LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) As the temperatures move above freezing and what once fell as snow now comes as rain, our next challenge could be safely getting rid of all that water.

If you're a homeowner, the winter trouble for your roof starts with uneven temperatures.

"Heat released from that attic insulation will warm the shingles along with the sun," said Kevin Wharton, a remodeling specialist with Paul Davis Restorations of Louisville. "That causes that snow or ice to melt and start to run down the shingles. The water literally has nowhere to go."

As the water refreezes when it reaches your eaves and gutters ice dams are formed. The dams push the melting snow back under your shingles and into your walls.

"Unfortunately, there's not a whole lot you can do for it once you have it," Wharton said.

Northern states have companies that dissolve the ice dams with steam heat, but those companies don't exist here. Other suppliers will wire your gutters and downspouts with heating cables, but they aren't found often here in the Mid South. One thing is certain - getting rid of ice dams is no project for the do-it-yourselfer.

"You'll do more damage to your roof if you try to chip it out of the shingles," said. Wharton. "And gutters; you've got hundreds of pounds of ice. There's no way I can take that gutter down without destroying it."

Instead, Wharton preaches proactive steps, like laying down an ice and water shield.

"It's a rubberized membrane that comes in sheets," Wharton said. "A second barrier that will shed the water on down the roof and into the gutter system and it won't leak into the house."

Such barriers will add at least $1,500 to the price of a replacement roof, but Wharton pointed out that is nearly the same amount as your home insurance deductible and he said prevention's cheaper than repair.

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Rising temperatures, melting snow brings new set of problems

Published: Saturday, Feb. 8, 2014, 6:03p.m. Updated 4 hours ago

Snow can be a bigger problem when it stays up than when it comes down.

Snow that stays on the roof can find ways to exploit flaws in flashing or seams in shingles, and it can build up enough that it creeps up from jammed gutters far enough to start dripping to the inside floors below.

Roof problems can emerge at a time when it is tough to do anything about them. Stop-gap repairs are possible, but the true solution to the problem might be months away.

Al Lambert of 3 Rivers Roofing in Washington County said he received 2,700 phone calls in the month after the 24-inch snow of 2010.

He eventually reached the point where he would address only emergencies.

Jeff Moeslein of Dormont's Legacy Remodeling said winter is a very difficult time. There are things we can do now, but you almost have to wait for spring.

Lambert and some of his crew recently were assessing a problem in an attic, but he said repairs likely will have to wait until the snow melts.

Tom Bollnow, senior director of technical services at the Illinois-based National Roofing Contractors Association, said the first thing he advises anyone with a roof problem is to stay on the ground.

It is tough for a professional to go up there, but it really is something for the homeowner to avoid, he said.

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Snow can exploit weaknesses in roofs, gutters

Celebrity designer Jennifer Bertrand (Courtesy photo)

If your resolution is to work on your home, then you are sure to get some ideas at the El Paso Spring Home Show, which kicks off today and continues through Sunday at the El Paso convention center.

The show, put on by R. J. Promotions, will feature more than 100 home-related businesses, prize giveaways, free antique appraisals and presentations by HGTV Design Star season 3 winner Jennifer Bertrand.

"This is our seventh year and we always do it at the end of January. It gets a jump start toward the spring and people thinking about what they want to do or change in their homes," said Kevin Linville, director of sales.

Linville said attendees should get ideas on home projects from a variety of vendors including kitchen and bath remodeling, windows and doors, landscaping and garage additions.

"They can get innovative ideas for the inside and outside of the home," he said.

Michael Amosson with Viking Productions will offer free antique appraisals all weekend. People are welcome to bring their attic treasures and find out how much their items are worth. Amosson has years of experience appraising items that range from childhood toys and autographed memorabilia to vintage items and glassware.

"He's a legitimate appraiser and will be buying and selling as well," Linville said.

Bertrand said she has been busy with real life and traveling around the country doing seminars since she won the HGTV network design competition in 2008. She found out she was pregnant two days before she won.

Her son was born with two rare malformations and Bertrand and her husband are constantly flying to New York for his medical care. But she still manages to make it work, currently working on a new Ronald McDonald house in Kansas City, where she lives, and doing presentations. She also is a spokesperson for the International Design Guild, a flooring company.

Link:
El Paso Spring Home Show to host HGTV star

Maybe your roof gave you trouble in the big storms of November and December. Maybe you even had someone out to patch a leak. But how can you know when your roof is totally shot and has to be replaced?

The No. 1 sign is multiple leaks in your home, whether those leaks are all at once in a major storm or one right after the other in different areas of your home. Secondly, ask yourself how old your current roof is, and third, find out what kind of roofing you have.

That may sound basic and simple, but many people buy homes particularly newcomers to Arizona without thinking much about whats overhead or how and when it got there.

They usually find out a little from a building inspection, but then they want the seller to quickly fix any problems before escrow closes.

Probably the renovated kitchen, curb appeal and location were mainly why they picked the house.

