Month: July 2020

Every day, your home is at risk of water damage. The first kind of water is known as “gray water.” Just as the name would imply, gray water is the used water that runs down the drain after you take a shower or use the restroom. The second type of water that’s assaulting your home is the snow and rain that falls throughout the year in Oklahoma. While it may not seem like as much of an issue as gray water, surface water could prove just as disastrous.

If you don’t have a well-maintained system of surface drains on your property in Oklahoma City, OK, you just might regret it. Here’s why.

Where does surface water go?

After it runs through your home’s gutters or falls onto your property, surface water ideally follows the natural slope of your land into one of two primary drainage options.

The first and most common option is the public sewer system. When water runs through most surface drains in Oklahoma City, OK, it ends up in municipal pipes. For those residents who are unable to connect their home to the main sewer line, there is another option: the dry well.

A dry well is a pit that’s filled with small stones. These stones act as an impediment to rushing water, slowing its flow so it can be steadily reabsorbed into the ground.

What happens if I don’t have surface drainage?

Without some ready means of surface drainage, your house is essentially a ticking time bomb. When water isn’t drained away properly, it can cause all kinds of problems.

The most critical of these issues is the potential threat of a flood. When rainwater or melting snow enters your home, it can warp drywall and soak into carpets, ruining both—and that is the best-case scenario. Enough water and enough time can conspire to undermine the integrity of your home’s foundation.

Even if surface water doesn’t enter your home, it can wreak havoc on your property. A lawn that’s covered in surface water promotes the growth of fungus, kills grass and drowns plants. It also attracts a host of pests that can prove to be a real nuisance when you’re trying to relax outside.

Get the scoop on your surface drain

Are you concerned about the risks of not having surface drains in Oklahoma City, OK? You should know whether or not you are prepared when Mother Nature rears her powerful head. That means making a call to L & S Seamless Guttering. Since 1982, we’ve offered a variety of services to our valued residential and commercial customers.

From design to installation to long-term maintenance, you can count on L & S Seamless Guttering for the area’s best service. We even have a line of accessories like gutter guards that will give your home or office an edge when the weather is at its worst.

Find out what it means to work with a dedicated professional who will put your needs first. Pick up the phone and call L & S Seamless Guttering today.

This post first appeared on https://lsseamlessgutter.com/

Gutters are rarely the focal point of a home. They’re designed to do a simple yet important job, to collect rainwater and drain it away from the home to prevent costly water damage. People usually choose gutters and downspouts that blend into the home’s siding because they’re generally not overly attractive and in fact, they’re kind of boring and people don’t want them to stand out.

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This post first appeared on https://gutterpros.com/

This post first appeared on https://nedstevens.com

You may think about foundation issues as a result of poor construction, changes in soil or even pest infestation. The main culprit for wet basements and the need for foundational repairs, however, is clogged and improperly working gutters. If gutters aren’t effectively maintained, over the course of a few years, leaking from cracks and gutter overflow will continually trickle down the sides of your house leading to damage in your home’s foundation. Unfortunately, you won’t know you have a problem until the damage has been done.

How Gutters Protect Your Home’s Foundation

Gutter systems function by catching any precipitation that falls on the roof of your house and diverting the water through the gutters into the ground and away from your home. As the rainwater flows through the gutter it takes any organic material caught up in the water through the gutter system which can often get trapped or stuck. This material then creates clots in the gutter system that can cause water to back up and eventually spill over the sides of the gutter, rendering your gutters effectively useless. If the clogs in your gutter system are overlooked for too long, the walls and foundation of your home can accumulate structural damage as water spills down the walls of the house, possibly pooling at its foundation. The seriousness of gutter maintenance cannot be overemphasized in the prevention of damage to the foundation of your home.

How Water Damages Your Foundation

Water will always find the path of least resistance. It can flow through the tiniest cracks in your gutter at broken joints, over gutter clogs and around gutters that have slipped out of place. As it flows down the side of your home or just doesn’t get diverted away from your home, it will saturate your lawn and pool around your home’s foundation. This can bring about two major issues along with several other possible smaller issues. Pooling water at the foundation along with saturated soil around your home creates an enormous amount of pressure on the sides of your house. If left untreated, this pressure can cause the lower walls and basement of your home to push inward or crack. As the water begins to recede or dry up in warmer or more arid months, the soil around your home may begin to erode causing the foundation of your home to settle which can cause uneven floors or cracks in your home’s walls and chimney. Since water will go wherever it can, cracks in your foundation and walls mean that water can slip into your home leading to possible flooding and dangerous mold growth.

