Roofing Basics

Every home owner should know a thing or two about roofing. Most homeowners, at some point, will need to replace their roof in order to maintain the appearance and quality of life within their house. However, before jumping into the process of installing a new roof, it is important to understand what to expect with regards to contractors, completion dates, the installation process and materials. Looking for a new roof can be exhausting work, but with the proper knowledge and planning anyone can complete a successful roofing project.

Installing a new roof can often be a daunting task for most homeowners. Some people feel as though they can take on the project themselves, only to find out in the end that it should have been dealt with by a professional. Make sure to plan this stuff out before you invest your money because you could end up wasting a lot of it due to poor judgment. If you do decide to have a professional roofer install your roof, know that the project will be handled in a way that accommodates to those living within the home. However, you will want to agree with your contractors on completion dates so that you can plan accordingly.

Hiring a professional has its advantages. For starters, you get expert feedback on what materials you need, for both visual and practical reasons. Pretty much any question you have regarding your new roof can be answered by a qualified roofer. Furthermore, not only will your roofing company do what you request of them, but they will also be able to locate any problem areas that may be arising. Making repairs early on can save you a lot of time and money down the road. Hiring a qualified roof pro may seem like more money at first, but the quality of the job is what matters most because a poorly installed roof will cost you much more money in the end.

It is important for you to become knowledgeable on the different materials used in roof covering. This knowledge will assist you in selecting a roof covering that is right for your personal tastes, climate needs, and budget. The most common types of roofing materials include asphalt shingles, wood shake and shingles, tile roofing, slate roofing, and metal roofing. The longevity of your roof cover relies heavily on the quality of the material that you select. Using the finest material will add resale value and visual appeal to your home. When selecting a material make sure to pay special attention to the level of maintenance that each material requires and also how well it holds up to outside elements such as rain, sunlight, fire, and debris.

Lastly, before hiring just any contractor, be sure to get at least three different estimates and check each ones references. It is usually a very good idea to ask friends and family for a reference before you even begin your search. It also helps to ask your prospective roofer what other houses in your neighborhood that they have worked on. This allows you the chance to look at their work and listen to other people?s experience. This should make your decision much easier.

To learn more about roofing and for a free price quote on metal and shingle roofing visit www.RoofingKey.com.

Proofing - A Critical Function Not to be Overlooked

Proofing

Business people universally agree that mechanical mistakes detract from the professionalism of communications. However, those with proofreading responsibilities commonly experience real frustrations in producing error-free work. They typically identify certain specific obstacles to accurate proofreading.

1. Overlooking mistakes when proofreading
2. Making time for proofreading in a pressured environment
3. Lacking self-confidence in a reliable system
4. Providing helpful, non-critical proofreading support to others
5. Lacking certainty about acceptable guidelines.

In the rush and pressure of sending communications, writers are often tempted to skip the final proofreading step. They send it to their printer, and approve it without really proofing it. After all, if the content is clear, who will mind a few mechanical mistakes?

In reality, readers do mind. Many readers report that their opinion of the writer's professionalism goes down a notch with every error they see. Mechanical mistakes send a message that writers are not investing much effort in the communication -that, in effect, writers do not care.

In addition, overlooked proofreading errors can sometimes change the content -often with some significant financial results.

1. One government agency wasted $3 million by not catching a hyphen error when proofreading a purchase order. In originally writing the order, the agency had meant to say, "1,000-foot-long radium bars." The order was typed, "1,000 foot-long radium bars."

2. One insurance firm reported that an employee mailed a check for $2,200 as a settlement for a dental claim. Payment of only $22.00 had been authorized.

3. A magazine accidentally ran a cake recipe in which "3/4 cup" was printed as "1/4 cup." Irate readers sent complaint letters and cancelled their subscriptions.

Obviously, there is also the financial cost of having to reprint the project correctly.

A great writing that clearly depicts why live personal proofreading is so important is the following:

I have a spelling checker;
It came with my PC;
It plainly marks four my revue
Mistakes I cannot sea.
I have run this poem threw it;
I am sure your pleased to no.
It is letter-perfect in its weigh;
My checker tolled me sew.

