Month: November 2019

Give Your Home a Good Cleaning

From your dining room to your bathrooms, make sure that all the main living spaces in your home are clean and ready for your friends and family. Doing a large cleaning a few days before Thanksgiving and then a smaller cleaning the day-of is the best way to make sure your home is as pristine as possible.

Clean Out the Fridge

Don’t stop the cleaning at the living room! Your fridge is about to have a large, large bird sitting in it waiting to be cooked — which means you need a lot of space! Clean up any items that can be tossed away, and move other items around in order to create room for platters, your turkey, and other dishes.

Prep Dishes Early

From desserts to side dishes, don’t leave all the cooking for the last moment. If you can make anything ahead of time, especially items that are served cold, get to prepping! Be sure to also give yourself plenty of time to defrost that turkey.

Take Help When It’s Offered

Just because you’re hosting Thanksgiving, doesn’t mean that you have to do all of the work. If your house guests or family members offer their help — don’t turn it down! There’s plenty of chopping, table-setting, and dish-washing to do (you can even volunteer your kids as tribute).

Tidy Up the Porch

Your porch is the first impression your house guests will have of your hosting skills, so don’t disappoint! This means adding some last-minute fall decor to the porch such as a wreath or a few lights.

Prepare Your Exterior For the Holidays

Whether it’s a loose shingle or damaged siding, our experts at Landmark Exteriors have the skills to get your home’s exterior looking fresh for the holiday season. Give us a call today to book an appointment. (203) 838-3838  From all of us at Landmark Exteriors, we hope you have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving with your family!

Remodeling projects can be some of the most expensive investments you will make in your lifetime; second only to the purchase of your own home and a new car. Added to that price is the top quality materials that should be used on your roof to protect it for years to come. Here’s how to choose the best roof for your home.

Choosing Your Roofing Materials

Asphalt Roofing

Asphalt roofing rolls use small flat pitches, angled and rolled out in strips across the roof. Asphalt roofing is fairly easy to install and can be cost-effective for a lot of people doing it themselves. It is not a terrific material for home roofs and works better for non-home spaces such as garages and sheds. Asphalt roofing lasts for up to 10 years and requires the buyer to keep it clear of moss and other debris on the roof.

A 2,000 square foot house will average $2.25 per square foot, with a total average cost of $4,500 for the entire home.

Built-Up Roofing

Built-up roofing (BUR) alternates roofing materials, fiberglass, and tar. Built-up roofing is good for roofs that are flat with little angle. Built-up roofs can last up to 30 years if they are kept repaired and in good condition.

BUR roofs cost about $4.00 per square foot with a 2,000-foot house close to $8,000 to do. This roof is not good for a roof with an extreme slope.

Composite Asphalt Shingle Roof

The composite roof has organic materials mixed with asphalt and chips or graduals of ceramic or slate. It is a low-cost roof that has a relatively long life. The composite roof averages up to 40 even 50 years if well cared for.

Costing around $5.00 a section, a 2,000 square foot house will cost $11,000 to put on.

Wood Shingle Roof

Wood shingles are not easy to install for the average person and are more of a fire hazard in some regions. Made of Cedar or yellow pine, the can provide a good insulating layer to any home. The average wood shingle roof will last up to 30 years if the roof cared for overtime. High maintenance roofing can enable the roof to last 50 years.

Wood shingles are more expensive than other types of materials and, depending on the type of wood, can cost up to $11.00 per square foot; with a 2,200 square foot home costing $19,800 to complete.

Making Your Decision

The better the quality the roofing materials is the more it will cost to replace. Choosing roofing materials based only on price will not last nearly as long. A good quality roof should last 20 to 30 years. A roof of lesser quality can expect to last maybe 8 years.

At Landmark Exteriors, we’re the experts in choosing the right roof for your home. Our Cedar-Life roofing materials are the best in Connecticut. Cedar-Life delays the onset or return of mildew and algae and will improve the structural integrity of the roof or siding.  To book a consult or for any questions, please call us. (203) 838-3838

How to Keep the Pests Out this Season

Winter weather in Connecticut typically means we’re spending more time inside of our homes than outside — unless we’re building a snowman or shoveling our driveway. This means that we don’t typically pay as much attention to the outside of our homes than we would in the spring and summer. During these few months, we may let our home’s exterior go without necessary maintenance.

Late fall and winter is the best time for pests to seek shelter inside your home through any openings they can find. Luckily, there are some quick steps you can take to protect your home until warm weather comes again.

Pests That Make Your House Their Home

Wildlife should remain outside in the wild and not in your home. However, the following critters can find their way into your home:

• Rodents (mice and rats)
• Insects (yellow jackets, bees, ants, flies)
• Fall bugs (stink bugs, ladybugs, box elders)

Where there’s a will, there’s a way. These animals can find their way into your home through any of these openings:

• In your walls.
• Cracks and gaps in your exterior.
• Holes in your roof, closets, pantries, or attic.

Fall Pest Maintenance Tips

If pests make their way into your home, they can cause a lot of damage. Beyond forming a colony in your home, they can also chew wires, harm your property, leave droppings, and nest in your insulation. If you do notice an insect or rodent infestation, you will need to call a professional exterminator immediately. 

Prevent any pest problems this season by performing the following home maintenance:

• Check your home for gaps or holes (especially near pipes and utilities).
• Pull out old plants that could attract bugs.
• Store firewood at least 20 feet from your exterior.
• Check fall decorations before bringing them in the house (straw piles and scarecrows).

The best way to protect your home and focus on celebrating all that the holiday season has to offer is by calling your professional home care company to give your home a good double-check. At Landmark Exteriors, we can help get your home ready for winter early, so you can prevent any problems or emergencies when temperatures drop. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

Prepare for Your Roof for Winter

At Landmark Exteriors, we know that winters in Connecticut can be harsh and long. Not only will your snow boots take a beating, but so will your roof. With winter approaching quickly, now is an excellent time to go over the many ways the winter weather can affect the strength and structure of your home’s roof.

Wind Damage

Winter storms generally are accompanied by gusty winds. Strong winds can damage the roof by ripping shingles off. Ice and snow lying on the roof weaken the shingles, causing them to become loose and brittle. High wind can also knock branches from trees onto the roof or cause low hanging branches to bang the roof in the wind. These branches can easily remove shingles and puncture holes in your home’s structure.

Snow And Water Damage

If you live in an area where it snows consistently during the winter months, the snow can build up for days onto the roof. Snow becomes very heavy over time and can cause the roof to cave in completely. Snow also melts, and depending on the shape of the roof could be problematic as well. Water from melted snow could drain and seep into cracks of the roof and under shingles causing mold and rotting.

Proper Winter Roof Maintenance

Before winter begins, it is always a good idea to trim any low hanging tree branches away from your roof. Gutters should also be inspected to make sure they are clear and can drain melting snow adequately. You can easily hire a professional roofing company to inspect the gutters and look over the roof for any loose shingles or weak spots and have them repaired before more significant issues develop. 

After a bad winter storm season, your roof should be inspected thoroughly again to make sure no damage occurred. Prepare your roof for winter now and enjoy all the season has to offer instead of worrying about repairs. 

Landmark Exteriors Home Care division provides an extensive list of services to keep your home in great shape. From roof maintenance to gutter and siding repair, we can help prep your home for winter now before snow hits! Contact us today to set up an appointment. (203) 838-3838