• Plumber

    The Plumbing Profession: What It’s Like To Be A Plumber

    Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a plumber? If you have, you’ve probably assumed that it’s all about dirty jobs and hard work. While the plumbing profession does involve a lot of that, it’s also highly rewarding and can ultimately be a lot of fun. In order to give you a better idea about what it is that we do every day, let’s take a look at what it means to be a plumber.

    Plumber

    A Day In The Life

    Some professions are all about routine: work begins and ends at the same time each day and in between it’s a repetition of the same tasks over and over. Plumbing work, however, isn’t so predictable, and that’s part of what makes it so exciting, despite the not-so-clean aspects. A day’s work can be one single big job or a series of small ones. Emergency calls can come in before or after hours. Due to the nature of the job, plumbers travel all over the city, never knowing where they might end up next.

    The standard workweek for plumbers is 40 hours (8 hours a day, 5 days a week). As with many careers in construction, there are peak periods that will require you to work overtime. The number of additional hours you work each week depends on the construction sector and region you work in and will vary from one job to the next.

    As a Plumber, you may work outdoors and indoors, alone or with a team of other construction professionals. The work can be physically demanding – you may have to stand or crouch for long periods of time, and you may have to lift heavy materials.

    As with all careers in the construction industry, safety is the top priority. Plumbers are trained to work safely and take special precautions to protect against injury.

    The Unexpected Jobs Plumbers Do

    Quickly think of a few plumbing jobs. Chances are that most of the things you came up with involve bathrooms and kitchens—unclogging drains, getting toilets to flush, cleaning out garbage disposals, etc. But believe it or not, we do a lot more than just making sure water and waste goes where it needs to. Plumbers complete many jobs on a regular basis that are more unexpected, such as:

    • Medical gas lines: From hospitals to dental offices and veterinary practices, anesthesia is vital to healthcare. In modern facilities the gases used are piped in from a central location to the surgical suite or patient room. Who installs those lines? Plumbers!
    • Compressed air: Some lines of work rely heavily on tools powered by compressed air. Mechanics, carpenters, and many factory operations require these tools. For large-scale operations, it’s easiest to have multiple tools connected to a central compressor, requiring the pipes and hoses that plumbers install.
    • Natural gas lines: If your home or business is partially powered by natural gas, then you’re using gas lines installed by a plumber. While they don’t involve water or draining waste, they do involve pipes, which makes them part of our job.

    Yes, Sometimes It Gets Dirty

    The plumbing industry is often fun and rewarding, but as you no doubt have guessed, it also gets dirty. Luckily, the majority of our jobs are relatively clean—most clogs don’t require getting into the “muck.” But there are those jobs, such as snaking sewer lines, repairing broken drain pipes, or working with septic tanks, that means getting up close and personal with, well, poo.

    We know what you might be asking yourself: how does a plumber find such work rewarding? We like to think about what plumbing does for society as a whole. It allows us to function better, keeps things cleaner, keeps us healthier, and makes life more pleasant for everyone. There’s a reason that when we talk about advanced ancient societies, one of the things we focus on is historical plumbing systems—they paved the way for a better life. As plumbers, we’re lucky to be a part of that.

    Comments Off on The Plumbing Profession: What It’s Like To Be A Plumber
  • Electrical Contractor

    Baytown Electrician & New Electrical Panel Installations

    Baytown Electrician

    Do you really need to change your electrical panel?  It seems like every day a fantastic new electronic device is coming out. Is your home equipped to handle all of them? Not always.  Energy use in homes currently ranges about 14,000 kWh (that’s kilowatt-hours) per year— up an astounding 636 percent since the 1950s and is still increasing! Homeowners are installing double ovens and other new upgraded appliances using more energy.  You will require a new electrical panel to support that. When you live in an older home in Baytown or Houston, Texas, your electrical system may not be able to cope with increased energy demands. That’s why I suggest a new electrical panel installation to keep everything in your kitchen working when you need it. 

    Upgrades to the service panel, also called “heavy-ups,” would increase the capacity of your electrical panel and make it safer to run the number of electronic devices you may have at home.  Ask a Baytown Electrician the benefits of Heavy Ups to your home like a reputable company like Bay Area Electrical.  