(By: Penny Harper)

The Three Principles of Proofreading

1. Go over a communication several times -several quick run-throughs are more effective than one slow reading.

2. Look for one type of error at each step.

3. Check for large, non-text errors before checking for small errors in the text.

Proofreading Techniques

Step One:

Cool off -If you created the communications piece, proofread later what you work on now. Be sure that you have access to an easy-to-use, updated reference like the Gregg Reference Manual. Also, make sure that you have a recent dictionary close by.

Step Two:

Get a preliminary overview of purpose and content. Read over the communication quickly to make sure that all major parts/sections are present, and that they say what is intended.

Step Three:

Check for all non-text parts -
1. Check for proper format and layout:
- margins
- consistent spacing and headings
- placement of dates, names, addresses, and other parts of the communication
2. Check for correct spelling of names and places.
3. Check accuracy of dates, addresses, and numbers.

Step Four:

Check the text, looking for errors in these areas. Use a card or ruler to slow yourself down.
1. Check for typographical errors -read aloud, saying each syllable of each word carefully. Look for omissions of parts of words.
2. Check for spelling errors.
3. Check for obvious grammatical mistakes, capitalization, and punctuation.

Step Five:

Read the communication backwards -from bottom to top, right to left -to pick up any typographical mistakes you may have missed.

Step Six:

Ask someone else to do a final check if it has to be perfect.

Scanning Patterns

The purpose of scanning patterns is to provide ways to find mistakes without reading for meaning. When proofreaders try to find errors while reading complete, logical sentences, they can miss mistakes because they get caught up in the meaning. Each scanning pattern is helpful in finding certain kinds of errors; choose the best pattern for the kind of text you are proofreading.

Block Scanning

This method of scanning focuses on essential information.
* Accuracy of numbers, dates, amounts of money, addresses
* Correct spelling of names and places
* Correct capitalization of names and places

Using this method, proofreaders are not looking and sentence structure, punctuation, or other grammatical skills. With this pattern, they can scan sections of print for critical information.

Column Scanning

This pattern is useful when proofreading columns of information. Column scanning is also used to proofread text by dividing the text into several columns.

To apply this pattern, direct the eyes straight down a column of print.

Fixation Scanning

Fixation scanning allows you to proofread groups of words, but without getting caught up in the meaning of sentences. This pattern is particularly helpful in finding doubly-typed words, by looking at the end of one line of text and the beginning of the next.

J. Wentworth
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Your Roofing Options

There are lots of choices in what kind of roofing you want over your head.

What is it everyone cites as the basic requirement for living? "I'm just glad to have a roof over my head." Yet the matter is often taken for granted, with many homeowners paying little or no attention to the thing overhead that's keep them safe, warm and dry -- until it starts to leak, that is.

Then they notice.

There are dozens of materials commonly used in roofing, all of them functional as well as decorative. Indeed, most people choose their roofing material based on aesthetics or on what their local homeowners association mandates, rather than on what will function best.

Clay tiles (which are often made of concrete, not clay) are known for their durability, often lasting as long as 50 years. They are more expensive, though, which is a deal-breaker for many homebuilders.

A more basic roofing material is the asphalt shingle. They're not particularly attractive, but they do the job. They are particularly good in areas without much rainfall, such as the Southwestern U.S.

Also good in those areas are wood shake roofs, made of many individual pieces of wood that are affixed to the roof. These don't conduct heat as much as some other materials do, so summers are more bearable. (In colder areas, you might not want this kind of roof, as you might want something that WILL trap in heat.)

When roofing repairs need to be done, unless you have experience in that area, it's usually best to call in a professional. Roofing is notoriously backbreaking, arduous work, bad on the knees, back and shoulders. It's also harder to do it right than it may appear, and if your intent is to solve an existing problem, you're better off letting a pro do it and avoid the risk of making it worse by doing it yourself.

roofingshack.com is full of information on Roofing Shingles and Slate Roofing

Soundproofing a condo or apartment from upstairs neighbors.

