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Sunroom enclosures are visually appealing due to their unmatched style and design. There are four different kinds of enclosures that you can choose from conservatory, curved, cathedral, and straight. Finding the right design for you and your home is very important. Then you are ready to choose your materials, color, and more.

Sunroom enclosures are not made all of the same. The different designs and styles give you an option to determine which one will look best with your homes design and style. Straight enclosures work best if you are enclosing your patio. They are normally constructed of aluminum on the inside and outside and they may have wooden beams that make up the ceiling. There are a wide range of different ways that a Straight sunroom enclosure can be built. Solid or glass roofs are one option that you will have, as well as aluminum or wooden framing. If you want your enclosure to mess with your house that has vinyl siding, then you can even have the enclosure vinyl sided if you so choose. The options and designs are endless.

Curved Eave sunroom enclosures feature a more symmetrical look that gives added visual appeal. One side of the enclosures wall curves up to form the ceiling and roof. Glass that has a special coating is used to help make the room more energy efficient.

A Cathedral enclosure has a vaulted or sloped roof with a beam that runs down the center. Many different materials are commonly used, including aluminum. The aluminum makes up the outside and inside walls with a roof that is insulated to help make the entire room more able to handle the different weather situations. There are big ranges of different windows to choose from for your sunroom, including windows that can be raised and lowered or fixed windows. It is entirely up to you. Doors are an important part of your room and you can choose to use French Doors or sliding doors, whichever you prefer.

Conservatory enclosures feature glass panels that make up the roof that come together at a bean in the center. This is the most light-filled of the sunroom choices. There are many different styles that you can find in this style, including the georgia, Mediterranean, Pavilion, Victorian, and Edwardian. These are made to be energy efficient with the glass choices and the thermal panels. You will also be able to add details like finials, molding, and windows.

Choosing the design of your sunroom enclosure will take you some time and thought, but you will be amazed at the extra floor space and the added value that it can add to your home.

Adam Peters is the editor of different articles published at http://www.allsunrooms.com with reference to DIY . A website with tips on sunroom enclosures.

posted by 2772  # 3:23 AM 0 comments

Is it any wonder why almost 80% of homes in north america use asphalt shingles as the roofing material of choice. The prevalence of asphalt shingles has created a vast assortment of fittings and fixtures designed to work with them. Items such as a multitude of flashing configurations, edge products, and almost every skylight manufactured has an appropriate base configuration for a weatherproof connection with asphalt shingles. All of the material that you need for a proper installation, such as the shingles, tarpaper, nails, vent boots and chimney flashing are available at any home improvement retailer.

The primary attributes of asphalt tiles are:

• reasonably priced (economical),
• require very little maintenance,
• versatile,
• provide excellent protection on steep sloped roofs,
• are weather and sunlight resistant,
• easy to cut,
• can be nailed by hand or with powered nailers.

There are two different types of asphalt shingle base material construction - composition and fiberglass. Composition shingles use a base material termed organic felt, which is a blend of paper and wood fibers. Fiberglass, on the other hand, uses a base that is comprised of a fiberglass mat. In both cases, once the base material is produced it is soaked in an asphalt compound. In numbers sold, fiberglass leads the market. They are less expensive, weigh less because they are thinner, have a longer wear life and have a better fire rating than the composition base shingles.

average cost of a shingle roof is $50 to $150 per square, installed. Removal of old shingles will cost between $30 and $50 per square.

Both types of asphalt shingles are manufactured with embedded mineral granules. Seeing the granules in your eaves trough (after the initial installation) is a sure sign that you need to repair or replace the shingles.

Where just a few years ago asphalt shingles were only available in simple tab configurations in blacks, grays and browns, the manufacturers have expanded their product lines to include a vast array of colors, profiles and with the use of laminate coatings have created as assortment of eye pleasing textures. Special chemicals are also being blended into the shingles to make them mold and algae resistant. Although these additional features do increase the price per square, asphalt shingles are still the most economical roofing material available.

Drawbacks:

The serviceable life of asphalt shingles is the lowest of all the roofing materials. Although they are available in numerous grades designated by the expected life, from 15 to 50 years they often need repair or replacement long before their supposed life has expired. The hotter the climate, the shorter the life of asphalt shingles. Many of the asphalt shingle problems that are encountered by homeowners are a direct result of two factors:

• poor initial installation
• damage due to sever weather

Poor installation usually occurs in the area of deck preparation, and not providing adequate flashing around items that are protruding through the roof such as vent pipes and chimneys. Other poor installation methods are not using the required amount of nails per shingle and nailing in the wrong area of the shingle. There are many fly-by-night roofing companies that will quote low prices, because they won't be around to stand behind the workmanship. Choose a roofing contractor carefully.

Roof Repairs:

You should inspect your shingled roof and all the flashing at least once a year and after any major storm such as a hurricane. hurricane winds will remove entire shingles and lift others. sun and rain can cause asphalt shingles to crack. You should also go into the attic and look up, any sign of daylight means that there is a hole. When inspecting the roof look for shingles that have lost the granule minerals - bald spots, cracked and/or curled.

If you have to make a roof repair, choose a warm day so that the shingles will be flexible and unlikely to crack when lifted. The roofing cements also spread easier in warmer temperatures.

You will know when you have a roofing problem when you see beige spots appearing on ceilings and walls close to the ceiling. Beige spots are a sign of water damage.

Maintenance:

Roofing cement is the equivalent of duct tape for roofs. It will repair most leaks, cracked or torn shingles, patch flashing around vent pipes and chimneys. You can also use the roofing cement to cover nail heads that have been exposed.

Shingles fade with age so any replacement shingles used will most likely be visually obvious. Shingle over damaged ridge shingles, by nailing down all the corners of the old shingle first - do not remove them.

If you have to replace an entire shingle, lift each of the tabs and pry the nails out of the shingle of the one that needs to be replaced. Remove the top corners of the replacement shingle and very carefully, without damaging the tarpaper, slip it under the existing shingles.

Use roofing nails (large head, galvanized) to fix the new shingle to the roof decking. Use roofing cement to cover the nail heads.

Planning and knowledge are the keys to any successful home improvement, remodel or landscaping project!

For additional information on roofing materials for your home or other renovation projects, including landscaping, visit Renovation Headquarters

posted by 2772  # 12:21 AM 0 comments