is found in the subtle details. It’s the pictures on the walls, the decorative details in the kitchen and bathroom, and, one that is not often considered, the windows and doors of the home. We all consider things like paint and flooring to make a home, but have you ever considered what a new set of patio doors would do for a room? Or new efficient windows with beautiful trim work? It’s true, a home can benefit greatly from new windows and doors. Here are a few options available today from Lynnirch Siding.
Patio doors can change the feel of a room. Patio doors from Marvin are created with a superb attention to detail at the finest quality. The doors are as beautiful as they are long-lasting. A new patio door should be safe, efficient, and easy to clean. The doors from Marvin are low maintenance and they can lock at different points—no more broomstick in the door when you leave, these doors are reliable. The types of patio doors include a sliding French door, and even sliding French doors with the decorative detail of prairie grids—the prairie grids are a decorative detail trim in the panes of glass. Also a three panel sliding French door. The doors are also available as simpler-styled patio doors. The doors can be purchased in numerous finishes. Also, the options for hardware for the door are numerous and include simple elegant white as well as classy brass.
Marvin is also responsible for making quality replacement windows. These windows are also available in numerous finishes and styles to suit any homeowners needs. And, the windows are built strong, rated to temperatures up to three hundred and fifty degrees. All Marvin windows are made to be energy efficient and they all have a limited lifetime warranty.
Windows and doors stand out, and can make a big impact for the feel of your home. Consider replacing old windows with the energy efficient products from Marvin, and see what differences it will make.
If you are looking for windows and doors replacement in the Billings area, please contact Lynnrich today!
Causes of Roof Damage
Causes of Roof Damage
The beauty and overall “health” of a home can be greatly spoiled if there is uncorrected roof damage. Roof damage can result in leaks that leave watermarks on the ceilings and damage to interior walls and floors. Then, mold and mildew can thrive in wet materials causing health problems in the home. Roof damage and leaks can happen to any home, but there is no reason to panic. Most problems can be fixed quickly. However, there are two important words to know: “Don’t wait.”
Causes of Roof Damage
Some of the causes of roof damage are:
- A crack in the flashing—the thin metal sheeting that surrounds chimneys.
- Lack of sealant in the valleys of a roof—where two slopes come together and where water may pool.
- Cracked vent booting—the wraparound “boot” at the base of vent pipes on the roof.
- Ice dams which can force water up beneath roof shingles.
- Bad, or clogged gutters that cause water to back up underneath shingles.
- Cracked chimneys.
- Improperly installed or sealed skylights.
- Wear and tear on the roof, caused by too much foot traffic on the roof. Also, the natural long-term effects of weather which cause roofing material to blister, buckle, split, or crack.
- Hail and wind damage which can puncture or blow away shingles.
- Broken, cracked, or missing shingles caused by the age of the roof or by tree branches that scrape the roof.
- Improper roofing material installation.
- Rotten or damaged facia behind guttering.
Signs of Roof Damage
If you have experienced a serious storm, check for any roof damage. Additionally, keep a close eye on your roof throughout the year for other signs of damage or potential damage:
- Hail damage evidenced by divots in the shingles or by dents on cars or other items on your house or in your yard.
- Missing, cracked, curled, or broken shingles.
- A large amount of shingle granules in the rain gutters or deposited out of a downspout.
- A very faded roof with bare areas where there should be an abundance of shingle granules.
- Water stains or leaks.
- Moss spores on sections of the roof.
- Curled, damaged, or corroded flashing.
- Broken or damaged gutters.
Don’t Wait on Roof Repairs
Contact an experienced and reputable roofing contractor to inspect your roof and perform necessary repairs. Procrastination can result in more damage and cost more money.
Seal Drafts to Save Money
Seal drafts to save money, we’ve all heard this. Almost everyone’s home has a draft; it doesn’t matter if the home is newly-built or if it has been standing since our state’s inception, there are likely air gaps around windows, doors, electrical outlets, attic hatches, dryer vents, etc. And these air gaps can be a problem for even the most efficient furnace this winter. But there are a few simple methods to close up these air gaps. Here’s how…
Weather stripping is hands-down one of the simplest and most inexpensive methods to seal air gaps around doors and windows. Around the perimeter of a door, check for strips of light. If you can see light, then there’s an air gap.
Check the exterior weatherstripping first, because oftentimes it’s the culprit. Weatherstripping can age and break down. And if it appears broken down, it’s fairly simple to replace. Simply remove the old by pulling it free from its track and, assuming the old piece was the perfect length, lay the old piece alongside the new, mark the length, and then cut the new piece to size.
