Hail damage when it comes to roofing is not always easy to spot from the ground. Instead of taking a chance with your safety, we are here to help with free roof inspections – and work with your insurance company if there is damage that needs to be fixed.
![storm-damage-inspections[1]](https://www.selaroofing.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/storm-damage-inspections1.jpg)
Remember to Just Say Sela! Call or click today.
We have decades of experience fixing damage from Minnesota storms – everything from roofs to windows and gutters to siding.
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It’s time for spring cleaning again. This year, don’t forget to spruce up your outdoor space, too! Learning how to choose the perfect furniture and accessories for your yard, deck, or patio can guarantee that you have a summer to remember. Here are 10 tips to get your space ready for summer 2017.
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Be mindful of your climate. Wicker and teak are dependable materials that can weather many seasons of use in any climate and also select things that may be left outdoors in winter if you don’t have space to store the items indoors.
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If you live in a windy area, consider starting your patio makeover with landscaping. Adding some thick hedges or even carefully placed trees can help create a wind buffer to make your space much more enjoyable.
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To secure your furniture for windy weather, invest in weighted bases for your tables and chairs. Consider stacking furniture when not in use as well.
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Fire pits are a popular backyard feature. They’re both attractive and useful. Use yours to grill, toast marshmallows for the kids, or warm up on a chilly night. Stone and metals like copper and iron are best suited for fire pit construction. You can customize yours to match your patio’s aesthetic.
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Eating outdoors is one of the best parts of summer, but it can get messy. Choosing tables and chairs made of metal is a great way to guarantee easier cleanup after parties or cookouts. No longer will you need to deal with stains!
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Another way to keep your outdoor space clean is to decorate with cushions with removable covers. Rather than flipping to hide stains, just remove the cover and toss it in the wash to make it look like new.
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A quality umbrella can make or break an outdoor space. If purchasing an umbrella for your table, make sure it’s big enough to provide shade for the seats, too. Choose a thick material that can handle summer storms, and consider buying a model that you can angle to provide shade throughout the day.
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Be mindful of space. For patios with a smaller square footage, less is more in terms of decoration. Choosing just a few staple items rather than trying to have it all can make your space more maneuverable and visually appealing.
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Don’t be afraid to DIY! Shop around at yard sales or even in your own storage space for furniture that could use a fresh coat of paint or a new cushion. Spend a little time and save a lot of money.
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Decorating your outdoor space doesn’t have to be a solo mission. Including the whole family in planning, purchasing, and construction is a great way to brainstorm fresh ideas. Working together to create the best space possible is a surefire way to get you all excited for the warm weather.
Summer is best enjoyed outside, and there’s no better way to enjoy it than in a space that you’ve designed to your own standards of perfection. Taking the time to individualize your outdoor space will help make summer 2017 the best one yet.
If you want to have a lush, healthy lawn in July and August, you must put in the time and effort in the spring. As soon as your grass leaves its dormancy stage (timing depends on grass type), it’s time to start a springtime regimen that will ensure a healthy lawn all spring, summer, and fall.
Gardening.Lawn sprinkler spraying water over green grass. Irrigation system – technique of watering in the garden.
Run Soil Tests
There are many factors that impact the pH balance of the soil. If a yard is exposed to pine trees and pine needles, it could become too acidic. If there is an abundance of lime or clay, it could prove to be deficient. The only way to determine a healthy soil is to test it. Do-it-yourself soil test kits are available from nurseries and home care stores. Test your lawn’s soil before proceeding with care and maintenance.
Treat Weeds
Weeds thrive as a lawn becomes strained. If weeds had taken hold by the end of the previous growing cycle, they would still be present. New weed growth is also capable of taking hold and establishing itself early in the spring even before the grass can become established and strong. A selective herbicide should be used to treat weeds fully in the spring. If weeds are not prevalent, a fertilizer with weed control should suffice. Weed-preventive fertilizers and treatments are referred to as “pre-emergent.” Keep in mind that if a lawn needs to be seeded, the herbicide will also prevent grass seed from germinating. Seeding has to wait 12 weeks after herbicidal application in order to allow the new grass seed to grow and take root.
