From Margaret on October 29th, 2010 in Roofing
With snowy and blustery weather just around the corner, now is the time to evaluate your roof and consider replacement options. As an essential component of a secure home, roofing doesn’t just look good—it protects your home from a slew of other problems.
If your own roof needs a check-up,
have a contractor come by to see it. Only then will you know for certain which repairs it needs—before you let winter do its worst....
Continue reading Check Your Roofing Before Winter Shakes Things Up
August 17th, 2010 in Roofing
A homeowner recently told me that he and his wife are spending $700 a month on energy bills. It's summer, and their A/C costs are out of control. If you're anything like these guys, your bills haven't been too kind to your pocketbook, either.
I've been digging around for the best solution to help our readers—a home upgrade that can be completed quickly, cools your home naturally, and cuts your energy bills as well. I think I've found it.
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April 28th, 2010 in Roofing
Despite their immeasurable potential, commercial rooftops across the country remain one of the most underused building resources out there. The concept is simple: with all this flat and wide-open space, often in the heart of desirable urban city centers, why is so much rooftop square footage going to waste?
You could build upward, install a garden/compost system, or better yet – a solar rooftop array to supply the building’s electricity needs.
Or, you can do as Mac-Interactive Architects did in Australia, and convert an unused rooftop into a killer penthouse suite overlooking the Sydney Harbour.
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November 16th, 2009 in Roofing
The idea of white roofs isn’t a new one. If you’ve ever been to Mykonos, Greece, you’ve seen the famous hillside homes painted white to deflect the scorching sun. But since the weather in Greece is typically hot, this lack of color palette makes no difference in winter, where in colder climes, dark roofs would serve better to retain heat.
Enter MIT graduates, who developed color-changing tiles – white in summer to dispel heat and black in winter to absorb it.
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July 30th, 2009 in Roofing
Catch it while you can
During the hottest months of the year, rainfall can be pretty scarce, especially in dry parts of the country. Investing in your own rain catcher system can save you money and reduce pressure on the local watersheds. Even if you already xeriscape or have drought resistant landscaping, providing irrigation to these plants is essential during the summer. Some of these water-saving devices are as simple as placing a rain barrel under the downspouts or hanging a decorative chain from the house. Either way, the idea is to collect as much free water during the spring, so you'll have enough when your landscaping needs it the most.
Rainwater Harvester
It’s like having garden or landscaping water on-demand. This rain catcher system uses specialized rain gutters that collect water and send it directly to a storage tank in your basement. When you want to use the water, a pump inside the tank delivers it to a special spigot that hooks up to any garden hose. These systems usually come with a leaf and debris filter and hold anywhere from 100-200 gallons of water.
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