A backyard makeover can actually start with your patio door. The threshold between your home and your yard, your door can help create an inviting, welcoming space or make it seem drab and dreary. So if you’re ready to update the look of your home and yard, why not replace your exterior door? It’s a simple, straightforward, affordable renovation that can truly revitalize your space! Visit your local home improvement store or contact your local door contractors to learn more.

Whether your old patio door is deteriorating or it’s just time for a new look, a replacement door is the solution you’ve been looking for. With a wide selection of attractive sliding doors available today, you’re sure to find one that’s perfect for your home. For low maintenance and energy-efficient performance, we recommend vinyl patio doors, although there are also great options in metal, fiberglass, and wood. No matter what style you prefer, be sure to select a door from a leading manufacturer to ensure it’s sturdy and durable enough to protect your family and home from wind, precipitation, and intruders.

Proper installation makes a big difference in the ultimate appearance and function of your patio door, so be sure to have it put in by a professional. Nothing is less appealing than a sliding door that refuses to glide smoothly. Problems with leveling, warping, and caulking can all interfere with your door’s ability to function, which is why we recommend having an expert handle the installation. You can avoid these amateur issues with your exterior door, enabling you to enjoy its beautiful looks and optimal performance for years to come.

Many siding contractor also offer door and window replacement services, so they’re usually your best bet for all types of door installation. You may want to select a door contractor specialist, but that generally isn’t necessary for straightforward installations.

For years your choice in house siding has been wood, vinyl, or aluminum. Wood is high-maintenance but looks great. Vinyl is low maintenance but not as attractive. Aluminum has fallen out of fashion in recent decades. So, if you’re trying to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of these siding materials, why not consider cement fiber siding. Combining the gorgeous appearance of wood and the low maintenance of vinyl, cement fiber siding is the ideal home exterior for the modern home! Keep reading for more information or contact siding contractors in your area for details about cement fiber performance.

Pioneered by the siding manufacturer James Hardie, cement fiber siding has grown in popularity in recent years. As its incredible benefits become better known to home owners, they’re increasingly choosing this relatively new siding product over vinyl or wood. Made from compressed concrete and wood fiber, this cement fiber siding has the strength and longevity of cement and the beautiful appearance of wood. This incredible exterior siding offers the attractiveness of wood, but will never rot or develop insect problems. In fact, some cement fiber siding is available with a baked-on factory finish that will last more than 15 years-meaning your house won’t have to be painted for over a decade! Cement fiber takes low maintenance practically to the extreme of no maintenance.

Superior durability is one of the hallmarks of cement fiber siding. Because it is engineered from concrete, cement fiber is sturdy, resilient, and long-lasting. Many manufacturers offer even 50 year warranties. In fact, cement fiber can easily last the lifetime of your house, making it a fantastic value over the long term. Your local siding contractor can provide the exact specifications of particular cement fiber brands, but all offer long-lasting beauty for your home.

When choosing a contractor for your siding installation, be sure to select an experienced professional. You’ll want a licensed, insured expert for the best quality and workmanship. Ask for references from past projects and ensure that your siding contractor uses cement fiber from a leading manufacturer for superior quality and warranties.

About the Author: Matt Gallo is a home improvement hobbyist.

While it may seem like vinyl siding has been around forever, it was actually developed in the late 1950s. Popularized during the ‘70s, vinyl siding has become the single most popular home exterior in North America. With over 62% of homes featuring vinyl, you can easily say vinyl siding is America’s favorite home exterior! With a siding contractor in your local area, it’s easy to upgrade to this great material to update your home and get easy maintenance at the same time.

Benefits of Vinyl Siding

Yesterday and today, vinyl siding shares many of the same advantages. It is low maintenance, won’t dent or rot, and will never need to be painted. However, modern vinyl certainly isn’t your mother’s siding! Vastly stronger and more durable than the original vinyl siding products, today’s vinyl also looks better. Improvement in coloration and composition mean that vinyl siding doesn’t have the brittleness or fading issues of the past. And, with new texturing options and incorporated grain lines, vinyl siding looks more like wood than ever. Today’s vinyl is even available as shakes in addition to planks, increasing its versatility and range.

