Whether you plan to install new flooring in one room or all throughout your home, there are many floor materials to choose from out there and they can really make an impact. Today, there is a myriad of new hardwoods and even some old favorites are making a comeback (yes, you guessed it: linoleum has been on the radar the past few years!) No matter your budget, there are quite a few choices in flooring material that will make a dramatic difference to any room.

Your first consideration when picking out a flooring material is that you'd better really like it. Flooring can last quite a long time (with some carpeting and cheaper vinyl products being exceptions), in the cases of hardwood floors – 50 to 100 years. If you pick out the latest trend or latest fashionable color, it could become dated in a short period of time. It doesn't mean you shouldn't make a bold statement with your floors, but don't always jump at the first color or pattern. Think it over for some time, ask friends and family for opinions, and compare it to your existing color palette in each room.

The next consideration is wear and tear. When installing new flooring, think about what kind of a beating these floors will be taking. Is the flooring in a wet area, like a main or side entrance, a bathroom, or a kitchen where there is the potential for a lot of moisture? Water can do a lot of damage to a wood. If you're putting new flooring in a family or living area, will it be comfortable? Ceramic tile can be quite cold during those long winter months. Natural stone can handle a lot of traffic in a kitchen, but it can be hard to stand on for long periods.

Finally, consider what your budget can stand and take into account the overall value of your house. You might want to install marble throughout your house – but if you can't afford it, well you can't afford it. Stay within your budget and you won't need a second mortgage to replace or install your flooring. Also, if your home is in the low to medium value range, it might not be a great idea to install an expensive flooring material. An incredibly luxurious floor in a below-average home can really expose all the other weaknesses around it. And when it comes time to sell, it will be hard to recoup the investment if the floor is in perfect shape and the rest of the house is not up to par.

So, what are the latest flooring materials for your home today? Hardwood floors are still at the top of everybody's wish list. Naturally. But there are a host of materials currently rising in popularity across the country, including: stone, concrete, laminate, vinyl, tiles, and – yes! – Linoleum is coming on strong. And don't leave carpet out of the equation.

Carpet has fallen out of favor over the last twenty years. But many are still taking advantage of the new carpeting patterns, colors, and styles that are available today. Gone is the boring beige carpet found in nearly every apartment, condominium, and model home across America. It's being replaced by stain-resistant carpeting with high quality padding and great designs. To recap some of the major carpeting styles, you can choose from Saxony, Berber, textured, velvet, frieze and sculptured. Saxony is the plush style that shows the footprints and vacuum marks. Frieze is the durable style that resists footprints and the short pile can really highlight the colors and textures in the carpet. The name Berber seems to be everywhere these days. Berber is usually made of non-allergenic wool with flecked colors, usually with short thick loops that make it easy to clean. It's great for high traffic areas.

Hardiplank and vinyl siding are durable, attractive, low-maintenance options for budget-conscious homeowners. Both offer unique advantages, and are worth looking into if you're considering upgrading your home's exterior.

Expense
1. Hardiplank costs about 25 percent more than standard vinyl siding. High-end vinyl siding is sometimes more expensive than Hardiplank. Return on Investment
2. Upgrading your siding to a fiber cement variety such as Hardiplank yields the biggest return on investment of any home remodeling  project, according to "Remodeling Magazine." Replacing old siding with vinyl also has a high return on investment. Maintenance
3. Vinyl siding is virtually maintenance-free, requiring nothing more than the occasional hosing down when it gets dirty. Hardiplank is very low-maintenance, but you will need to touch-up the paint every seven to nine years. Appearance
4. Hardiplank looks more like real wood than vinyl siding, and can be painted. Vinyl siding is attractive and comes in many different colors and styles, but looks less authentic than Hardiplank and cannot be painted. Durability
5. Hardiplank and vinyl are both extremely durable, resistant to insects, bad weather, and normal dents and dings. Hardiplank is also heat-resistant, making it a good choice in areas prone to wildfires. Life Expectancy
6. Hardiplank comes with a limited 50-year warranty, and will probably last much longer. Vinyl siding companies routinely offer lifetime warranties on their products.
   
