Things You Need to Know as You Hire a Remodeling Contractor

If you are starting to establish a major renovation project, this article is for you. Here’s a list of tips for employing remodel contractors that’ll help you guarantee that you’ll have a successful and efficient experience from the beginning of your project until the end.  

 

Do your research 

This is especially true for both the individual you are hiring and the project itself. For the renovation, you need to allow for a realistic budget of what you’re planning to spend and get a clear idea of what you want the outcome to look like. 

For the remodeling contractor, you need to concentrate on those who can exhibit their previous experience that’s related to the project type you have now, preferably with work samples and testimonials. Also, you will want to find people who are both insured and accredited.  

Interview several contractors 

As soon as you can find 2-3 contractors that you believe can do the work well, make sure to interview them. Ask them all the inquiries you have in mind—like how long they estimate everything will take, and whether or not they have ever accepted a project similar to your project’s scale, if they are confident to efficiently pull the needed permits, etc.  

As you interview them, make sure to pay attention to how they answer and see if they are professional and can give you their full assurance regarding the project. Because contractors will usually be coming into your house, make sure to opt for someone you feel comfortable working with and one who you believe can complete the job right on time.  

Ask for quotes 

After the interview is done, make sure to ask anyone for a quote for the project, which must contain the materials’ cost for the renovating project and the rate for the gauged number of labor hours.    

Remember that the lowest option you meet may not be your greatest pick all the time. So, it’s best if you do your assignment and research on the estimated costs of a remodel project that’s quite similar to yours. Make sure to consider aspects such as accessible work samples and experience as you choose one. At times, a larger upfront cost will be worth it along the way when it indicates a hassle-free transaction.  

Make sure to put it in writing 

As soon as you have chosen the best contractor that you think can do your project well, don’t forget to obtain the terms of their quote and have them turn it into a legally binding contract. Such a contract must contain important information such as the payment schedule items and the process that must be followed when doing alterations to the original project terms. Moreover, it must be signed by both ends. 

Even if nobody would want to expect a bad project result, getting a signed contract will provide you a way to fight for your right legally in case something goes south on the course of your renovation project. 

Tips for Winterizing Your Home 

Winter Home Prep:

Most of us forget about changing or cleaning a furnace filter at least once every 4-6 weeks between late fall and mid-spring, and that can significantly increase our heating bill because dirty furnaces have limited air flow and higher energy demand as a result.

Also, think about switching to a permanent filter that will not only simplify your life but lessen the need for regular cleaning.
It has been proven that disposable filters only trap about 40% of the debris while electrostatic filters trap nearly 90%. If your furnace is old, it might be best to change it altogether. It will be costly, but you will get the money back by having far lesser heating bills throughout the season. Plus, check to see if you are eligible for the federal tax credits for new furnaces installed prior to Jan 1, 2017 as it can cover a good portion of the cost, up to $500.

 A/C

Secondly, check if your air conditioning pipes and the main hose have any water pooled up within them. If your air conditioning model has a water shutoff valve then it would be best to turn it completely off. Plus, turn off the exterior water spigot and stop any water leaks with an antibacterial silicone. If you have a window A/C unit, it would be great if you could remove it for the winter and seal the hole so as to prevent cold winds coming in.

 Water Heater

Also, check the temperature that your water heater is set on. Most installers set it to over 140 degrees Fahrenheit; however, most households do not need that much hot water. Having the temperature set to 115 degrees Fahrenheit or even lower, will save you up to 10%. If you ever had a thought that you might not need the tank to store hot water, then think about installing a tankless heater or some re-circulators near the faucets.  Don’t forget to take full advantage of tax credits for solar energy systems program that pays up to 30% of the total cost without any upper limit. This program runs through 31st December 2019.

 Air Drafts

Drafts are considered by the U.S Department of Energy as the worst energy drainer. It is believed that drafts can waste as much as 30% of your energy. There is a simple DIY solution though, take an old towel, sew the ends to make a tube and fill it with sand. Place it under your drafty door after you open and close the door.
Plus, consider inviting a professional technician to examine your ductwork as it is estimated that up to 30% of heated (and cooled air in the summer) escapes through the ducts. According to the American Solar Energy Society, properly sealed ducts can save up to $180 annually on an average home.