Vinyl Siding Goes High-Tech

The latest improvement in vinyl siding is insulated vinyl siding. Combining the low-maintenance and attractive appearance of traditional vinyl siding with built-in insulation, insulated vinyl is a solid construction siding perfect for putting the finishing touch on your home. First introduced by Crane Plastics in 2001, insulated vinyl is now available from practically all leading siding manufacturers. Installing insulated vinyl siding gives you all the benefits of vinyl, plus a whole lot more: the added insulation reduces energy costs by increasing your home’s R-factor up to 20%. This new vinyl siding decreases exterior noise and increases the impact resistance of your home. It even looks and feels more like wood siding because it has a similar rigidity and firmness, unlike the extremely flexible characteristics of traditional vinyl.

Although vinyl siding has been around for awhile, it certainly has not become a stale, stagnant product. Since the ‘50s, vinyl siding has become even more durable and attractive, providing superior looks and the same easy care. With recent developments in insulation technology, vinyl siding is poised to become the favorite exterior material for energy-conscious homeowners, further expanding its popularity. Low maintenance, attractive, and increasingly durable, it’s no wonder that American homeowners are still choosing to have vinyl siding installed on their houses. Contact your local siding contractor to learn more about vinyl siding options for your home.

About the Author: Matt Gallo is a home improvement hobbyist.

In the cold, wet months of winter, it’s easy to procrastinate on home improvement and repair projects. Exterior tasks simply aren’t as feasible. But now that it’s spring, you need to get those pesky problems taken care of-before they get any worse!

Roofing

If your roof is deteriorating, or allowing water to penetrate into your home, you need to have it assessed by a professional roofer immediately. The stakes are high when it comes to roofing repair because if you wait too long or have it installed improperly you could end up with damage to the insulation, drywall, paint, furniture, and everything else that’s under your roof!

Signs you need new a roof can include:

• Curled up shingles
• Asphalt worn off the shingles
• Loose or missing shingles
• Cracked shingles
• Spots on your interior ceiling
• Black or green streaks
• The age of your roofing

When it comes to protecting your home and family, professional roofing contractors are a must. Not only can they accurately evaluate the state of your existing roof, but they also have the skills and experience to install your roof properly.

Windows and Doors

Windows and doors are the gateways to your home; however, many people don’t realize the importance of maintaining and replacing these fittings. If a window or door is old or damaged, it needs to be replaced. Old windows leak heat and air-conditioning, raising energy costs, while new thermal windows can help you conserve energy. Broken windows and doors are not only dangerous to your family, but they also leak heating and cooling, allow pests to enter your home, permit moisture to pass through, and can even grow mold and fungus.

Door and window replacement is an easy and relatively hassle-free process. Adventurous DIYers can handle most types of window and door replacement, but using a professional will guarantee correct installation and make the process totally stress-free.

Siding Installation or Replacement

Tired of your old aluminum siding? Sick of scraping and repainting your wood siding every few years? Looking for an energy-efficient house siding solution? Then it’s time for siding replacement. With the great selection of siding products available today-including high-tech insulated vinyl and cement fiber, you’re sure to get great looks and superior performance out of your new siding!

The two most popular options in house siding today are vinyl and cement fiber. Vinyl siding is hugely popular because it is low maintenance, long-lasting, durable, good-looking, and affordable. Unlike wood siding, vinyl siding won’t rot or need painting. A new option in vinyl siding is insulated vinyl, which offers low maintenance and attractive appearance as well as the added benefit of thermal insulation to increase your home’s energy efficiency. Cement fiber siding, a newer exterior siding material, is made from compressed concrete and wood fiber. It has the strength and longevity of cement and the appearance of wood. Cement fiber siding is extremely durable and offers the beauty of wood siding without all the maintenance. And, although cement fiber is more expensive than vinyl, it can easily last the lifetime of your home, making it a fantastic value over the long term. Contact your local siding contractor to learn more about the options available for upgrading your siding.

Exterior Painting

When your house paint is starting to flake, peel, chip, or just look dull, it affects the whole appearance of your home-and it also leaves your house exposed to damage! You need to call a professional house painter today. They’ll be able to correctly prepare the surfaces, repair damage, and apply paint to get your home looking great again.