Contact Ned Stevens Today

Since gutters are the primary means of protecting your home’s foundation from the damage of rain and snowfall it is important to have your gutters regularly cleaned and maintained. Gutter cleaning can be a dangerous job as ladders and special equipment are needed. Don’t leave the health of your home and your home’s foundation up to chance. Let Ned Stevens make gutter cleaning easy this year. Call us for a free quote and to set up an annual plan to make sure your gutters are protecting your home and its foundation year-round.

Get $25 Off Your First Gutter Cleaning!

This post first appeared on https://nedstevens.com

Your roof is one of the most important parts of your home. Not only does it protect your family from the elements, it keeps in the cold in the summer and the heat in the winter. Your roof adds value to your home and replacing it can be difficult and costly. For these basic reasons, it is important to make sure that you keep your roof in first-rate condition to extend the life of your roof, to help maintain the value of your home and most importantly, to keep you and your family safe. Read on to find out Ned Stevens 3 biggest tips to keep your roof in tip top shape.

1. Maintain The Shingles

The first step in keeping up with the health of your roof is to regularly check on your shingles. At least once a month and after any heavy storms or high winds, take a look at the shingles on your roof. For this inspection, you can just eyeball the roof of your home (or use binoculars)—no need to physically inspect each shingle by going on your roof. Check to see if there are any shingles missing. Take note of any shingles that are curled or cracked. Use this inspection to check on the granules and flashing of your roof as well.

2. Wash Your Roof

You may not have noticed that over time the color of your roof has changed. You may even think that discoloration of your roof’s shingles is just a part of the aging process of your home or roof. Or perhaps you noticed that there are ugly black streaks or stains on your roof but thought there was nothing to do about it. It turns out that discoloration, including those unsightly streaks, is cause by fungus and bacteria eating away at the shingles on your roof. This fungus can be easily treated and washed away through a eco-friendly soft wash treatment that can be done by a trained roof-cleaning specialist like Ned Stevens. Ned Stevens is armed with the proper tools and cleaning solutions to bring back the beauty of your roof and make sure that destructive bacteria and fungus are eliminated. A great bonus of having a clean roof is that it can save you as much as 40% on your monthly electric bill.

3. Take Care Of Your Gutters

The most important tip is to always maintain the health of your gutters. Gutters keep your roof in great working order by catching all the debris and leaves that have fallen on your roof while also directing rain and snowfall away from your roof, the walls of your home and your home’s foundation. Regularly have your gutters cleaned and inspected to keep your home’s protective functions in great working order as well as to help guard your roof and home from any future damage. Gutter maintenance can be difficult and dangerous so reach out to a certified gutter expert like Ned Stevens and set up a maintenance plan to keep your gutters thoroughly and safely free from mud, dirt and debris.

Count on Ned Stevens

Having a trusted gutter and roof care specialist like Ned Stevens regularly take care of your home’s gutters and roof not only ensures that your home will continue to protect your family from the elements, but will extend the life of your roof and maintain the value of your home.

Get $50 Off Your First Diamond Plan!

This post first appeared on https://nedstevens.com

Eastern Equine Encephalitis, sometimes referred to as sleeping sickness, is a disease that is caused by viral spread transmitted through infected mosquitos. The disease is prevalent in all of the Americas and in the United States is most commonly found in the East Coast and Gulf Coast states. The “equine” in the name refers to the fact that most groups of the disease primarily affect horses, however, there are some strains of the virus that mostly affect humans. Typically, the United States sees about 5 to 10 cases of EEE annually, but that number has risen in recent years. It takes anywhere from 4 to 10 days after the initial bite from an infected mosquito to develop symptoms of EEE.

Eastern Equine Encephalitis has been around for hundreds of years and the United States has recorded 12 U.S.-based epidemics between 1831 and 1959. The virus made a comeback in 2019.

Are There Times Of Year When It’s Easier To Get EEE?

The transmission of EEE happens during the months when mosquitos are most active. EEE cases primarily arise from late spring through early fall, but in Gulf Coast states which may remain warmer during the winter, cases have been found in later seasons.

Who Is At Risk For Infection?

Anyone who spends time outdoors in an area of the country where the virus is currently circulating is at risk for being infected with EEE. Those individuals who work or engage in recreational activities outdoors in or around swampy areas of the eastern U.S. are at the highest risk of contracting the disease.