   

 Common gutter problems
If your gutters are damaged, sagging, missing parts or improperly installed, it is unfortunate but likely exterior damage to your home is sure to follow. A gutter that is missing, or that drains too close to the house will saturate the ground. This wet saturated ground can produce a variety of problems:

A wet saturated ground near your home can be easily and affordably prevented with a quality gutter system but left unchecked can:

Creates a breeding ground for Mold and Mildew.
It will eat away at foundations and basement walls.
Leaks and cracks will develop and will worsen quickly in the winter months when the ground freezes and expands.
Driveways and walkways will sink and rise, interior and exterior walls and floors can warp, bow or become wet, molded or stained. Unfortunately, entire homes have been destroyed due to water damage.

If water overflows:

Over the back of a clogged gutter, damage to exterior and interior (via the cavity) walls can occur and damp can result. The gutter should be checked for debris and blockages and the fascia brackets also checked as they may have been damaged, causing the gutter to sag.

Over the front of a clogged gutter, this can be very annoying, both to walk under and because of the noise it can create. If this is happening you should be considering Gutter Guards. Protection for your gutters will keep leaves, pine needle, acorns and other debris out, and maintain the clear flow of water to the downspout.

If joints are leaking, the rubber seals inside the joint will probably need replacing, or sometimes the joint itself should be renewed. You will find this job a lot easier if attempted in hot weather, as the plastic is much more pliable.
Keeping your gutters clean Cleaning your gutters is probably not on the Top Ten Most Fun Things To Do List, but is necessary in maintaining your home. Best case scenario, this task can be done twice a year, in Spring and Fall. When it comes to cleaning your gutters, you have two choices: take it on yourself or have it done professionally.

Why? When you look at your house, you may not realize how important your rain gutters are. Yes, obviously they direct rain away from your house. But did you stop to think about why that is important? Water and moisture, if allowed to collect around your house can do some very costly damage. Mold, mildew, leaking and damage to your foundation are all things that can occur if your gutters arent working properly. Cleaning your gutters on a regular basis can alleviate these potentially costly home repairs. Wind, rain, snow and foliage can all play a part in clogging your gutters. When gutters are clogged, they can overflow, causing the problems mentioned above.

How? While there are companies that do clean gutters, you can do this yourself. The way you can do this is to insert your hose into the downspout of the gutter. You may need to stuff rags in the opening so that the water will be forced upward. The waters force will unclog the elbows and gutter of the debris that was collecting. This sounds simple but definitely can be messy and somewhat of a headache. You can alleviate your headache and maintain your sanity by hiring a professional to do it.

Strainers and Guards-Are they worth it? If youve done any research on rain gutters, youve probably noticed that there are some gutter-cleaning accessories available in stores and online. Strainers and gutter guards were designed to keep your gutters clean and free of debris. They sound like a great idea; something to keep your gutters clean so that when you go to clean your gutters out, there is potentially less work involved. Where that may be true, strainers and guards, which are usually wire or mesh, can also keep water out of your gutters, which can effect the drainage of your system. Strainers and guards do work under certain situations however seek a professional's opinion to see if they are right for your architecture.
Contact Wrightway Construction Services LLC in the Atlanta metro area for gutter,strainer and guard installations and consultation 

Causes of Deck deterioration 
 The most common source of deterioration of decks is water. Moisture causes the wood to expand and when it dries out it contracts.
This can cause fasteners to pop, and boards to warp, crack and split. If the deck remains constantly wet, a perfect environment exists for fungus and bacterial to establish itself and rot to begin. In a worst case, wet rot will result in wood members turning to mush over time.
Maintenance to prevent this can be as simple as sweeping your deck regularly, clearing away puddles and any dirt and leaves that retain moisture and don't dry out easily.