Many homeowners don’t realize that house paint is about more than aesthetics: the paint is there to shield your house from the elements and environmental dangers, not just to look pretty! Exterior paint is designed to safeguard your home from UV rays, mold, moisture, and even insects. However, when the paint starts to wear off, it no longer fulfills these roles, leaving your house vulnerable! That’s why it’s crucial to keep your house paint in good repair, and to have your home promptly repainted when the paint does begin to wear off.

So if winter weather has kept you from going through with exterior home repairs, now is the time to get them fixed. The longer you put off home improvements like window replacement or a new roof, the more likely it is that your house will develop real (and expensive) problems. As with most things, an ounce of prevention goes a long way!

Vinyl siding has long been one of the most popular home exterior products in the United States. It’s durable, low-maintenance, affordable, and beautiful. However, vinyl siding provides little to no additional insulation for your home (some R-value estimates are as high as 1 but many are as low as 0.15). That’s what makes the new insulated vinyl siding so attractive-it’s vinyl siding with the added benefit of thermal insulation, a win-win for many homeowners.

Insulated vinyl siding is a solid-core exterior siding product. First introduced by Crane Plastics in 2001, insulated vinyl is now available from any number of manufacturers. This new type of vinyl siding takes a great product and makes it even better. You get the low maintenance, durability, and great looks of traditional vinyl siding, plus a whole lot more.

Greater Energy Efficiency

Insulated vinyl siding is an easy and effective way to increase your home’s energy efficiency and reduce energy costs. While traditional vinyl has an R-value of somewhere under 1, insulated vinyl has an R-value between 4 and 5.3. And, of course, the higher the R-value the greater the insulating properties and the more energy you save. Just imagine how much money you’d save if your home had 4 times as much insulation-that’s exactly what happens with insulated vinyl siding installation.

Looks and Feels More Like Wood Siding

Even the best constructed homes aren’t perfectly smooth on the outside; this isn’t a problem for the structure, but it does cause a distinctive bow or bend in flexible traditional vinyl siding. With insulated vinyl, the siding is stiffer, meaning that the bumps and bends in the outside of the house are less likely to cause this unsightly bowing. Additionally, because the vinyl is filled with insulation, insulated vinyl siding doesn’t have the typical “squish” of traditional vinyl; if you’ve ever leaned up against a house with vinyl siding, you’re familiar with its give. Contrarily, insulated vinyl siding is unyielding, a feel similar to wood-siding. Ultimately, insulated vinyl looks and feels more like wood siding because it has a similar inflexibility and firmness, unlike the extremely flexible characteristics of traditional vinyl.

Impact Protection

One of the flaws of traditional vinyl siding has been its vulnerability to impact damage; especially at colder temperatures, storm debris (hail, branches, etc.), golf balls, and baseballs have been known to cause serious damage. However, the rigidity of insulated vinyl siding makes it much stronger, reducing its susceptibility to this type of problem. In fact, some brands claim up to 300% more impact resistant.

Noise Reduction

Finally, insulated vinyl siding cuts down on the noise that enters your home from the outside. The thermal insulation designed to make your home energy efficient has the fringe benefit of making it more acoustically insulated by keeping road noise, loud conversations, and other sounds out of your home. This is a great advantage over traditional vinyl siding, especially if you live near a busy road, intersection, or even a park or school.

Perhaps the best news of all is that insulated vinyl siding is available at competitive prices; it does cost more than traditional vinyl, but not all that much, especially considering the added benefits. Keeping the reduction in energy costs in mind, insulated vinyl may even come out cheaper than traditional vinyl in the end! Contact your local siding contractor today to learn more about installing insulated vinyl in your home.

Your roof serves as an umbrella for your entire home, protecting the structure as well as its contents from precipitation and severe weather. That’s why when your roof is old or damaged, you need to make roof replacement a priority project. Unlike many home improvement projects, replacing your roof isn’t a choice-if you put off a new roof for too long you risk damage to the structural integrity of your home!

How Do I Know If I Need a New Roof?

Sometimes it’s obvious you need a new roof-catastrophic storm damage, gapping holes, etc.-but, in most cases, there is a judgment call involved. Missing shingles are a sign that your roof needs to be repaired at the very least, and if your attic has started to leak, you’ll definitely want to replace your roof rather than repairing it. Unlike missing shingles, curling shingles always illustrate that your roof must be replaced, as they are beginning to fail. Ceiling stains and wet spots in your attic are indications that your roof needs to be replaced. Other problems may include missing flashing and blocked gutters, both of which prevent your roof from functioning optimally. If these issues are identified early enough, you can probably fix them before roof damage occurs; if not, the roof should be repaired or replaced.

