Take it by the broad side!

You already know that your home has siding. And you know that keeping your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter is important to every homeowner. Not only do you look for comfort in your home, there’s also the energy bill throughout the year. The more of your home’s heat and ventilation you can see to naturally, the less you have to pay the power company for! And now that we're plunging headfirst into a beautiful summer here in metropolitan New Jersey, it's even more important.

Siding is like clothing for your home, too. Like your clothing, the condition of the house's siding can tell a lot about the people inside the house - especially if it looks discolored, warped, or damaged outright. You don't want to be "that" house, do you? No one does! So let's make sure you aren't!

You can call a licensed contractor, like Dream Team, to come out to you home and give your siding a once-over. If all's well, but it's dirty, most contractors will suggest a power-wash, because that's all you need - that's part of what makes aluminum and vinyl siding so effective and so affordable. The difference can be astounding - go long enough, and it will sometimes look like a whole new house where the washer has done its job. Your neighbors will be inspired to brighten up their part of the neighborhood too when you do that. It's quick, it doesn't hurt anything, and it makes things look great - it's a win/win!
 
But sometimes the problems aren't so simple - or even surface level. Part of why we have siding is to keep your home's number one enemy, water, OUT of your home. Since it's summertime now, most of you know that stagnant water is a breeding zone for dangerous, disease-carrying insects like mosquitos. You also might realize that the dark and warm space between your home's outer walls and the siding can be an ideal growth medium for molds, especially dangerous ones like black mold - if that gets into your home, it can cause all sorts of illnesses and even cause small children to pick up asthma that will trouble them for the rest of their lives. And beyond that, I'm sure you've heard of the Grand Canyon - that just took water, and a lot of time. Your home is not so thick as that rock, and you definitely don't want any of that happening in the first place. If you do need new siding, your contractor will be able to discuss options with you, but will probably suggest either aluminum or vinyl. Both are pretty easy to upkeep, though vinyl has many advantages for a home. But, like going to a doctor, please talk to the contractor who comes to your home before making up your mind.

One of those great advantages is pretty simple: it's not hard to clean, and a simple power wash every few years will make it more than pay for itself in the years to come. It also provides a sealed side of your home and is capable of naturally repelling mold and mildew. Plus, it comes in a veritable rainbow of colors! Remember - bad siding is one of the first symptoms of a bad house; and no one wants to have a bad house.

Forget your parachute - what color is your bedroom?

Some of you may have seen the infographic called "The Psychology of Color" before, but you might not have realized how real it is.  Colors can change the way you think, the way you feel, and even the way you interact with the world around you.  Plus, if you want to spruce up your home, all it takes sometimes is a fresh coat of paint.  That's a job you can do at home on your own.  You can even involve the entire family in it, to make your home feel like it really belongs to you.  Here are a few general hints though:

• Use shades of red in your dining room and kitchen to stimulate appetite, but try to keep the blinds down when you're not home, because red has been proven to attract thieves - just like in cars, it's the same in your home


• The color green is good for general decorating, as it's a very natural, tranquil color. Of all colors, it's the one the eye sees most easily - and the mind responds to most positively - to agree to something is to give it a "green light" after all. It's good for introspection and relaxation. Bedrooms painted in dark green are good for helping you get to sleep.


• Does your office give you the blues? Well, then it's probably not painted that color, which can help improve people's productivity and alertness - especially light sky blues, which remind us of being outside.

Most of us are very visually-focused in life. Paying close attention to the colors around us literally changes the way we view the world around us - and how we view ourselves. What's your favorite color? What does that mean for you? Tell us in the comments!

Have you looked at your driveway lately?

Keeping in the spirit of this blog, we at Dream Team wish to point out another part of your home which you may not give a thought about on a regular basis: your driveway.  Of course, you park your car on it to get it off the street.  It also is a part of your home's appearance and curb appeal.  You might not think about it very often, but your neighbors do - and chances are, it's the first thing people see when they come up to your home.

So you don't want it looking like this:

Do you?  Of course not!!

So you want to call a contractor who knows his stuff and can make your driveway look just right.  And, here's a tip that you might not know: Call during the summer, while it's still hot.  Your driveway's blacktop will spread better in the heat - less bumps, less air bubbles, insuring a longer, safer, lifetime for your driveway.

So, for service on your driveway or any other job in or around your home - 
Call Dream Team today at 888-382-2001!

Our New Home!

To those of you who have been following our blog in the past, we apologize - Thoughts.com closed our blog and prevented us from providing helpful tips to you, our readers.  it is our sincere hope that we will not have this same issue with Blogger, a Google product.

That being said, it is time to look at the future of your home - and maybe even make your new homes a little safer, too!

We all know that to build anything strong, it's best to build from the bottom up.  So why is it that when we look at our homes' safety, we so often neglect that and leave the foundations unchecked?  I don't know!  I certainly wouldn't!

Your homes' masonry foundations are engaged in a turf war against Mother Nature herself, keeping you and your family safe from the outside.  Here are just a few of the things that can endanger it:

• Heat
• Freezing Cold (from frost, ice, and snow)
• Rain
• Wind
• Weeds
• Insects and other vermin.

This is not a battle that it can win alone.  You need to bring in reinforcements, people!  You need to bring in a contractor like Dream Team to give you a free estimate on your home, especially now in the dog days of summer!

So call us today at 888-382-2001 for your free estimate!