    Having an update to the electrical panel would give you a number of amazing benefits to boost the home electrical service all around, including Improved Electrical Efficiency–do your lights flicker as you turn on certain appliances? Is your breaker trip regularly for no apparent reason? A heavy-up should take care of these issues, ensuring a more reliable supply of energy in your house.

    Baytown Electrician

    Benefits of Installing a New Electrical Panel

    Better Electrical System Safety–while most new electrical panels are constructed with safety in mind, the same can not always be said for panels installed 30 years ago. Overloading the electrical panel could lead to major fire hazards, many of which could cost you your house. The upgrade of the electrical panel can solve these dangerous problems and improve the safety of your home.

    Potential Expansion — If you ever need to connect circuits to your house, you’re going to need a bigger support stand. A heavy-duty solution gives you options, whether you really need to expand your electrical system (say, by adding a new addition or a central air conditioner) or just need to add a few more outlets.

    What is involved in a New Panel Installation?

    Based on your specific needs, there are a variety of modifications required for new panel installation. Some upgrades are as simple as adding a few additional circuit breakers to the existing box or extending the subpanel box. More complex upgrades may include such things as replacing a fuse box or an aging panel with one that allows for higher energy capacity. Baytown Electricians will analyze the state of your existing panel with any issues you’re facing and assess how comprehensive the improvements are going to be.

    How long does the upgrade of the electrical panel take?

    Time depends on your work. Adding additional breakers to the current panel is typically very easy, sometimes less than an hour. The construction of a subpanel is not too difficult either, only taking a few hours to complete.

    It’s when you need to make serious upgrades where it starts to take a long time. If you need to fix a fuse box or circuit key, you might be staring at a task that’s going on all day.

    If you are not sure what you need, call a licensed electrician and ask. Let them help you make a decision.  Don’t let your beloved appliances place your home at risk — there is always an answer for your updates to electrical panels in Baytown, TX.

    Comments Off on Baytown Electrician & New Electrical Panel Installations
  • Landscaping,  Tree Services

    Tree Stumps & Stump Grinding Pasadena

    Stump Grinding Pasadena
    Stump Removal

    After cutting an undesired tree down, a homeowner is left with a sturdy stump.  What does one do to remove it? It’s obvious you can’t just leave it there. The stump comes with a lot of concern about what to do next. Are you supposed to leave it untouched in your yard, or kill it with the rest of your tree in one fell swoop? What about Stump Grinding Pasadena— how does it work?  Keep reading for answers to common questions about why and how to manage a tree stump.

    Reasons to Remove or Keep a Tree Stump In Ground

    Can’t decide whether to keep the stump or throw it out for good? We always recommend stump grinding.  An old tree stump may not cause problems at first, but the more you let it hang around, the more annoyance it can become.  Old stumps can get in the way of mowing your yard or your desire to plant new trees or bushes, or they can be a threat to you and your neighbors. Besides, they make it hard to grow a new tree when you’re done.

    Is it okay to leave a tree stump in the ground? Do they attract termites?

    Shortly after you cut your tree down, the stumps begin a very slow process of decay. And indeed, over time, a rotting stump becomes a trap for domestic pests such as termites or carpenter ants.  So, while you may choose to leave the stump and let it rot, the critters that come along in the process may spread to other plants and trees in your yard, or even invade your house. The best way to avoid these pest problems is to grind the stump.

    Why else do I have to get rid of a tree stump?

    Creepy critters are not the only reason to kill a tree stump. You should consider letting your stump go, too, because a decaying stump isn’t that pretty. It can throw off the whole look of your yard and even affect your property value.  The spot where the stump lies is off-limits as you mow your lawn, and the stump or roots could ruin your mower if you accidentally roll over them. Also, planting new trees nearby is a no-go as long as the stump and roots are in the way.

    Stump Grinding Pasadena
    Stump Grinding

    Is it safer to remove or grind your stump?

    Stump grinding and stump removal come with pros and cons. Choosing the direction that is right for you depends mostly on the future plans that you have for your landscape.

    The process of removing the stump is the most invasive of the two. This includes erecting a thick tree stump and then cutting out all the deep roots of the tree. As you can imagine, it takes a lot of time, elbow grease, and heavy equipment to get the job done What are the benefits? Upon extracting the stub, you’re left with a clean slate free to any new ideas you have for your garden. What’s not so cool is that the removal of the stump leaves behind a large hole that can be an eyesore until it’s filled.