How do I soundproof my condo or apartment from my noisy neighbors upstairs? This is by far the most asked question I hear on a daily basis. It is a question asked by prominent architects, engineers, major developers, and contractors. We are now finding that this is also of major concern of individual homeowners who rent part of their house to tenants. Many factors need to be considered when assessing an upstairs noise issue. The first question you should ask is simply this, is the problem impact noise, or airborne noise (TV's, Stereos, telephones etc.) coming down from above.

Nine times out of ten, impact noise is the main concern. What is impact noise? It is the noise caused by people or animals walking across the floor above (generally hardwood). This type of noise is considered to be structure borne noise and is one of the most difficult noises there is to soundproof from. Impact noise is basically sound that travels directly through the joisting structure from the floor above, directly into the hard mounted ceiling below. Another term for this is known as "foot fall "noise. Impact noise travels through the floor joists structure at speeds of over 1200 times greater than the transmission of sound traveling through ambient air. Keep in mind that most home joist systems as well as studded walls are generally 16 inches on center, so not only do you get the speed of the impact noise shooting downward, but the perfectly spaced joists act as tuning forks thus causing the sound to sustain (last longer) compounding the impact problem. The best and most effective way to stop impact noise from above is to isolate the joist structure and the floor above (which is generally hardwood) from the ceiling below. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways.

The most common is to float (suspend on acoustical sound clips or resilient channels) the ceiling using either resilient isolation clips and furring channels (hat channel) or the most common method of floating, RC-1 (resilient channel). The good, the bad, and the ugly of both these methods will be discussed in depth. First we have the industry standard, which is RC-1 or resilient channel. This is a flanged Z channel (generally with only one flange that attaches to the joist) and a larger flange to support the floated drywall ceiling. RC-1 can be purchased from a drywall supply company, or a contractors supply house.

The resilient channels are usually attached perpendicular to the joists and the rows are evenly spaced approximately 2' to 3' apart. The longer flange (of resilient channels) in a ceiling application will all face the same direction to obtain maximum resilience in the new ceiling assembly. Remember, that the longer flange is the one the drywall screws into. Always use screws when you drywall, never use nails. Once the RC-1 is properly installed across the entire ceiling, you are ready to drywall. The new drywall will be screwed directly through the drywall and into the resilient channel's (longer) 1" flange. You will use 1 to 1 ?" self-tapping drywall screws or in rare cases, sheet metal screws. If the resilient (floated ceiling) is installed as per manufacturers instructions, there will be approximately a ?" gap around the entire perimeter of the new floated ceiling. The floated ceiling must never make direct contact with the adjoining walls. This is NOT negotiable folks. The ?" gap is then filled with an acoustical caulking, (OSI 175 is a good caulk for this application) and then finally the new ceiling will be taped, mudded, and painted just like a like a hard attached joist mounted drywall installation.

The caulk is the interface between the resilient ceiling and the adjoining walls. There you have it, the common mans floated ceiling. Now if you are really serious about soundproofing your ceiling, you have the sound clip and furring channel method of floating. This installation is quite similar to the RC-1 installation, however, the sound clips system will more than double the soundproofing and impact isolation protection of a perfectly installed RC-1 system. Basically you will need one sound clip for every 4 sq ft of ceiling area. For example, if your ceiling is 400 sq. ft. total, you will need 100 sound clips to complete the installation.

Check with the manufacturers installations instructions for more detailed installation information. Once you have the sound clips screwed to the joists, you will then snap in the furring channel. We haven't talked much about metal furring channels or "hat" channel, as they are commonly called, so let me briefly describe this material. Furring channel, or hat channel is a galvanized steel channel that is 7/8" in height and measures 2 3/8" from flange to flange. When using furring channels in conjunction with sound clips, you always want to purchase the 25 gauge channels as opposed to the 20 gauge, which is too stiff for this application. The furring channel will be compressed by hand and will snap perfectly into the joist mounted sound clips. The channel rows will be spaced from 2' to 3' apart (check installation instructions).