Outdoor Pipes

Lastly, consider insulating your outdoor pipes. This small move alone will reduce your hot water bill as well as prevent the pipes from freezing and possibly bursting causing a very big problem. You can even do it yourself, just buy pre-slit pipe foam at your local hardware store and fasten it to the pipe using duct tape.

Here is a great follow up article on more ways to save with your heating and cooling: https://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=heat_cool.pr_hvac

 

Snow Removal

Get Ready for Winter Snow

Winters arrive with their share of enjoyment, fun and problems. Cold breezes, hot coffee along with flakes and balls of snows falling from the skies are a delight to experience and enjoy. Eventually everything gets covered in a blanket of white.

The uniformity of surrounding is appeasing to the eyes, but too much snow tends to be a nuisance for resident.  Last year was a dreadful time with all the unpredictable snowfall which became difficult to remove. We therefore advice you to act proactively this year, some methods of removing snow are listed below.

Snow Removal Tools

Snow tends to engulf public and private property and gives them all an identical look. The process of removing this frosted ice is known as deicing. It is your responsibility to clear your roofs, porches and driveways. There are many tools you can use. Rakes and shovels are the best equipment to remove the ice. Apart from the conventional equipment, special snow removal shovel, aluminum snow removing rake, snow brush, snow broom and ice crusher are available in the market. These agents require extreme physical power to clean off the snow.

Power Tools

To reduce the use of human power and speed up the process electrical blowers and crushers have made way into the market. These use electrical power to get the job done. Along with them ice melting heaters are also available in the market which change the state of ice and paving a path.

Chemical Treatments

Apart from these power tools chemical agents are also available which melt ice. These can be used both before and during snowfall. Brine and rock salt are two most famous methods used. The applications of these agents prevent hard formation of ice, making the removal process through tools easier and faster.

Other agents like magnesium and calcium chloride have also made their way in the market. Cans and nozzles are used to spray these elements. A little care should be taken when using them as too much tends to stay there and causes issues like rust and corrosion. Organic agents like sugar beets have also been introduced in order to negate the impacts of these chloric agents.

Hire a Pro

For bigger areas contractors can be hired who use huge machines for larger areas like loaders and trucks. For smaller areas hand machines are also used. These contractors take a substantial amount to remove the frosted ice and make way for vehicles.
Public authorities even employ contractors to remove ice from roads and other public areas. Heaviest machines are employed for the purpose, as huge areas have to be covered in little time.

Removal of snow is the responsibility of both public authorities and private residents. As too much of white stuff tends to disrupt the normal routine and day to day life of the people living around. Along with enjoying the weather one should take immediate action and remove ice to avoid issues and problems which take place if there is too much snow.

 

A great video on snow shoveling tips:

Radiant Heating Systems

Radiant Heating Systems for Home and Office

Both geothermal and boiler systems use the same type of loop. That loop is known as a closed loop. It allows the energy that is not required in a certain area of the building to be transferred into another area where it is required.

Because of this, water heat pumps are considered one of the best systems for radiant cooling and radiant heating buildings. Water heat pumps can also match, or sometimes even exceed the performance of some of the best and most complicated HVAC systems.

Energy Savings 

Geothermal systems are different from traditional boiler systems because they don’t require a cooling or boiler tower, and both of these towers are known for consuming fossil fuel or electricity. The job of their variable flow design is to shut off the flow to heat pumps whenever their compressor is not being used. This can significantly reduce the power that is required for pumping. And that automatically means that you get to save a significant amount of money as well.

The Cost of Installation

The installation of a geothermal system usually costs a little bit more than the installation of a traditional tower heat pump system. However, once a geothermal system is properly installer, it usually doesn’t require a lot of maintenance, which allows you to save a lot of money in a long run. Basically, the installation process of geothermal systems is pretty easy, and these systems are not hard to operate at all.