    Stump grinding is a lot less complicated than that. In this case, arborists are using a tool to completely crush the stump down into small wood chips. Grinding is much more successful than removing the stem, but it leaves behind the roots of the tree. If the stump is large, the chip pile produced may also be very huge, but the chips can be used as a mulch for other plants in your landscape.

    What’s going to happen to the roots after grinding?

    While stump grinding takes care of the obvious remains of the bark, the roots of the old tree are still deep, sometimes 4, 8 or 12 feet away from where the stump sits. Such roots will eventually rot after grinding, but this is a long process. It may take more than 10 years for the roots to break down entirely.

    If you’re not sure if it’s safe for you to cut stump or chip, a professional arborist will assist like Tree Services Pasadena.  Please contact your local office for stump removal or stump grinding advice.

    Comments Off on Tree Stumps & Stump Grinding Pasadena
  • Landscaping,  Mulch

    Mulch and Landscaping

    Mulch
    Mulch

    Mulching errors while gardening can stop your soil from receiving benefits such as moisture preservation, weed suppression, erosion reduction, and water runoff reduction. Landscape architects and experts have given their best tips to make the most of your yard’s mulch.

    Use it as a focus.

    Mulching can help to create safe lawns but has an aesthetic appeal as well. Use painted mulch in the brick, stone, stucco, and siding to match your home’s exterior colors. Brownish to red pine mulch, for example, goes well with brick houses. You can contrast with flowers using a dark mulch to improve your landscape design. Mulch can also be used to improve the design and atmosphere of your landscape.

    Look at the whole landscape.

    Many homes have large mulch areas and a few shrubs around their yard poking about. It’s best to plan your landscapes so that all the soil is covered by your shrubs and the vegetative cover is complete. Then add mulch to them for moisture control.

    Clean it up.

    Replace some of the old mulch when you re-mulch a garden. Mulch has sometimes been applied three or four times to the gardens, and he suggests removing some of the mulch that has been built up over time.

    Adjust the thickness.

    When you hit an edge like asphalt, stepping stone, or tree trunk, thin it out. Finding a heap of mulch next to a tree trunk is no benefit. You do want to taper it downwards.

    Mulch
    Tacoma Landscapings

    Experiment with a different mulch.

    There are a variety of textures, beginning with choices like pine straw and hardwood bark shredded. If you’re looking for a new look and need to refresh your mulch, consider options like cocoa bean shells, nut hulls, ground-up salvaged palettes, and even seaweed.

    Don’t forget the bare dirt.

    Researchers find that mulching has significant environmental benefits. It will cause erosion and sediment runoff if you have bare soil on your property. Mulching may contribute to erosion control. Interestingly, bare soil loses about five times as much sediment as mulch-covered soils.

    Don’t use too much mulch or too little.

    For gardens, approximately 3 inches of mulch and mulching twice a year is recommended. Mulching with the right amount every time helps to fend off weeds and retain moisture, increasing the need for irrigation. If you are using pea gravel mulch or inorganic mulch, one exception. It’s just so easy.  All you need is just 2 inches. If you have a bed of herbaceous plants that might be too small for 3 inches of mulch, another factor.

    Don’t forget the trees you have.

    To protect the trunk, place mulch around the base, particularly if you have younger trees. Mulch rings create a defensive area to keep mowers away and reduce risks from other crops.

    Don’t believe you’re in need of something below.

    Many people may want to use plastic or geotextiles, like landscape cloth, to distinguish many mulches from the ground like inorganic stone mulch. There is a misconception that black plastic is going to keep down weeds. But adding a plastic or landscape fabric layer can cause more water runoff and prevent a clean, streamlined look from your garden.

    If you use a natural mulch like shredded hardwood bark to break down, stop landscape fabric because you want the mulch to be in contact with the soil to enhance it. Plastic or landscape fabric has the ability to stop water and rain from entering the soil, and may actually increase runoff. Weeds may also develop into the fabric of the landscape, she adds.

    If the mulch moves around or is replaced, it could show through the plastic or landscape fabric. It looks hideous when you’re exposed under the mulch to plastic or landscape material.

    Use Quality Mulch

    The biggest pitfall is from an unreliable source getting your mulch. Mulch could be shipped with noxious weed seeds in it, for instance, because it was stored next to a weed field. You will end up paying for it in the long run.

