Thinking about getting a carport to protect your vehicles from tornadoes and other weather? They’re an easy way to keep the elements off your cars or trucks without needing to add an enclosure to your home. Carports are freestanding open shelters that will protect cars from rain, sun, wind and snow. However, it’s important that you pick a material that can stand up to the weather.

Carports are often made from both aluminum and steel. Which should you pick? Overall, steel carports are the best for the climate and weather in Oklahoma City, OK. Here’s why we think you’ll love a steel carport.

Why get a carport?

Carports are great for storing your vehicles safely when there’s no room in the garage. They’re usually open structures with a weatherproof roof:

• Protect your vehicles: Most importantly, carports help keep your car safe from the weather and falling debris. Even if it’s icy outside, your carport will help keep ice from forming on the windows. It’ll also help keep dust, dirt and rain from affecting your paint job.
• Avoid additional property taxes: Since carports are open, semi-permanent structures that do not require a foundation, they won’t affect your property taxes in most areas. (Even without a foundation, you should anchor your carport to the ground as much as possible.)
• Movable: Because carports aren’t permanent structures with foundations, you’ll have the option of moving them around your property. If circumstances change and you need to use a certain part of your property for another purpose, you can simply anchor your carport to another part of the land.
• Versatile: Carports are primarily for protecting your vehicles and boats, but they can also be used as a makeshift patio awning. They can provide shade for your home’s or business’s entertaining or business needs. Never let the weather ruin your outdoor event again!

Why steel is superior

Your options for carports are numerous. When it comes time to choose a material, here are some reasons to go with steel:

• Strength: Aluminum might be lightweight, but it has about half the strength of steel. To make it as strong as steel, you’d need to make it significantly thicker—not a practical solution for most carports. Since Oklahoma City is affected by snow and tornadoes, you should opt for steel for its strength, weight and load-bearing capacity.
• Durability: Steel and aluminum alike can last for a long time, but when it comes to standing up to everyday dents, dings and other issues, steel has the advantage. Aluminum tends to show dents and dings, while steel is much harder to damage.
• Maintenance: Aluminum and steel are both low-maintenance materials. Both resist rust and corrosion, although aluminum can start to look chalky after a while. Steel resists rust and corrosion and will still look great, even if it’s been exposed to the elements for years.

If you’re thinking about getting a carport, we think you should go for it—you’ll get to enjoy years of vehicle protection and other uses. Make sure to pick a steel carport for the best quality in Oklahoma City, OK. Call L & S Seamless Guttering today to get started.

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

As cooler weather hits we begin to do more activities indoors, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t bring the outdoors with us for our in-home activities! Here are a few things you can do while you spend those shorter autumn days inside using things you might have lying around your house—and we mean *around* your house. All you have to do to make these quick and easy fall crafts is to round up a bunch of those fallen leaves you can find in your lawn and around your neighborhood. These crafts can be made without any special tools or skills so they are fun for the whole family!

Leaf Lanterns

For this project you will need any glass bowl, jar or votive holder you have on hand (a pasta sauce jar will work well here), some matte finish glue and some flattened, dried leaves you’ve found outside. The first thing you will need to do is wash your glass jar or bowl throughly and wipe it down with rubbing alcohol to make sure there is no trace of oil or grease which will make it difficult for the leaves to stick. Making sure that the leaves lie as flat as possible, use a small sponge brush to add a thin layer of glue to the outside of the glass or jar. When the glue begins to dry and becomes just a bit sticky, carefully press a leaf onto the glue. Once all the edges are stuck to the glass or jar, you can begin the process again with as many leaves as you want until the glass or jar is covered in leaves. When all the leaves are dry, you can carefully place a votive candle or other small candle and voila! A beautiful leaf lantern to usher in the fall.

Leaf Punchouts

This is a super simple project for a blustery fall day. If you have any paper punchers in any shape, you can just punch out shapes from your dried leaves and paste them on any project you have in mind. Bookmarks, collages, wall art—your imagination is the limit!

Leaf Autumn Banner

For this project you will need cardstock, acrylic or tempera paint in assorted colors, a foam paintbrush, a rolling pin, a hole punch, twine and, of course, fall leaves. For this project, you will want to find softer, more flexible leaves. Since you will be using the leaves as a kind of “natural” stamp, you don’t need to find dried leaves or even ones that have turned color for fall. This project involves either using a foam paint brush to dab paint onto your leaf or dipping your leaf directly into paint you’ve poured into a paint tray. Here, you can choose to paint it all one color or to mix colors to make a more marbled effect. Sandwich your leaf covered lightly in paint in between two sheets of cardstock and gently (but firmly) roll over your project with a rolling pin. Carefully remove the top piece of cardstock and peel the leaf off the stock to reveal your new beautiful print. To create a festive fall leaf banner, punch a hole in the top corners of your prints and string them together with your twine. Hang on a banister, mantle piece or anywhere else you want to show off your beautiful leaf creation.

