Protect Your Roof from Seasonal Storms
It's officially storm season and, depend-
ing on the region in which you live, hurri-
canes, tornadoes, high winds and hail can
cause tremendous damage to your home.
Hurricane season began earlier than
expected in May with the first storm of the
season, subtropical storm Andrea. At three
weeks before the start of hurricane season,
Andrea was perhaps a harbinger of the
"very active" season predicted by the Nation-
al Hurricane Center. This prediction is
alarming, as the average personal claim
due to hurricane loss has ranged from $3,000
to $13,000 over the past five years.
Summer storms also often bring hail,
and the National Weather service reports that
yearly hail damages total approximately $1
billion. Furthermore, according to a study
by A.M. Best, 2006 storm damages, torna-
does and weather-related events caused
more than $8 billion in insured losses. Addi-
tionally, the 2007 tornado season has been
one of the worst in nearly a decade. Given
the potential destruction that storms can
bring, choosing tough, long-lasting roofing
materials provides homeowners the best
chance to weather such storms unscathed.
If you are building a home, work with
your builder to choose
the best roofing mate-
rials for your region.
Do your homework
regarding roofing
options, then share
questions, concerns and
ideas with your builder.
New construction pres-
ents homeowners with
an oppor tunity to
choose roofing that both
complements the
home's design and
offers durability.
For roof replace-
ment projects, consult
a roofing contractor,
who will be the most
qualified expert to help
you decide what mate-
rial is best. Re-roofing is
a perfect time for an
upgrade to high-per-
formance shingles that
are more long-lasting
than your existing roof.
Although no roof-
ing product can guar-
antee damage will not
occur in the event of tor-
nadoes, hurricanes or
other extreme weather,
high-performance build-
ing materials offer the
ultimate in protection
by providing durability,
long-lasting beauty,
extended warranties,
and wind and fire resist-
ance. As homeowners
learn more about them,
the demand for high-
performance materials
is growing.
According to a
recent homeowner sur-
vey conducted by Syn-
ovate, a national
research firm, for
TAMKO Building Products, 80 percent of
homeowners prefer durable, low-mainte-
nance roofing products with warranties of
up to 50 years. Also, more than 85 percent
want roofing that offers greater wind, impact
and fire resistance. No matter the condi-
tion of your existing roof, exploring high-per-
formance roofing options should be top-of-
mind when preparing for stormy weather.
There are several options in high-per-
formance roofing materials, primarily asphalt
and composite. A traditional choice for roofs,
asphalt shingles are relatively inexpensive,
easy to maintain and repair, and are available
in a variety of styles, cuts and colors. Com-
posite roofing is growing in popularity
because of its combined design and durability
features. Shingles made from composite
materials are typically
designed to look like real
wood shake, slate or tile roof-
ing.
Roofing manufacturers
have responded to home-
owners' wants for good look-
ing, high-performance mate-
rials. TAMKO, for example,
offers asphalt and composite
shingles with high-per-
formance attributes, includ-
ing UL Class A fire resist-
ance, Class 4 impact
resistance and a 50-year lim-
ited warranty.
If you're not considering a roof replace-
ment this year, roof care should still be on
your radar as lack of maintenance is anoth-
er primary, yet non weather-related, rea-
son for roof repair or replacement. Be proac-
tive, and evaluate and clean your roof on a
quarterly basis. Inspect for shingle dam-
age, loose shingles, debris and rust. If you're
unsure about how to thoroughly conduct
a roof check-up or cleaning, consult a roof-
ing professional.
Weather-related wind and water dam-
age, as well as fire, are consistently the top
causes of property damage. To help minimize
damage to your home during potentially
destructive storm seasons, make sure your
home's primary level of protection -- your
roof -- is in the best condition possible.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
Create an Outdoor Living Space in
Your Own Back Yard
Today, almost everything you do
inside your home is coming outdoors.
From showers to kitchen sinks and
everything in between, today's home-
owners are utilizing the back yard to
get more life out of their homes.
