Apr 5

 

The right set of windows can work wonders for your home. If your current set of windows is old and inefficient, it might be time for an overhaul, and a new window purchase might result in a significant credit on your 2010 taxes. If you’re looking to replace your household windows, you may have a lot of materials to choose, including the wood.

 

A.W. Ross is the controller of Lundberg Roofing, Windows & Siding, a multi-service company that has been serving the Charlotte, North Carolina area since 1979.  According to him, wood windows are a highly desirable choice among homeowners due to their attractive appearance. Although wood was once considered an outdated window material, these days, it seems to have become more popular due to its aesthetic appeal. In fact, Ross feels that wood windows are unquestionably nice to look at.

 

As a window material, however, wood can be difficult to clean and preserve. Since wood is able to deteriorate over time, any homeowner who chooses wood should properly maintain his windows to make them long-lasting and get a decent return on the investment. In fact, while most window companies are willing to offer warranties on new products, the average warranty for wood windows will only cover two to five years. Vinyl, on the other hand, tends to come with a lifetime warranty at the time of purchase and installation.

 

Wood does not insulate as well as vinyl and it will not provide enough energy-saving insulation to offset some of the initial expense, so it is a costly option for windows. Of course, certain types of wood windows are more energy efficient; however, they are still more expensive than their standard counterparts. And no matter how energy efficient a particular wood window might be, Ross is sure that it will still never compare to the insulating abilities of a vinyl equivalent.

 

If you consider replacing your windows, you might want to think twice before splurging for wood. Although wood is certainly pleasing to the eye, it might not be the most cost-effective option in the long run. On the other hand, if you happen to adore the look of wood, wood windows might be your best choice, especially if you can find ones that qualify for a tax credit. After all, the perfect set of windows can work to frame your home and improve its appeal. So while you might pay a lot for wood, you’ll reap the benefits of wood windows in both personal satisfaction and visitor compliments.

 

Lundberg Windows & Siding is an authorized dealer for Trimline Windows, Inc. The insulating qualities of wood provides a positive thermal break and can be painted or stained. All wood parts are produced from the finest quality kiln dried select Western Pine and are treated with a water repellent preservative. Decorative wood bead glazing provides a positive energy tight seal for the insulating glass.

 

A.W. Ross is a writer for Yodle, a business directory and online advertising company. Find a <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’);” href=”http://local.yodle.com/articles”>roofer</a> or more <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’);” href=” http://local.yodle.com/articles/topics/contractors-construction/home-improvement-remodeling-services /”>roofing </a> articles at Yodle Consumer Guide. 

 

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Apr 1


www.ewebengine.com 119 Wood Meadows Dr N Buckley, MI 49620 Attractive Home In A Pleasant Subdivision Just South Of Traverse City. Enjoy Split Level Design With Three Finished Living Areas. Nice Features Include 3 Bedrooms, 2 Full Baths, Walk Through Kitchen Layout With Oak Cabinetry &amp; All Appliances Included, Door Wall Off Dining Room To Rear Deck Area, Walk-out Lower Level That Has Spacious Family Room, Full Bath And Laundry Area, 2 Car Gar. W/asphalted Driveway &amp; Additional Parking Area, Maintenance Free Vinyl Siding &amp; Window. This One Shines Inside &amp; Out! Listed by Linda Schaub – REAL ESTATE ONE-RANDOLPH www.ewebengine.com

Jan 3

Include 3 Bedrooms, 2 Full Baths, Walk Through Kitchen Layout With Oak Cabinetry &amp; All Appliances Included, Door Wall Off Dining Room To Rear Deck Area, Walk-out Lower Level That Has Spacious Family Room, Full Bath And Laundry Area, 2 Car Gar. W/asphalted Driveway &amp; Additional Parking Area, Maintenance Free Vinyl Siding &amp; Window. This One Shines Inside &amp; Out! Listed by Linda Schaub – REAL ESTATE ONE-RANDOLPH www.ewebengine.com

Dec 25

Vinyl shutters have really come a long way when it comes to popularity. Traditionally, exterior shutters were made from natural wood (mostly pine). This was due to the fact that before the industrial revolution plastics were not available and wood was the least expensive option for windows – in fact, exterior shutters were invented because at the time using glass for window coverings was not economical.

