Upkeep Tips From Your Knoxville Contractor For Wooden Decking

The wooden deck is a beautiful addition to any home. But your deck is only as strong and long-lived as the quality of the upkeep that it receives. Starting with quality materials is a great base, as your Knoxville contractor will tell you. If you don't take care of those materials, they will succumb to the elements. Rot can set in during a single bad rain storm through a simple crack in the wood, so you must be prepared.


As your Knoxville contractor, have seen some pretty beat up decks in our day. When you start with a wooden building material, you must remember to take proper care of it. Failure to do so will result in cracking and splintering, creating dangerous situations to walk on or to use for everyday situations. As your Nashville windows and roofing provider, we have to stress that the same maintenance that goes in to other parts of your home must be taken for your wooden decking.


Even if your wood is weather treated, you should take steps to give it extra protection. A solid weather sealant is the best option for your weather abused wooden decking. This should be applied promptly after the deck is constructed, and kept in good condition thereafter. This sealant will protect the wood of your decks against the majority of the weathering that it will encounter.


Once the wood has begun to splinter and crack it is generally too late to try and save it. Home owners try various methods, such as applying thick coats of paint to try to cover the cracks, but the water damage has already begun at this point. The only thing the paint will do is make the decking too hot to walk on in the sun, and visibly hide damage until the board is so weak and rotted from within that it falls apart beneath you.


As your Knoxville contractor, we urge protecting the wooden components of your decking properly from the beginning. Even if you only stain the wood with traditional wood stains, you are still giving it more of a chance against the elements than it would have otherwise. It is this protection that will make your investment last and give your family an area that they can enjoy for years to come.


When your deck has simply had too much stress on it, and needs to be replaced, we suggest doing so as promptly as possible. Once those boards start cracking and rotting, there is little that you can do except replace the porch. For your own family's safety, have the deck or patio fixed as soon as is possible. Letting the wood continue to warp and rot away under your feet is only asking for a disaster. Avoid potential lawsuits and accidents on your property by inspecting the wooden planks of your existing deck or patio today.

Energy Efficient Gardening Answers From Your Tennessee Contractor

If you are the type of homeowner who enjoys gardening, then you know all about how keeping those crops watered can be murder on your water bills. As your Tennessee contractor, we have an answer for you to consider that is not only drought friendly, but also energy efficient: installing rain barrels on your property.

The rain barrel is often thought of as a problem waiting to happen, with stagnant water becoming a breeding ground for all sorts of flying pests. Modern rain barrels are not these open topped water collection places that people think of. As your Tennessee contractor, it have seen all types of rain barrels, and highly recommend their use on your property as a way to not only keep your water costs down, but to recycle your rainwater for good use at the same time.

Your Nashville contractor will be happy to show you how these rain barrels can be added directly into your current gutter system without a drop of rain wasted. But before installation can begin, you must understand the basic modern rain barrel unit.

These units commonly come with tight fitting lids that secure directly to your gutter system. In this way, they keep pests and other problems from gaining access to your water supply. They likewise prevent evaporation because of the tight seal they provide. The common unit has a spigot or other common place where a hose can be attached. Although not under pressure as we would understand it, the water will flow from the rain barrel to your garden area, so long as it isn't up too steep of a hill.

The more advanced units contain an emergency overflow valve inside, so excess water will continue to flow into the water runoff system that your rainwater flowed into initially. This will prevent leaks from too much water being present in the barrel.

Now that you understand the rain barrel design, you can see how you could cut down on your water usage and protect the environment by letting your home's gutter system collect the garden water for you to use. Your Tennessee contractor can install these units easily enough, including trimming your existing gutter down pipe to the proper size for the rain barrel system you have purchased. They can also seal the lid and the emergency overflow properly to prevent excessive evaporation.

If you believe that the rain barrel system is an upgrade that your home could make wise use of, then order the rain barrel and give your Tennessee contractor a call! Your Contractor are the one to take care of the entire installation process for you, or just check over your seals and make certain you are set up for the most energy efficient use possible. We are always eager to see our customers make improvements for themselves, and any improvement that helps the environment is worth its weight in gold.

Summon Your Nashville Contractor For Existing Porch Add-Ons

Building on to your home is a series of ever progressing upgrades that take place over time. As your family grows, so does your home, with new kitchens and bedrooms added on to the original design as they are needed. For millions of families across America, this expansion often includes building a porch or a deck on to the exterior of the home. A wonderful place where the family can relax and enjoy the outdoors, these structures usually begin life as a simple platform, exposed to the elements.


At some point, the family gets the idea to build a cover onto the already existing porch structure. Whether you want to cover the entire deck, or just arrange for a roofed over portion to use in rainy weather, it is a wise idea to summon your Nashville contractor when making such an alteration to an already existing porch or deck.


