A friend suggested I share photos of a recent bathroom remodel. The only regret is not taking a photo before the demolition… Enjoy!
Removed an old cast iron bathtub and dated fixtures to create a walk-in tiled shower and overall beautiful new bathroom.
On Tuesday President Obama revealed details of a $6 billion program to boost home energy efficiency, create jobs and reduce energy bills. The Home Star program proposes rebates of $1,000 to $1,500 for simple upgrades up to a maximum of $3,000 per home. The program is pending congressional approval. More on the program here.
Each year, around this time, I’m reminded of the time my parents home caught fire becase of a dirty dryer vent. It’s true, and had it not been for Aunt Betty, who just happened to be visiting, the entire house would have been lost.
The fire department arrived to extinguish the blaze, and thankfully no one was hurt. Still, the washer, dryer and everything within 30 sq ft. were completely engulfed in flame.
The event remains surreal, “these things only happen to other people”, yet this entire episode could have been avoided by replacing and/or diligent cleaning the dryer vent hose.*
The fix was simple; dad replaced it with rigid metal pipe. We learned later that no matter what material is used, it’s recommended that the duct be cleaned (at minimum) annually!!
We’ve shot this video to show you how simple it is to do yourself. Obviously, call me if you need to replace the flexible plastic duct with a safer rigid material; or should you want us to clean it for you.
Finally, don’t leave your home with the dryer running and never sleep with it on.
Be safe,
Lon
* Note: The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that 15,000 clothes dryer fires occur annually. These fires account for an average of 10 deaths, 310 injuries, and more than $84.4 million in property damage.
Telltale signs of a potential problem:
Fred and Bill Bondy made a lasting impression on our professional and personal lives. So much so, that a group of former employees came together with family members to honor Bill and Fred.
Hiring the Best Handyman/Remodeler
Allow me to offer some time-honored advice when choosing a handyman service provider.
Guidelines:
Also be sure that each company asked relevant question’s, gave you a Free Estimate and provided the most comfortable and honest assessment of what it’s going to take to achieve a successful working relationship. After all, this is your project and it’s your vision which must be realized.
Creating a Good Project Specification Plan:
Let’s use a bathroom remodel as a sample project. Start by taking several photos of your current bathroom, you will share them later. On a piece of paper, draw the room as it is and add the measurement of each wall and the width of doors and windows as well as the placement of the toilet, sink and bath/shower stall. Don’t worry about it looking perfect; simply scratch it out and set it aside.
Design Ideas: If a friend has a bath you like, ask for photos. You should also go to the Design Magazines for new ideas. When you see something you like write down the manufacturer’s name and model numbers to share with us.
The design process is fun and something I truly enjoy. Here are a few of my favorite bathroom manufacturer links and if you want more, please give me a call:
http://trendsideas.com/?region=4
http://www.americanstandard-us.com/
http://www.jadousa.com/inspirationgallery/?d=1
http://www.porcher-us.com/inspiration-gallery/
Now grab another piece of paper and rough out the placement of products as you would like them in your new bath. Are you getting rid of that old cast iron tub and installing a walk-in shower? Will the shower also have a seat or will the space become a whirlpool tub? Will the floor be tile and if so, do you have a sample picture or measurement to share? Are we closing up that window and installing an exhaust fan? What about lighting?
Perhaps this seems a bit daunting but the point here is to keep it simple by understanding the installation process. Every contractor simply wants to know what your vision for the space is and if you have a budget for the project.
Here comes the obligatory sales pitch!
Yes! Ask Lon can assist with any project you desire and even help (as we have here) with the “homework” but the more time you spend researching the needs of your project, the more you will understand its scope.
Well, not exactly, but I got your attention, right? According to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA), released earlier this week by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, homeowner improvement spending is likely to reach a cyclical bottom in Q4 2009 and steadily increase through 2010. That’s right, none other than Harvard University says to pick up the phone and call us to plan your 2010 remodeling activity!
What else are you going to do in 7 degree weather?
Click for full size image:
For Immediate Release
Ask Lon! Launches New Chicago Handyman Website
Company unveils new web 2.0 website to anchor its 2010 marketing plans
MORTON GROVE, IL (January 12, 2009) – Chicago handyman services company Ask Lon! recently launched a new online destination that showcases the company’s services, client testimonials and Chicago handyman blog. The new site, located at www.asklon.com, is powered by the popular Wordpress content management system and features the latest SEO and web analytics plugins to enhance online client prospecting and marketing.
