Somerville Aluminum Offer Winter Recovery Tips for Your Home
Branchburg, NJ (PRWEB) March 14, 2014 -- Winters and summers have been so drastic, homes have been taking a beating with the extreme heat in the summer months and the drastic snowfall and extreme cold temperatures in the winter months. Somerville Aluminum, the area’s largest full-service home remodeling and design contractor, has been fielding calls all season long from weary homeowners looking for ways to protect their homes from the harsh conditions.
Gropper indicates the number one concern this winter has been the excessive snow loads on roofs. Homeowners are concerned their roofs cannot withstand the extra weight. For their safety, he encourages the public to call a licensed and insured professional to remove ice and snow. Warning signs of roof problems include sudden roof leaks, cracks in interior walls and ceilings, noticeable sagging and even unusual sounds coming from the attic area. Check doors on the second floor bedrooms and closets in the center of the home for visible cracks in the drywall or plaster around the doorframes. These are all indications of excessive weight on the center structure of the house.
If you must remove the snow yourself, use an extendable snow rake to remove snow in narrow strips to prevent a large load of snow coming down on top of you. Never climb on the roof. Remove gutters to prevent damage or even collapse.
Freezing conditions cause ice damning, which causes water to seep into a home unable to drain through frozen gutters. As the ice thaws and freezes, ice grows on top of melting ice creating a build up with no where to go except through the roof. Gropper recommends installing Ice & Water Shield- a rubber membrane that provides an additional layer of waterproofing under shingles, which helps to prevent water infiltration and damage.
Many homeowners are also concerned with their homes feeling cold on the inside and the need to compensate by turning up their thermostats. When the weather gets this cold, siding gets cold and all components of a house gets cold. Gropper offers a few remedies for drafty homes, including vinyl siding. “Today’s vinyl siding offers contoured, high-performance foam insulation that fills the cavity of the siding. This new foam technology stops the thermal transfer of cold (and heat during the summer months) to the inside of the home. “ He also recommends replacing exterior doors with ENERGY STAR® rated doors, with the latest technologies including polyurethane core filled slabs and fiberglass exterior doors that look like real wood.
Lastly, Gropper offers suggestions to minimize damage to decks. Although code requires decks to withstand a certain weight load, “we have endured more snow volume this past year than ever before.” Do not use salt or de-icer as it can damage the appearance. If you must shovel your deck, use a plastic shovel to avoid scratching. If you have a wood deck, you will notice rotting, chipping, warping and cracking when the snow thaws. Consider replacing your deck this spring with composite decking. Today’s composite decking has the same aesthetic look as wood, however withstands the harsh temperatures and snow loads significantly better. Once you are ready to enjoy the outdoors again, simply clean a composite deck with soap and water. Be sure to do your research when choosing decking material or seek the help of a professional.
About Somerville Aluminum
Go with the Pro: Located in Branchburg, NJ, Somerville Aluminum is the area’s largest full service home remodeling company and has built a solid reputation for reliability, expertise and trust with core family values running through three generations of service to homeowners throughout New Jersey.
For more information, please visit their showroom at 20 County Line Road in Branchburg, visit http://www.somervillealuminum.com or call (800) 725-8401.
Contact:
Jodi Mayo Alessandri
MG Media, LLC
856 US Hwy 206, Suite B11
Hillsborough, NJ 08844
(908) 874-9200 x111
Jodi Mayo Alessandri, MG Media, LLC, http://www.mgmedia.com, +1 (908) 874-9200 Ext: 111, [email protected]
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