A Word About Home Humidity, Roofing & Deck Installation
Lindus Construction’s COO, Andy Lindus offers advice for managing humidity within your Twin Cities home, as well as key tips for your roof shingles and deck footings.
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Home Humidity in the Twin Cities
Excessive levels of home humidity in the winter can lead to window condensation, mold, and water stains. While appropriate levels of humidity vary by temperature, for most of the winter humidity levels should be below 30%. A quality dehumidifier from a company like Santa Fe comes at a premium but offers the ultimate peace of mind. A dehumidifier works by removing the moisture from the home’s air and then drains it out through a hose. A dehumidifier should not be stored in an unheated basement or crawlspace where freezing temperatures are a possibility.
Roofing and Insulation by Lindus Construction
Heat tape systems can be installed on roofs in an attempt to ward off ice dams. However, they do not address their origin which is inadequate insulation, attic air sealing, and ventilation. Trustworthy contractors have an arsenal of diagnostic tools that can be utilized to pinpoint areas where heat is escaping the home, creating an environment for ice dams to form. These tools can include borescopes, smoke sticks, blower doors, and infrared imaging.
Learn More About Home Performance Testing:
A common complaint about cedar shake roofs is that if an insurance company will offer coverage, premiums are exorbitant. In addition, their low life expectancy, high price, and required routine maintenance, have many homeowners looking for alternative options when it comes time for roof replacement. For homeowners wanting to maintain the aesthetics of cedar shake roofing, GAF offers a variety of shingle lines that imitate the look of cedar shakes without the maintenance.
Replacing Deck Footings
A fact that’s not widely known about deck installation is the pre-existing footings can be swapped out without replacing the entire deck. To do this, false braces are built on the deck. Then, the old deck posts are removed, and the new footings are installed.
Factors that impact the type of deck footings that should be used include the water table, soil content, and the footings’ proximity to the home’s foundation. For footings close to the foundation, helical piers work well. They imitate the aesthetics of a giant screw and are installed with an attachment on a skid loader.
Contact us today to get started on your next roofing or decking project.
Our team answers homeowner questions every weekend on WCCO 830 AM from 9:00 am-10:00 am. Have your most pressing home improvement questions addressed by calling or texting 651-461-9226.