And even though their installation cost may be a little bit high, they usually cost a lot less to operate than their traditional counterparts. The pump that is used to circulate the fluid is actually the only part in the ground loop that is moving. When compared to traditional systems, savings can be as high as 50% for cooling and 70% for heating.

It is important to remember that all towers and boilers require to be regularly maintenance in order to be free from debris, algae, and all the other contaminants. However, hiring a licensed professional is completely unnecessary. Also, there is absolutely no need to use make-up water, sump heaters, or tower water chemicals.

Mechanical Room Space

When it comes to water heat pump systems, they don’t require a big mechanical room. It is actually completely fine to use a mechanical room that a lot of other HVAC systems would be able to be installed in as well. And you can use rooms that are even smaller than that for geothermal systems. Actually, some free space is only required for the chemical treatment equipment, the circulating pumps and the main header.

Benefits of Hiring Professional Pest Control Service

Anyone who has witnessed an insect infestation along their kitchen ceiling or a cockroach flying like a butterfly knows that living with these pests is a big problem. Most pest infestations necessarily damage your own property, could create a very scary environment for your family and in worse cases, could harm you and your family’s health.

One of the best solutions you could offer in eliminating infamous pests is hiring a professional pest control service. This is not only for you to get rid of these nasty creatures, but it would also avoid them in a longer time span.

If you don’t know what benefits you could get out of these amazing services, then here’s a list of the positive things that professional pest control service could give you:

Health

Aside from being scared of these insects, one of the reason why you need to speedily get rid of these infestations is that it necessarily creates harm to you and your family’s health. For example, cockroaches could have E coli or salmonella on their bodies and could also worsen conditions such as asthma, allergies and other related health problems.

Ants could necessarily make your food contaminated, as bees could be the main reasons why your dangerous allergic reactions could be triggered. These and many other major health conditions could make you and your family living in hell while living in your supposed haven. This is precisely the reason why you really need to call on professional pest control in order to get rid of these creatures in the soonest time possible.

 

Identity of Pests and Elimination

A reputable pest control company could necessarily get rid of almost all type of pests including spiders, ants, cockroaches and the likes that may infest your home in no type.

There are a number of differing chemicals that could be used in order to target these different types of insects and could become very dangerous to the health, if the usage isn’t controlled properly. Luckily, a trained pest control technician is educated to control the usage of these chemicals, and they are the best personnel who knows when and where to use specific types of chemicals.

Because professional pest control could necessarily identify what kind of insects infest your home, they will know what kind of chemical to use in order to get rid of them.

 

Getting Rid of Them From The Source

One of the best things that professional pest control specialist has to offer is that they could treat the problem from where it comes from.

There are times that you eliminate most insect infestations that you find with your naked eye but don’t necessarily kill them from where they are living, or their source. With this, you will have to do the process all over again and experience the same process all throughout the time your living inside your home.

Professional pest control could necessarily locate where the insect infestation originated, where the source is and kill them through the core using the specific chemical that best gets rid of them.

 

Time Efficient

Pest control services could necessarily kill the source of the insect infestation in no time. Because of the experience and the chemicals that they are trained to handle, professional pest control personnel could necessarily get rid of these pests in the fastest way possible.

A lot of companies could do their job for only six hours, while others that involve a graver insect infestation could last for about a week. Nonetheless, professionals could do the job in no time and would do the job in the most effective way possible.

 

Damage Avoidance

If you call pest control service too late, your property may have damages that could go beyond what you can repair. That is, you will have to pay hundreds of dollars just to fix what has been damaged by these pests and sometimes it could get worse wherein you really need to purchase a new furniture for instance because you can’t possibly fix the damage anymore. This is precisely the reason why as much as possible, when you see that your house is infested by pests, never hesitate to hire a professional pest control before it’s too late.

Boise pest control is a very helpful service that you could hire anytime. This is not only to get rid of the insects and other pests, but it is also to create a healthy and safe environment for you and your family. You don’t want to get sick just because of the pests that lurk in your house. Call one now.