Should I Repair or Replace My Roof?

With some types of roof problems, you’ll need to choose between replacing and repairing your roof (missing shingles, damaged flashing, etc.). Two factors are crucial in this decision: first, the extent of the problem, and second, the age of your roof. For example, if your roof has a substantial leak, you’ll be better off doing a complete replacement rather than a repair: your roofer won’t be able to combat the moisture without taking the whole roof off, and potentially even replacing the plywood underneath. Also, if your roof is approaching or past its expected life span, there is no point repairing a small section, as you’ll probably need to make additional repairs within a short time. You’ll save money and hassle by doing a complete roof installation if your roof is older. However, if a few shingles have blown off and there is no leak, a roofing repair is probably a wiser choice.

What Kind of Shingles Should I Choose?

There are a number of replacement roofing materials available today. Choose from:

• Traditional asphalt shingles (3-tab)
• Architectural asphalt shingles
• Wood shingles
• Slate tiles
• Composition (manufactured) slate tiles
• Ceramic (Spanish) tiles

These options offer distinct benefits and drawbacks in terms of cost, appearance, fire-retardant properties, weight, and life span, so be sure to thoroughly discuss roofing materials with your local roofing contractor. They’ll be able to recommend specific materials suited to your home, needs, and climate. The size and pitch of your roof will also impact the cost of replacement, so be sure to keep that in mind when evaluating the cost-benefit of different roofing options.

Once you’ve decided to replace your roof, you’ll need to find a qualified roofing contractor in your area. Be sure you pick a reputable roofer, as correct installation directly impacts the performance of your roof. We recommend selecting a roofer with experience, positive reviews from past customers, and a full warranty on labor to ensure the best possible roof replacement experience and a roof that will last for years.

Years ago cooking outside meant throwing a few briquettes in the grill and tossing on a couple of burgers. But today outdoor kitchens can make your open-air cooking experience feel like you’re in a gourmet kitchen. Join the thousands of Americans who have taken their backyard to the next level with outdoor kitchens.

According the Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue Association (HPBA), “[outdoor living] no longer means just a few folding chairs, a picnic table, and a hibachi. It means bringing all the comforts of indoor living to the outdoors.” Today outdoor living is less like camping out and more like relaxing in your family room-except that family room is outside. So why not take the kitchen into the yard as well. Initially limited to the ultra-rich, outdoor kitchens are now available at a wide variety of price points and have expanded into the yards of middle-class Americans.

With advances in all-weather technology, outdoor kitchens are equipped with all of the amenities of your typical indoor cooking space. Most standard open-air kitchens include a built in BBQ (usually with one or two side burners), drawer-style ovens, full-size sinks, and small refrigerators. But as with all kitchens, outdoor kitchens can be upgraded with numerous add-ons. Want to cool off on a hot day? Just grab some ice cream from your outdoor freezer. Want to enjoy crisp, fresh pizza? Add a pizza oven to your outdoor kitchen. For the ultimate luxury, why not include a wine chiller… Some outdoor kitchens even have built-in stereos to serenade you while you sauté!

Installing an outdoor kitchen not only gives you a space to cook and enjoy nature, it also adds interest to your yard. Think of your outdoor kitchen as an element in your landscape design. It can be built into an existing patio or deck, as an extension off your home, or as a freestanding unit. Choose from brick, stone, or slate to construct the base of your outdoor kitchen and you’ll have a handsome landscape feature as well as a completely functional cooking space.

With your new outdoor kitchen, cooking will never be a stressful chore again! Grill steaks and boil corn on the cob conveniently and easily all in the space. Listen to birdsong as you chop vegetables. Watch the kids play tag as you do the dishes. Why let yourself be chained to the indoors when you can enjoy the breeze, benefits, and beauty of nature and the amenities of a gourmet kitchen at the same time!

Contact your local home improvement contractor or stone landscaping specialist to learn more about installing an outdoor kitchen on your property. They’ll be able to design your space, create plans, and install your open-air kitchen to have you cooking al fresco in no time!