If you’re finding more than just enough leaves in your yard to make afternoon crafts with and you’re worried about cleaning it all up, especially from your roof and gutters, call Ned Stevens today to schedule an appointment with a gutter cleaning specialist!

Get $50 Off Your First Diamond Plan!

The post Leaf Crafts For The Family first appeared on Gutter Talk.

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

As the long days of summer turn into the cooler, shorter days that signal fall, you may be thinking about the tasks you should take to winterize your house. While you are preparing your home for the colder months ahead, add these projects to your list to keep your home warm. Not only will you feel better during the cooler months, but you might also save some money on heating bills as well.

Programmable Thermostat

Installing a programmable thermostat is worth the investment, especially once the weather cools down, because it will keep your energy and heating bill low while keeping your heating efficiency high. It is recommended that you keep your home at 68 degrees Fahrenheit during the morning (6 to 9am) and after you would typically get home in the evening (5:30 to 11pm). If you leave the house during the day, you can set your thermostat for 60 degrees as your home doesn’t need to be warm when there is no one inside. Likewise, pros suggest setting the thermostat for 60 degrees while you are sleeping. One added bonus is that research has shown keeping your room cool at night promotes better sleep and may increase your metabolism! Many programmable thermostats can even be controlled from an app on your phone.

Reverse Your Ceiling Fan

Ceiling fans are great at moving air around the room to help you feel more comfortable. In the winter, make sure to flip the switch on your ceiling fan to reverse direction. This will push down the warm air that naturally rises upward while pulling the cooler air toward the ceiling and away from you.

Change Out Your Screens

To keep your home better insulated during the winter, swap out summer screens for storm screens on your windows and doors. If you use window A/C units, make sure to remove them before cooler winter weather sets in. If you leave them in over the winter, install an insulating wrap to cover the exterior of your unit.

Keep Your Curtains Closed At Night

As soon as the sun goes down, it’s important to close the curtains of your windows to trap any warm air inside your home from escaping through the windows (of course, you want to make sure your windows are properly sealed as well). If you live in a particularly cold area, you might even think about investing in insulated curtains for winter use to maintain a barrier between the warmth inside and the cold outside.

Make Sure Your Furniture Isn’t Blocking Your Vents

If you have placed any pieces of furniture in front of or over heating vents when you moved in or rearranged your space, you could be obstructing heat from getting into your rooms and properly warming your home. If there is no other way to arrange your furniture for better heat flow, perhaps think about moving a piece or two just for the winter.

If you have any questions about how keeping up with your roof and gutter maintenance can help keep your home warm in the fall and winter, reach out to the pros at Ned Stevens who will set you up with a home inspection and free quote today!

Get $25 Off Your First Gutter Cleaning!

The post How To Keep Your House Warm As Weather Cools first appeared on Gutter Talk.

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

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Fall is a spectacular season filled with pumpkins, crisp weather, and beautifully colored leaves! While it is a wonderful season, it should be used as a time of preparation for Winter. People often get their HVAC systems maintained in the Fall, but it is not very often that people worry about the health of their gutter until it’s too late. Gutters are the sole protectors of your home from the…

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The post 5 Dangers of Standing Water in the Gutters appeared first on Gutter Helmet.

Homeowners – you know how important your gutters are to the overall health of your house. With the change of seasons coming up, it’s time to get your gutters in great shape – and that’s where Superior Pressure Washing comes in!

For the overall safety and health of your home, gutters MUST be cleaned on a regular basis. If not, gutters get loaded with debris that can cause water to go right over the gutter face and into the attic or foundation or your home – causing thousands of dollars worth of damage. Along with that, water buildup from faulty or clogged gutters can attract harmful infection infestations or mold buildup. The result? Poor gutter maintenance can do a tremendous number to the structure of your house (and may even harm your own health, too).

Don’t wait – schedule regular gutter cleaning service with Superior Pressure Washing right now. You’ll add years to your gutters and stay up-to-date with fixes to any existing damage. No matter what time of year it is, we’re ready and available to make your gutters work to their full potential!

Looking to get your gutters in tip-top shape for the change of the seasons? Learn what Superior Pressure Washing can do for you! We’re the premier pressure washing company in the Maryland, Northern Virginia, and DC Metro area. Proudly headquartered in Olney, Maryland, we’re the place to turn to for the best residential and commercial exterior cleaning.

Visit our website at www.superiorwash.net or call (301) 949-8000 for a free estimate today!

