Even with a gutter filter installed, you still cannot escape the occasional necessity of clearing off of debris and small leaves that have managed to slip into your gutter. In relying solely on your filter without inspecting your gutters, you are exposing your roof to risks of clogged gutters and stagnant water.

Left alone, water will eventually seep into the other parts of the house, rot your wood and breed molds in some places. Gutters without filters are even more likely to hoard leaves and, together with the water weight, it can wreck havoc on your roof.

To avoid any costly home and roof repair, you only have to take out your sturdy ladder and trusty gloves. The gloves will protect your hands from the twigs and other objects that could injure you. If you have a gutter scoop, the job will be done faster. A pail hooked onto your ladder can hold the tools you need without you having to go up and down many times to fetch them.

After you cleared the larger trash, locate the pipe that directs the water down to the ground and point your hose towards that pipe. If the water flows smoothly, you will know that you have accomplished your task well.

Source: Elitearticledirectory.com

Homeowners who live in warmer climates tend to assume that the unfortunate burden of ensuring enough attic ventilation is only experienced by those houses that are frequented by snow storms. Indeed, the winter months bring moisture into the homes when the warm air has no means of escape and you have not thoroughly insulated your attic. Snow drift that is not given immediate attention will soon melt into water that will eventually find its way into your attic. This is not to count the cold air pressing on your roof, causing your heated attic to form condensation.

In the summer, when the warm air gets into your cool interiors, condensation is also likely to occur. Simple chores like cooking or bathing will also contribute to the moisture content in your home and if there is no way for this to escape, it will soon be the breeding ground for molds. At any time varying temperatures cold and warm air meet, it can reach to a dew point so if your attic is closed in, moisture will still collect in there, wherever your home is located.

Source: Articleshub.blogetery.com

Many homeowners whose roofs had ice damming issues last winter should now be looking into putting ice and water shields. This product, made out of rubberized asphalt, will adhere more to the shingle nails, resulting to a tighter fit than a metal flashing. Different roof contractors may have different opinions on how much ice shield to lay down. The decision depends on the design of your roof. The more areas you cover, the higher the cost would be. Here are the common places where ice shield coverage is needed:

1. Valleys. The space where two slopes meet can be a problem area. If this is the source of the leak and water damage you had, there is no avoiding the ice shield here.

2. Above the eaves. Since the ice dams occur near the edge of the roof where the temperature is likely lower, you will need the additional protection here. Proper insulation is still key to avoid ice dams in the first place.

3. At all sides. If your contractor is proposing coverage on the whole side, it can only mean that the slope of your roof is not too steep, and not because your contractor is out to rip you off. The flow of water in a flat roof can be slower and would tend to seep into the shingles.

Source: Askmehelpdesk.com

When your energy bill shoots through the roof, the stack effect is the likely enemy that is causing it. Unless you want your family to freeze this winter despite you cranking up your heater to its highest settings, start taking control of the stack effect in your home this early.

1.  Understand how the “stack effect” wrecks havoc in your home. Instead of circulating the warm air within the rooms of your house, it can push its way out via crevices to the top of your home and through the roof. Because of this, the temperature of your home will remain frigid. You are literally throwing money away if you have leaks in your home.

2.  Check for leaks. Just like how the moisture will find its way to gaps and holes that results to water damage, air can wind up passing through the same spots to drain your house of its heat. You can inspect your attic for gaps where the light from down below filters through. These are the culprits giving you trouble.

3.  Opt for professional assessment. To have a more thorough search for leaks, hire a home energy assessor to evaluate your property for the possibility of having the stack effect and learn the remedies to combat the same.

Source: Ccetompkins.org

Avoid Structural Damage with Roofing Repair Services

Maintaining a residential house or a commercial structure is a tedious task. Many home and business owners have experienced or will have to contend with, costly structural damage to their building at one time or another. One of the primary areas of concern for structural damage is often the roof. This is because it is a difficult area to monitor due to its location and because the roof is consistently exposed to nature’s elements (ice damming on roofs is a common problem in Canada). This is where reliable roofing repair services can be of great benefit. With regular roof maintenance and repairs, you can minimize the chance of costly structural damage to your residential or commercial roof.

