Home Improvement Blog

GAF is the corporation that started the Timberline shingle line. The architectural shingle was invented to supersede the original three tab shingles. The new shingles brought extended warranties, higher wind ratings and a more aesthetically pleasing look to your home. Timberline shingles mimic the appearance of a natural wood shake roof at half the price and double the durability than wood a wood roof.

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You can easily notice the depth of architectural shingles when compared to the three tab shingle. The highest life expectancy for a three tab roof is 25 yrs. (very few carry 30 yr.) The lowest life expectancy for an architectural shingle is 30 yrs. and goes up to 50yrs. The roof is your homes most important asset. Without a proper functioning roof the rest of your home will be destroyed.

When a new roof installation is performed, it is very important to know what is installed under your shingles. Aluminum drip edge is a very important part of your roof and very commonly disregarded. Aluminum drip edge prevents capillary action which keeps water from penetrating your home and directs the water into the gutter. 

Ice and water shield applications are a major part of a new roof. Ice damming is a common problem across the United States in areas with snowy conditions. Ice dam material should be applied on lower sections of your roof, valleys, chimneys, vent pipes, skylights, etc...

Ventilation is also a big player in maintaining the longevity of your roof. Constantly keeping air movement in your attic reduces chances of ice damming, lowers heating/cooling costs and keeps mold/mildew from forming.

Key ventilation for your attic/roof:

• Ridge vents

• Soffit vents

• Gable vents

• Attic fans

Conclusion is that GAF offers a complete line of products to sustain a fully functional roof and with all systems in order, you should expect full performance from your new roof.

No matter what room in your house, Pergo has a floor that will completely transform the appearance. Pergo is the company that invented the floating floor system that mimics the real wood appearance. Pergo floors offer extremely high durability and easy clean up. Get rid of those rugs that hold in dirt and debris and create the perfect ecosystem for bacteria and allergens.

Basements are one of the areas I find Pergo flooring to be very useful. Real wood floors are extremely difficult to install in basements because basement floors are made of concrete. With the inability to nail into the concrete, real wood floors must be glued to the concrete. Pergo floors float right over top of the concrete with the aid of a vapor barrier. Pergo floors also have a more durable finish that real wood floors.

What you gain by installing Pergo flooring:

• Added value to your home.
• Easier clean up time than carpet.
• No sanding and smells of polyurethane that contain high VOC's
• Ability to change flooring easily.
• High durability.
• Cheaper purchasing and installation than real wood floors.
• Great for pets. Does not hold hair and dander like carpet.

Most of us with homes have basements and most of us with basements have no outside access doors. This holds true in many cases especially if your basement is fully below grade. With Bilco basement door systems it is possible to create outside access to your basement. 

Bilco doors allow you to easily access your basement like never before. Moving furniture and appliances are a tremendous task to maneuver through the house. With basement doors installed you cut down on possible damage to walls and doors and easily move furniture and appliances in half the time.

Many of us with homes already have basement doors. We've replaced many in the past due to their age and failure in keeping water out. The older basement doors were constructed of wood. While they served the purpose they always leaked, warped and rotted.

Wood doors have no channels built in for catching and diverting water. Bilco doors are fabricated of all steel construction and applied is a baked on primer from the factory. Bilco is by far the leader in basement door construction.

If you have always dreamed of having Bilco basement doors, now is the time. The added convience alone will make you realize how you ever lived without them. It is also an excellent fire escape in case of an emergency. 

it is very common now a days to see most contractors using cement board on the walls in tub/shower areas. It has largely replaced moisture resistant sheetrock which has been used for years especially before cement board was available. Moisture resistant sheetrock is still used everyday and is an excellent product for all the walls and ceiling of your bathroom, just not in the tub/shower area. When sheetrock is used in the shower area it will most likely fail due to the fact that it is moisture resistant and not water proof. Once water infiltrates under the tile sheetrock becomes susceptible to water damage and may crumble.

Today moisture resistant sheetrock has been replaced in the shower area with cement board creating a more sound base that will last. Also a superior product for your floors underlayment before installing tile and can even be installed in thinset and screwed down for a thorough installation. Cement board is a water proof product and will not deteriorate when in direct contact with water. Cement board is made using actual cement with a fiberglass mesh exterior. 

Common cement board uses:

• Bathroom walls and floors.
• Kitchen countertops
• Soffits in bathrooms
• Exterior uses before stucco or cultured stone is installed.
• Kitchen floors.

The conclusion is that cement board is the only product you should be using when there is any chance of contact with water. Many times it's what you don't see behind the walls that has the biggest impact for  longevity of your project. Toxic mold is usually unseen until the damage is too late and run the risk of rotten wall studs that can ruin the integrity of your homes structure and attract unwelcomed insects such as carpenter ants and termites that can do a vast amount of damage. Especially the presence of termites are hard to detect as they tunnel inside of wood rarely seeing daylight leaving appearance of wood on the outside perfect while the insides are hollow. This is mostly a concern with structures on ground levels that are close to the ground as they return to the soil where they live.