This post first appeared on https://www.superiorwash.net/

Mother Nature can be blamed for many things that negatively impact our homes. For example, tornadoes can’t be stopped—we can only try to guard ourselves during them. While we can’t stop the rain, we can direct the water’s pathway and protect our property using gutters and surface drains. Continue reading to learn what happens without rain guards when it pours rain in Oklahoma City, OK.

The importance of gutters

From top to bottom, gutters defend your entire property. Gutters help prevent leaks up on the roof and ensure your foundation doesn’t collapse. Without them, your siding could become warped or develop nasty mold and mildew. Finally, gutters defend your landscaping by diverting water away from plants and shrubs.

Upgrade your gutters with rain guards

Total home protection doesn’t start and end with gutters. In fact, gutters unprotected by rain guards in Oklahoma City, OK could become useless. Here are a few reasons to install rain guards on your gutters:

• Prevent clogs: Leaves, twigs and asphalt granules are just a few of the types of debris that can collect in your gutters and cause a clog. Needless to say, a clogged gutter is an ineffective one. Rain guards cover the majority of the gutter, helping to ensure that only rainwater is allowed to collect in the gutter. If only rainwater is allowed in, you can rest easy knowing it’ll flow down your gutters and away from your foundation.
• Reduce maintenance time: Cleaning out your gutters isn’t necessarily the hardest chore, but it is a time-consuming task that can be a little bit dangerous. Save yourself a ton of time cleaning out your gutters by installing rain guards! You may still have to inspect your gutters to check for clogs, but you won’t have to waste hours on your roof cleaning out debris.
• Extend gutter lifespan: Unless you have high-quality, professionally-installed seamless gutters, your gutters may not last all that long. They may develop holes or even start to pull away from the roof. A rain guard can prevent that from happening. After installing your rain guard, you can count on your gutters to last for as long as you live in your home.

Consider a surface drain

Rain guards should do the trick to keep water flowing away from your home or commercial building, but if you still have pooling water in your driveway, sidewalk or parking lot, you’ve got another problem on your hands. Pools of water will slowly degrade your asphalt or concrete, eventually leading to cracks and potholes. Eliminate that threat by installing a surface drain that allows water to flow harmlessly off the pavement and down to the sewer system below. Best of all, surface drains can be installed quickly and easily by our experts.

Get your free estimate today

Whether you want to install a surface drain or rain guards, hire our pros at L & S Seamless Guttering. We offer free estimates for installation of both rain guards and surface drains in Oklahoma City, OK!

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

As fall begins, many homeowners are climbing up on their roofs to inspect and clean out gutters. Getting this job done will do a lot more than just protect your gutters, however. Your home’s #1 enemy is water, and gutters that aren’t working properly will compromise the structural integrity of your home and may lead to the growth of mold and mildew, which can endanger your family’s health. 

The Benefits of Gutter Systems & Gutter Guards

Water must flow away from your house in order to protect it, and gutters play a vital role in this process.

• After they collect the water runoff from the roof, gutters should carry this water at least five feet away from the foundation. This job is performed by the downspouts.
• Keep in mind that there should be one downspout for every 40 feet of gutter length.
• Many homes, particularly newer ones, have more than just one roof to consider. For example, there might be a roof over the garage, a roof over the second floor and smaller roofs over the porch and kitchen. A gutter trough should be installed along the edge of every roofline, with a downspout to drain away the collected water.
• A downspout from an upper roof should drain into a lower gutter. It should never drain directly onto the roof, as this will cause premature deterioration of the shingles and roof deck.
• Professionally installed seamless gutters are well worth the investment. Do-it-yourself plastic gutters tend to become brittle over time and will begin to leak at the seams.
• Aluminum is the industry standard for gutters because it doesn’t rust like steel and is weather-resistant, unlike plastic. The thicker the gauge of the metal, the more durable the gutters will be.
• Gutters should be cleared of debris before freezing temperatures set in, because any water or debris caught in the trough will freeze, which can overload the gutters and cause damage.

Start Fall Off Right With a Free Gutter Helmet® Estimate

A good way to prevent clogging is to install rain gutter guards that sit directly over the gutters. This prevents leaves and debris from accumulating and eliminates the chore of having to clean slimy, messy gunk out of your gutters. Gutter Helmet® gutter guards are the best gutter guards around, and they’ll aid your gutter system in efficiently directing rainwater away from the house, protecting your roof and home from water damage. Make your gutter system stronger and more maintenance-free by calling Gutter Helmet at (800) 824-3772. You can also reach us online.

The post The Dos & Don’ts of Gutters, Downspouts & Gutter Guards appeared first on Gutter Helmet.