We all know that owning a home is a huge responsibility. As soon as one thing is fixed, something else breaks. There are also “the jobs” you can’t afford to put off.

Now that it’s summertime, you need to get started sealing up your home.

• Air seal the trim. The first step is air sealing the finish trim and enclosure around the attic hatch. Carefully pull down the finish trim. (Pray that the installer used finish nails and not, say, ring-shank nails.) Set aside the trim and, using caulk for smaller gaps (less than 1/4″) or foam sealant for larger ones, seal the gap between the attic hatch framing and the rough cut drywall.
• Apply a bead of caulk on the inside and outside edges of the trim, and then reattach it.
• Air seal the hatch perimeter. The plywood hatch rests on a small wood strip lip. The standard air sealing recommendation is to install a compression bulb weather-strip. This can also be beefed up to a sealing gasket like the one on your refrigerator door. Gaskets are generally more durable and produce a tighter seal.
• Insulate the hatch. Cut foam board to 1/2″ less than the size of the hatch on each side.
• Foil-faced polyiso is the greenest and best-performing of the rigid foam options. Apply a bead of foam-compatible glue to it and attach it to the plywood hatch. Wash, rinse and repeat until you have added at least 4 inches of foam (but preferably 8 inches + of foam).
• Fasteners. Add a handle and several hook-and-eye fasteners situated so that when the hatch is forcefully pulled down, it tightly compresses the gasket.

Just so you know, attic hatches are the start of house efficiency problems. They’re in plain sight but rarely addressed adequately. Insulate and air seal your attic hatch to save money and improve your house’s comfort.

Metal roofs are definitely gaining in popularity. Not only for businesses, but for homeowners as well. Here are a few reasons why many are ditching the traditional roof and going metal.

1. Metal roofs are lightweight.

2. Fireproof. Because it’s made of steel, metal roofs are incombustible and safe from exposure to airborne burning cinders. The patented interlocking fastening system prevents the panels from lifting and allowing blowing embers to ignite the roof deck.

3. Hail resistant. Metal roofs provide weatherproof performance with a hail stone warranty. In some states insurance carriers even offer a discount for installing a steel roof.

4. Extremely durable. Metal roofs do not absorb moisture and therefore have excellent compatibility with snow and ice. The strong, stone-coated steel panels have been tested in excess of 224 lbs per sq. before panel deformation occurs.

5. Green. Steel is 100% recyclable. There is little waste and it can be recycled an infinite number of times without degradation.

6. Good for resale. You can expect to save 10 to 20% on your homeowner’s insurance. Real estate professionals say metal roofs add value to houses listed for sale. The appearance, long life, fire resistance and transferable warranty are definite selling points.

It’s no secret that metal roofs are definitely gaining in popularity.

Summertime is extremely busy for those in the metal roof industry. Why, you ask? First of all because high temperatures and intense sun are especially damaging to roofing materials. So, more and more homeowners are looking for more durable, lasting, and energy efficient options.

A traditional, asphalt roof has a hard time in extreme heat. It has to endure triple digit temps and great amounts of sunlight. Heat and sun cause most roofing materials to break down rapidly. They dry out, crack, curl, and disintegrate. As this happens, their lives are shortened and they become more susceptible to leaks and wind damage. But metal doesn’t do that. It is virtually heat and sun resistant.

Another major problem of a traditional roof is that many roofing materials dry out in the hot sun. They lose their fire resistance and can pose a great fire risk to homes and their contents. This is not the case with metal. Metal roofs create a lasting barrier against airborne sparks, providing ultimate home protection. These are just a few of the reasons both business owners and homeowners are making the investment and choosing metal over asphalt.

Summer is almost here, and believe it or not, now is a great time to insulate. An adequate amount of insulation will keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Figuring out which type of insulation to use is so much easier when you have an idea of what the different types are, how effective they are, and where they are used. A high R-value is a good thing. It is a measure of thermal resistance used in the building and construction industry. The higher the R-value the less heat and cold air will escape your home.

One of the slightly more expensive options out there is residential foam insulation. However, you will recoup your costs over time with the additional savings in energy costs that you will get through using expanding foam. Because it expands to fill any spaces where air and moisture might enter the home, it is one of the best types available.

For something more affordable, you could get one of the forms of blow in insulation. Commonly used types include fiberglass (the most effective), mineral wool, and cellulose. You will need a thicker layer than you would if you used fiberglass or mineral wool batts, but this will save you some money and make it easier to insulate hard to reach areas.

One of the places you should be sure to insulate is your attic. Attic ceiling insulation is especially important since heat rises and you don’t want all your heat in the winter to go right out through your roof. You want it to be trapped in the house, keeping you warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

There are so many ways to save energy that many of us fail to do on a regular basis. The average home spends about $1,900 a year on energy costs. But you can lower your energy bills and help save the environment at the same time! Follow these tips and you’ll save money in no time!

• Nothing is more energy efficient for cooking than your microwave. It uses two-thirds less energy than your stove.
• Surprise! Your dishwasher uses less water than washing dishes by hand. Then let dishes air-dry to save even more!
• Having lots of food in your fridge keeps it from warming up too fast when the door is open. So your fridge doesn’t have to work as hard to stay cool.
• Set your thermostat to 78 degrees when you are home and 85 degrees or off when you are away. Using ceiling or room fans allows you to set the thermostat higher because the air movement will cool the room.
• To help prevent electricity outages, avoid running your appliances during peak hours, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., or anytime an electricity emergency is declared.
• Do your laundry efficiently by using the warm or cold water setting for washing your clothes. Always use cold water to rinse clothes. (Save: 4 percent)
• Line dry clothes whenever you can. (Save up to 5 percent)
• When you need to use the dryer, run full loads, use the moisture-sensing setting, and clean the clothes dryer lint trap after each use. (save: 0.5 percent)

Even if you follow only half of these tips, you’ll soon start saving energy!