Aerate and Thatch
Grass that has died over the winter is just waiting to become thatch (if it hasn’t already). This grass needs to be removed, along with any remaining thatch from the previous year, to allow both existing and emerging grass the room it needs to breathe and absorb both sunlight and water. While raking and removing thatch, you should check the lawn for compaction, which can occur from the weight of snow or ice and an overabundance of thatch. Compaction will also inhibit growth. A strong raking motion with a metal thatch rake should assist with both removing the thatch and breaking up compaction.
The next step in the springtime lawn cleanup and preparation is aeration. There is some debate about the best time to aerate a lawn. If done too early, it can damage emerging growth and weaken existing growth. Ideally, aeration should take place in the fall but, failing that, it can be done in the springtime when the lawn has had a chance to grow and strengthen a little.
Repair
There are several different approaches to repairing a lawn. Over-seeding is the process of applying a light layer of topsoil and a limited amount of grass seed over the top of an existing lawn. Over-seeding will allow the lawn to self-repair by filling in bare spots and growing strong. Patching a lawn is filling in bare spots with both topsoil and seed. Laying sod can be a final option if a lawn is damaged beyond repair, or the homeowner seeks a full lush lawn. Whichever option is chosen, a liberal amount of water should be supplied to the seed or lawn to allow it to take root and grow. Repair should take place early in the spring, once grass has begun to grow and there is no danger of a frost.
Fertilize
Fertilizer is food for a lawn. While it is important that to fertilize a lawn receive fertilizer , it can be overdone. It can also be applied unevenly and contribute to unused chemical runoff that might eventually make its way into the water supply. A soil test at the outset of spring is important for determining a lawn’s deficiencies. The ideal time to fertilize a lawn is in the fall. Fall fertilization allows for storage of necessary nutrients in the root system and will provide all that is needed for the following growing season. If you must fertilize in the spring, make sure it is evenly spread and applied with rain in the forecast. It is also best to use a time-release formula.
Cut and Water
Contrary to popular belief, watering the grass does not need to be a daily event. To create the strong, deep root system that characterizes a healthy lawn, watering deeply two times a week (or as needed to supplement rainfall) is sufficient. Daily, shallow watering makes the lawn dependent on the watering frequency and promotes shallow root growth, since the water doesn’t penetrate deep into the soil.
Another common misconception involves the ideal length of grass blades. Too many people cut their lawns short, often in an effort to reduce labor and increase the time needed between cuts. Dropping the mower blades too low puts undue strain on a lawn and opens the door for both burning and weed emergence. Refer to the suggested cutting height for the grass type and set the mower blades accordingly.
While the effort and amount of work needed in the springtime is significant, it will pay rewards all summer long.
Is your roof beginning to show its age? Are you starting to see signs of weather damage and wondering whether it might be time to hire a roofing contractor? Before you start to panic and worry over the thousands of dollars a new roof might cost, it is imperative you understand whether your roof truly does need replacing or not.
If the following warning signs are present, it might indeed be time to replace your roof:
Shoddy Shingles
If the shingles on your roof are beginning to look cracked and dry, it is time to consider a new roof. There are a host of new shingle options available to today’s homeowner; a contractor like Sela Roofing can advise you as to which roofs are best for your house type and the Minnesota weather.
Light in Attic Crawl Space
If you peek your head into your attic crawl space and notice light coming through from your roof, it is time for a roof upgrade. Heat loss through a worn out roof can have a huge impact on your yearly utility costs. Make sure your roof is completely impervious to sunlight and moisture to ensure you are not providing a perfect breeding ground for mold, insects, and small rodents.
Moss Garden
If your roof is starting to look like you have a rooftop garden instead of a standard shingle roof, it is time to call in the pros. Too much moss growth on your roof can lead to rot issues and interior water damage. Keep the moss in your garden and not on your home’s roof.
If any of these roof problems are present, please give us a call us for a free estimate to help you better access the state of your home’s most important feature. Without a properly maintained roof, everything from your walls to your electrical wiring can be at risk. Postponing roofing repairs can end up being a costly mistake in the long-run.
