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5 Ways to Keep Your Home Cool During Summer

July 2, 2019 By adminAPX

In Canada, even though we’re known for our cold winters with lots of snow, we still can get sweltering summers. When the sun beats down, and the house warms up, your first instinct is likely to turn up the AC to cool everything down. You’ll know that method works when you stop sweating, and when you get your next power bill in the mail.

Turning up the AC will rack up your electrical bill really quickly. If you don’t want to pay more but prefer not to sweat when you’re sitting in your home, then it’s time to look for different ways to cool your house in the summer. Try one of the following five ideas below.

Close the Blinds

If the sun is shining into your home, it’s going to warm it up. It’s nice to let the sunshine in throughout the day and enjoy the benefits from it. However, when it’s above 30 degrees outside in the middle of the afternoon, that sun will sure warm up your house.

Close the blinds to block out the sun and subsequently its heat. Especially for windows that face the sun in the afternoon, keeping the blinds closed will help prevent how much heat enters your home. Blackout curtains will work the best.

Use a Fan

Sometimes all we need is to circulate the sitting air around our house. Instead of relying on the AC to do that, have a fan. If you work from home and find the afternoons unbearable, a little fan on your desk will blow enough air in your direction to cool you off.

Want more than circulation? Using this trick can turn your fan into a mini air conditioner. Put a bowl of ice in front of the fan, so it blows the coolness towards you.

Open Windows in the Evening

As the sun sets so too (typically) does the temperature. When this happens, it’s the perfect time to open any windows and skylights you have in your home to let in fresh, cool air. On days that are colder than normal, you can do the same thing. Plus, not only will it cool your home, you get to enjoy the benefits of fresh air in your home.

Turn Your Ceiling Fan Counter-Clockwise

Did you know the direction of your ceiling fan can change the feeling of the air? When you turn it counter-clockwise and put it at high speed, the airflow turns into a wind-like breeze that will cool the room below. So, if you have a ceiling fan, keep it and crank it up in the summer.

Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated isn’t just essential for your health, but it can also help keep you relatively cool. Drinking icy-cold drinks can help keep your temperature at a tolerable level. Just like you would grab a hot cup of hot chocolate on a frigidly cold day, grab that cool glass of water (add some fruit to infuse it for an extra taste) to cool you down.

If you’re trying to save money and conserve energy, turning up the AC in the summer should be your last resort. Try using these hacks first to keep yourself and your house cool when the sun is at its hottest.

Filed Under: Blog

6 Common Roof Issues to Watch For

July 2, 2019 By adminAPX

At one point or another, homeowners will encounter an issue with their roof. Just as with every other part of the home, your roof will wear down over time, especially if you’ve have nasty storms roll through.

The roof is not something you want to mess around with or taking your time addressing. A simple leak can quickly turn into a disaster if left alone. Roof problems don’t go away; they get worse.

Keep tabs on the look of the roof and anything happening inside. If you notice one of the following six common roof issues, it may be time to hire a professional.

Leaks

Most likely, the most common issue you’ll come across as a homeowner is a leak in the roof. A leak can stem from many different sources, including a broken shingle, broken weatherstripping, and broken seal around skylights. It doesn’t take long for a simple leak to turn into something bigger, or to cause serious damage to the inside of your home.

Broken Shingles

The shingles on your roof have a lifespan. For basic asphalt shingles, you can get away with having shingles last between 15 and 18 years; other types can last up to 30 years. After that, it’s time to inspect them to see what needs replacing.

Broken shingles can come from several issues, including:

  • Heavy sun exposure
  • Large temperature variations
  • Harsh storms
  • Trees and other debris
  • Poor installation
  • Material quality

Clogged Gutters

Gutters serve a significant purpose in protecting the foundation of your home. After a heavy rainstorm, if there are no gutters, the water would simply pour off your roof and fall anywhere it wanted. The gutters collect the water and guide it to an area away from the foundation of your home.

If the gutters are clogged, it prevents the water from flowing down and away from your house. The water can pool on the roof, which can lead to serious damage.

Tree Damage

Something you don’t want happening to your roof – a falling tree. As much as we love having trees in our yards for various reasons, if the branches come into contact with the roof, and can cause damage to the shingles and wear down the surface of the roof. Keeping your trees trimmed will help prevent any contact between the roof and the trees.

Ice Buildup

Not very often will you hear someone say that ice is a good thing, unless it’s in a cube for your drink. Otherwise, ice in other places like the ground and on the roof will only lead to trouble.