“The new website is an exciting addition to our brand, and we are looking forward to utilizing it as the cornerstone of our new online marketing efforts” says Lon Thomas, Owner/Operator of Ask Lon!.
The new site features sections for client testimonials, which are increasingly important marketing tools in the handyman trade, and includes areas about the company’s service offerings, including residential handyman services and commercial handyman services. Also included are Web 2.0 initiatives, such as a Chicago handyman blog and links to the company’s profiles on the popular social networking sites Facebook and Twitter.
Future website additions in the coming months will include ways for clients to pay for services directly through the website, and other new enhancements. The company has set out to make its web presence the premier Chicago handyman website
About Ask Lon!:
Ask Lon! provides Chicago handyman services that include residential and commercial installations, remodeling and repairs. The company is fully insured and specializes in small to mid-sized projects.
For more information contact:
Lon Thomas
President
Ask Lon!
1-847-636-0771
info@asklon.com
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Does your home have large icicles hanging off its gutters? If so, this could be a telltale sign of a much more serious condition called ice damming.
Ice damming is caused by the refreezing of melted snow at the roof overhang which creates a “dam” that can trap water under shingles or other roof finishing layers, causing leaks through roof deck joints, nail holes which may appear inside as stains, cracks or bubbles within drywall and must be inspected for mold prior to repair. To see a quality drawing click here.
The problem of ice damming is a much deeper issue than it may first appear, and may be indicative of poor construction, insulation or ventilation problems and possibly lead to serious health related issues in the home. Because ice damming can force water backward and underneath your roofing material it can damage the roof sheathing, cause the wood rafters to rot, and accelerate the deterioration of your insulation – leading to higher fuel bills, the development of mold growth, health problems and costly repairs.
The rule of thumb is that properly ventilated attic air should never be more than 15 degrees hotter than the outside air. If it is hotter, that is an indication of additional heat sources in the attic that should be eliminated, and/or an indication of unsatisfactory attic ventilation that must be corrected immediately. Purchase a good thermometer and test it yourself!
Health Hazards
One of the most common types of mold that thrives in a moist attic environment is black mold. Black mold spreads by spores, and there is growing evidence of serious health hazards associated with breathing in the black mold spores. This is an unhealthy home syndrome that must be corrected immediately. (Black Mold photo) Remember, just because you are not allergic to molds today does not insure that you will not be allergic to molds tomorrow. If you are experiencing breathing and allergic type reactions, contact your doctor and then have your attic inspected for proper insulation, ventilation and heat sources. Visit the EPA for additional information on mold: http://www.epa.gov/mold/hiddenmold.html
Excessive Attic Heat: The Primary Culprit
How does heat enter the attic? How does heat exit the attic? These are two very important questions that must be asked for every construction design. Without heat, there are no ice dams, no moisture condensation problems and no health issues to be concerned about. The following are examples of common ways unwanted heat enters the attic space, telltale signs of ice damming conditions and some reasons why heat can not exit that attic space:
• Attic air space should be considered unheated space. Thus, all walls adjoining that space must be insulated to help reduce heat entry into that attic space. Doors leading to unheated spaces should be addressed and trimmed as if they were outside doors, complete with saddles and weather stripping.
• While standing in your attic can you see down into the open space around the framed box of a fireplace? If so, this is a major heat source, open directly into the attic space due to unsatisfactory construction and will cause ice dams and must be corrected.
• Un-insulated walls or ceilings allow heat to penetrate into the attic and will result in huge utility bills for heating and air conditioning and create an ice damming situation.
• Some homes have been retrofitted with new energy efficient h.v.a.c. systems which may have been run through attic space. Big mistake! Un-insulated ductwork allows increasing heat build-up in the attic, leading to snow melt and ice damming.
• Has your home been resided? Be certain that the original wood-covered soffit overhangs were removed and that new perforated soffit vents (to assure inlet air flow to the attic) were properly installed. This is an important and necessary element for a healthy home.
• Check inside to see if attic insulation is covering the soffit vents if so, remove it. Soffit vent protectors should have been installed to help keep insulation from blocking these vents.
• Check the wood in your attic by looking for “white vertical lines” which would indicate that frozen water had infiltrated the home and then froze again when exiting through the siding weep holes and soffit vent holes. This condition could lead to major problem if not corrected.