  • Patio Covers

    Aluminum Patio Covers

    Aluminum Patio Covers
    Equinox Louvered Roof

    Choose from any packaged kit on the website or call our experts and we’ll design a sunroom, carport, screen room, or a patio cover to suit your needs. Consultation Service: Our experts are available to choose measurements to come to your house or company and provide you our recommendations. We’ll deliver up in Houston. Installation Available: Once you buy your kit we’ll contact a local installer to establish installation for you. Typical installation prices vary from about $3.00 an sq. Leaving your car’s paint job unfaded.  Patio Covers save wear and tear from the sun on your vehicle when it’s hot. 

    Carports, carports that were double and our carports are found to complement your home’s colors. Choose a kit and install it we might manage the job from begin to finish or yourself to conserve money. Call us to set a no-obligation appointment and let’s began on a carport for business or your home. We provide single carports, double carports, triple carports. As large as you need. High-quality carports protect your vehicles and withstand Texas weather. 

    Patio Covers – Shade your patio from the hot sunlight with a patio cover designed to suit your needs. 

    We’ll come to your house or job site and work with you on choosing a patio cover which will be a nice addition to your house along with providing shade for outdoor gatherings. We only use top quality materials that are simple to maintain with little maintenance. And will last for many years. 

    Carports – Shield your car from the effects of the Hot Texas Sun with an aluminum or steel carport. Leaving your car fade the paint job, might cause corrosion of your own vehicle’s condition and produce the interior of your vehicle hot. Carports, carports that were double and our carports are found to complement your home’s colors. 

    Aluminum Patio Covers
    Equinox Louvered Roof

    Choose a kit and install it we might manage the job from begin to finish or yourself to conserve money.  Carports come in single carports, double carports, triple carports. As large as you need.

    Aluminum Patio Covers

    There are many different patio covers to choose from online. Or you could call a local patio cover expert. We’ll come to your house or job site and work with you on choosing a patio cover which will be a nice addition to your house along with providing shade for outdoor gatherings. We only use top quality materials that are simple to maintain with little maintenance. And will last for many years. Carports – Shield your car from the effects of the Texas sun with an aluminum or steel carport. Leaving your car fade the paint job, might cause corrosion of your own vehicles condition and produce the interior of your vehicle hot. Carports, carports that were double and our carports are found to complement your home’s colors. 

    Choose a kit and install it we might manage the job from begin to finish or yourself to conserve money. Call us to set an appointment for a no-obligation and let’s began on a carport for business or your home. We provide single carports, double carports, triple carports. As large as you need.

    Houston Louvered Roof

    1305 West 11th Street, PMB # 4043 Houston, Tx 77008

    (281) 761-6316

  • Septic Services

    Top 5 Critical Reasons To Call For A Septic System Repair

    Septic System Repair

    Your home’s septic tank pumping system is a crucial part when it comes to collecting sewage waste and dumping it underground. This might be a gross topic to discuss but nothing is more important than your septic tank pumping system when it comes to property maintenance and regular working.

    A damaged septic tank pumping system can be of great discomfort. Once your septic system demands a septic system repair, only then the user feels the importance of the septic tank pumping system. To avoid any major damage and discomfort that comes along the septic system dis-functionality, it is highly recommended to keep a close eye on your system. Make sure it doesn’t require any immediate septic system repair or will need soon.

    5 CRITICAL SIGNS CALLING OUT SEPTIC SYSTEM REPAIR:

    Before you call a septic system repair team for the sake of analyzation and system repair, we have summarized a list of signs that will aid your analyses to make it pro one:

    1. SLOWER DRAINS:

    Did you recently observe that your bathtubs, sinks, and other drain related sanitary are draining the wastewater slower than usual? If this is the case, keep in mind that drainage system efficiency and septic tank pumping efficiency are directly proportional. If one of them is creating issues, the other is already having a bad time. In this case, you need to call for a septic system to repair a.s.a.p.

    2. CRAZY GROWING GRASS:

    This can be one of the most important and very-first signs indicating bad health of your septic tank pumping system. This is because when the water is not being drained properly by the septic system, it will gather in your garden hence, the grass will grow taller and better than other plants in your yard. 