In fact, Americans spent nearly
$150 billion on home remodeling in
2005 and according to the U.S. Census
Bureau, one-third of those dollars went
towards outdoor living areas. In 2006,
almost two-thirds of architects saw a
dramatic increase in outdoor living
spaces which encompasses such things
as decks, patios and outdoor kitchens.
Of course grilling outdoors has
always been a favorite pastime, but
with the creation of outdoor kitchens,
the
backyard barbecue has a new gour-
met twist. These second kitchens allow
for a different kind of cooking and
dining experience.
But it is not just about a different
way to cook, it's a lifestyle. Some home-
owners choose to install an outdoor
fireplace or firepit for the focal point and
surrounded it with couches and chaise
lounges for comfy conversation areas,
taking entertaining to a whole new
level.
To give your new features the
appearance that they've always been
a part of your landscaping, you'll want
to surround them in manufactured
stone veneer. Few building materials
create as great warmth and appeal
than stone and brands like Cultured
Stone manufactured stone from Owens
Corning provide a great deal of dis-
tinctiveness for the dollar.
Among the material's many bene-
fits, it looks and performs like natu-
ral stone but is easier to install. Cultured
Stone veneers are available in more
than 100 different colors and more
than 21 different textures to help add
value and character to a project.
Getting Started on Your Outdoor
Room
Pulling together an outdoor room
is about creating an area that meets
your idea of
comfort and
relaxation.
The Hearth
Patio & Bar-
becue Asso-
ciation offers
these simple
steps to help
create the
perfect out-
door room:
· Jot
down ideas
about how
the space will
be used in all of its applications, from
entertaining to relaxing.
· Create a wish list. Find maga-
zine and newspaper articles for infor-
mation on outdoor living spaces. Clip
pictures and put them into a notebook.
· Review your home's style. Bring
the indoor style outside, so the home's
d
İcor has cohesion. There are prod-
ucts available for every taste and style.
· Get started with a pro. Visit a
specialty retailer who sells hearth,
barbecue and patio products. Take
the notebook and wish list so they can
see your plan and style. In addition to
expertise and products, a specialty
retailer can offer key insights about
what's available in a particular area
and what works best in a certain cli-
mate.
· Consider fire and food. Position
the fireplace as the focal point, blend
in the cooking and eating areas as you
would an indoor kitchen for usability.
· Think foundation. Stone patios,
retaining walls, fences and decks are
basic foundation elements.
· Draw a plan. The best way to
achieve the desired end result is to
sketch out a plan.
· Build the space. Have fun put-
ting the space together. Consider mul-
tiple conversation areas for enhanced
functionality and interest.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
K
C
M
Y
According to
RoofHelp.com,
winds of even 50 to
75 mph can severely
damage a roof.
The Citizen. Auburn, New York
Today's Home
Saturday, June 30, 2007
9
Auburn
Rts 5 & 20, next to Fingerlakes Mall
315-253-6612
Canandaigua
25 Ontario St., across from DMV
585-393-4850
www.riestersappliances.com
Mon.- Fri. 9am to 8pm Sat. 9am to 5pm
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4
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Today's Home
The Citizen. Auburn, New York
"BOB" ELLIS
ROOFING
Family Owned Since 1948
Roofing
is Our
Specialty
B
OB
E
LLIS
· New roofs & repairs
· Shingles & flat roofs (one-Ply System)
· Chimney work, repair, restoration
· Gutter work · Free estimates
· Reasonable Prices
· Quality Workmanship guaranteed
RELIABILITY · HONESTY · KNOWLEDGE
Weedsport, NY 13166
(315) 834-9979
Auburn, NY 13021
(315) 255-6331
Toll Free
1-800-570-6331
Employees-Not Sub-Contractors
COMPLETE & RELIABLE
WASTE SERVICES
1-800-427-8727 · 7025 Mutton Hill Rd., Auburn, NY · casella.com
· Prompt & Dependable
· Environmentally Friendly
· Residential Curbside Collection
· Commercial
· Industrial
Construction / Demolition Service Portable and Stationary
Compactors Containers:
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