Roofing Month Final Week: Wrapup and going forward

Hey everyone!

For those that follow the blog, you'll know that all of October we've been talking about your shingle roof.  Without dipping into stuff we're all sure you already know, we've been trying to educate our people about what we see when you call us to give an estimate on your roof.  After all, you don't really need us to just tell you the obvious.

This post is meant as a nice wrap-up to it all.  Firstly, we answer general questions posted through our Facebook page, our Twitter account, or comments here on the blog.  If you have any questions about your home in specific, call us at 888-382-2001 and have one of our trained and experienced technicians come out to your home for a free estimate, where you can ask them anything you want.

Remember that your roof requires seasonal maintenance every few months.  In the summer and spring, you have to watch out for heat and rain.  In autumn and winter, you have to take care for falling leaves, snow, and other cold-related issues - especially ice dams.  Remember to keep your attic at a controlled, even temperature through the use of attic vents and fans.

Your gutters don't exist independently either, requiring periodic cleanings and checks on their general structure to see that they're not a liability to your home.

There are many ways to protect your roof, and no one is more qualified to tell you about those options than a licensed roofer.  So call us already!

Give your home a shower!

Power washing your home is big this time of year.  It's nice and warm out, the skies look bright and cheery, and you want your home to look that much better.  And, if you have aluminum or vinyl siding, like most of America, and certainly most of New Jersey and New York, you know that dirt sticks to it like glue, and with all of the environmental dangers to your home, you can be sure that at the beginning of the summer, your home is not looking at its best.  So what options do you have?

You can't just go outside on a ladder with a steel wool pad - that's way too much work for anybody; and you're probably going to end up hurting yourself.  So you hire a licensed contractor to power wash your home.  Of all the work that can be done on the outside of your home, power washing is one of the best, for several reasons.

This is in the middle of the work, how amazing is that?!

1. It's quick! Most power washings take less than two hours.
2. It's easy! All you do is call a contractor, and they should be able to start making your home look spotless in no time.
 3. It's visible! As soon as the stream from the power wash hits your home, you'll start seeing that dirt and grime peel away, revealing the beauty beneath.
 4.  It's good for your home! It might be hard to believe, but that easy-as-pie power washing can help save your home from deadly and toxic black mold like you saw two weeks ago on this blog.

Other parts of your home can benefit from this valuable service too.  Wood decks take on a new shine and instead of looking tired and filthy, look like real healthy wood again. Look to the left over here.  On the left, we have gray, weatherbeaten, foul-looking wood.  Even walking across that deck wouldn't be as good.  The one on the right looks warm and inviting, like a good solid wood deck.  It's amazing what dirt and dust can do, if they're allowed to build up over time.



And other parts of your home, too, like masonry.  So make your home look the best it can!  Call Dream Team today for a free estimate on power washing.

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.