Sun
 is also a cause of deterioration to decks. Ultra violet rays can break down the bonds between wood cells. But fortunately sun damage isn't as serious as water damage because the rays only penetrate about 1/100th of an inch into the wood, really only affecting the surface.
And the interesting thing is that this damaged surface actually protects the healthy wood below. So if you sand it away, fresh wood is exposed and will be damaged. So the best deck maintenance for a wood deck in a sunny area is a good coat of sealant or stain.
Insects
 can also cause serious damage to decks depending on your area. Cedar and redwood are insect resistant but not insect proof. There is a difference.
The best material for decking members that are in close proximity to the soil are pressure treated lumbers. So depending on your climate zone, focus your deck maintenance strategy accordingly. 

Deck building code requirements are not something that should be ignored just because you are building a deck and not a house. Even basic deck building construction techniques involving joist spans, post size and loads, beam sizes and spans between deck posts, decking board dimensions, height of railings and load capacity are all discussed in the building code.

Deck Handrails A 2x4 or 2x4 flat, or on edge does not constitute a proper handrail according to the deck building code. So if you truly want to follow the code, check out this list.

• Must be between 1.5” to 2” in either width or thickness
• Handrail must be at least 1.5” away from wall and its outside edge not more than 4” from wall
• At least one handrail required if stairs are less than 43” wide
• At least two handrails required is stairs are 43” or greater
• No handrail required for deck stairs with 3 risers or less
• If more than 3 risers, only one handrail is required (subject to the width requirements above)

Deck stair rails also have special requirements under the building code.

• 4” maximum space between balusters
• A 6” ball must not pass between the triangular space created underneath the bottom rail, the riser and the tread
• At least 32” (not more than 36”) measured vertically above a line drawn through the outside edges of stair nosing – So be sure to extend (cantilever) the top rail over the nose of the last tread
• At least 36” above landings

The building code has different standards for residential and commercial stair treads. Basically residential stairs can be steeper and have narrower treads. But if anything, consider building deck stairs with wider treads and lower rises. It just feels better.
Here is a list of the key points.

• At least 1” thick if used with notched stringers
• At least 1.5” (2x material) thick for open risers and stringers spaced 30” or more apart
• At least 1” nosing if the unit run (not the actual tread) is less than 10”
• At least 9 ¼” (2x10) wide

Width
At least 35” between wall faces or guardrails or a protruding hand rail
Unit Rise and Unit Run
Unit rise and run refer to the overall vertical and horizontal change between each stair tread – not the actual tread size.

• Maximum unit rise of 7-3/4”
• Minimum unit run of 8 ¼”
• Minimum tread width of 9 ¼” (2x10)
• No more than 3/8” difference between any rises (but you should always make them equal)

Stringers
The building code specifies that wood stringers meet minimum sizes for obvious reasons. Here is a list of the key points.

• 1.5” thick (2x material) minimum if no supports along its length
• 1” thick minimum if supported along its length
• 3.5” minimum effective depth size (the narrowest part after cutting all the rise and run notches) 9 ¼” width (2x10) minimum
• Stringers must not have direct contact with ground unless treated with wood preservative
• Stringers must be secured at top and bottom
• 36” maximum space between stringers with open rises
• 48” maximum space between stringers with closed rises

Check your local building code for the maximum spacing of stringers with open rises because it is quite common to see exterior stairs with open rises that are 48” wide.

How I do I know if I have hail damage to my roof? Can I tell from the ground?

If you've had hail in your area, to determine if the shingles have been damaged a close inspection of the shingles has to be made from the roof. Usually you cannot tell from the ground.

If I think I have hail damage what should I do?
Call your insurance company and ask for an adjuster to come inspect your roof for hail damage. Call a reputable roofing company and ask for the same inspection. If there are any discrepancies between the adjuster's findings and the roofer's findings you may call for a "RE-INSPECTION" where your adjuster meets with the roofer to go over the roof together. Re-inspections are very common.

The insurance company must determine two things when assessing the amount of your loss:

1.Was there sufficient damage to the roof to declare it a total loss?
(Usually determined by 10 verified hail hits per 100 square feet.)

2.What is the size of the roof and how many shingles will be needed to replace the roof
What does hail do to a roof?
  Shingles are designed so that the granules block the UV of the sun and protect the asphalt underlayment. As the shingles age the granules fall off over time. As the asphalt is exposed the UV, it dries out and the shingle gets a "potato chip" appearance as the corners start to curl up. A shingle at the extreme end of its life is bubbled in appearance and is brittle to the touch. A 20-year shingle is warranteed by the manufacturer to have a useful life, under optimal ventilation conditions, of 20 years.

