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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1979-05-10, Page 41Ne No home energy check is Complete without a careful look at yourwindows, If your windows are tight -fitting and well -insulated, they probably supply your home with more solar heat than is lost by cold air leaking in through the glass, 74' , r. 4. But if they are loose and drafty, you are heating the whole outdoors and should .consider replacement win- dows. Recent findings of the AAMA (Architectural ,Alu- minum Manufacturers. Asso- • • wnicti isoI,der -you 1Mg $ GARDEN IMP .... y ROVEMENTIWEEP OF MAY 7, 1979 — ✓s can tut ciation) Research Founda- tion show that the solar heat gained through windows, es- pecially when they face southeast and southwest, can. actually provide a significant amount of the total, heat re- quired for a conventional home, �r home? • Homes and humans share - at least one common charac-,. teristic: they both grow old. For human beings, there are many tell-tale signs of the passage of time: a few streaks. of gray, a memory lapse here and there, and the beginnings of a paunch politely referred to as middle -age spread. But where a. home is con- cerned, the signs may not be as evident—unless you know where to look. And if you do know where to look, chances are you are going to discover some interesting facts. Dropping in For starters, you can begin with the roof over your head. One of the first sure signs. of old age in a roof is when it drops in, unannounced, while you're watching. the Sunday afternoon baseball. game. Veryinconvenient,. though itmight be taken as a hint that your roof needs to be replaced. Other suggestions, are less subtle, of course. And that's why it's good sense to make a periodic examination of your goofs condition. according to the roofing experts at the CertainTeed Home Institute. .Ven damage New roofs which have suf- fered limited damage from a storm or from falling objects can be repaired easily. It's a relatively simple task to re- place damaged or blown - away shingles. And loose shingles usually present no real problems because they can be re -nailed. ' On the other hand, if the roof has weathered many a stormand-has developed a small .leak, it .mayrequire. more extensive "repair; ' like patching around the flashing points -the seams where different sections of the roof meet. Sooner or later... Sooner or later, however, all roofs must be, replaced. Just like humans, today's heroes on the football field must someday give way to the next generation: Standard asphalt -shingled roofs usually last about 15 years before they need to be replaced. You should then begin looking for the tell-tale signs of failure. So how can you tell if your roof is heading for the last. roundup? The sure signs of a'weath ered.roof areexcessiveloss,' of protective granules and cracked, blistered, curled or missing shingles. Head off problems . To make sure you head off problems before they begin, check the base of your downspouts for signs of ex- cessive granule loss, and in- spect your attic with a flashlight 'for signs of leaks. Best of all try to determine the age of your roof..' As stated, a roof of standard 15 year old shingles is a prime candidate for re -roofing un- less it has gone through ex- ceptionally good weather conditions. When considering a; flew, roof for your home,' you'll . find that the selection of roof- ing products available is quite varied compared to the. ,products offered in the past, Consider nisei., Consider your purchase wisely, not only because it can save you time and money, but also because today you have a choice of many types of roofing prod- ucts which offer different ad- vantages. Weigh u►hanlages For instance, while a wood roof isattractive, it is also very expensive and, it not properly •treated with. chemical fire retardants, may be a fire hazard as well. Slates while it offers excep- tional durability and Io' - term. performance. is expensive than other types .of roofing materials. In addition, slate is of heavy construction, and requires .sturdy roof support not usually found in the newer homes, Variety of colors Fele-based, asphalt shingles How do you it's time for r are available in a wide"arietyti of colors and offer easy main- tenance. Though they are comparatively inexpensive and will last from 15-25: years, felt -based asphalt shingles offer limited fire pro- tection. New fiber glass -based as- phalt shingles also offer a wide choice of colors. In ad- dition, they have received a wind resistance rating from Underwriters Laboratories, and in most cases carry an Under*riters Laboratories superior Class "A" rating for fire resistance. Thtl're snot human Fiber glass -based shingles are also particularly durable. CertainTeed Corporation, for example, offers a 20-25 year warranty on. theirs. But whichever roofing product youhappen to choose, one thing is impor- tant to remember. Roofs do not age as gracefully as hu- mans, but then, who would, if they never came in from the rain? ... know when, • epainting? The exteriors of most houses need repainting every five to sir years. The climate, the condition