But that roof can become a real issue once a homeowner finds out that total replacement can approach $10,000 or even more, depending on the square footage of the roof, materials, removal of the old roofing, and repairs or replacement of the underlayment.

Several types of roofing are most frequently used on Arizona homes, and some choices last longer than the others.

Generally, most people reroof with the same materials already up there, often because theyre in an HOA where they have to do that.

Here are some common examples of roofing:

--Built-up roofs are less costly and have sheets of roofing membrane with sealing done on seams and vents and around pipes sticking out of the roof. Roofers put down layers of rolled asphalt with hot tar between layers and more tar used to make the layers stick to the deck underneath.

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Rosie on the House: Consider these points when fiddling with roof

GRAFTON -

The Tygart Valley Drug and Violent Crime Unit was called to the Briarcliff Apartment complex on Saturday for reports of a meth lab.

Grafton Police Chief, Robert Beltner, said eight apartments in two buildings were sectioned off and tenants were forced to evacuate.

Chief Beltner said seven apartments were occupied at the time and one was closed for remodeling.

The unit executed a search warrant and found a meth lab in one of the adjoining apartments.

Louis Arbogast, April Simpson, and Timothy Simpson were all taken into custody.

Chief Beltner said the evacuation was necessary due to the common attic that is shared by the apartments.

One member of the Tygart Valley Drug and Violent Crime Unit was taken to the hospital after receiving direct exposure to methamphetamine fumes. He received no serious injuries, according to Chief Beltner.

The West Virginia Bureau for Public Health will officially condemn the apartments on a state level. Property owners will then be required to have it tested. Once tests prove the apartments are not contaminated, the bureau will remove the restriction and allow the tenants to return.

Arbogast and Timothy Simpson were charged with possession with the intent to deliver a controlled substance.

More here:
3 Arrested In Taylor County Meth Bust, More Arrests Pending

Often described as "having character" or "being interesting," old homes can just as often be described as "challenging" -- both to maintain and to renovate.

All older homes, which were not designed to anticipate today's electricity requirements, need electrical updates.

"If original wiring was used for what it was intended, it is fine," said Tom O'Connor, who owns O'Connor and Sons Electric in Palo Alto. "Lots of people have a lot of stuff in their homes now that no one imagined 40 years ago."

Sean Smith, who owns Smith Electric in Los Gatos, agrees.

"Back in the 1950s and 1960s, the biggest piece of (kitchen countertop) technology was a toaster or maybe a plug-in waffle iron," Smith said. In addition to the refrigerators, stoves and ovens that would have been in a 50-year-old kitchen, today's kitchens have dishwashers, powerful stove hoods, microwaves and many other countertop appliances that run on electricity.

Eichler homes, built throughout California for approximately 25 years starting in the early 1950s, are known for being among the most challenging older homes for electrical upgrades. Inside, Eichlers are not very different from other homes -- modern and old -- because the interior walls are standard 2-inch by 4-inch framed lumber, except these are covered with wood paneling instead of Sheetrock, Smith said.

What separates Eichlers from other older homes are the logistics required to get electrical wires inside the home.

Eichler homes are named after Joseph Eichler, a developer who oversaw the design and building of entire neighborhoods. The homes were designed in the style of midcentury modern architecture, with simple lines, open floor plans and exterior walls with many floor-to-ceiling windows and large glass sliding doors.

Certain aspects of the simple and clean Eichler design make performing electrical work more laborious than other older homes. Eichlers have no attics or crawl space; the underside of the roof is the home's ceiling. The homes also have a concrete slab foundation that includes embedded radiant-heating elements.

Some original wires lay directly underneath the roof and some run through metal pipes, called electrical conduits, beneath the concrete slab, Smith said. One or two conduits supplied power to the kitchen while others powered the washing machine and dryer, Smith added.

The rest is here:
Electrically eclectic Eichlers

Firefighters work to put out an attic fire in a home off of Mountain Close Lane Tuesday.

Contractors remodeling a home at 68 Mountain Close Lane, near Highland Lake Inn & Resort, were putting up new drywall in the otherwise vacant home when they smelled smoke Tuesday afternoon.

Michael McCarthy said they had started a small fire in the homes fireplace to keep the chill out while they worked in the house.

They didnt know it but somebody had roofed over the chimney, said Blue Ridge Fire & Rescue Chief Gary Brown.

The smoke and intense heat from the fireplace backed up in the houses attic, sparking a fire shortly before 2 p.m. McCarthy called 911.

Heavy smoke was escaping from the eaves of the house when firefighters arrived. There was a good-size fire in the attic, Brown said.

Firefighters cut a hole in the roof to access the fire in the attic when they noticed it had spread, but were relieved to find the flames had not sizzled through to the lower floors.

Brown said they cut about three holes into the attic to access the blaze. Water was pumped up from Highland Lake to extinguish the flames. Fire hoses blocked a lane on North Highland Lake Road, prompting officials to close the road from Greenville Highway to Highland Lake Drive.

