When a homeowner gets a letter from a supply house explaining that they were never paid for the new roof materials that went on from a contractor who gave a great price, homeowners start to panic. Due diligence should have told them that the cheap price was too good to be true. Rather than listen…
Read MoreCedar roofs were once the norm prior to the manufacturing of asphalt shingles. In older parts of the City of Milwaukee we find a lot of cedar hiding under layers of asphalt shingles. There’s really only one way to verify with any degree of certainty whether your roof has cedar shingles. Look in the attic.…
Read MoreTo fix an elusive home improvement problem you have to have a stubborn determination, an open mind, and sometimes a strong stomach. That was the case when I was asked recently what caused a new aluminum gutters to fail after just a year. The answer took long to get to and in my 14 years…
Read MoreConsidering buying a roof? There’s a whole lot more than the upfront price that you ought to be looking at. Homeowners who are doing their due diligence weigh the long term as well as the short term costs of a roof. Consider these facts: Dark colored roofs will not last as long as light colored…
Read MoreWhen wind storms hit, insurance companies aren’t happy, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t file a claim if your roof is damaged. Metro Milwaukee was hit by a massive wind storm on February 19th this year (2016). Wind speeds of 63 mph were recorded at Mitchell International Airport and many homes were affected. Here’s…
Read MoreTraditionally, storm doors were used in northern climates because the primary door was inefficient. A storm door created an additional barrier from high winds. With today’s foam-filled, energy-efficient doors, storm doors are obsolete. So why do people still use them? A false sense of security The worst reason to purchase a storm door is for…
Read MoreIt’s windy and cold. A blizzard is raging outside. Everybody’s roof is snow covered and I’m the roofer people call because my reputation for not scaring people precedes me. Don’t panic. The cold is your friend right now. Water is in its solid form and as long as it stays frozen, it won’t be…
Read MoreBe careful when a contractor tells you that you have mold and without having the experience or medical background, alerts you to an issue that may not be a problem. Two or three times a year I visit customers who have had contractors come by and just scare them — and for what reason? Sometimes…
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There are three types of insulation that are being used in today’s market. The well informed homeowner understands there are pros and cons of each of them and here’s what they are: Settling: Most insulation settles and since it settles, it means you will have a lower R-value. (R-value refers to resistance to temperature changes. The…
Read MoreWhen a glass block company receives a call and the customer tells them that they have “just standard size” windows, professionals cringe. The Professional knows that there will be a disconnect between what the customer expects, and what can be delivered and for what price it can be installed. So here’s a quick checklist to better understand…
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