The reason for this is simple: As your Knoxville roofing experts can tell you, roof structures tend to hold up far more securely when they are braced with a single supporting unit from the floor all the way to the ceiling. Simply nailing a couple of two by fours onto the outside of the deck railing isn't going to cut it when it comes to extending beams for roof support. Your existing deck is going to require major modifications and safety installations if it is going to hold up the finished roofing for any amount of time.

If you attempt to make such modifications without professional assistance, you run the risk of having your entire deck roofing collapse around you from lack of proper support. Your Knoxville roofing experts will be more than happy to help you install the roofing over your existing deck, while implementing all of the appropriate safety measures that your situation calls for.


If you bring your Nashville contractor from from the very beginning, you may be able to build a roof onto your existing porch without requiring any major modifications or rebuilding efforts. However, if you start making modifications without having an expert's assistance, you may very well muck things up to the point where your entire deck needs to come down.


Calling in the professionals to help with this add-on construction is the safest way to go about covering your deck or porch with a roof. To make sure that all of the necessary precautions are in place, and all of the bracing and extensions are done correctly, have your professionals help you from the very concept of the idea. They can help you learn what supports and braces you need in order to do the job yourself if you insist, or your Knoxville roofing expert can do the entire job for you, including matching your home's existing shingles. For the best results and the best safety possible, relying on expert opinions and assistance for your extension needs.

Tennessee Contractor Poses The Big Roofing Questions

It has become evident to you that a new roof is needed on your home or business. The constant leaks, and having to run about with buckets and trash cans to keep the water off your floors every time that it rains is a dead giveaway that something is seriously wrong over your head. But now you are faced with a very important choice from your Tennessee roofing specialist: metal, or shingles?

Both of these options have their upsides and their downsides, and both have similar installation costs. Your Tennessee contractor will be the first to tell you that this is a very important decision, and that the outcome will affect both the value and the livability of your home for the next several decades. Here is a guide to help you decide which Tennessee roofing material you should settle on.

Metal Roofing

The metal roofing is a relative newcomer to the stage, as your Tennessee contractor will tell you. The modern metal roof has little in common with its ancestor. These are brightly colored versions of many common metals, including different types of steel, tin, and even titanium, that are applied over your existing roof structure. They come in different patterns as well. If you like the look of shingles, but you're tired of playing find the missing piece to the shingle puzzle after every good storm, your Tennessee roofing specialists will probably recommend switching to a strong metal roofing substance instead.

Metal roofing is good for reflecting the sun's heat away from your house, but still holds radiant heat within so that you can save on your energy costs. The bright colors that it comes in won't fade over time, meaning that a replacement panel you install 16 years from now will be the same color of Caribbean Blue that you put on your roof today. It will hold a weather resistant seal for the same life span as a shingle roof, and provides far fewer seams where water could sneak in. Importantly though, the harder types of metal will stay in place when assaulted with hail stones or strong winds.


Shingle Roofing

Modern shingle roofing has also come a long way since you had your current roof installed on your home. Your Tennessee contractor will be able to tell you all about the modern designs, including its durability and resistance to strong winds up, up to 80 mph for some brands.

Tennessee roofing options for shingles come in a variety of colors as well, so you can be picky in having them match your house or make a statement against it. The shingle design means that your home will have the more traditional curb appeal that people are expecting when they view a home. Modern shingles are designed to hold more heat in the home, providing you with a 60% better energy performance than your old shingles offered, which will translate into savings on your energy bill.

Why You Should Allow Your Nashville Contractor To Install A Modern Metal Roof

Home owners who are contemplating the installation of a new roof mistakenly believe that they are required to replace their current roof with one of the same exact material type. This myth causes home owners who believe it to overlook their real options when it comes to choosing a new roofing material. Your Nashville contractor, Weather Tamer, Inc., want you to know that this myth is entirely false. You aren't limited as to what material can be placed on your current roof structure according to what is already in place.

When it comes to Nashville roofing, we know that your roof will take a beating in the wild weather of this area. Spring can be notorious for sudden storms, with the threat lingering right through into the early fall. This is then replaced with the threat of ice and snow in the winter. We know how wild the weather can be because we experience it right along with you in our Tennessee based company, and we know how tough your roofing material needs to be in order to make it through in one piece.

Hiring your Nashville contractor to replace your roof, or to repair missing shingles after a storm, can become expensive if done repeatedly. You need to know that the material you're wanting to replace your roof with can be installed easily and at as little cost as is possible to you. This is where the modern metal roof comes in to play.

The modern metal roof is a lightweight design that is every bit as strong as modern shingles are. You can have your metal roof installed by your Nashville roofing expert on the same structure that supports your existing roof. That's right, there's no need to concern yourself over having the entire structure of your roof re-done. Our licensed and certified Nashville contractor team can pull up your shingles and start laying your metal roof down without needing to make any costly adjustments in-between.

The metal roof is a modern classic that can look as metal or as traditional in nature as you choose. These roofs come in many different metal varieties, from simple tin and copper to options as hard as stainless steel and titanium. You'll be able to find exactly what you are looking for in strength and durability with these metal choices. The modern metal roof even comes in shingle options, with possibilities that look like traditional wooden shingles or even stone.