Your interior needs an upgrade and new paint is the best way to achieve it. Painting is the quickest and easiest way to upgrade the appearance of your home. Just think, in a few days your home will make a complete transformation from what it was!!!

WMB uses only quality Benjamin Moore paints with every paint application.

What you should know about interior paints:

• All paint companies have many different paint grades. When your painting contractor gives you a price, inform what grade he will be using.
• Inquire if the proper primers will be used. New construction primers or stain killer primers?
• Oil and latex are two different products. Oil is an excellent stain killer and latex is the best finish coat.
• All paint companies offer different paint finishes. Which on is best for you? Flat? Eggshell? Semi-gloss? Gloss?
• Interior painting is a lot more complicated than you might think. The one aspect of painting is your drop clothes. A professional will always concentrate on respecting your home and ensuring no paint will be left on your floors after the job has been completed. Unreversable damage can be done to your home due to an unexperienced painter.

What to look for when hiring a painting contractor:

• I believe that a good painter should have a good personal appearance. The tedious and detailed nature of painting should show in the presentation of your painting contractor.
• Make sure your painting contractor is reputable in the area. He will be working around your personal belongings and your loved ones.
• Ask how he will be applying the paint. If he is spraying, get rid of him quickly. As much as he trys to cover and tape off your belongings, the over spray will still be everywhere. Not to mention the amount of VOC's in the air.
• How many guys will be in your home? Most contractors like to show up in the morning, drop off the help, and return at the end of the day. Find out!
• It is a very common practice for painting contractors to apply the second coat before ever letting the first coat dry. This results in improper coverage and possible paint bubbling.

When you think of the word basement it may come to mind of that dark gloomy area of your home. It is the area of your home you most likely dread going to do laundry, store some can goods, or maybe change the filter in your furnace once or twice a year. Open ceilings, exposed electrical wires, hanging insulation, exposed plumbing lines, etc......... Doesn't really sound like a fun place to be in your home.

Just imagine that area of your home remodeled with heat, lighting, and walls and ceilings. It is easily converted into usable living area and will most likely be the biggest room of your home. Most basements are the same square footage as your entire first floor. When you start thinking of remodeling your basement, the ideas become endless. You can go from a standard open floor plan to adding bathrooms, wet bars, bedrooms, closets, sauna room, weight room, kitchen; the ideas become endless.

Five key factors for remodeling your basement:

• Substantial amount of added living area.

• Added value to your home.

• By finishing you basement you eliminate most of the mildew and mold common in unfinished basements. Heat and light create a more mold free atmosphere.

• Basements are the perfect area to create a mother/daughter apartment.

• Added entertaining area. Basements with an open floor plan create great entertaining areas.

What you should know before your basement conversion:

• You are required to maintain a minimum ceiling height of 7 ft from finished floor to finished ceiling.

• You are required to maintain a minimum height of 6'-8" measured from finished floor to all beams, girders,ducts or other obstructions.

• You will be require to have some form of fire escape from your basement. Exit through a garage is not a legal escape. In some cases you will be required to install a egress window with a minimum net clear opening of 5.7 sq. ft.

• Note if your electrical system is up to date and can handle added circuits.

I am in my own personal home right now in Monroe, NY and it is 5 below zero. It is January and the weather is very unpredictable this time of year. Besides snow, the temperature has been lower than the regular average raising my heating costs above normal. To much of my surprise, I realized that I have been heating my attic instead of my home. The insulation originally installed was an R value of R-13 instead of an R-38. A difference of 13 inches of insulation! Now that is an enormous amount of heat transfer loss within my home!

After realizing that the R-value of my home has been outdated by 30 yrs., I found myself at the lumber yard purchasing R-38 unfaced fiberglass insulation to add on top of my existing insulation. I have now installed it and thanks to Owens Corning, my home is warmer than ever and my heating bills have decreased. Instead of heating my attic, I now heat my living area.

Insulation is the cheapest way to lower your heating costs.

What to look for when determining inadequate insulation:

•  R-38 is 16" thick and is the current building code for new construction. Most older homes only have 3 inches. Adding 16 inches to three inches will increase your R-value beyond industry standards which means even more savings.
• Look for cold drafts and areas of possible heat loss.
• Make sure your original insulation has vapor barrier.(you can check this by making sure the insulation has a paper backing that faces towards your living area.) 
• If you own an older home, Pre. 1940, you probably have wool insulation. Wool insulation was good in its time but very insufficient by todays standards.