The first row will begin about 4" from the adjoining wall and then each row will be spaced from 2' to 3' apart. Now comes the fun part! You will screw the new drywall directly into the furring channel, keeping the screw as close to the center of the hat channel as possible. If the drywall meets directly in the middle of a channel, make sure to stagger the screws down the length of the drywalls (alternate them one each side of the seam). Now, just like with the RC-1 installation, you must maintain a ?" gap around the perimeter of the newly floated ceiling assembly where the drywall does not touch the adjoining walls. Once again, this area will be sealed with the OSI-175 acoustical caulking material, and you will tape, mud, and paint the ceiling as usual. There you have it folks, professional sound isolation at a fraction of the cost that the "Big Boys" charge. A good analogy of the floated ceiling method is to visualize your ceiling as being like a trampoline. The new ceiling must not contact the adjoining walls and thus it is free to do its resilient thing exclusively. Keep in mind that the impact isolation is accomplished at the sound clip and joist connection where there is a thick neoprene rubber grommet on the clip that breaks the circuit between the sub floor above and the newly floated ceiling.

Lastly, if you are able to float 2 layers of drywall on the sound clips, it is recommended that you use Green Glue sound dampening compound between the 2 layers of drywall. I hope this article has been informative and gives you hope that you can indeed soundproof you apartment or condo from those stomping neighbors upstairs.

To learn more about Soundproofing and soundproofing materials visit our site http://www.soundproofingamerica.com/

To order Mass Loaded Vinyl see our site.

You can read more http://www.soundproofingamerica.com/

Reclaim Your Basement With Basement Waterproofing

"It used to be so damp and dark here," says a wife whose 50-square-meter basement used to be barren due to the frequent flooding caused by the seepage of outside water into the basement.

Fortunately, experts recommended basement waterproofing as the most effective method of channeling water from the outside, thereby, preventing the leaks in the basement walls, and flooring.

Since the inception of waterproofing, basement waterproofing has long been one of the most important concepts, especially now that most families would like to maximize the function of their basement.

From the typical stockroom, basements are now made more productive and appealing through the help of basement waterproofing.

Maximizing the Space

Basement waterproofing is normally applied to basements whose structural condition is prone to water seepage. Considering the fact that the basement is situated at the lowest portion of the house and with its below the ground level, water leaking into the walls and flooring of the basement is not a surprising occurrence.

However, this natural dilemma should not be mainly blamed to its basic structural condition. The type of drainage used can also be one cause of water seepage in the basement.

Nevertheless, with basement waterproofing, your basement will definitely be dry all throughout the year.

With that in mind, you can now easily maximize your space by transforming your basement into a more useful portion of the house, such as making it your child's playroom or study room.

No matter what you decide in transforming your basement, it is imperative that you have properly applied a good basement waterproofing to avoid rainy day catastrophes.

One of the main reasons why water retain and seeps into the basement is that the kind of waterproofing facility used was not right.

Cracks on the walls and floors are normal. This is often caused by the pressure from the outside environment. If not treated well, water can seep through and stay on the basement for such a long time.

Hence, to avoid such problem, it is best to apply basement waterproofing. The success of this method will mainly depend on the kind of product that will be used in the process.

With a stiff competition in the market, choosing the best basement waterproofing products can be very tricky. You can be lured into believing that a particular product can render the best results for your basement.

Next, there are so many types of basement waterproofing that choosing the best procedure can also be a problem. So in order to identify the most appropriate basement waterproofing method for your area, it is imperative that you research on the ideas first and evaluate which method will work best for you.

To expedite the process, try to assess your basement first. How big are the cracks? Can they still be repaired? Is the outside water still stagnant? The idea is to repair the walls and flooring first before you apply basement waterproofing.

If there are no obvious cracks present, you can directly apply basement waterproofing into the walls and its flooring.

It is also important to check on the kind of drainage used outside the house. Even if you have applied the most effective basement waterproofing, wrong drainage system can still aggravate the problem.

Your drainage system includes "downspouts" that build up excessive water. If you have used the wrong type of drainage system, excessive amount of water will hold on to the ground, thereby, finding its way back to your basement.

To get you started, here is a list of some factors that you need to consider before you start on a particular type of basement waterproofing.

1. The physical condition of your house

An old house is more prone to cracks and basement problems than a newly built home. So if you know that your house might be prone to cracks due to old age, try to solve the problems first before you apply basement waterproofing.

