How to Choose the Right Roofing Option

The current world offers various options when it comes to roofing your home ranging from man made products such as sheet metal, asphalt and plastic polymers to using natural materials such as slate or wood. One can be caught up in the confusion of which product to choose and this article is meant to help you make the best decision as far as this is concerned. You need to understand that each option has its merits and demerits in terms of durability, cost and how eco-friendly a product is just to mention a few of the aspects that needs to borne into your mind. This article will outline some of the factors to consider when choosing a roofing product and the brief account of the commonest roofing products will be given.

image:truesonexteriors.com

Things to look out for in each of the products:

The factors you need to put into considerations include:

• The durability of the roof
• How the roof will cope with  natural disasters for instance hurricanes or wildfires
• How it is compared to the roofing frame that will hold it
• If it has enough slope
• Whether the look of the roof will complement the color of the rest of the house
• How eco-friendly and recyclable the product is
• Whether the local building codes allow the use of a certain roofing product
• The cost of the roof

The type of house that you want to construct will have a huge impact on the type of roof that you would want to use. Key factors that might limit your choice are the slope of the roof and the strength of the roofing frame. If you reside in areas that are more vulnerable to wildfire or hurricanes you need to select a product that is fire resistant with good wind resistance. However you need to note that during the roofing process, adjustments can be made to make the roof more resistant to wind or fire.

The various roofing products include:

a)  Asphalt Shingle Roofs

This is by far the most commonly used roof product in the current world. Its popularity can be attributed to its cost effectiveness and the ease of installing it. This product is made by impregnating fiberglass with asphalt and its surface is completed with granules which are sand-like. The roofing market provides to forms of this roofing product; a standard single thickness type and another model which is thicker and laminated, the latter is more expensive. This product can last for about 30 years and it goes for about $50 per square, the price being dependent on the type of shingle that you will settle for.

b)  Wood Roofing

Roofing products made from wood have been in use for many years, and our century is no exception to this. It’s generally a good roofing product but some areas which are more prone to wildfires have roofing codes which forbid its use. The roof made of wood are usually made from woods such as cedar, southern pine, redwood or shingles which are sworn or either split. It lasts for about the same time as the asphalt roofing, that is for about 25 years but it is more expensive.

c)   Metal Sheet Roofing

Metal roofing involves the use of the various metals in roofing your house. You can choose to use steel, aluminum, copper, lead or either copper and asphalt. For the copper/asphalt varieties you can install them as shingles but the other types are made to be used as seamed roofs. Seamed roofs consist of vertical lengths of metal which are joined by solder. You will need to spend about $250 per square for this type of roofing. But it is durable and fire resistant.

d)  Tile and Cement Roofing

This type of roofing is popular for houses made in the Spanish Colonial way or Mission style. These products are generally expensive but they are very durable and equally heavy, hence the need for a stronger roofing frame.

e)  Slate Roof

This arguably the best and most durable roofing material. It is quite durable and can last for a century or more and cases of reinstallation of used slate roof speaks volumes about its durability. They come in different forms depending on the state of origin. It is however among the most expensive materials to use for roofing with a square of slate going for about $800.

The above roofing materials are the more commonly used and you can make a comparison and choose a roofing product that is suitable for your house. It is good to consider not only the cost but also the durability, fire and wind resistance capabilities of the roof and the weight and cost of installation just to mention a few of the factors.

Written by True Son Exteriors, the best roofers in Columbia, MO.

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How to Make Your Home Remodeling Stay on Budget

Planning a home makeover (aka, remodel) is an incredibly exciting undertaking. It can be a stressful time too, however, if the project isn’t adequately planned. Still, a great remodel can mean you finally achieve the home of your dreams. Maybe you’d always wanted a really deluxe master bedroom, and finally you have the means to achieve a bedroom and bathroom remodel. The big question is, how do you make it all happen, and stay on budget?

Bathroom renovation-image:pixabay.com

Finding a Great Contractor

It’s great to start up those initial plans by studying design magazines and some of the great interior design sites out there. Once you have a sense of what you are looking for in your remodel, it’s wise to start looking for an experienced, reliable contractor to plan out and execute the job. In years past, the only way to find a great contractor was through referrals from friends and by taking your chances with local businesses in the Yellow Pages. Now, however, there’s a great online resource that makes finding the right contractor stress free. It’s called www.renovationexperts.com.

The Renovation Experts is a highly detailed site that lists local contractors who cover all areas of expertise, from plumbing to cabinetry to painting, door restorations, garages and more. There are also plenty of general contractors who can oversee a job and the laborers, ensuring that every detail of the job is finished to satisfaction.

When it’s time to find a contractor, take some time looking over the site and call the people who seem right for your project. When you’ve contacted the contractors you’re interested in, you can have a meeting with them to discuss your project and then get a free estimate for home remodeling. This will give you a good starting place for going over your budget and the overall work involved.

If the estimate seems higher than you can afford, you might ask the contractor for ideas about how to cut down the project’s costs. Some details, like using pre-made cabinetry instead of custom pieces, can save you a lot of money. Be sure to review the kind of materials you want to use, like types of flooring, to see where you might be able to find additional savings before the work begins and the materials are ordered. The key is in reviewing every element of the project before the money is spent. This is what will really save you cash in the long run.

A successful home remodel is a very exciting and rewarding experience. Take advantage of great resources like www.therenovationexperts.com to ensure that your new home turns out beautifully.