Then simply put the new piece into the track and, again, check for any sign of light. If light appears at the bottom of the door, your door sweep may be misaligned with the door. Some door sweeps can be corrected, and if your door sweep will not allow adjustment, consider replacing the old door sweep for one that can be adjusted.
When you have all the windows and doors sealed, then consider hanging heavier, insulated curtains. Insulated curtains will do a lot to keep out the chill. Yes, insulated curtains are more expensive, but they are going to increase the efficiency of your furnace, and those savings will eventually recoup the initial cost.
And remember, with the cold weather upon us, it’s time to replace your furnace’s filter and have your furnace cleaned and serviced for the winter season. You don’t want to have your furnace go out on a cold night this winter. If you have any questions, or would like to replace your windows and not have to worry about weather stripping, contact Lynnrich today!
Your Home’s Roof and Siding Take The Brunt of The Elements
Your home’s roof and siding take the brunt of the elements. And, because these components of the home are constantly battered by wind, rain, snow, and hail, you will need to replace them, or at least fix them. Roof replacement happens. Especially here in Billings, Montana where the summer storms can drop great quantities of large-sized hail onto our roofs, weakening it to the point of replacement. But how do you know if your roof needs to be replaced? There’s the obvious—call a roofing contractor post-storm for an inspection—but there’s a few things that you can do, on your own, to determine if your roof needs to be replaced.
For starters, any home with an asphalt shingled roof should have the shingles replaced after twenty years. If your roof is considerably younger, inspect it. There’s the option to go up onto the roof from a ladder to inspect the shingles, but this isn’t always safe nor practical. You can get the same idea of the condition of the roof, when you stand back from the home and look at the shingles through binoculars. You’re looking for anywhere that shingles are peeling-upward, maybe some have big fissure-like cracks through them, or maybe there’s complete sections of shingles missing—if this is the case, don’t hesitate to call a contractor, a leaky roof can cause a lot of damage if left unchecked.
Another area to check for roof-wear is in the attic. When the sun is bright, go up into the attic and turn off every light. Inspect the underside of the roof at the areas of the chimney stack or the stack vent—any place where there is flashing installed to seal out the elements under the shingles. If there’s light passing through anywhere near the flashing, even tiny, pin-holes, the flashing probably needs replacement and you’ll probably need a large-scale repair, or possibly even a replacement.
If you find that there’s significant damage to the roof, call your roofing contractor. Lynnrich carries quality products such as Highlander laminate shingles, which offer not only great protection, but also a uniquely dimensional appearance to the roof when installed.
Summer Storms and Roof Damage
Was your house hit by the recent hail storm? If so, give us a call today so that we can inspect your roof and siding have damage.
Summer is upon us and while the warmer days and longer night make such an appealing daydream, it also means that dramatic hail storms, violent lightning storms, and even possible tornadoes are upon us. It may not be all that bad, unless you are someone who has had to struggle with an insurance company to cover your end of a replacement roof.
If you are concerned about damage to your roof from a storm, give Lynnrich a call to evaluate your roof for you, and Lynnrich can even help you to take the next steps with your insurance company to ensure that your home stays protected from the elements with a functional roof. Document, document, document… Document the damages to your roof , so that your insurance company can’t question the how or when damage happened.
Determine if your roof has been damaged
You should be able to check the majority of damage from the street or yard of your home. Obviously the best thing would be to walk the roof and check for damage up close. But the roof can be a dangerous place, and you may just want to call Lynnrich for an up close inspection. But, if you want to do the preliminary check on your own, head out to the street or backyard—if you’re in the street please be sure to check for cars—and inspect the roof.
With all of the hailstorms that we’ve encountered in the past few years, check to if the hail has taken out entire sections of asphalt shingles. Also, shingles will bruise or dent from hail, although these dents or bruises are not always visible. A set of binoculars to check the roof can be beneficial. Don’t forget to check the downspouts of gutter for grit that has been pelted from the shingles during the storm.
Even if you cannot see damage from the street, in the event that there is grit from the shingles either in the downspouts, on the ground at the base of downspouts, or in the gutters, it may be time to call a professional to check your roof. If you have spotted damage to your roof post-storm, make sure to document the damage, if possible, with photographs.
If your home or business suffered damage in any hail storm, please contact Lynnrich today!
HELP! I’ve Got an Ice Dam on The Roof
Winter is here, that means snow and ice have arrived and are causing havoc. There’s more snow and more cold temps and that could mean ice dams on the roof of your home. It’s a common problem for a lot of homes in the winter. An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms at the edge of the roof. This ice can damage the gutters and the roofing, and even though the icicles hanging down look beautiful, that ridge of ice also prevents the snow melt from draining off the roof. The melt backs up on the roof and leaks down into the home. That water could cause very serious damage.