Applying basement waterproofing will be useless if you have not solved the primary problems first.

Moreover, physical condition outside the house can also affect the problem. Hence, it is best to analyze the overall condition of the house first before applying basement waterproofing.

2. Climate or weather condition

If you live in a place that has lots of rainy days all year round, applying basement waterproofing is extremely important.

Certainly, basement waterproofing is the ideal way to stop all the water problems in your home.


Lee Dobbins writes for http://basement.biz-review.com where you can learn more about basement remodeling and maintenance

A Certified Roofing Contractor-Your best Choice

This informational article gives insight to the various choices in roofing and their special needs. A certified roofing contractor knows how to meet those requirements; this article offers valuable information to help select the best contractor for your project.

The life expectancy of your roof depends on several factors; type of roofing, quality of material, and exposure to harsh weather elements among the top. With regular maintenance and normal weathering factors, a roof can last anywhere from 10 - 100 years.

Common roofing material such as built up roofing usually lasts 12 - 20 years, metal roofing 15 - 40 years, wood shake or shingles 10 - 40 years, asphalt shingles 15 - 20 years, and specialty material like slate up to 100 years under good conditions.

Leaks start as small cracks in roofing material that may not be visible; water may collect in an adjacent area. To detect such damage, a close inspection of the roof may be necessary.

A certified roofing contractor can be called to avoid further damage to the roof, or personal injury to the homeowner caused by trying to inspect it his or her self. A roof inspection should be performed annually; constant weathering by sun, heat, rain, snow, hail, wind, and cold can cause roofing material to break down. A certified roofing contractor will know what to look for.

A roof and soffit system should be properly vented to prevent over-heating and moisture retention, two factors that can cause a roof to break down prematurely.

Selecting a Qualified Roofing Contractor

A certified, experienced contractor offers various services. From completely tearing off an old roof and replacing it with a new one, to inspecting and "certifying" an existing roof. The latter is a process in which the roof is inspected and "guaranteed" to function properly for a certain period of time; usually 2 years. The contractor takes responsibility for any necessary roofing repair during that period.

A certified contractor is knowledgeable of roof system types, materials, and installation procedures best suited to each project, and will ensure there is adequate venting.

Ask potential roofing contractors questions such as whether or not they are licensed and bonded. What liability insurance coverage they carry, and whether it is up to date. Ask which roofing product manufacturers they are licensed and approved by, for installation of products and warranty purposes. Also ask if they are a member of any regional or national trade organizations.

Several resources are available to find a certified roofing contractor; referrals, local government licensing agencies, and web sites that offer contractors for hire, or a list of contractors who are licensed and bonded.

In Canada, visit www.handycanadian.com for a listing of certified roofing contractors in your area.

Max Sheppard is Co-Owner of Handy Canadian.com at http://www.handycanadian.com and Handy American.com at http://www.handyamerican.com. Handy Canadian.com and Handy American.com is your one-stop renovation information web site.

Basement Waterproofing - Get Ready For Rain

The noises - a trickle, a drip-drop, or heavy rush or splash. Ahh, the sun is gone, rainy days are here! Roofs, gutters, and downspouts function in harmony to keep us safe and dry during a downpour. Rainwater rolls down our roofs; much like it does down the mountains. It is then collected in gutters before they are channelled into downspouts like waterfalls. All of these show what roofing and waterproofing is all about.

1. More Protection

Waterproofing is more than just channelling the water away from our roofs. It extensively prevents water from entering the house through a substance application specifically designed for waterproofing.

2. The Concept

Basically, to ensure basement waterproofing, one has to take two steps. The first step is to mount a very reliable drainage system. This is because if your drainage system becomes clogged with leaves or simply can not handle the amount of water capacity, water will accumulate instead of being neatly cyphoned away.

Of course, even with the best gutter and roof, water still penetrates the ground naturally when it rains, because not all rain will fall on your house, some will fall around it, perhaps on your front or back yard, or your neighbors yard.

Either way, if too much water is retained in the ground, the possibility of water entering your basement exists, and the only solution is to have your basement waterproofed.