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5 Gym Sins and How to Spot Them

With New Year's just around the corner, gyms are going to be more crowded than ever. Whether you’re experienced in the area or you’re just starting your first membership, it’s important to be respectful and aware of your surroundings. As a rule of thumb, you should always be considerate of trainers and clients. After all, you’re all working towards achieving health and fitness goals in the same space. Any weak link in this arena can distract others from reaching their goals. With that in mind, here are 5 gym sins and how to spot them:

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1.   Not Re-racking the Weights

When lifting, especially with dumbbells, it is a major annoyance to go to do your exercise only to find that the dumbbells you’re looking for are missing. If you can spot someone using them, you simply have to wait your turn. But, if the person before you was too lazy to re-rack the weights, you may have to go on a bit of a hunt to find them, slowing down your workout. Plus, having loose weights on the floor can be very dangerous!

2.   Not Wiping Equipment

Let’s face it: if you’re working out hard, you’re probably also sweating pretty hard. While this is a good thing, nobody likes to lie down on a bench or sit on a bike that you just sweat all over. Do everyone else a favor and take a few seconds to go to a nearby gym wipe dispenser and clean it off for the next person. It keeps the gym clean and smelling nice, and helps prevent the spread of germs.

3.   Working Out While Sick

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Although sometimes working out while sick can help you get through an annoying cold and get a better night’s sleep, for the most part you should really avoid the gym. If you have the flu, a stomach bug, or anything contagious, you should be responsible and do your part to prevent the spread of any contagious illnesses. The gym is a space where you’re bound to be in close proximity or have physical contact with surfaces that many people touch, which is prime for spreading bugs and other viruses. However, WebMD says you’re physically okay to workout so long as all of your symptoms are “above the neck.”

4.   Texting While People are Waiting

People have busy lives and usually try to squeeze a work out in the precious free time they have. If it’s busy at the gym or you suspect that somebody is waiting for any machine or area you’re using, be courteous and refrain from texting or talking on the phone. Even if it’s just a quick text, you will only annoy the person waiting. Get in, do your workout, and move on the next thing. It keeps the gym running smoothly and may even improve the quality of your workout.

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5.   Talking to People with Earphones

On top of people squeezing the gym in their free time, a lot of gym-goers also use their workout as a time to decompress from the day. This means getting away from phone calls, coworkers, even family and friends and just having a little personal time. While you shouldn’t really be making conversation with strangers in the gym at all, especially avoid talking to people who have earphones in. Let them workout in peace unless it’s very important or you’re good friends.

If you’re new, going to the gym can be a really intimidating process. However, you have nothing to worry about the important thing is that you’re making an effort. People in the gym can be very friendly and usually are willing to help you along your journey, but a little respect goes a long way. Now get going!

Carl Turner has been training for as long as he can remember. If he’s not in the gym, he’s probably researching or writing about it.

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Learn to Configure Your Personal Network

When you have to learn something about home networks, things may look a bit complicated. However, once you understand the basics, they will be able to understand even more. For the novice user, setting up the router or changing the default network settings may look very difficult to do, however, the truth is quite different. Of course, a basic experience on computers is necessary. 

image:pixabay.com

The Internet and networks weren’t available to all people like today. In the past only the government and the military were using them. Luckily, thanks to the growing development of technology today we all have chance to use the Internet almost everywhere and have our own personal wireless networks. We can change the settings of our routers and adjust the login details as we like. Since we can make these changes in the router settings we have to learn how to login to the wireless router first. Once we learn this we will be able to access the router settings when we need it and fix some networking problems the everyday user experiences every now and then.

 

Accessing the Router Default IP Address

Accessing the router settings page is not an easy task for most users. They generally think they need some specialized tools or software to do this. However, after you read this you will be surprised how easy it is to access this page and make the necessary changes. So, let’s see how we can do this.

·         First of all make sure that the router and the PC are properly connected and that they are switched on.

·      Most router manufacturers assign a default IP address to all the routers they produce. It is recommended to change this default IP later, along with the all other default settings.

·        In some cases the default router IP is 192.168.2.1. However, for this IP you can use 198.168.x.x where X is any number from 0 to 255.

·         So, in case your router IP is 192.168.2.1 you can type this IP in the browser’s URL bar.

·         After you hit the Enter button you will be asked to enter the default username and password. In most cases they are both ADMIN, but you can consult the user’s manual and confirm.

·         Now, the users can access the settings to change the Credentials and URL. Finally, they need to click on the apply settings and save button.

·      The main reason why you should change this IP and the login details as well is because of the security of your network.

 

What should you take care of when setting up a wireless network?

The users after add new devices to their network like tablets, laptops, smartphones. Normally, each device gets a unique IP address in the network. If for any reason two devices in the network have the same IP a so called IP address conflict will occur. If this happens, you can fix this problem by disconnecting one device, restarting the router and trying again. In most cases the when you reset the router the problem will be solved since the built-in HCP server will assign the correct IPs to all the devices.

If you are trying to set up a new router and have no experience at all, it is recommended to use the Setup CD that came with the router. On the other hand, some router manufacturers don’t send a Setup CD but have the built-in setup Wizard will start when you connect the router for the first time.

If you follow the setup process carefully there are small chances that you are going to make a mistake. It is recommended to do this on your own first because in this way you will learn more about the various router options and configurations. If you see some advanced features, it is recommended to avoid changing them. It’s always better to be safe than sorry!

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