However, times have changed and the vinyl exterior shutter is here. This is now the least expensive option and is also the least amount of maintenance. Some vinyl shutters such as the Alcoa Vintage series even come very close to the natural wood look and feel.

Selecting Your Exterior Shutter Style

The style of vinyl exterior shutters you select boils down to personal preference, but there are other things to consider such as your region and neighborhood, the style of your home, and your budget.

There are 3 basic styles of exterior vinyl shutters to choose from, and each has multiple variations.

1. Louvered Shutters

2. Raised Panel Shutters

3. Board and Batten Shutters

Measure Your Windows for Vinyl Exterior Shutters

Measuring your windows for exterior shutters also has a lot to do with the area you live in. For example, it is common in New England to use exterior shutters that are the same size as the window, rather than extending all the way from the top to the bottom of the window trim. There are also other factors such as whether you are installing on brick or stone, how close the windows are together, and how close the windows are to obstructions such as lights and down spouts.

Measuring Windows for Vinyl Exterior Window Shutters has more in depth advice about how to make the correct measurement for your vinyl exterior shutters.

Deciding Between Standard Sized and Custom Shutters

Another factor to consider when measuring your windows is whether you can save a little money by ordering standard sized shutters, or whether your home (and preference) would be best suited for custom shutters.

Standard sized shutters are pre-molded to specific sizes that are usually around 12″ and 15″ in width and come in sizes that are approximately every 3 or 4 inches in height. This is a bit like a “one size fits all” solution, where there are often times where that size just won’t work.

Custom shutters are assembled after you order them and are available in several widths and in heights that are usually in either 1/4″ or 1″ increments. Ordering custom shutters gives you a lot more flexibility for a little extra expense.

Choosing Between Standard and Custom Exterior Vinyl Shutters provides more details on how to make the decision which exterior shutters are right for you.

Choose the Color of your Vinyl Exterior Shutters

Choosing the color of vinyl exterior shutters depends on factors such as whether you are willing to paint the exterior shutters (and repaint as often as you paint your house), what manufacturer the shutters come from, whether your house is a dark or a light color, and whether you are concerned about “water spots” when it rains.

Installing your Exterior Shutters

Installing vinyl exterior shutters can be done in a matter of a few hours with simple tools such as a hammer and a drill. While some people prefer to have their exterior shutters professionally installed, with exterior vinyl shutters there is no need – simply do it yourself.

After you have installed your vinyl exterior shutters, take a few steps back from the house and see what you have accomplished!

Shad Storhaug is the founder of ShutterContractor.com and is also the webmaster for Articles About Exterior Shutters and House Shutters.

Dec 23

and serves all of the Mid-Michigan area including East Lansing, Okemos, Dewitt, Grand Ledge, Holt and the surrounding suburbs. Deck Staining, Power Washing, Deck Cleaning & Staining, RESIDENTIAL POWER WASHING Moss & Mold Removal * Cedar Siding *Decks * Brick Walkways * Concrete Patio * Fences * Stucco * Vinyl Siding * Patio Furniture * Side Walks * Driveways * Swimming Pools * Tennis Courts * Boats * Leaders & Gutters * House Washing. … Deck wood plastic composite okemos lansing dewitt …

Dec 22

A wood stain can make a finish seem cheap or elaborate depending on the brand of stain. Choose a good wood stain to make it an easy process with tips from a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) certified home repairman in thisfree video on home repair. Expert: James Drew Contact: www.jnchomerepair.com Bio: James Drew is the owner and president of JNC Home Repair in Austin, TX. Drew is also an HVAC certified tech with more than two decades experience in plumbing, masonry, and …

Dec 22

Although wooden shutters have been around for many years longer than that of vinyl, not all homeowners want to use the old time favorite for their home anymore.