An important aspect of good property maintenance and management is regular inspection of the roof by a reliable roofing repair service provider. Commercial and residential buildings with flat or sloped roofs are all prone to serious roof damage and degradation. Maintaining a commercial or residential roof can be done on a “do-it-yourself-basis” however it is not advisable, This is because specialized knowledge is required, roof work is dangerous, it would require investing in roofing supplies and equipment and because the price to pay for doing it wrong is just too steep. We suggest you pay attention to the warning signs of roof problems and contract a reliable roof repair company in your area.

There are many circumstances where it’s advisable to contact a roofing repair company to have your roof inspected for damage; if your roof is 10 years or older, if it is showing signs of blistered or has stained interior walls or ceilings, if the flashings is torn, if there are missing or torn shingles, if there is peeling paint or water-stained brick where the walls meet the roof, sagging eavestroughs, damaged fascia or soffits (fascia are the planks to which gutters are attached, and soffits are ventilated covers that extend from the fascia to the house). A professional roof repair company will identify the problems areas, suggest corrective measures, whether it be a roof repair or roof replacement and recommend preventative measures to avoid future roofing problems.

In some cases roof repair work or a roof replacement is processed through an insurance claim. Before contacting your local roofing expert, you should ensure that you have the necessary insurance paperwork for your protection and don’t hesitate to request a report on the condition of your roof if it’s needed.

Preventing roof damage is always preferable to paying for expensive repairs and this can be achieved by contracting a roofing repair or roof replacement expert who can apply quality roofing products, siding, eaves and windows that can withstand Ontario’s harsh climate. It’s impossible to avoid roofing wear and damage altogether, but with the help of the services offered by an expert, you will be able to extend the life of your roof and avoid any major structural roofing damage and financial hardship.

Retrieved from Articlesbase.com

Preventing Frost Buildup On Sewer-Septic Tank Rooftop Vent Stacks-Stinkpipes

This is how to prevent frost buildup on your sewer vent pipe so you can install an odor eliminator. This is an email I received from one of my readers. “I have read a few articles by you on the internet regarding septic issues. We live in Askov, Minnesota (near Duluth) and experience frost build up in our vent stacks. My husband and I are older and really should not be climbing on the roof to clean these out (about once every one or two months) in the winter. Are Odor Eliminator filter caps appropriate for use in Minnesota? Will they prevent the frost build up? Thanks in advance for your help.”

This started some serious thinking since I was not aware that in the far North stack vent pipes could frost shut blocking the vent. We all know if the vent is blocked the toilet will flush but the waste will not flow down the drain, in fact no drain in the building will work. That is why it is against all building and plumbing codes to install any valve in a rooftop sewer/septic tank vent stack.

In most new homes or buildings we insulate only the attic floor which is on top of the ceiling in any home or building. Some designs only have a crawl space below the roof. The roof itself is only insulated in a totally sealed building today.

We go to great lengths in design today to keep warmth away from the actual roof plywood and shingles to present the thawing/freezing cycles that cause ice dams and resulting roof damage. So we want the roof to be as cool as possible. You should insulate the vent stack in the attic between the attic floor and attic roof and then put an odor eliminator filter on the outside stacks. There then should be roughly 6″ to 8″ of stack sticking out of the roof on the outside.

The inside temperature of all vents in the house is the same temperature as the rest of the house. The air temperature in septic tanks is the same as the ground that surrounds them. The ground temperature in North America is 52 degrees year round above the freeze line which is about 2 to 4 feet down in the earth depending on your area.

If the vent stack is more than a few inches above the roof line it needs to be wrapped with insulation in the winter. If the temperature of the vent stack pipe in the attic is below freezing the odor eliminator filter will not work, it must be insulated. If the house temperature is below 52 degrees Fahrenheit the odor eliminator filter will not work.

Some odor eliminator filter designs insulate the stack inside it with the equivalent of 1 inch of air insulation. I would not worry about the odor eliminator filter if the conditions are correct. I know of one company who has them on vent stacks in schools in Alaska.

Retrieved from Articlesbase.com

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