3. Never Again - Find The Source!

Before you do basement waterproofing, it is a must that you find the cause of leakage first

- Is there a crack in the wall? - Was the house built with weak structures? - Are waters outside flooding and causing too much pressure?

In order to detect any of these problems, inspect your house thoroughly. Usually, water will penetrate on areas where there are cracks, usually on the floor or walls of the basement area. Do all of these things before you apply basement waterproofing.

The unfortunate part is that in order to actually apply a coat of waterproofing, you have to dig at least six feet right next to the wall. The waterproofing mixture must be applied directly to the outside of the basement wall - it can't just be poured on the ground next to your basement! This is an extremely physical task and so in all honesty you should hire a handyman or better still, contact a service to do this for you. The service will come with the added benefit of providing you with a warranty for services offered that guarantees you won't experience the problem again for a set amount of time.

For more great basement waterproofing related articles and resources check out  http://www.waterproofing-advisor.com

Make Soundproofing A Part Of Today's Home Improvement

Want a simple behind the scenes way to increase the comfort and value of your home? Soundproofing may sound like something only professional recording artists need, but you will be surprised at how much you will enjoy the added quiet that soundproofing supplies to your home environment.

There are many areas where soundproofing can be added in order to make for a quieter space. Sometimes it the outside disturbances of traffic or barking dogs that you would like to block out. Other times, you may want to keep noises from one room inside your home from seeping into other areas. Depending on the way you want to manage and control sound, there is a soundproofing technique that will meet your needs. Keeping Noise Out One of the most effective ways to keep street noise from entering your home is to soundproof your windows. Normal windows are given a sound blocking rating on a numerical scale. The percentage of noise that soundproof windows can block out increases substantially with these special windows.

The best part of the whole process is that it is easy. When you add soundproof windows to your home it will look just the same as the old windows. In fact, the old windows remain in place and the extra glass barrier is added to them. Windows will still open and close in the same manner too, but the panel of glass and the air pocket created by the double pane greatly reduces noise.

Sound proof windows differ from just plain double pane storm windows. The greatest effect is in the amount of space between the two panels of glass. It is just the right amount to trap unwanted noise, and it has the added benefit of staying clean inside because of the air block seal. Keeping Sound In Another area where soundproofing may be wanted is in a home theatre. If you want to keep the sound from the stereo system from getting distorted or disturbing others around the house, then there are sound proof panels that can be added to the room. These panels are usually made of foam, resembling an egg crate, but other materials are being made and tested every day. These look more like decorative panelling, yet offer the same noise control.

Ceilings and floors can help prevent the escape of noise between rooms. By adding insulation, similar to that which keeps the cold out in the winter and the heat in, you can reduce noise in and out of the room. Soundproofing - Doing It Yourself If you are good the DYI projects, then soundproof is one you can tackle. It is best to leave the windows to the professional installers, but during any renovation of your house, you should consider sound proofing as important a decoration as the carpet or wallpaper. When you need to repair drywall for example, consider adding the insulation that will reduce noise. After all, no one wants to be enjoying lunch in the kitchen or on the patio and have to listen to a teen's stereo from the bedroom! Soundproofing may not be something you would have missed until you have it once. Then you will be thinking about it anytime a noise gets in the way of your peace and quiet.

Ken Morris releases many news and information to the internet site http://www.soundproofing-tips.com . He is working on topics like floor sound insulation and acoustical foam .

Make Soundproofing A Part Of Today?s Home Improvement

Want a simple behind the scenes way to increase the comfort and value of your home? Soundproofing may sound like something only professional recording artists need, but you will be surprised at how much you will enjoy the added quiet that soundproofing supplies to your home environment.

There are many areas where soundproofing can be added in order to make for a quieter space. Sometimes it the outside disturbances of traffic or barking dogs that you would like to block out. Other times, you may want to keep noises from one room inside your home from seeping into other areas. Depending on the way you want to manage and control sound, there is a soundproofing technique that will meet your needs.

Keeping Noise Out

One of the most effective ways to keep street noise from entering your home is to soundproof your windows. Normal windows are given a sound blocking rating on a numerical scale. The percentage of noise that soundproof windows can block out increases substantially with these special windows.

