Show Notes: Roof, roof here! Roof, roof there! – On the House
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Show Notes: Roof, roof here! Roof, roof there!

By on September 14, 2019
roof

Here a roof!

There a roof!

Everywhere a roof, roof!

via GIPHY

From “Reading Your Roof” to “Leveling Slanted Floors,” this week’s episode of On The House with the Carey Brothers has your home covered from roof to floors!

Missed our live show? Don’t worry! Because we have a podcast of the show. It’s the same thing we aired on the radio, but ready for you whenever and wherever you are! Check it out here. 

And don’t forget to enter the Camp Chef Giveaway before September 24, 2019!

The Homeowner’s Guide to Reading Your Roof – What’s Normal and What’s Not 

 Four out of five homes in the U.S. have asphalt shingles on their roof. And it’s easy to see why. The wide variety of available colors and styles, combined with durability and affordability, has made asphalt shingles the leading choice for residential roofing in the country. 

 But, like all exterior building products, asphalt shingles start to age as soon as they are exposed to nature. Buildings experience aging factors differently, so it’s difficult to predict how long shingles will last. This is why it’s important to have regular maintenance with the help of a professional roof contractor.

Here are a few common signs of aging shingles: 

Curling is a common phenomenon in some shingles and is not considered a defect. It is natural for asphalt to age and shrink with time, which may result in a slight curling of the shingle edge. 

Minor cracks may also appear on the shingles as they age, but industry experts say it is a normal weathering characteristic and not cause for alarm, as long as the cracks do not penetrate through the shingle and the roof is still performing the intended purpose of shedding water. The intense heat from the sun can deplete some of the protective asphalt oils, and that can cause minor cracks. 

Dark brown or black streaks down the roof are common in particularly moist or humid areas of the country, and are the result of algae growth on the shingles. While not particularly attractive, these stains should not affect the shingles’ ability to shed water.

Some granule loss on the shingles is to be expected, especially if a roof has been recently repaired or replaced, since extra granules are a part of the shingle manufacturing process. Loose granules are usually noticed collecting in roof gutters after the shingles are installed. This type of granule shedding is common and not a cause for concern. 

These roof issues may need attention: 

Blisters, or small circular raised areas, are often the direct result of under-ventilated attics or excessive use of plastic cement — both of which are installation errors. If the blisters are closed and are not affecting the shingles’ performance, they are not a cause for concern. But if the blisters are open, exposing the asphalt, the roof is vulnerable to water penetration and requires immediate attention. 

Buckling, a distortion of the shingles, can be a possible sign of inadequate roof ventilation, issues with the roof deck or other installation errors and may require attention. 

Deep cracks that penetrate through the fiberglass mat should be investigated, as they may compromise the roof’s ability to shed water and make it susceptible to leaks. 

Excessive granule loss that exposes the shingles’ asphalt layer is a reason for concern and requires immediate attention. 

Armed with this basic information, homeowners should be able to distinguish between natural processes that are no cause for alarm and issues that do require attention and repair.  

 

Are You a Fan of House Flipping and True Crime Shows?  

“Murder House Flip” Combines Your Love of True Crime and Home Renovation Shows  

 “Murder House Flip” is a home renovation show with a twist. Instead of redoing a regular house in need of some modern updates, it goes inside some of the most infamous homes in the country—ones where high-profile murders took place. 

The show will feature forensic specialists, high-end renovation experts, and spiritual healers who will uncover the history of the crimes committed at the house, renovate to rejuvenate the space, and cleanse to bring new energy into the home. It’ll air on Quibi, a mobile-only streaming service coming in early 2020. 

“We are excited to partner with Quibi to deliver a spin on a home makeover show in unique short form content,” Josh Berman, Executive Producer, says in a press release. “Murder House Flip combines home renovations with the intriguing elements of a true-crime series.” 

According to Berman, “Murder House Flip” will focus on “bringing healing and solace to families living in the aftermath of tragic events by transforming dark places into healthy spaces.” Rather than dwelling on the details of the case, it’ll also focus on cleansing and removing bad energy from the past.

 

Level a Slanted, Sloping Floor  

DIY or Pro Project? 

 Few aspects of a home elicit as much anxiety as a floor thats out of level. When your floor slopes from one end to the other or has dips and sags, it is a frustrating, vexing problem that is difficult to make right again. 

Before calling in a floor company or contractor, to give you an estimate, determine why your floor is slanting or dipping in the first place, along with common solutions. 

 When the Floor Slopes 

Floor slopes and slants are common in old houses. A slant/slope situation might be one where, over the course of 15 or 20 horizontal feet, the floor slopes down one or two inches. Except for that slope, the floor itself might be flat. 