of the surface, surface preparation and the quality of the paint used on a house may add or subtract a few years from this figure. A thorough annual, inspec- tion of: the outside of your house is the best way to de - termitic it needs repainting, says the National Paint and! Coatings Association. Annual inspections enable you to accurately judge how the paint is weathering. Start your inspection with the areas where moisture col- lects and those subject to heavy wear. It is in these areas that the first signs of wear usually- appear. Some times spot painting in these areas is all your home needs. Preparation counts Wash any :areas that need. painting with soapy water,. rinse, sand smooth and re- pain't. Check the condition of the siding, especially at the corners of your house where moisture can get behind the siding and cause premature paint failure. If some of the siding needs to be replaced, now is the time. ' While you are at it, check the condition,/ of gutters, downspouts and caulk, too. After exposure to harsh win- ter weather they may need cleaning, replacing or re- painting. All repairs should be made before you paint. Take time now Overall appearance is the key to judging if a house needs a complete repainting. If the paint is . faded or has weathered sufficiently over most of the surface, it is time to repaint. When the wood grain is visible through the paint, sufficient weathering has taken place for repaint- ing. If you repaint before the. old paint had weathered., enough; the paint film' will become too thick and won't adhere to the house properly. A dull appearance can some- times be improved merely by washing exterior surfaces. Procrastinating when it's time to repaint can increase costs and labor later when you want to take on the job. 7 Look at all the dirt RINSENVAC got out of; out carpet! You'll be amazed when, you see how really,deep down clean your carpets can be. RINSENVAC rinses and vacuums out dirt and 'grime in: a single sweep. Cleans the way professionals do -but at a fraction of the cost! for professional comet cleaning you can do yoi self only RENT RINSENVAC $12.00 a day, CROWN HARDWARE Phone 527-1420 Seaforth 'That's because solar energy penetrates through glass and becomes heat to furnish warmth. Thus, even a large picture window, prop- erly installed, can conserve energy rather than waste it, and can be as energy-effi- cient .as a well -insulated wood wall, Thermalized glass window replacements can signifi- cantly reduce heat loss through loose -fitting single - glazed windows. This means that within a few years, sav- ings in fuel use may offset the cost of the new windows, to' say nothing of added com- fort. There are many types of replacement windows, but each year aluminum is most popular." Many aluminum windows are manufactured with a thermal break, which means that they will insulate as well as wood or vinyl. Aluminum frames also offer the advantages of light weight, rigidity, strength and'. tight fit. Moreover, the metal won't shrink, swell or rust. and it requires little mainte- nance. Aluminum replacement windows come in a variety of architectural styles with either an anodized finish or with a baked -on enamel coat- ing to match or blend with any indoor or outdoor color scheme. They can be custom fit for virtually any;opening. Picture windows, bay win- dows, double -hung: and. single -hung windows, verti- cal and horizontal sliders,tilt windows and doors of all kinds, including those to the patio, can be fitted snugly with aluminum replace- ments. They come as complete pre -assembled units with aluminum frame, glass, weatherstripping and trim, and can be installed by a qual- ified remodeler, usually within a day's time. If your windowsare worn out and you are thinking about replacing them, shop. around, Investigate the van - obs types .available and care- fully look at'satnples,. While old,worn-out win- dows can be a major cause of energy loss in the home, effi- cient new ones can offer the biggest opportunity for con- serving energy. Careful planning of re- placement window installa- tion for efficient insulation and: solar heat can give the homeowner the best of two worlds --plenty of see- through glassto enjoy the. surroundings and sower fuel bills. REPLACE. OLD, WORN-OUT' WINDOWS with tight- fitting, 'well -insulated aluminum -framed 'thermalized units which can let the solar heat in and help conserve energy. The frames are lightweight, strong, snug, maintenance -free and easy to clean and they come in various styles iind colors. Aluminum replacement win- dows can be custom fit to any size or shape. They come pre -assembled with frame, glass, weatherstripping and trim, and can be installed! quickly year-round. MAY 14; 15 Et 16 e :Town of Seaf�rth will co-operate in Clean -Up week - accumulated trash will be picked up from Seaforth residents FREE OF CHARGE as. follows: MONDAY MAY 14th: North .of.Goderich Street } TUESDAY, MAY 15th South of Goderich Street:to Railway..tracks� WEDNESDAY MAY 16th South of Railway tracks Materia/' to be picketal .ep must be on the street ne before 800.am. on the day of co/%calor. The pick up - wilt no t include garbage...