The best part of the whole process is that it is easy. When you add soundproof windows to your home it will look just the same as the old windows. In fact, the old windows remain in place and the extra glass barrier is added to them. Windows will still open and close in the same manner too, but the panel of glass and the air pocket created by the double pane greatly reduces noise.

Sound proof windows differ from just plain double pane storm windows. The greatest effect is in the amount of space between the two panels of glass. It is just the right amount to trap unwanted noise, and it has the added benefit of staying clean inside because of the air block seal.

Keeping Sound In

Another area where soundproofing may be wanted is in a home theatre. If you want to keep the sound from the stereo system from getting distorted or disturbing others around the house, then there are sound proof panels that can be added to the room. These panels are usually made of foam, resembling an egg crate, but other materials are being made and tested every day. These look more like decorative panelling, yet offer the same noise control.

Ceilings and floors can help prevent the escape of noise between rooms. By adding insulation, similar to that which keeps the cold out in the winter and the heat in, you can reduce noise in and out of the room.

Soundproofing - Doing It Yourself

If you are good the DYI projects, then soundproof is one you can tackle. It is best to leave the windows to the professional installers, but during any renovation of your house, you should consider sound proofing as important a decoration as the carpet or wallpaper. When you need to repair drywall for example, consider adding the insulation that will reduce noise. After all, no one wants to be enjoying lunch in the kitchen or on the patio and have to listen to a teen?s stereo from the bedroom! Soundproofing may not be something you would have missed until you have it once. Then you will be thinking about it anytime a noise gets in the way of your peace and quiet. Ken Morris releases many news and information to the internet site http://www.soundproofing-tips.com . He is working on topics like floor sound insulation and acoustical foam .

Effective Roofing Repairs

The roof is one of the more prone areas of your house and it is vital that you not only have quality roofing installed but that regular checks and repairs are carried out to ensure it’s long life. Consider the fact that all roofing is subject to wind, rain, snow, sun and any other element that can be thrown at it and you should realize that your new roofing and subsequent roofing repairs would need to be top notch to avoid any nasty accidents or surprises. Having new roofing installed can be a pricey affair but only regular check ups and minor repairs when needed can prevent the worst from happening. If you haven’t had your roof checked for ten years then it is highly advisable that you get it seen to as soon as possible. It may not be leaking yet but if you leave it much longer it could be.

Age.

The biggest roofing killer is the age of the materials. When shingles begin to look worn this usually means they are. Even shingles that have a 40-year warranty should be checked every few years. Roofing contractors will perform a relatively inexpensive check up of the whole of your roofing and if you pick a reputable company they will tell you exactly what needs repairing now and what is likely to need repairing in the future.

Repair or replace.

Sometimes shingles can be blown off and merely need replacing but if this is happening more and more often you need to consider that they may need replacing. Repairing your roofing may cost less but if you have to repeatedly repair it then it is a much more cost-effective solution to have new roofing. A contractor will be able to help you assess the best option for your roof.

Protection.

Roofing is the thing that protects the rest of your home from the elements and the damage they can cause. As such your roofing is facing this damage itself and it should be given all the ammunition possible to complete its job. Shingles are available in a wide variety of sizes and costs, but the cheaper shingles are virtually useless and you should spend as much as you can possibly afford on buying top quality roofing shingles that will stand up to more than a light shower and a gentle breeze.

Cost of re-roofing.

Having new roofing costs money, but by continually paying for repair work to be done you should consider that there may be an underlying problem with the wooden sheathing underneath. The only way to tell whether this is the case or not is to have the old roofing shingles completely ripped off and have the underneath inspected and repaired properly. Once this is done you can pay for top quality roofing that may set you back a little more than the repair work would have done but will undoubtedly last you much longer. That said, if a shingle blows off during high gales there is no need to rush out and have your entire roofing replaced without seeking advice first.

As Northern Virginia Roofing Contractors, Roofer911.com takes great pride in maintaining customer satisfaction for all types of new roof installation and roof repair work for residential and commercial roofing accounts. Does your website need more exposure to the search engines? Add Your Site Today to our free directory.