The way that your new roof will look is entirely up to you. When you figure out how you want to combine all of the possibilities, and then include the different colors that are formed directly as part of the metal to prevent fading over the years, you will realize that the modern metal roof is a wise choice for your home. Resist the Tennessee weather by letting your Nashville roofing expert get started on your new roof covering today.

Guide to Hiring a Tennessee Roofing Contractor

The average life of your roof, unless it's a very specialty material, is going to be about fifteen years. If you're approaching the age of fifteen for your roofing, it may be time to start considering a new roof and to begin looking for a Chattanooga roofing contractor to install it for you. It isn't likely that you're going to get much more than twenty years from your plain asphalt roofing no matter where you live. If your roofing is older than this, chances are good that you should simply plan to replace the roofing this year.

A Chattanooga roofing company will be best equipped to install your new roof and to make sure that you get a quality material and installation. Befor your select your roofing company, it's always best to check them out thoroughly. The first step will be to get recommendations on roofers from your family and friends. Getting a few ideas from them will save you time on the beginning portion of the search for a new roofing contractor. Most of your friends and family have had to replace a roof at one time or another. Find out who they used, how happy they were and if the price was reasonable. Even if you don't have a lot of friends who have used a given roofing company, get a quote from several. The quote should be very detailed, telling you precisely what they offer you, the work that will be done, exactly what the cost will be and the precise or at least a close approximation for the time frame. You need to know when the job is going to be completed.

Make sure that all of the job is included in the price that you are quoted. In most cases, roofers will clean up after themselves, but in some cases that won't be included in your pricing. If you don't want to be cleaning up the mess that is left behind by your Tennessee roofing company, check it out and add that to your overall price quote.

Next you need to make sure that you're getting all that you want in the roofing company themselves. The Tennessee roofing company that you hire needs to have a few things going for them before you even consider their services.

Things that you should look for include:

• Longevity in the business. You should be sure that they have a least a few years in the roofing business.

• Check out their license as a contractor. In many areas, you cannot hire a contractor who does not have a local business license. In fact, it's probably better if you don't because chances are good they aren't legal to work in this area.

•  Ask them if they have a physical address. If they don't at least have an office in a local home, they are probably not a company that you want to use because you have no real recourse if they don't do what they say that they will.

• Make sure that they have insurance as a contractor. If they don't, this is not a company that you can afford to use. If something is broken or someone is injured, they aren't going to be able to make that right.

• Check your local building codes to make sure that your company is adhering to all of them. You're liable if they don't.

• Get a permit to do what you want done. You can't always depend on the company to do so; keep track of the permits yourself.

NEVER allow yourself to be rushed into hiring a roofing contractor. Make sure that the local company that you hire is legal, is ethical and is well checked out before they start your roofing job.

Hail Damage and Hail Resistant Roofing in Tennessee

Tennessee is known for the rolling hills, the beautiful skies and the vast array of scenery that ranges from mountain capes to beautiful rivers. It is also known for the hail that falls frequently in the summertime storms. Tennessee gets hail about 5-10 times per year. While not always large or outrageous, it can be heavy enough to do some very real damage to the roofing installed on some of the older homes.

Residents on Nashville, Chattanooga and Knoxville can depend on the fact that they are going to have some sort of property damage each year from the winds or the hail. In 2011 alone the hail damage in one county in Tennessee topped the million dollar mark. The effect of hail on Tennessee roofing can't be understated. In fact hail doesn't just damage roofing alone, it can also do some vast damage to even insulated vinyl siding, causing dents or tears to the siding.

Once a hail storm in Tennessee has passed, it's advisable to contact a Tennessee roofing professional in order to get an inspection of your home. To the naked eye, it's not always easy for a person who isn't a professional to determine if there has been damage and what the extent of the damage may be. Even very small hail can cause damage to your home that you may not easily see. A trained Tennessee contractor can look over every area of your home that may be prone to damage such as the gutters, the siding, the fences, and the roofs and let you know if there is any damage that needs to be repaired.

In many cases, Tennessee roofing professionals will give you a free roofing inspection, telling you the extent of the damage and giving you repair options and ballpark figures on the same day that they visit your home. He or she will tell you if you have sufficient damage to contact your insurance company to arrange for roof repairs.

One thing that many Tennessee homeowners opt in for is hail proof roofing. If you must repair or replace your existing roof, you might want to opt in for hail resistant roofing. No roofing can be completely hail proof, but you can get various ratings to make it more resistant to hail damage. Hail resistant roofing is classified in four different categories, depending on how resilient that it is to hail storms. The shingles have a quality that makes them like rubber so that the hail bounces rather than damaging the roof. If you’re interested in hail resistant roofing, it may be something that you want to discuss with your Tennessee roofing contractor during your home inspection.