Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Pressure Washing the Home's Exterior

Cleaning your home's exterior is important in maintaining its appearance and value. When your home is neglected, it affects your curb appeal and ultimately your property value. In addition, the longer you wait to clean the exterior of your home, the more damage environmental contaminants and pollutants can do.


For example, mold actually "digests" and helps to decompose and break down things like leaves, wood and other plant debris. But they become a problem when they go where they are not wanted and digest the exterior of your home.
   
Car and factory emissions also take a toll on your home, especially those near high-traffic areas. While you may not notice it at present, when cleaned, a black filth washes off most buildings in cities and suburbs.
   
Having your home professionally cleaned regularly will not only ensure that the exterior is not being damaged by mold, mildew and algae, but it's a relatively inexpensive way to increase its curb appeal and overall market value by thousands.   




Best Paint Colors for a Small Space

Are you still under the misconception that a completely white color palette will make an apartment or house appear larger? The trick to painting a small home or apartment is to use vibrant or dark colors with discretion to enhance areas you want to play up, such as a living room wall or entry way.  

As a general rule of thumb, darker tones will make a room seem smaller and cozier, and lighter and brighter tones will make a room seem larger. It's also important to leave negative space (white or light neutral tones) between bold splashes of color to give the eye rest, and to enhance the openness of adjoining or connecting areas.      

When in doubt, there's nothing wrong with choosing a neutral shade in a dark room with little lighting. For example, a small bedroom will do well with a dark, comforting paint color like gray or a soft, light brown, which can help a tiny room feel cozy, instead of simply small (which is often the case with white walls). When painting with a dark color in a small room, make sure to decorate to provide balance with lighter shades in bedding or living room furniture.      

The good news is that painting a small space to help it appear larger isn't governed by one set of rules. You can use bright hues to liven up a little room or stick with dark neutrals to help a tiny room feel cozy and inviting.


Need a New Flat Roof? Consider the Green Alternative

Conklin Roofing Systems' Spray Polyurethane foam or "SPF" system is a great way to provide high-grade insulation on roofing for top-down protection from the elements. An SPF application effectively eliminates air infiltration, adds building strength and reduces cooling and heating costs.  
  
During the restoration process each problem area of your roof is addressed, repaired and resealed; then the entire roof is sealed with foam and a reflective finish coat. No tear-off of your existing roof is required. That means you'll experience no disruption to your home or lifestyle, and no debris will be added to the landfill. 

Additional advantages of Conklin's SPF system:   
  • Adds structural strength without adding much weight.
  • Can be applied to most existing flat-roof surfaces
  • Withstands hurricane-force winds
  • Can easily correct damaged substrate and/or poor drainage
  • Will not absorb water due to foam's closed-cell insulation ies
  • Reduces sound transmission
  • Is fast and easy to repair or recoat