The risk for human infection changes year-to-year depending on several variables including weather, how many birds and mosquitos are available to transmit the virus and human behavior. Additionally, awareness throughout the clinical and medical community and availability of diagnostic testing capability also change how we understand and test for EEE.

What Are Signs And Symptoms?

The only way to be diagnosed with EEE is to get a blood or spinal fluid test through your doctor. These tests will be confirmed as positive if they find any antibodies your system has made to fight the viral infection.

Encephalitic disease is characterized by the swelling of the brain. It is possible for someone with EEE to never develop any symptoms, though typically symptoms usually appear 4 to 10 days after acquiring the infectious mosquito bite. Severe cases of EEE infection start with a sudden onset of flu-like symptoms such as headache, high fever, chills and vomiting. These symptoms may quickly develop into more severe conditions like disorientation, seizures, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and coma. Around one-third of patients with EEE will eventually die and many of those who survive suffer life-long brain damage.

What Can I Do To Prevent EEE?

Currently, there is no human vaccine for Eastern Equine Encephalitis. Prevention rests entirely on community and individual efforts to reduce transmission by protecting against mosquito bites. This involves wearing bug spray containing DEET on long-sleeved tops and long pants when outside (use bug spray with DEET sparingly on bare skin),

Contact Ned Stevens Today

Perhaps the most important thing you can do to protect yourself and your family from contracting EEE is to make sure that you make a concerted effort to reduce mosquito breeding sites on your property. Contact a trusted professional service like Ned Stevens Mosquito and Tick Control to help keep your home mosquito-free and keep your mind at ease about contracting EEE at your home. Our licensed and experienced experts will perform a barrier treatment to kill mosquitos. Contact Ned Stevens to set up a targeted plan to perform consistent treatment for mosquitos at your home.

Get $50 Off Your First Diamond Plan!

This post first appeared on https://nedstevens.com

Spring is commonly the most popular season to put a home on the market, followed closely by summer. And while summer is still a good time of year to sell a home, there are several key reasons why it can be a bit more complicated to sell your home in the summer.

During the summer months, people are busy with summer activities that can distract from selling and buying a home. Since summer is the time of year when kids are not in school family activities can change drastically. The need for altered schedules and more attention to kids is one of the main reasons selling a home in the summer can be tougher. Additionally, potential buyers may be out of town for portions of the summer visiting family or taking time away for a vacation. You may also find that since the summer is not considered the most favorable time of year to buy a home that there are less potential buyers interested during the summer.

The Advantages Of Selling Your Home In The Summer

While spring is thought of as the most favorable time of year in which to sell a house, selling your home in the summer can have its own advantages. May is the best month to sell a home, but potential buyers who were unable to make a deal or find their perfect home will often continue to look throughout the summer months. Having kids at home during the summer can be a deterrent for some but can be an upside for others. Most parents don’t want to make moves during the school year or disrupt academics or friendships which makes summer the ideal time for large changes. Summer brings about longer days which means that there are more daylight hours to look for homes and more daylight hours for your home to look its best. The smaller number of buyers during the summer also means that there may be more demand. People wanting to move during the summer are often more serious about buying before fall arrives which means they are more motivated to move quickly.

Tips To Selling Your Home In The Summer

The outside of your home is the first impression any buyers will have of your property. If your lawn, siding, paint or driveway are not inviting, buyers may not care to look inside, no matter how amazing it may be. Here are some tips to maintaining a beautiful exterior of your home to enhance your home’s curb appeal and help you sell your home in the summer.

• Mow your lawn regularly. Grass grows faster in the summer so it’s more important to make sure your lawn always looks well maintained.
• Curb appeal is important in the real estate game all year long, but summer can be a great time to use curb appeal in your favor. A well-designed front lawn, patio and garden can really draw out the beauty of your home and attract potential buyers. Trim bushes and shrubbery regularly, and plant flowers that compliment your home.
• Make sure your patio is clean and inviting. Move furniture outside on your patio or deck or purchase new furniture to create an inviting and peaceful respite that potential buyers can’t wait to spend time in. Hire professional patio and deck cleaners like Ned Stevens to make sure your deck presents in the best light possible.

How Ned Stevens Can Help

Ned Stevens is here to help with all your curb appeal needs! Our team of professionals is happy to come to your home to clean patios, fences, roofs, decks, siding and gutters to make your home look its very best. Have Ned Stevens give you a free cleaning quote. Call us at 800-542-0267 to schedule an appointment today.

Get $25 Off Your First Gutter Cleaning!

This post first appeared on https://nedstevens.com

Homeowners in certain parts of the country that are subject to heavy rainfall often ask us if rain gutter covers from Gutter Helmet® can stand up to really heavy rains. The answer is yes, they can! 