There are so many reasons why homeowners choose wood over vinyl shutters and vice versa. A large percentage of homeowners who choose to stick with wooden shutters are due in part to the style and age of their home.

If a homeowner occupies a well kept 20th or even 19th century home, they typically won’t choose vinyl as their homes exterior shutter because they want to stay true to their home’s era.

However, anymore it can be quite hard to tell the difference between wooden and vinyl shutters due to vinyl’s authentic wood grain appearance which makes it hard to tell if it’s wood or vinyl.

As with most things in life, both wood and vinyl shutters have their advantages and disadvantages. Some advantages of vinyl shutters are that they are very durable, hold up to most any extreme weather conditions and vinyl is typically much cheaper than that of their wooden counterparts.

Disadvantages of vinyl shutters, depending on personal preference, vinyl shutters don’t appear quite as attractive as wooden shutters. Vinyl is also not a good choice if a color change in wanted ever so often since vinyl doesn’t hold paint as well as wooden shutters, nor is it stainable.

Wooden shutters too have their downfalls, such as higher price, manufacturing times and greater chances of deterioration than that of vinyl. Not everyone minds paying more for wooden shutters when quality and custom appearance are important factors. However, when dealing with wooden shutters a homeowner should be aware that wood shutters are bound to deteriorate over time.

If the wood shutters are constructed well and made of a quality wood, they should last many, many years, but only if the homeowner maintains proper care of the shutters. Wooden shutters last the longest when properly cleaned and paint every few years, which is something vinyl owners need not worry about since vinyl does not deteriorate like that of natural wood.

Wood being the old time favorite also has advantages that some find to outweigh the perks of vinyl. Wooden shutters, when made with high quality material and craftsmanship, are very durable, they can be painted or stained almost any color imaginable and create an appearance that vinyl can’t quite top.

When it comes to needing 100% custom shutters made, wood may be the only option, depending on the exact size(s) needed. Although vinyl shutters are available in many, many sizes, wooden shutters are available in any size imaginable, even down to a 1/16”.

Multi business owner and technical writer.

Dec 20

To help to protect our homes from the harsh elements many of us use different types of sidings. These sidings can be natural wood sidings like that of Cedar wood or log sidings. We can even choose steel sidings, aluminum siding, vinyl siding and even log vinyl siding.

Log vinyl siding is made from vinyl but it has been created to resemble real wood sidings. The log vinyl siding will be patterned as if you were looking at cut logs. This means you have a choice of having the smooth finish of the inside wood or you can choose the rustic look of the rough outer log covering.

Log vinyl siding is a cheap alternative to real wood sidings like Cedar wood which is usually used. In the log vinyl siding the siding has been designed so that you can place the various trims and J-channels that are needed for the installation of the vinyl siding in places where they will blend in with the imitation wood.

As you are installing the log vinyl siding you should take care that the pattern of the logs is visible and also that you have allowed enough of the vinyl siding material to account for the various weather conditions.

This is because even though log vinyl siding looks like real log siding it has a tendency to have water seepage damage occurring and sometimes the siding will buckle and warp. This damage factor occurs when there isn’t enough room left from the installation process for thermal expansion.

When you are buying log vinyl siding you will need to see the best way that you can attach this siding to your home so that the various elements will not affect the look of the log vinyl siding. You should be able to find vinyl siding manufactures who can provide you with information to prevent these types of mishaps.

When you are installing the log vinyl siding you should make sure that you have enough of the vinyl siding available for any mistakes that occur as you will need to replace the entire panel. While this type of vinyl siding is a popular option to full log siding you might want to see the advantages and disadvantages to be found with log vinyl siding.

For the proud homeowner there are many different colors and textures that log vinyl siding can be found in. You should look at these sidings to choose the type of log vinyl siding that will prove to be an asset for your home for many years to come.

Muna wa Wanjiru is a web administrator and has been researching and reporting on internet marketing for years. For more information on log vinyl siding, visit his site at LOG VINYL SIDING

Dec 19

Wood Insulating & Vinyl Siding Co www.talkingphonebook.com

Dec 17