Hail does several things:
•Accelerates granule loss.
•Accelerates shingle aging.
•Voids manufacturer's warrantees.
•Leads to other associated problems.

Do I need to get my roof replaced right away?
The insidious nature of hail damage is that it may pose no immediate threat to the structural integrity of the roof. However, many insurance companies have a "statute of limitations" of how long a hail claim is viable. If you have experienced a loss such as hail damage it is prudent to take care of the problem in a timely manner before it leads to other associated problems.
What does hail hit look like? 

A hail hit on a shingle looks like a "bruise" or a dark spot where the granules on the shingle have been knocked off and the asphalt underlayment and sometimes the fiberglass mat is exposed. New hail hits will have a shiny appearance because the asphalt has been freshly exposed and has not had time to weather to a dull color.

Why would my insurance company replace my roof? 
The purpose of home owner's insurance is to protect homeowners against losses in their property's value due to damage that is beyond their control. If you have hail damage, you have experienced a financial loss in that your original investment of a 20-year roof (for example) has now been reduced to a 5-10 year useful life span. Your insurance company will compensate you for your loss and replace your roof.
Why does the estimate read that there are more shingles to replace then there are to remove? 
The amount of shingles to remove from your roof is the actual amount of square feet that it takes to shingle your roof. However, when putting on shingles, some shingles have to be cut to fit dimensions, ridges, hips and valleys. The insurance company adds 10% to regular ridge roofs and 15% to hip and ridge roofs to account for the loss of shingles.


When I called a contractor they had a minimum fee which was far in excess of the small amount the insurance company paid me. What can I do?
 Your insurance company understands minimum charges such as these and has set prices they are prepared to pay as minimum charges for all trades. They do not give you the minimum charge up front because such a large percentage of their customers never call a contractor and just pocket the money. If you call your adjuster and ask for the minimum charge for the work, they will pay it without any hesitation.This is usually referred to as recoverable depreciation.

In my adjustment, my insurance company deducted some money for depreciation, what is that all about? 

Different insurance companies call the amount that they hold back different things. Some call it depreciation; other companies figure it in as a dump and removal fee. What it represents is the amount of money the company will hold back until they receive a signed contract from you and a contractor for the work. When they receive a signed contract, you will
receive another check for the amount they have held back.

My insurance adjuster said there was no hail damage on his first inspection, I asked the Wrightway estimator to call him and request to walk through a re-inspection with him. On the re-inspection the adjuster concluded that there was hail damage and "totaled" the roof. Why such a dramatic turn around?  There are many different reasons that this happens so often. Sometimes adjusters get to a roof too soon after the actual damage and the hits haven't had a chance to weather yet. Sometimes the adjusters are inexperienced. Sometimes they were tired after looking at so many roofs that day. Sometimes they just make mistakes. The best results for the benefit of homeowner seem to be obtained when an experienced roofer walks through the inspection with the insurance adjuster and calls to the adjuster's attention any damage that he sees.

1. Weather related claims such as wind or hail damage are considered an act of God and cannot be held against you. Any raise in premiums are statewide or nationwide, not on an individual basis.

2. Our inspection to determine whether you have suffered any hail or wind damage is free to you, in order to determine whether or not you should file an insurance claim.

3. Roofing damage claims are very subjective which is why it is very important to have professional representation.

4. Wrightway Construction Services represents you when your insurance company makes the final decision, and will file on your behalf for supplemental funds, should any other damage be discovered during the process of replacing your roof.
Is my insurance quote the correct amount to do the work at my house? Not necessarily, sometimes, insurance companies exclude coverage of essential roof construction items essential to proper replacement and longevity of your new roof. These items are referred to as incidentals. They include vents, ridge, flashing, taxes, dump fees and more. The estimate the insurance company gives you is just that, an estimate. The price may vary, once the entire scope of replacement is identified by Wrightway, your insurance company will be responsible for these charges