    3. FOLLOW YOUR NOSE:

    If your nose is telling you about any sewage order in your house or outside your house, you need to listen and follow it. Call the septic system repair team immediately before your house gets flooded with the unbearable foul smell and sewage water.

    4. BACKED-UP SEWER:

    A backed-up sewer is a hundred percent indication that your septic system is shouting for a septic system repair. An older septic tank pumping system will create this issue often so make sure you keep an even close eye on your aging septic system.

    5. OVERFLOWING WATER:

    It is common to have a small amount of water gathered in your yard after you water your plants or a recent storm left. But, if none happened recently and you observe a water pool around your septic system, it is time to call for septic system repair. 

    Septic System Repair

    FINAL WORDS:

    We assume now you are well-aware of when to call a septic system repair team to avoid any major damage and discomfort. If you were not observing your septic tank pumping system in a while, it is suggested you pay little attention and look for any above-mentioned issues, especially when you have an older septic system. If you find any problem among the above list, even in its initial state, it is highly recommended to call for a septic system repair. This will save you money, energy, time, and any future discomfort that was soon to hit your house.

    Comments Off on Top 5 Critical Reasons To Call For A Septic System Repair
  • Wood Fencing

    Fence Company Tyler TX

    Fence Company Tyler TX

    Storms haunted people from the start of time. They can be loud as lightning strikes the ground with one billion volts of electricity, which is more than five times hotter than the sun, and rain can pound to devastation. In just minutes, hail can cause millions of dollars in damage, and the rain released in a violent storm can cause flash floods. In fact, when it starts blowing at high speeds, the wind will move objects throughout a city.  All these forces of nature affect your property and fence.

    These powers, including trees, combine to influence everything in its course. While trees, as you can see, have deep roots, storms can be much more powerful, ripping up trees and even pushing them far away. This can affect you, particularly if your home has a tree or a large tree branch breaks on top of your assets like your home, car, and fence. 

    Tyler Fences provide the best tree trimming, tree removal, and stump removal services around the city of Tyler, TX. Give them or another reputable company a call when you need help when nature strikes. When a tree falls on your home or business, you will need an arborist to go over the steps to take. 

    IF A TREE FALLS ON YOUR PROPERTY

    Don’t go into panic mode. You need to get out as fast and as safely as possible after checking to make sure your family and pets are safe.  Avoid the area of your house that the tree fell on. If at the time the tree fell, no one was home, do not enter the house under any conditions until professionals arrive. Each time anything large falls down, your home or workplace may suffer major structural damage.

    Call 911 

    If the damage includes electrical lines, call the police. It creates a major electrical hazard and a possible risk of fire if your tree fell on electrical lines. If you can safely turn off the power to your home, and call your local electrical company for emergency and immediate remediation services. In case a road has to be cordoned off, you will also need to call the authorities. In the event of a fire breaking out, the fire department may also be called for emergency services.

    Shut off Gas Service

    Since gas lines are generally underground, it might have been destroyed by the roots of a tree if the tree’s entire stump is exposed. Tyler Fences recommends, as a precaution, that you also shut down the gas service to your home and call your gas company. They may know whether or not they have been affected, or they may need to send a service technician out to check it out.

    Call a removal service for the emergency tree. You can always search for a Fence Company Tyler TX if you need a 24-hour emergency tree removal company.  They will answer day or night and will work quickly to extract the tree as securely and as gently as possible from your home. If windows are broken, you will probably need to call a roofing company to repair the roof as well as a window installer. If there’s a gaping hole in your home, you’ll have to call a builder or a contractor who can put on a temporary patch, provide liveability for structural soundness, and wait for major repairs.

    Take photos 

    To cover your home repairs, you will need to disclose the cost to your insurance company. Make sure that you take pictures as soon as possible while the tree is still at home so that there are no doubts about the argument. Video footage would be good too. For your case, you can have your roofer take pictures of any roofing damage. You don’t want to walk on an unstable roof all around, just to damage yourself. Save all receipts from the insurance company’s emergency work and contracted jobs.

    Call Your Insurance Company First

    Most likely, they will send out a claim adjuster to see the damage in person, or they may ask you to get multiple repair estimates. Many natural forces, including rain, ice storms, high winds, trees falling on your house, tornado damage, and hurricane damage, will be protected under the insurance of your homeowner. But, if you cut the tree down instead of calling in a professional tree removal company like Tyler Fences, then you will most likely be liable for the damage.