For rooms that have a general slope, the issue may be foundation problems that require the assistance of a foundation repair company or a general contractor. Possible causes include: 

Foundation Footer Has Subsided: Since the floor itself is flat, the first guess is that the foundation footer has subsided or sunk. With foundation problems, this is an identifiable problem and you can find companies that specialize in foundation repair. They will have to come in and jack up that portion of the house and place new footers. Foundation repair is always expensive and is rarely less than $10,000. 

Sill Is Rotted Out:

Alternately, the sill (the wooden part of the house that rests on the foundation footer) may have deteriorated either due to rot, water, termites, or carpenter ants. For this, you will have a harder time finding crews who specialize in this kind of work. Foundation repair companies will not take the work, so your best bet is to begin with a general contractor, who will pull together the right subcontractors for this kind of work. If you do not want to go through a contractor, a good general carpenter who possesses house jacks or is willing to rent them will be able to do this work, too. 

When the Floor Sags and Dips  

Different from slanting/sloping floors are those that sag or have dips. For instance, you may have a dining room floor that, end to end is level, but between those two points are various sags and dips. 

Your foundation may not be the problem. Instead, it will likely be an issue with joists and beams below your floor that require shoring up. Solutions include: 

  • Sistering
    • If you have access to the basement or crawlspace, it is possible to jack up saggy joists until they are level and then sister them so that they remain straight after the jacks are removed. Sistering is the process of mating up two boards with nails or bolts so that the new board corrects or supports the other, weaker one. 
  • Adjustable Steel (Lally) Columns:
    • Another fix is to place adjustable steel columns under the joists to keep them propped up. This steel column fix does require that the base of the column be secured to the basement floor and the top of the column be secured to the joist. 
  • Bridging:
    • On the top side of the floor, another fix-it idea to lay down new hardwood over the existing floor. A plywood subfloor will bridge any minor waves in the existing floor, and leveling compound would help, too. You will have to make sure your joists can handle the addition of considerably more weight from the plywood subfloor and any floor coverings. Below, you can sister the joists and add a few adjustable columns to strengthen the joists to handle the additional weight. 
  • Acceptance/Workarounds:
    • Finally, many homeowners, when confronted with staggering bills for floor repairs, come to terms with their floors. Old houses often have floors that are less than perfect; even historic houses have saggy, sloping floors. Minor workarounds are possible, such as leveling individual elements within the floor (tables, armoires, cabinets, etc.).  

 

Hot Glue Hacks 

 Manage the Scratches 

Nothing will mess with your space’s feng shui quite like realizing your favorite piece of decor is scratching your oh-so-perfect coffee table. Solve the problem by adding hot glue bumpers to the base of a pot, vase or other decor piece. 

 Revamp Your Rug 

Rug pads are oh-so-necessary, but sometimes even they don’t do the trick. Adding a dab of hot glue to the bottom corners of a rug will give it the grip it needs to stay in place. 

Bring on the Bumpers 

Get the quietness of soft-close drawers without spending a fortune. Simply remove the drawer from the cabinet and add a spot of hot glue to the inside corners. Once dry, return the drawer to its home. Try slamming the drawer closed, we dare you. 

 

Cabinets Invisibility Lock and Unlock With Fingerprint Technology 

 If you have a homeowner requesting cabinetry that has the ability to lock, manufacturer Diamond Cabinets has a new product for you, biometric-secured cabinets. The new secured drawer uses master lock biometric technology, which means you can open the cabinet with just the touch of a finger, instead of a traditional key. According to House Beautiful’s Brittney Morgan, the sensors scan quickly and accurately and can store up to 100 different fingerprints. 

The whole process of unlocking these cabinets is super-simple and straightforward: When you go to open the locked drawer, it will put out just slightly to display the fingerprint sensor and battery. Just place your finger on the sensor and pull the drawer to open it fully. And of course, there’s also the back-up option of using a key, but the manual lock is hidden on the underside of the drawer, invisible if you’re looking at the cabinet fronts. 

 

 things to do around the bay

 

Senior Scam Stopper Seminar   

Monday Sept 16, 2019 10:00 – 11:30 Am

Joan Pisani Community Center – 19655 Allendale Ave,  Saratoga, CA

A Public Event By The Contractors State License Board And Saratoga Area Senior Center

 

Mentioned Links 

 

~ Thank you~ 

A very special thank you to all of our callers! We live to answer your questions, so keep them coming! 

Thank you to our Technical Support: 

  • Danny Bringer – Chief Engineer  
  • Carol “Remodeling Babe” Carey – Executive Producer  
  • Sam Reed – Associate Producer  
  • Rico Figliolini – Digital Master 

 

Thank you for tuning in [INSERT PHRASE RELATED TO SHOW NOTES TITLE]! And check in next week for more cool tips! 

“[INSERT SHOW NOTES TITLE]” Show Notes for On The House with the Carey Brothers aired September 14, 2019. 

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