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Recent Home Improvement Articles
 


 Prepare Now For An Enjoyable Fireplace Season

Getting optimal enjoyment from a crackling fireplace, this winter, depends on at least three things: having an adequate supply of dry wood on hand, making sure a professional chimney sweep has removed flammable creosote from the inside of the chimney, and making sure that an animal-proof chimney cap is attached to the top of the chimney.

  Whether you need to recap an existing chimney or choose the best one for new construction, you can avoid headaches down the road by making sure your house has a dependable chimney cap in place now. One prerequisite of any chimney cap you buy should be that it comes with some sort of quality guarantee, whether for three years or a lifetime. If the manufacturer is not willing to stand behind their product for any period of time, then that should be seen as a major red flag. Check out the competition as fast as your Internet browser will allow.    

Chimney caps are typically available in stainless steel, black galvanized steel, and copper. The size of the chimney cap is often determined by the outside width and length of the flue. Since flue dimensions can range from six to 22 inches, it is necessary to take accurate measurements before ordering. Most of the time, multi-flue chimney caps can be purchased to solve the challenge of covering odd-sized, multiple, or unlined flues.... read more 

 


The 4 Basic Elements to Building a Green Home

Green building is more than the actual construction of your home, though that is a big part of the process. It is a beginning to end process which begins with the selection of your land, the design of your dream home, the materials and practices used during construction and finally, how you operate and maintain your dream home once it is completed. You can incorporate as many or as few of these elements into your home's design as you choose.

You decide how "Green" you want to be.

Let's look at the four basic elements in Green Building:

1. Increasing energy efficiency

2. Materials selected for building your home

3. Increasing the efficiency of water usage both in and outside of your home

4. Improving air quality, which improves the health and productivity of your family

There are many parts to each element. Let's look at each of these in a little more detail.... read more

 




How To Repair A Damaged Chimney 
 

Over time a chimney made with mortar can deteriorate due to wind, rain and other weathering factors. Eventually the chimney will need to be repaired. Here are some basic tips and advice that could help you fix your chimney.

1. If the flashing has become worn, use a hammer and chisel to remove the deteriorated mortar. Apply a good chimney caulk, making sure you get a good seal where the flashing joins and along it's edges.

2. A damaged or missing chimney cap can create problems. Rain could enter the chimney and soak the mortar joints, eventually causing the bricks to loosen. Measure for the correct chimney cap size and install it per manufacturers instructions.

3. For crumbling and crack mortar on the exterior of the chimney you'll need to replace the mortar. Remove the old mortar using a hammer and chisel. Important: Be sure to wear a protective dust mask and goggles. Using a trowel, apply a pre-mixed mortar to pack and fill in the gaps. Wipe any excess mortar from the bricks before it starts to set.... read more

 


 


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