Author: Jim Kroll

Maintenance & Repair

Four Reasons You Need Your Gutter to Help Water Flow Away

- by Jim Kroll

Your gutters are designed to help water flow away from your home during and after a storm. The water may cause problems inside and outside your home if the gutters are not working properly. Here are four reasons why your gutters need to be inspected and upgraded.

Protects Your Home

Rain gutters are supposed to keep the water from entering your home. If they are not working properly, the water could damage the foundation and cause a flood in your basement. Gutters also prevent frozen precipitation from building up on your roof, and failure to protect your roof could cause damage to your exterior.

Keeps You Dry

Gutters that are worn out do not keep water from spilling over the edge of your roof, and this causes a downpour at the entrance of your porch or home. You find yourself soaked every time you are entering or leaving your home during a storm. When you upgrade your gutters, you are preventing the downpour that makes your rainy day worse.

Keeps Your Exterior Clean

Your gutters are designed to keep water from spilling off the roof and hitting the ground. Failure to catch the water causes it to splash debris and mud against your siding, and this makes the exterior of your home look filthy. Your exterior is a reflection of your home, so you want to upgrade your gutters and keep your exterior clean.

Provides Pest Control

There is nothing like standing water to attract mosquitoes and other pests, and …

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Living Room Design Ideas

Getting Your Yard Ready for Spring

- by Jim Kroll

The winter tends to give homeowners a break from traditional lawn and garden chores like mowing the lawn and plucking weeds. However, as the winter comes to an end, the warm weather is on the horizon. Since your lawn and garden act as an extension of your home during the spring and summer, it’s probably a good idea to get things in order so you can enjoy it all season long. Below are a few tips to get prepared.

Clean Up

The first thing you’ll want to do is clean up your yard. There is a high possibility that there is wreckage from down tree limbs or debris that has blown into the yard that needs to be removed. Be sure to check thoroughly for things like broken bottles and sharp objects that could potentially hurt you or your family if you’re playing or lounging around outside.

Another thing that may need cleaning in your yard is the lawn furniture. Whether you placed it in a shed or left it out all winter, it may need to be hosed down and left to dry to get rid of dust, spider webs, and anything else that could be lurking in it.

Repair Any Damage

Now is the perfect time to get your hands dirty a bit (or contact a professional if you’re not too handy) and repair any damage that the winter may have caused to your lawn. This might include repairing any splintered or rotted wood on your deck or …

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Remodeling

A Smarter Way to Keep Your Home Comfortable

- by Jim Kroll

Over time, every house will show signs of wear and tear. That’s the price for living a good life inside a well-loved home. Even an exquisitely designed home will show signs of being lived in and can look dated after a certain time. Though some homeowners deal with this reality by finding a newer home and moving, the fact is that moving can be expensive and problematic. It can be costly, and ultimately, you may have to make some tradeoffs that might not be worthwhile.

The Remodeling Solution

For many homeowners, planning a home makeover by remodeling can be a great way to make a house look sparkling and new, and to add details that have always been lacking, like a bathroom spa or gourmet kitchen. If a remodel is planned well, these details can be added on a budget, without the high cost of moving.

A good remodel will call on a lot of advance planning, as well as the expertise of an experienced general contractor. The contractor can help with the planning from the outset, so that everything stays on a workable budget. The key is in finding a contractor who can really work with you, so you can be an effective team.

Going Online to Find A Contractor

In the past, finding a good remodeling contractor could be difficult for those outside of the building industry. Today, however, the process is much easier, as there are now many good online sites that provide listings of local contractors. …

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Maintenance & Repair

6 Reasons You Need an Annual Roof Maintenance Contract

- by Jim Kroll

Everything inside your commercial building is as safe and well-protected from the weather as the condition of your roof. Leaks and roof failure can cause major work slowdowns and equipment loss. Below are six reasons you should consider having an annual roof maintenance contract for your building.

Annual Inspection

Provide monitoring of the condition of commercial roofing by a professional that can perform an inspection each year and provide an analysis of needed repairs, as well as complete general maintenance duties. Protecting the integrity of your roof is imperative to keeping your business equipment, products, and employees safe and dry.

Debris Removal

Leaves, branches, and blowing trash can find their way up to your roof and stay. The consistent removal will prevent any inadvertent damage from happening to the surface materials, flashing, and vent systems. An annual maintenance contract will provide for the removal if this accumulated debris, leaving a clean and secure surface once again.

Drain Cleaning

Gutter systems can develop clogs that allow water to pool on the roof, or drain in areas that can cause harm to property and flooding. Part of the annual maintenance program is cleaning the gutters and drainage pathways to ensure water is collected and removed from the roof properly.

Inspect Vents and Flashing

Any structure that goes through the roof, such as a vent, has to have a healthy seal maintained to guard against water intrusion to the building. Flashing is another vital moisture seal feature that has to stay present and …

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Living Room Design Ideas

How A Cowhide Rug Can Beautify Your Home

- by Jim Kroll

Beauty is an important element in any home. Many people aim for a home that is truly beautiful in every way. Each detail needs to count. One of the best ways to get a beautiful home is with the use of the right rugs. Rugs can add lots of wonderful color, texture and impressive and unique patterns. A well placed rug can offer each room something entirely special. This is particularly true of cowhide rugs. A cow hide is made from a substance that has long been admired for beauty. The soft feel of the rug has a wonderfully plush feeling in the hand. Many homeowners love coming home after a hard day and putting their bare feet to rest on a cowhide rug. They also love how it makes the room come alive with all natural beauty.

Uniquely Stylish

One of the most important elements in any home are shapes. Shapes help define a room from start to finish. Many cowhide rugs come in unique shapes. For example, one rug may have a thicker center while another is skinnier. This helps create a delightful sense of movement in the space. It also helps bring an inviting and intriguing style to a space that otherwise might feel bland and ordinary. Another entirely wonderful aspect of owning a cowhide rug is how the rug helps make a striking statement when someone comes inside. These rugs are available in many sizes. A small rug is the ideal piece for a …

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