• Did someone install” standard” recessed lighting fixtures in the ceilings? If located in very close proximity to the low sloped roof it can pre-mature ice melt and ultimately an ice dam. Note: Don’t cover a light fixture with insulation! Is it a double-walled insulated light fixture? Has insulation been installed according to local fire code? If you can’t answer these questions call for help.
• Another common way for heat to enter the attic involves installing the bathroom exhaust vent duct into the soffit vents, rather than correctly installing the duct to an outlet vent. Soffit vents are inlet vents, not outlet vents. Everything that exits the house at a soffit vent immediately re-enters the house in the attic space, because that is what soffit vents are designed to do. Not only will this add heat, but it will also add humidity and moisture to the attic, defeating the very reason for installing the bathroom fan in the first place. Even a home with functional attic ventilation can now develop molds on the roof sheathing cavities above these unsatisfactory ducts.
• Insulation is designed to keep heat within the living space in winter. All sidewalls facing an unheated surface must be insulated, with the vapor barrier facing the heated surface. Twelve inches of insulation, creating an R-38, is optimal. Remember, only have one vapor barrier and install it facing toward the heated surface. To attain a 12 inch depth use either un-faced insulation or blown-in insulation.
• Further compounding the very unsatisfactory conditions of this attic is the use of loose, blown-in, fiberglass insulation, lacking a vapor barrier, which now doubles the amount of attic ventilation needed. Normally, the ratio of net free-air vent space to attic floor space being ventilated is 1/300, meaning that for every 300 square feet of attic floor space, one square foot of net free-air vent space must be provided. However, that ratio of required vent space now doubles to 1/150 for this type of insulation. Let us not overlook the heating duct near the roof line, too, which also adds additional heat – there is that word again, heat!
Solutions – Proper Attic Ventilation
You now know what not to do to create attic heat. Let us now discuss things to do to get rid of unwanted and damaging attic heat. First, to avoid ice damming and other problems, make sure that every steep sloped roof has continuous soffit inlet vents. Many homes designed and built in the 1950s were constructed without any soffit overhangs, making the installation of conventional soffit inlet vents impossible. Fortunately, the importance of attic air flow, even for homes built without soffit overhangs, is now becoming better understood. There are many new products on the market that will provide inlet air at the eave of the roof by bringing in the air from behind the gutters, through the roof sheathing, and under the shingle materials. Both roofing and carpentry work are required to install these new inlet vents, which are available wherever most roofing materials are sold. Second, you must have ample outlet vents in the form of 9″ roof vents, gable end vents, or ridge vents. Since heat rises to the peak of the roof, the logical outlet vent should be located at the peak of the roof, were an opening to the outside would then let unwanted heat exit quickly and efficiently. If your home does have gable end vents or standard roof vents, do not cover them with plastic during colder weather, thinking that you are saving heat. Doing that is the equivalent of “smothering” your home’s breathing capability. Be aware that just because you see a ridge vent on the outside of your roof, it does not mean that it has been properly installed. Most manufacturers of ridge vents, including all of the major shingle manufacturers, require almost a 2″ cut away on each side of the ridge board (the reason it is called a ridge vent) to allow for the proper and needed amount of net free-air vent space to work properly. Unfortunately, many homes do not have their vents properly and correctly installed.
A note about power vents – many times they won’t do the trick. They are thermostatically controlled and thus do not work in the winter, when it is actually more important to ventilate your attic. Now should your insulation get wet or old, it loses some of its “R” value, or resistance to thermal exchange, thus increasing the work required by heating and air conditioning systems. After reading all of this data, a roofer might say, “All you need is one of the many self-sticking ice and water barriers installed to eliminate ice damming.” You they would be right – to an extent. This material eliminates water infiltration through the roof in most cases. However, it would not solve other conditions related to the “inside” of the attic space, and other problems which would still occur even with the installation of expensive self-sticking barriers. It’s a cold hard fact: If you do not have excessive heat in the attic, you do not need this expensive material. Unfortunately, most homes have excessive heat and now, most roofing manufacturers are insisting on the installation of self-sticking barriers.
Summary
• Reduce unwanted attic heat sources.
• Remove attic heat with proper ventilation and insulation.
• Survey your home for molds and mildews.
• Ask Lon for additional information or support.
If you have questions or need service please give me a call.
Sincerely,
Lon Thomas
Owner-Operator
Ask Lon!
1-847-636-0771
www.asklon.com
Resources: Bill Thomas – Ron Hungarter at Thor Systems Inc – Do it Yourself Community Forum – Scott Prior Construction