Also, newer gutter systems help to prevent debris from accumulating and blocking down spouts. Blocked gutters can cause ice jams. If your gutters are old or clogged, clean them out. When the downspouts of the gutters plug, the melting snow just accumulates in the gutter and freezes, breaking the gutter, starting an ice dam, and possibly sending melting snow down into your home.
Ice dams begin by the heat collecting in the attic, warming the entire roof, except for the eaves. The snow that melts on the rest of the roof re-freezes at those colder eaves.
While there are methods in the winter time for dealing with ice dams—raking the roof, taking a box fan to the attic and blowing cold air at where it leaks. In the warmer months it may be time to better ventilate and, also, insulate your roof. Upgrading a poorly insulated roof is a good start. Adding vents around the inside of the roof will help to keep the warm air passing through and keep the entire roof cold. Also, soffit vents will help to keep the roof cold. If there are places in the home that may leak air, plug them up. That leaking air is rising, and leaving via the roof, melting the snow in the process. While ice dams are not entirely preventable, mother nature doles out what she chooses, you can do a lot of preventable maintenance around your home.
Selling Your Home? Remember To Update The Curb Appeal
You’re not going to be in the market for a new home, often. In fact, many people find that if they’ve built that perfect custom home, they want to live in it for years, maybe forever— good construction will withstand time. But, what many people don’t consider, when they’re purchasing a new home, is the land around the home—the lot. While landscape is much more easily changed then, say, the amount of square footage in the home, it’s still something that should be given consideration.
Selling Your Home? Remember To Update The Curb Appeal
Consider the curb-appeal of your home. Will a concrete driveway, leading up to a garage, suffice as the home’s only initial walkup, or would a path made of stone, or pavers, or stamped concrete that leads from the street to the front door compliment your personality and style? Is the front yard all grass, or are there decorative islands of stone and shrubbery?
Consider the backyard of the home. Many people today are building enormous food gardens, or kid-play-areas. If you’re an in-and-outdoors type of person, you’ll want your style and the area around the home to reflect your style.
Decks and porches are great places to spend time outside on your own property, enjoying the outdoors. Consider how the home will be built. If it’s just one level, maybe even a stamped concrete patio would suite your needs, although multi-levelled homes might be well-equipped with a multi-level deck. Three tiers of space on a deck leaves plenty of room for entertaining guests. A front porch, or a sun porch—places for reading, and enjoying your morning coffee while the warm rays of the sun creep up the walls. Front porches are great ways to enjoy a summer evening, enjoying someone’s company, or enjoying the serene quiet of your neighborhood.
Regardless what type of person you are, the outside of your home will play a part in your overall, customized home design. That’s why you buy a fully custom-built home from a reputable contractor, because your getting the entire package—everything you want—in one place.
If you are looking for roofing, siding, windows or doors to add to your home for curb appeal, please contact Lynnrich today!
Summer Storms and Roof Damage
Summer will be here in Billings before you know it, and while the warmer days and longer night make such an appealing daydream, it also means that dramatic hail storms, violent lightning storms, and even possible tornadoes are upon us. It may not be all that bad, unless you are someone who has had to struggle with an insurance company to cover your end of a replacement roof.
If you are concerned about damage to your roof from a storm, give Lynnrich a call to evaluate your roof for you, and Lynnrich can even help you to take the next steps with your insurance company to ensure that your home stays protected from the elements with a functional roof. Document, document, document… Document the damages to your roof , so that your insurance company can’t question the how or when damage happened.
Determine if your roof has been damaged
You should be able to check the majority of damage from the street or yard of your home. Obviously the best thing would be to walk the roof and check for damage up close. But the roof can be a dangerous place, and you may just want to call Lynnrich for an up close inspection. But, if you want to do the preliminary check on your own, head out to the street or backyard—if you’re in the street please be sure to check for cars—and inspect the roof.
With all of the hailstorms that we’ve encountered in the past few years, check to if the hail has taken out entire sections of asphalt shingles. Also, shingles will bruise or dent from hail, although these dents or bruises are not always visible. A set of binoculars to check the roof can be beneficial. Don’t forget to check the downspouts of gutter for grit that has been pelted from the shingles during the storm.
Even if you cannot see damage from the street, in the event that there is grit from the shingles either in the downspouts, on the ground at the base of downspouts, or in the gutters, it may be time to call a professional to check your roof. If you have spotted damage to your roof post-storm, make sure to document the damage, if possible, with photographs.
