Solar Tube Skylights – The Best Way To Light A Room In Madison Wisconsin
Solar tube skylights are growing more popular for making interior and north facing rooms brighter
Solar tube skylights represent a great home improvement option for interior and north facing rooms. These rooms generally lack the natural daylight we all enjoy. It used to be homeowners had very limited options.
The questions many people pondered were, do we move to a new home, add a window, or switch on the lights every time we use the room? What many people are discovering is using daylight from the top (the roof) is a great option.
Solar tube skylights are one of the best, most logical home improvement options for people with existing homes in established neighborhoods and condominiums. Solar tube skylights are very affordable and quick and easy to install. Continue reading
Replacement Windows – Wood Or Plastic?
Finding replacement windows for your home is a big project and requires a great deal of research. There are more options than ever
Vinyl windows offer a less expensive option and is nearly maintenance free
before in terms of product offerings and suppliers for homeowners to consider.
The vast majority of replacement windows are primarily constructed of either wood or vinyl. This article is to introduce you to the basics of these replacement windows choices so you can begin the learning and comparison process.
Listed below are general comparisons of the two major types of construction for replacement windows.
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Siding Installation Requires Skill In Madison WI
Poor Siding Installation can lead to water leaks that show themselves as discolored vinyl flooring
Siding protects your home against the elements. Protection of your home is siding’s primary function. Siding, if installed properly, protects your home as completely as possible from moisture and pests.
For siding to protect your home property, more than the siding has to be in place. Under your siding should be Tyvek wrap/covering. If it isn’t installed over wood in exterior walls, it makes them susceptible to water, which can cause rotting, leaking and large amounts of property damage.
The next most important function of siding is to set your home apart, giving it curb appeal. However, if it allows moisture to ravage your home, looking good doesn’t do you much good. Continue reading
Selecting Roofing Contractors in Madison WI
Expect to get any two of these three items when selecting a roofing contractor
If you need one in Madison WI, there are plenty of roofing contractors to choose from.
The problem most homeowners have is finding roofing contractors they can trust. After all, most homeowners do not replace roofs often. In some cases maybe only one purchase in a lifetime. Possibly twice, but the purchase date can be twenty years apart. Not a great situation for gaining knowledge and skill at making a decision. Continue reading
Siding and Insulating Updates
Adding insulation under replacement siding improves energy efficiency
Siding your home is a great time to make it more energy efficient than it ever has been.
The way to accomplish this is to retrofit insulation panels underneath where the new siding will be installed. When the insulation panels are installed, it is important use Install Tape 2 on the seams so your home has a wind and vapor barrier for the first time.
Installing insulation panels under the new siding will help keep out cold in the winter and heat in the summer. It will also cause your energy usage to decrease, saving you money and wear and tear on your homes mechanical systems.
With the cold weather here now, this is a great time for siding your home and adding insulation for a warmer and more energy efficient home.
Madison Roofing – Satellite Imaging for Year-Round Roofing Estimates
Satellite technology allows accurate roofing estimates year round
Gone are the days when roofing contractors have to coordinate with a homeowner to drive to the property and physically climb up on the roof to measure it and do all of the calculations for the roof replacement estimate.
Satellite imagery allows roofing contractors, such as Sims Exteriors, to use complete and precise measurements to create the most accurate estimate available in Madison WI. The best part about satellite roofing images for homeowners is they can plan for the spring projects now. Even while there is still snow on the ground and on your roof, accurate estimates are yours. Continue reading
Ice Dam Repairs & Roofing Systems
Ice dam problems are always a symptom of other problems within a home.
Proper venting and insulation can help end ice dam problems
If you have an ice dam now, multiple ice dams or other roof ice, there are likely multiple issues affecting your situation. And, believe it or not, your roof may have nothing to do with the problem – it may be an innocent bystander.
It’s important to understand your roof is part of a system including the roof itself, gutters, soffets, siding, ventilation and other systems within a home. How all of these parts of the system work will affect your heating and cooling bills and the life of your roof, if not a lot more.
With that said, certainly, roofs can wear out over time. However, if your roof requires repair or replacement pre-maturely, there is a good chance something within the system is not functioning correctly and has accelerated the aging process.
Ice Dam Prevention In Madison WI
Proper insulation and correcting attic bypasses can help stop ice dam problems
An ice dam, the ridge of ice that builds up on roof eaves, is a common wintertime problem for Madison Wisconsin residents. An ice dam can cause costly structural damage that can affect not only the roof, but the interior of walls, floors and multiple levels in your home.
The shelf of ice and the icicles hanging from the gutters are obvious to the homeowner. What’s not always apparent is the cause of an ice dam. Continue reading
Ice Dams – Protecting Your Home from Roof Ice
Ice dams channel melt-water into attics and living spaces.
This is the time of year when homeowners find themselves dreading the ice and damning the dams — the ice dams forming on eaves and along the edges of roofs.
There are plenty of reasons to hate ice dams. They damage roofs and the underlying structures, encourage water buildup and leaks, and reflect heat loss and general energy inefficiency. Unfortunately, once an ice dam forms it’s almost impossible to remove in any manner other than waiting for spring.
Ice dams form when snow — as little as one or two inches will do the trick — on a roof, is melted by heat leaking through the roof from the attic. The melting snow runs down the roof and refreezes at the roof edge, where there’s no house heat to keep the snow in liquid form. Continue reading
Winterizing a Home in Madison WI
Sealing air leaks at doors, and windows will help keep you warmer and save you money
Winterizing a home to prepare for the upcoming Madison Wisconsin winter is easier than most think. To help lower your heating bills and enjoy a comfortable winter season, there are just a few basic steps to follow in winterizing a home.