Gary Nance has designed a new wood cap profile that is applied to the top of any hand rail design and eliminates any peeling or chipped paint that deck hand rails seem to get. This is great for homes on the water or in an area where the sun does not dry the mosture until late morning or early afternoon. This prevents the water from getting into any cracks in the paint and speeding up the peeling process. With the new profile water does not sit on the newly applied trim. This also gives your railing a new and fresh look. Click here for photos. Please call us if you have any questions or are interested in more information.

October is a great month to be out working in the yard. Here are a few ideas that are helpful to any homeowner.

Exterior paint: Now is the time of the year to look at the home paint on all wood surfaces. Paint is not only something that gives us added color but also protects the wood. If you plan on painting the home next spring, try to at least scrape any loose paint off of the wood. Then, apply a primer to the bare wood. You can take this one step further and apply the finish coat of paint over the new primer and be assured your wood is not rotting away during the winter.

Windows, Exterior Doors and Insulation: This is the time of year that we brace ourselves for the upcoming energy bills. Replacing windows and doors can be money well spent between now and 2007. The Internal Revenue Service has an energy credit available for homeowners that replace exterior windows and doors before the end of the year. This credit allows up to 10% credit for buying qualified energy efficient products. To qualify, a component must meet or exceed the criteria established by the 2000 International Energy Conservation Code, and must be installed in the taxpayers main home in the United States. The following items are among those eligible: Insulation systems that reduce heat loss and gain; Exterior Windows and doors; Select Metal Roofs. 

Chimneys: Most of us don’t give them much thought, but they can be a fire hazard if not properly maintained. According to an article in The Indianapolis Star, if you use your fireplace regularly during the winter it should be cleaned yearly. According to the article in 1998 the Consumer Product Safety Commission reported more than 18,000 chimney fires resulting in 40 deaths and 158 million in loses. The Chimney Safety Institute of America, www.csia.org offers a list of Certifled Chimney Sweeps in your area.