If your home has recently flooded, call KennCo Construction of Springfield to inspect your home for electrical damage.
Americans love to remodel. Whether you’re one of the millions of viewers who tune into HGTV and long for the granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and finished basement of your dreams; enjoy flipping through glossy magazines filled with picture-perfect rooms and lush gardens; or simply have a vision, a set of tools and a do-it-yourself attitude: reworking homes can be both fun and a serious business. If you’re one of the many considering making some improvements, you’re not alone. A recent study shows that the national Residential Remodeling Index (or RRI) is on the upswing — and 2015 looks like it will have the highest numbers since 2007. The National Remodeling Index (RMI) is also showing growth for 2015. With more folks than ever gearing up to fix up, here are some things to keep in mind: Consider the Season A pool deck would be great! …But it wouldn’t be a good idea to install one in January, when it’s freezing; or in July, when you want to use it. As obvious as that seems, other dates might not occur to you until it’s too late. For example: deciding to redo your kitchen during the late fall or winter might not lead to a holly jolly holiday. Go over your calendar and consult with your family to see what different events (Weddings? Visits from the in-laws? An out-of-town vacation?) and seasons (Do your kids play a sport? Does spring tend to be really muddy?) you have coming your way. Get necessary building permits One quick way to put the kibosh on your plans is to accidentally violate a building permit. Be sure to contact the proper sources to make sure that you follow zoning ordinances. Are you planning on digging? Does your neighborhood require residents to follow specific aesthetic guidelines? Guessing, or simply assuming that your choices will be fine, could rapidly end your project. Plenty of this information is available online. Can’t find what you need? There are people and agencies you can ask. Do your research and check it out. (In the Springfield, MO area? Start here: http://www.springfieldmo.gov/169/Building-Permits-Codes ) Stick to your budget Just do it. Make a budget. Stick with it. Sure, you could upgrade to the next, flashier version and go a little over what you originally intended, but if something happens (and you never know), you’d hate to find yourself in the hole …maybe literally. Plan accordingly, budget for the unexpected, and leave yourself some cushion. Need to take out a loan? Head through the proper channels at your financial institution. Safety first Use common sense; be careful; and, if you discover that you’ve perhaps gotten in over your head in your enthusiasm, contact a professional for assistance. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Don’t rush Doing a slap-dash job and cutting corners might make you happy today, but could ultimately prove a costly, or dangerous, mistake. If you’re going to spend the money, time, and effort into fixing up your space; do it properly. As always, for assistance, bids and quotes, call a professional company like KennCo Construction . Happy building and good luck bringing your HGTV dreams home!
The leaves are already starting to fall. One of the most important fall chores and many times overlooked is cleaning your gutters in preparation of temperatures below freezing. Clogged gutter lanes or clogged downspouts can cause some major damage to either your gutter, or to your roof. Wet leaves turn into frozen leaves and since water expands as it freezes, this will cause your gutters to warp. Frozen wet leaves also act as a dam causing new rain water to back up. As the water backs up, this is when the real damage starts to take place. That backed up water is going to push up underneath your shingles and will end up causing damage to your roof deck over time. If this happens you will need to have your roof professionally inspected and repaired by an experienced roofing contractor . One way to save a little work each fall is to install screen guards designed to cover your gutter troughs, keeping leaves out. While these are handy and generally do the trick, it is still a good idea to blow leaves off of the top of the leaf guards and check to make certain smaller debris and leaves have not fallen through the screen holes into your gutter troughs. Sometimes after a heavy snow you may still have problems with backed up gutters despite all your efforts to keep the gutters clean. Most likely the problem is not debris, but is in fact a problem caused by heat escaping your roof causing the snow to melt. This can happen even though the temperatures outside are below freezing. This scenario creates icicles to form in the gutters and again causes the water to back up as opposed to properly draining. The solution for icicle blockage is finding where and why you have heat loss from your roof and fixing that. Often it is just a matter of needing more insulation. It is always a good idea to call a contractor to inspect your attic to check for heat loss before winter and snow sets in. Maintenance can save you thousands of dollars in repair.
Fall Fires Season is almost upon us. Preventing a fire from ever starting is critical to the safety and security of your property. Most fires start from human activity. If people were more careful and paid better attention to weather conditions, certainly there would be fewer fires. Open Burning is not allowed inside the city limits of Springfield. Special permits can be obtained, if you must burn. A much better alternative to burning your fall debris is mulching or composting. This benefits the soil and the air quality around your home as well. If you must burn, take precautions before igniting a fire. First and foremost, CHECK THE WEATHER CONDITIONS! If it has been several days since it’s rained, humidity levels are low and the winds are higher than 10 miles per hour, DO NOT BURN. Wait until weather conditions are better. Clear the burn spot and surrounding area down to mineral soil Have tools available at the burn spot such as shovel and rake Keep a hose or other water source next to the burn area Keep your burn pile small! Have a working cell phone with you so that you can call 911 if the fire should escape your control.
< Sweet as the summer sunshine is, fall and winter are just around the corner. With cooler weather on the horizon, now is the time to inspect your home for air leaks before low temperatures and bitter winds turn your winter wonderland into a blue Christmas. Check out the tips below to ensure you’ve taken necessary precautions before the cool weather sets in. -Examine windows and doors for leaks and poor insulation. Weatherstripping (either with long-lasting bronze, or quick do-it-yourself plastic or rubber), caulking gaps, replacing storm windows or using a heat-activated shrink film to seal out the chill can all make a difference. Don’t forget to inspect your attic access door as well! -Hunt for gaps in the house. Basements, attics, and crawlspaces are good places to start. Seal smaller gaps with caulk and medium-sized ones with foam. -Inspect flues and chimneys for cracks and spaces. While some may have occurred during construction, over time the heating and cooling can result in fissures which allow the heat to escape from your home and let in the wintery air. -Insulate around recessed lights and check behind outlets and switch plate boards. -Check out your furnace and water heater as well. If you find an air leak, seal it with a flame-resistant material, such as sheet metal, sheetrock or furnace cement caulk. These are just a few of the ways that you can start winter-proofing your home. If you do not feel comfortable addressing your air leak concerns or if a more complex situation presents itself (like an air leak in a dropped soffit or the discovery of an open stud cavity in your attic), call a professional company like KennCo Construction to assess the situation and estimate the cost of repair. For more information about these and other energy-saving tips and tricks, head over to the Energy.gov website at http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/tips-sealing-air-leaks , and this winter, keep the cold outside.
Examine the Exterior or your home every 6 months for leaks