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Winter is here and that means cold temperatures, and maybe even snow. As temperatures drop you can expect your heating costs to rise. That’s inevitable. However, if you’re noticing that they’re even higher than usual—higher than they should be—it could be a sign that your insulation is insufficient. If your home isn’t properly insulated, heat (and your hard earned money) is literally escaping out of the roof.) Insulation is the key to keeping heating costs down this winter so here are some tips to keep in mind.

Maintenance

Before we talk about insulation, let’s talk about basic roof maintenance. Though insulation is often to blame for high heating costs, other common roofing issues could be to blame as well. It’s important to keep your roof in good shape by inspecting it regularly and replacing any *****ed or warped shingles as it becomes necessary. Also be sure to take care of any rotted wood or gaps in the fascia or flashing as these are ways hot air can escape your home.

Cold vs. warm roof space

There are two ways to insulate your home. The first is to insulate along the rafters. This will allow for a warm roof space because warm air can heat up your attic space. The advantage of a warm roof space is better heat retention in your home and lower heating costs. The down side to a warm roof space is that it could cause ice dams to form on your roof. For a cold roof space, you insulate at the joist level to keep your attic space cooler. If you live in a colder climate where snow is common, this is the better option though it will result in higher heating costs.

Blanket insulation

Blanket insulation is probably the most common form of roof insulation. Blanket insulation is typically made from fiberglass. The contractor will make sure that there is a vapor barrier and then the blanket insulation will be rolled out flush with the roof joists or rafters to ensure that there are no gaps ...

Tags: ice dams, roof insulation, roof maintenance, roofing, roofing tips

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Personal Blogs , Home Improvement

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They say April showers bring May flowers, but the onset of spring brings other things too. Unfortunately, one of those things is scam artists. For one reason or another they tend to come out in full force just as the winter season comes to an end. Among the door-to-door scammers that come knocking, some will be offering roofing services. The Better Business Bureau calls these scammers “storm chasers” because they tend to come in the wake of nasty weather. While these scams vary, they usually have a few things in common. They ask for payment up front (usually in cash), they either do a very poor job or they do no work at all, and finally they skip town before the police can catch up with them. The Better Business Bureau has offered the following tips to protect yourself from being taken in by a roofing scam.

· Ask to see their roofing license. Almost all communities require roofers to have a license to work in that community. Don’t agree to any work if the roofer can’t supply a license.

· Get at least three quotes. There’s no way to know if the price you’re being charged is fair unless you have other bids for the same job. Don’t go with a roofing company just because they’re the one already on your doorstep.

· Don’t pay in advance. Reputable roofing companies can afford to pay for roofing materials up front. They collect their payment when the job is done. Storm chasers demand payment up front because they have no intention of finishing the work.

· Watch out for high pressure sales tactics. Reputable roofers make a bid and will honor that price even if you take a week or two to decide. Storm chasers use high pressure sales tactics like saying you have to agree to the work on the spot to lock in a certain price for the work.

· Check with the Better Business Bureau. Ask for a company name, then look up that name on the Better Business ...

Tags: roofing, roofing contractor, roofing tips

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Home Improvement