    Some insurance policies have restrictions on the cost of repair service. You’re going to be responsible for the cost they don’t pay in that situation. If the claims are much more than the insurance company requires, you can go through an appeal process to prove that all figures cost so much for repair services. Then the insurance company will usually cover the entire amount of your repairs (minus your deductible). The important thing is to record your transactions of repair with repair costs estimates and receipts.

    Fence Company Tyler TX

    Repair 

    Schedule your repairs; send your receipts, and then go to your home repair specifications.

    Build a new forest

    Trees are this planet’s lifeblood, and nobody likes seeing these gentle giants fall down. That’s the life cycle, though. If you lose a tree, the best thing you can do is to replace it. Choose a small sapling or a bigger, more well-established one. Water and nourish it. 

    You and your dog can rest and even have a picnic in their new shade. You can watch the birds raise their young, or if you surprise them in the middle of the night, a raccoon runs stealthily up. You’re going to enjoy the fall foliage, and in the winter it’s solid branches. You will enjoy a tree’s nature.

  • Irrigation Systems

    Tacoma Sprinkler Winterization

    Tacoma Sprinkler Winterization

    Leaving water throughout the freezing cold winter in your irrigation system can result in thousands of dollars of damage. For the winter months, the method of extracting the excess water from your irrigation system is called your irrigation system winterization.  For areas such as Tacoma, Washington where temperatures usually fall below freezing each winter season, this should be a method you repeat each year to ensure no harm is sustained.

    While wintering an irrigation system, three simple methods are used. This is because your home might have built many forms of irrigation systems. While the following techniques are best practice to drain your own machine on your own, it may be best to contact your local practitioners like Tacoma Sprinkler Winterization to get the job done properly if you ever feel uncomfortable conducting the maintenance.

    Wintering Manual Valves

    It is as simple as shutting off the irrigation water supply and opening all manual drain valves to winter a manual valve irrigation system. For first-timers, the difficult part can be to locate the manual drain valves. A manual drain valve usually has a lever on top to release excess water for those unaware. These are more than likely to be found at the irrigation system’s end or low points.

    After full cleaning of the water from the mainline, open the boiler drain valve and drain all remaining water between the shut-off valve and the backflow unit. Open the test cocks and if your sprinklers have test valves, they will also need to be released properly to drain all the water in your irrigation system efficiently. Be sure to close all the valves once you have drained each drop of water.  Your manual valve irrigation systems have been drained effectively.

    Wintering Automatic Valve

    Irrigation systems can drain water from the pipes automatically if the pressure drops below a certain PSI (pounds per square inch). Simply turn off your water supply is the way to initiate this winterization process. Once the water supply has been cut off, run one of your key sprinkler heads momentarily to alleviate the system pressure.

    In most situations, the water in both the shut-off valve and the backflow system will still need to be removed. Similar to the manual valve irrigation system, to ensure that all excess water is drained from the irrigation system, you will need to remove any control valves separately.

    Tacoma Sprinkler Winterization

    Tacoma Sprinkler Winterization Using the Blow Out method 

    Use an air compressor to push excess water out of your sprinkler heads to clear your irrigation system. Although this approach is successful, it may have very dangerous consequences. If you have never previously worked with compressed air or have never previously made a blow to your irrigation system, this approach is complex it may be best to contact your local sprinkler guy instead.

    You will need an air compressor, safety glasses and a coupler that suits your system to conduct this type of winterization correctly. Until starting the process, make sure that all your backflow valves are shut down. You will connect the air pressure system to the coupler once the backflow valves are secured. You should see a stream of water slowly emerging from the active irrigation head after slowly starting the air pressure (and not exceeding 90 PSI). When the water has drained completely from the effective irrigation head, the EPA says you must move to another one, moving slowly from the farthest to the nearest to the compressor.

    Sprinkler System Services in Washington

    Would you like to ensure the proper wintering of your irrigation system? And ensure that the irrigation system is ready for freezing cold weather.  Having a knowledgeable and committed team to call on will help get the job done right for you.

    Comments Off on Tacoma Sprinkler Winterization
  • Home Renovations

    Which windows should you choose?

