Home Winter Weather Prep: Inside and Out, Part 2

In Part 1 of this series, we focused on proven prep strategies to get the inside of your home ready for the Wisconsin winter. Now, in Part 2, we turn our attention to prepping the outside of your home before the winter weather sets in. The following nine tips can go a long way in protecting your home, and avoiding costly expenses, so let’s get started … 1. Be Sure to Drain Lawn Irrigation Systems If you have a lawn irrigation system, it’s important to make sure it’s drained before freezing weather sets in. Unlike the piping that leads into your home, irrigation systems aren’t buried deeply, which means they have a tendency to freeze once the temperature drops. Freezing can lead to bursting pipes, and it’s best to avoid both. Even if you are only using a standard hose, it’s a good idea to drain it completely so it doesn’t incur damage, or freeze the pipe attachment on the outside of your home. If you’re not clear on how to drain your lawn irrigation

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Home Winter Weather Prep: Inside and Out, Part 1

In this two-part series, we’re sharing some proven prep strategies to get your home ready for the Wisconsin winter. In Part 1, we’re focusing on preparing the inside of your home, and in Part 2, we’ll shift our attention to exterior home prep. To begin, it’s important to note that even if you haven’t been experiencing any issues with your home, it’s important to take these simple steps seriously, as they can help you avoid costly issues down the road. And now is the time to handle these winter weather prep tips — while it’s still nice outside. Let’s dive into 7 things you can do right now — inside your home — to prepare it for winter … 1. Furnace Tune Up Whether your furnace is new or older, having it serviced regularly is a great way to keep it running smoothly. It also helps prevent fire and smoke damage. We recommend hiring a local company to perform the tune up. We also recommend calling at least two servicers, as pricing and service availability

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Roofing 101: The Importance of Leak Barriers

In a nutshell, a leak barrier is a product that works to prevent leaks caused by ice dams and wind-driven rain. An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms on the edge of a roof — preventing snow from draining from the roof when it melts. Wind-driven rain is rain that blows horizontally, which can find its way in-between shingles. As you might imagine, it’s best to avoid both of these issues, and this is where leak barriers come into play. WHERE SHOULD LEAK BARRIERS BE INSTALLED? Here is a list of the most at-risk points of a roof that can benefit from leak barriers: Rakes Eaves Around the chimney Valleys, which are the places where two angles of a roofline meet Anywhere fasteners are implemented The perimeter edges of roofing Any low slopes on the roof, because run-off can be more slow in these areas In some cases, it might be good to consider placing leak barriers on your entire roof — depending on things like climate and overall roof slope; since

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Telltale Signs that Your Roof is Not Energy Efficient

Your roofing is an extremely important part of your home, which is why it’s so critical to keep it in good working condition.  In our last article, we talked about the 7 steps to keep your roofing healthy. We’re continuing our discussion on roof health here, pointing out the top signs that your roof may be providing poor energy efficiency by losing heat. Let’s jump right in! Where’s the Snow? Snow on the roof during a Wisconsin winter is normal. And although too much snow could damage your roof (which is why it may need to be carefully removed with a snow roof rake, or by a professional), if the snow is melting as soon as it lands on the roof — this can mean that heat from inside the home is escaping through the roof, making the roof warm enough to melt the snow. This typically occurs because of poor insulation. You Notice Damaged or Missing Shingles Well-crafted asphalt roofing is meant to last between 15 to 30 years. That said, eventually shingles start

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Preparing Your Roof for Fall: 7 Steps to Keep Your Roofing Healthy

At Legacy Exteriors, one of our favorite projects is new roof installation. That said, we’re also big proponents of helping Dane County homeowners keep their roofs in tip-top shape, so the life of their current asphalt or metal roofing can be extended. Before we get started with the DIY list of keeping your roof healthy, it’s important to determine whether or not you are actually willing and able to perform the inspection, clean up, maintenance and potential repairs. If you are, read on. If not, consider hiring a local, reputable roofing company to come out and at least perform a roof inspection on your home. If you do this, keep in mind that you should NEVER have to pay for a professional roof inspection, which is why our inspections are always complimentary. If you do choose to perform the following tips yourself, make sure you have the proper equipment, gear, and physical ability to do the work — and that you have a spotter for your ladder. Otherwise, we recommend hiring a professional. Roof Inspection

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