As a contractor, I have seen the result of unsealed surfaces that have constant contact with water. The water damage can be extensive and cause many different problems:

• Wood rot: wood that is unsealed and exposed to water on a regular basis will begin to rot and become structurally unsound. Even if the wood is pressure treated, it should be sealed at least once yearly to avoid rot.
• Foundation troubles: the constant flow of water has made amazing views in nature such as the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls, but you don’t want that same water slowly destroying your home or business’ foundation. Water is the most common foundation issue because it is everywhere.
• Mold: mold can be a health hazard and destroys certain types of siding and wood.

One of the best ways to protect the exterior of your home is with exterior wall coatings that prevent moisture and water from penetrating the surface of wood and porous concrete. These wall coverings serve a dual purpose of protecting the structure and seriously improving the structures look and aesthetic appeal.

Foundation issues should be resolved with proper drainage around the structure. Water finds the path of least resistance and flows in that direction. If the path of least resistance leads to a puddle sitting against your foundation, you could be in trouble.
You could have the land graded to force the water around the structure. French drains also work well at moving water.

• Simply take a long pipe with holes in the top
• Wrap with landscape paper
• Bury in the ground about six inches down
• Cover with rocks
• And one to one half inch of sod

Your water issues will be resolved.

When your home has become damaged by water or fire, or both, you need to act quickly and find a reliable, reputable water damage restoration service. Assuming your insurance coverage will deal with fire and water damage, a fire and water damage restoration service can give you a ball park figure on the cost of the repairs. Make sure you find a restoration company that works with insurance companies, most do. But definitely ask for referrals and find out if the company you are dealing with is, in fact, reputable and reliable.

The first thing you’ll want to do after suffering fire and water damage, is to remove items from the area that was damaged. If the damage was extensive, you may want to seek professional dry cleaning, carpet and furniture cleaning companies to restore your clothing, carpets and furniture. If you attempt to do this yourself, be sure very sure you know what you are doing. Inexperience can further damage your prized possessions. If you aren’t sure what you should do first, refer to your restoration company or call your insurance agent. They will be able to help guide you through the first steps in restoring your home and life back to normal. Read the rest of this entry…

Are you looking to place a bay window in your home? Do you wish you could save a little bit of money when buying your new window? How about getting a bay window for free, would you like that even better? If you want to get free bay windows then there is a way to make that happen and all you have to do is go around looking for them. What most people do not understand is the fact that a lot of people will just give away a bay window because they don’t want it sitting at their house forever and they certainly know they won’t be needing it later on.

Construction projects – The first place I suggest looking for free bay windows are construction projects and the reason is because they always keep the windows fully intact. The reason why contractors will keep a bay window intact is because they are easier to pick up and throw away if it is just one big piece as opposed to many small pieces. This is important to remember because this could save you a lot of money on a bay window if you just go to a construction yard and see what you can find. Read the rest of this entry…

Storm windows can do just what their name implies. These windows will protect you from bad storms. In the southern states you see many hurricanes and tropical storms pass through. Your normal windows will break out easily if you are caught in one of these. Storm windows on the other hand are made to withstand bad weather and wind. They are thicker and stronger than the normal window is and will hold up better under poor weather conditions. In the north they use storm windows to help keep out the cold. By doing this the storm windows save you money in energy costs. In the south there may not be much cold weather but there certainly is plenty of hot weather. Many storm windows are insulated and will keep the heat out while keeping the interior of the home cool. When you have such high temperatures to contend with you will want storm windows to save you energy.

As good as storm windows are, and as strong as they are they cannot withstand everything. You will want to cover your windows when a hurricane threatens your area. This is for the safety of all your possessions not just the windows. Don’t take a chance during a hurricane. You hurricane shutters to cover all of your windows. If it is due to hit you directly plan an evacuation route. Don’t take chances with a hurricane. People die from them all of the time. Read the rest of this entry…