    Windows

    Homeowners have a tough decision ahead of them when trying to decide what replacement windows should I buy.  There are soo many windows out there it’s pretty overwhelming. The first thing you need to do though is set a budget.  There is no point in looking at windows that are 800.00 each installed if you are on a 300.00 each budget.  

    There are several different materials that will determine the price of your new windows.  Aluminum is the least expensive when it comes to builders grade windows, but when you look at custom retrofit aluminum windows they are a little more expensive than you would think.  To get a quality aluminum window you need a thermal break in the frame and quality glass so these two factors help drive the price up. 

    Vinyl windows are the least expensive when it comes to replacement windows.  They are readily available across the US with relatively short lead times. Even for custom sizes, you can usually get vinyl windows in just a couple of short weeks.  You should watch out for really cheap vinyl windows though. This could mean that the manufacturer is saving money by skimping on materials… Such as the frame. A vinyl window frame should be rigid.  They should not really flex or twist. Many of the higher quality windows can actually be beaten with a hammer on their frames and not suffer any damages.  

    The Woodlands Windows

    Wood windows are typically pretty expensive compared to vinyl or aluminum.  They require a much more labor-intensive installation process. Also, they require a complete rework of the interior trim and exterior trim.  A good window installation guy with a helper can install 16 windows in a day on a single-story home with a brick exterior. That same 2 man crew is lucky to complete 2 wood windows by the time they finish trimming them out.  One reason that wood windows are not so popular in the south is they will rot if not properly maintained. Actually they will eventually rot no matter what, wood just doesn’t last in the southern humidity. The fact that they are not a lifetime product and much more expensive limits the use of wood windows in the south.  

    Composite windows are becoming the most popular choice.  They have the strength of aluminum and the durability and look of vinyl, and are still less expensive than most wood windows.  Composite framed windows are great performing alternatives to the traditional building materials.  

    Remember that picking the right window is important when you are going to renovate your home.  Your home is a big investment and you always want to make the right decision when it comes to your house.  Consult with your local window installation company to find out more about which window material and window brand is the best choice for your home.  

    Comments Off on Which windows should you choose?
  • Landscaping

    Landscape Maintenance

    Landscape
    Landscape

    Summer is reaching an end… Truly it is nearly the end of August, September can be hot with some cool spells, and October is the place we will get some virus fronts to chill things off. So summer is practically OVER!!!  This is a great time of the year and a great time to handle your Landscape Maintenance. The weather becomes more manageable toward the end of October for sure.  

    As this cooling period occurs, a more extensive choice of sprouting annuals become accessible. Here is a speedy summary of certain choices for our region.

    September – October:

    Petunias are the most well-known yearly in the United States. In northern atmospheres, Petunias are planted in spring and perform into the fall. In our atmosphere, they are best planted in late summer and their presentation stretches well into spring. Petunias have a wide scope of hues and development propensities.

    On the off chance that you are searching for tallness or a lovely scenery in your beds, Snapdragons are your best decision for cool-climate shading. Snapdragons come in many develop statues, some as tall as three feet! They sprout in burns from fall through spring. Snapdragons have ostentatious blossom groups at the highest points of the plant.

    Landscape
    Landscape

    Nursery Mums are constantly a top pick! They detonate in the fall with little daisy blossoms that help all to remember us of our youth. The hues help us to remember fall – Reds, Yellows, Bronzes, and even a few pinks!

    Dianthus is an “old-style” blossom that utilization to be alluded to as Pinks. Dianthus is a bunching plant that, similar to Snapdragons, sprout in cycles on the highest point of the plant. The Amazon arrangement was named a Louisiana Super Plant in 2010.

    Crossandra is a late spring yearly that will blossom right through fall. Their particular orange blossom spike will hang out in any scene bed, alongside their lustrous green foliage.

    October – November:

    Pansies and Violas are two adaptations of a similar plant. Pansies are Violas with enormous sprouts. The two of them arrive in a variety of hues with changing distinctive highlights. Violas, otherwise called Johnny Jump Ups, may have littler blossoms however the measure of blooms each plant produces is extraordinary!

    Elaborate Cabbage and Kale are cool-climate annuals that are known for their enormous “heads” shaped by their leaves. They become beautiful as they develop; shading decisions go from white, pink and purple.

    You can’t turn out badly with any of the above plants for shading in your scene from late-summer into spring. Remember to do the basis for your plants. Better soil develops better plants!