Exactly How Much Rain Can Gutter Helmet® Handle?

Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. Gutter Helmet has been tested to handle 22 inches of rainfall per hour, almost twice the heaviest rainfall ever measured by the U.S. Weather Service. The accepted world record for the most rain that fell in one hour is 12 inches of rain in Holt, MO, on June 22, 1947. Even more impressive, the entire 12 inches fell in only 42 minutes! However, this record is a matter of debate, as there are other cases without official records.

What Are the Heaviest Amounts of Rainfall Ever Measured?

There are several additional contenders for record rainfall amounts in short periods of time. Another 12 inches was measured in one hour in Kauai, HI, on January 24, 1956, with a total of 43.5 inches measured during the 24-hour period between January 24-25. On May 22, 1941, Plainville, IL, picked up 8.4 inches in just 40 minutes. Another rainstorm in Catskill, NY, was reported to have dropped 10 inches in one hour on July 16, 1819. On the night of August 4-5, 1943, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers rain gauge measured 13.8 inches of rain in one hour at a location in central West Virginia.

The world record for the most rain in two hours and 45 minutes is held by Woodward Ranch in southwestern Texas, where on May 31, 1935, 10 inches was measured in one hour, 15 inches in two hours and a record-breaking 22 inches in two hours and 45 minutes.

Learn More About Gutter Helmet®

All of these statistics go to show that Gutter Helmet can stand up to more rainfall than has ever been recorded! No matter how fast the rain falls, Gutter Helmet will channel all that water from your roof into the gutters and downspouts so it won’t cause damage to your home. Contact Gutter Helmet today to get a free quote on the best gutter guards from a dealer near you.

The post Can Gutter Helmet® Gutter Covers Handle Really Heavy Rains? appeared first on Gutter Helmet.

As a homeowner, you have a lot of factors pulling on your attention. To keep your home looking its best, you have to carry through with a number of routine chores. You have to mow the lawn, clean the house, rake leaves, take out the trash, do the dishes and so much more on an almost daily basis that you’d be forgiven for letting some things slip by the wayside. If you’re one of the millions of American homeowners with a sloped roof, for example, you might wonder why you should worry about the condition of your home’s gutters and downspouts.

Don’t be fooled. There are numerous benefits of downspouts in Oklahoma City, OK. Here are some reasons to appreciate your downspouts and keep them in good working condition.

Avoid basement and foundation damage

One of the fundamental reasons that your home needs downspouts is to avoid severe damage to your ground-level areas. One of the main goals of your gutters and downspouts is to make sure water doesn’t settle around your home where it can run into your basement and ruin the foundation. That’s a costly problem to repair.

Keep your home safe

All year long, your home is battered by the elements. The first part of your home that gets hit is almost always your roof. From there, water, snow, ice and even leaves and twigs roll off your roof. When you have downspouts in Oklahoma City, OK, you can rest assured that this water will flow into the gutter, where it will be channeled to your downspout and whisked away from your home.

Without the benefits of a downspout, rainwater and melted snow will slide down the side of your house. There, it will seep into your siding and into the space between your roof and walls. Once it has settled, this water will promote mold growth and eventually undermine the integrity of the entire structure. That puts your family at risk.

Improve your property value

Before your home is all but destroyed by water damage that might have otherwise been avoided, you will notice stains on the side of your home and increased wear and tear on your home’s exterior. These may not seem like major problems at the time, but even before they begin to cause damage, they will harm your home’s aesthetic and lower your property value.

Trust in your gutter pros

If you’re curious to know more about the benefits of downspouts in Oklahoma City, OK, call on L & S Seamless Guttering. Over our decades in business, we have seen and addressed every type of gutter issue you can imagine, and we’re always happy to pass that knowledge on to new customers. We have more than 35 years of experience offering a massive array of gutter services throughout central Oklahoma.

Residential and commercial customers alike appreciate our gutter services, which include fabrication, installation and maintenance. We’re the team to trust when you need patio and carport covers, too! Find out more by giving us a call today.

This post first appeared on https://lsseamlessgutter.com/

Before you know it, fall will be here and along with it, football, cool nights, and pumpkin spice everything. That makes it the perfect time to think about leaf protection for your gutters. Homes without leaf protection need to have their gutters cleaned more often than those that do. If the homeowners don’t have them regularly cleaned, they open themselves up to some potentially expensive repairs…

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This post first appeared on https://gutterpros.com/