Firefighters were able to save the home before it sustained any significant damage. Brown credited the fast actions of McCarthy reporting the fire and firefighters responding quickly for the successful outcome. The scene was cleared shortly after 3:30 p.m.

Valley Hill Fire & Rescue, Dana Fire & Rescue, the Henderson County Rescue Squad and Henderson County EMS assisted.

See the article here:
Attic fire damages Hendersonville home

TORONTO You may have selected paint colours, tiles and finishes, but plans to gear up for a home renovation can quickly grind to a halt if you havent ensured key health and safety measures are in place.

A U.S. Centers for Disease Control report released earlier this month focused on a case in Quebec where 14 people fell ill with a pneumonia-like infection after the exterior brick of a century-old house was removed as part of a renovation.

Workers, residents of the home and neighbours have recovered after developing symptoms of a fungal disease called histoplasmosis, which is carried in the droppings of bats and birds. Infection symptoms include high fever, coughing, chest pain and shortness of breath.

Cases of histoplasmosis infection are rare in Canada and usually involve construction work that stirs up clouds of dried-up aerosolized spores that people end up inhaling. In the Quebec case, workers had been given masks to wear but didnt do so continuously due to hot weather.

Whether homeowners are embarking on a do-it-yourself project or enlisting a professional, here are tips from experts for making health and safety a top priority throughout the home renovation process.

Cory Norris, chief project estimator at Greater Toronto Contractors, said the No. 1 determining factor as to whether there will be problems with the home is its age. They also look at the state of the home, with visible damage among the red flags.

If you can see water damage, if paint is peeling off walls here and there if it hasnt been maintained well, they probably have ignored any kind of problems that have been going on as well: rodents, bats, for example, mice

Norris said workers will go into the attic and lift up some insulation where mice, rodents and squirrels love to make their home.

While a few droppings arent a cause for concern, discovering a significant amount is problematic and requires expert attention. I stop, I come out and then I tell the homeowner, We should have this stuff tested, Norris said.

If I go into the home and see the old paper-type wrapping around plumbing pipes, we say: Dont touch a thing here; we have to get this tested for asbestos. Any home thats been built pre-80s, theres going to be a real high chance that theres asbestos somewhere, he added.

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Safety tips for doing home renovations

By Thomas Hubka

Attic remodels to small- to medium-sized houses can be especially challenging construction projects because they usually require good design layout in tight places with sloping roof conditions that complicate typical construction details.

Perhaps the biggest challenge for owners of modest houses is to adjust large house spatial expectations to the snug joys of rooms with lower sloping ceilings.

Stair location. For houses without attic stairs, locating the stairway is one of the most critical design decisions.

Several locations are often possible, including exterior bump-outs, but exacting stairway standards and code requirements make stair design a challenging exercise usually it is a task for architects or experienced contractors.

For houses with existing stairs and tight locations, an important consideration is the possibility of reconfiguring or turning the stairs at top or bottom to maximize better spatial usage for adjacent spaces.

Attic room locations and shed or dormer extensions. Typically, on the second floors of modest houses, the existing stair and the plan of the two or three bedrooms dictate the basics of the design. If this is a given, the major task is then to decide which areas of the roof to expand or open-up with roof gables, sheds, large or small dormers and skylights.

Frame the major view with your best and largest opening. To enhance most rooms, consider framing a primary view with a group or cluster of major windows. And your view doesnt have to be Mount Hood. Consider framing or focusing on a favorite tree or just the sky and neighboring tree tops.

Some homeowners sit on their roof to make these selections but experienced architects or builders can also anticipate these decisions without roof sitting.

Skylights can complement major window openings. These are also ideal for obtaining secondary views and for lighting small interior rooms and stairways. They are also considerably cheaper than equivalent dormers or shed roof opening.

The rest is here:
Design considerations for remodeling attic spaces

A Beatrice woman is staying with family after a Thursday evening fire rendered her home unlivable.

Beatrice Fire and Rescue workers responded to the fire at 11:12 p.m. at 1503 E. Court St.

Fire and Rescue Chief Brian Daake said the resident of the home, Marge Gouldie, had experienced electrical problems earlier in the day, prompting her to spend the night of the fire elsewhere.

The occupant was having electrical problems through the day and wasnt comfortable staying there so she went to her sons house, Daake said. When we arrived on scene, there was light-colored smoke coming out of the attic.

The fire appeared to be electrical and Daake described it as slow, hot smolder.

Firefighters cut a ventilation hole in the roof and damage to the older home was estimated at $13,000.

A total of 11 firefighters were on the scene for roughly two hours and Beatrice Police officers assisted in shutting down Court Street.

Daake added the home was at some point remodeled, which can add challenges for firefighters.

It just was an older home and had remodeling done at some time, he said. Any time you change a room from its initial design of the building it appeared the ceilings were lowered at one time just gaining access to where the fire actually is adds some challenges.

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Attic fire damages home