Take a chance to assess where your roof stands this fall so you can go into winter without worries!
We have been Owens Corning Preferred Platinum Contractor for years, and we love installing their full line of products. Lately they have brought a touch of fashion and color trends to their line of shingles and we are loving homeowners reactions to them.
Watch the video and find out if you are a spring or a fall when it comes to roofing!
Call us or click today to find out more about all the options we can offer you at Sela Roofing!
Is getting more organized on your to-do list? You can start with your messiest closet…and have a fun winter home improvement project! There are tons of things you can do to customize your closets for your needs that are fairly inexpensive with high impact. To start, consider adding shelving or and over-the-organizer so that everything has its place in the closet.
This is also a great time to pare down your belongings and donate things you no longer use or need to a local charity. Get some more ideas here!
It is that time of year again – winter with tons of snow and ice! The University of Massachusetts has a great article on how ice dams form and how you can prevent them with maintenance.
If you need some help, we are always here to help!
Autumn is here. As the temperatures fall, the number of outdoor home maintenance tasks seem to rise. Many of these tasks need finishing before the onset of winter. None being more important than ensuring your flat roof is ready for the cold and wet weather. That old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is a wise motto to live by.
After every change of season it is important to inspect your roof. Coming out of summer and into the autumn weather is especially critical. The hot sun may have caused blistering or cracking. Falling objects may have left indentations in the roof. These are all precursors to possible future leaks and need immediate attention where we can help you before they become big problems.
Fall has its own set of issues to contend with as the leaves we’ve admired on the trees start bombarding our roof. Leaves will build up on the roof and in the gutters or drains if not removed on a regular basis. The damage is twofold when it comes to leaves. If they stay on top of the roof they become wet and heavy. Their weight begins to cause low sagging spots. If they fill the gutters or drains, blockages occur. These gutters and drains now aren’t allowed to do their intended job – remove water from the roof. If this is the case contact us immediately, so we can prevent any further damage.
Water freezing, thawing and refreezing in your clogged gutters can be a costly issue. Changing temperatures cause them to contract and expand on a constant basis. This will lead to cracked or broken gutters that will need replacement in the future. Cleaning out and inspecting your gutters and drains on a regular basis is a great habit to get into, all year long. Even when leaves aren’t falling, birds and critters may build nests in your downspouts. Both of these gutter or drain problems have a tendency to then promote standing water on your flat roof.
Standing water on your flat or low sloped roof is the main issue of concern for a homeowner or business owner. This is the first sign that you have a low or sagging spot already on your roof. During a heavy rain it is normal to see a small amount of water pooling for short periods of time. The time to worry is if the water doesn’t drain completely away within 24-48 hours. At this point you will want to find a way to remove that water in a safe manner until you can repair the problem areas.
Keeping your flat roof clean and clear of any debris is the first obvious line of defense. Don’t let that pile of wet leaves mentioned above stay there, remove them. Make quick visual inspections on a regular basis. Follow up with full physical “on the roof” checkups at least four times a year. If you are in an area with heavy trees or high winds, more frequent reviews may be in order. Putting yourself on a schedule is a good idea, using the change of the seasons as a general guide.
Cleaning the roof is one of the top methods to ensure your flat roof is always in good condition. During the wet or more humid months it is common to find ugly patches on your roof. Often mold, lichen, moss and even dirt accumulate and attach themselves to your roof. They end up leaving dark, damp spots which are unpleasant to look at. If allowed to remain, they can also lead to other problems. It is usually wise to hire a professional to do a complete cleaning to ensure your roof is always at its best.
With regular maintenance and care by Sela Roofing & Remodeling, your roof should provide you with years of shelter. If you protect it, it will protect you.
Our friends at Thumbtack has a great checklist on year round maintenance for your home with the 35 things you should be doing to keep it in tip top shape. We are happy to help you check a few off the list with our umbrella of companies – everything from windows, gutters, roofing and more.
All you have to do is Just Say Sela!