Ice buildup can damage the shingles on the roof. Not only that, once it melts, it turns into water that can seep underneath the shingles and damage not just the shingles, but the structure underneath it.

Poor Installation

Poorly installed roofs are never a good idea. Same with using low-quality materials. For the roof of your house, it’s a project you want to invest in and spend the money on the best materials. Otherwise, you’re left with a roof that won’t do its job (protect the house below), and will only have you spending more money to fix it down the road.

If you come across a roof issue, for your own safety, it’s best to call a professional to do the job for you. Fixing a roof can be dangerous, but it is a necessary task to do. Pay attention to the common issues listed above and fix them as quickly as possible.

Filed Under: Skylights

How to Prevent Your Skylight from Leaking

February 25, 2019 By adminAPX

We love skylights. They offer so much to every home. From additional natural lighting to turning your house into an energy-efficient property, the list goes on and on for why skylights are an excellent addition to a house.

However, even the best-installed skylight is prone to wear and tear, cracks, and leaks. Just like everything else in and around your house, after a while, the skylight ages and the structure loses its integrity. That is when you’re likely to see leaks and wind seep through the seals.

Replacing a skylight can get expensive. Add in anything damaged in the home below from a leak, the price tag of reacting to a leaking skylight can increase exponentially. That is why with proper maintenance and knowing when it’s time to replace the skylight, you can prevent leakages and keep your home in prime condition.

Let’s take a look at ways in which you can prevent your skylight from leaking.

 

What Causes a Leak?

Before you can begin to repair or prevent a skylight from leaking, you need to know what causes a leak. Many factors contribute to a leaky skylight:

  • Improper installation.
  • Damaged flashing.
  • Roof damage and lack of roof maintenance.
  • Too high humidity inside the home.

Now that we know some of the causes, we can start to look at ways to prevent a leak.

Regular Maintenance and Inspections

Having a regular maintenance routine that includes inspecting your skylight is one of the best ways to keep tabs on the integrity of the skylight. Thorough and regular inspections can help you notice any wear and tear on the skylight and the roof around it.

When inspecting, look any signs of deterioration, as well as holes, cracks, or broken seals. Your maintenance routine should include examining the roof as well. Broken shingles around the skylight can cause issues too.

Proper Ventilation Inside the Home

Too high humidity levels can cause many problems in any house. When there is lots of humidity inside, condensation begins to form on windows and mirrors. The skylight is no exception. When that condensation starts to build, it has to go somewhere. It will either drip onto whatever is below it or seep into different areas of the skylight and roof.

Humidity can also cause wood and other materials to warp. If the structure of the roof and home begin to distort and have issues from the moisture, it could affect the seal of the skylight. So, ensure you have proper ventilation inside your home.

Boost Up the Seal

Sometimes, all you need to do to prevent or stop a leak in a skylight is to fix the seal. An easy way of doing that is by applying caulking around the edges of the skylight. One hundred percent silicone caulking will help keep the skylight sealed tightly to prevent any leaks from occurring. Including this step in your regular maintenance routine.

 

Preventing leaks is the best way to protect your skylight and your home. Having a preventative routine allows you to catch any damages before they can do any harm to the property.

Filed Under: Uncategorised

How to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient

February 25, 2019 By adminAPX

How to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient
More and more you hear about making your home more energy efficient and the many benefits that follow along with the change. That is because being more energy efficient not only is better for the environment, but it can also save you money down the road.
Although some of the switches to be an energy efficient home can get pricey, there are multiple changes you can do that can fit any budget. Many of them are quite small and simple but have enormous benefits later on.
Let’s take a look at different ways you can make your property more energy efficient.

Reduce Power Usage
A good chunk of the environmental pollution comes from those who produce power for the country to use. Unfortunately, until we have cleaner energy sources to rely on, we need that power. However, if you can reduce the amount of power you use at your home, that can have an impact.
Start by turning off the lights in rooms you’re not in. Change out the lightbulbs in your home to energy efficient LED bulbs. Utilize natural light as much as possible through windows and skylights.
Insulate Your Home
A house that is not insulated will only cause you problems. That is because nothing is keeping the cold air outside during winter and inside during summer. If you’re continually losing air from inside your home, you’ll have to keep running your furnace or air conditioner.
Check that there is weatherstripping around all the doors in your house. Make sure all windows, skylights included, are properly sealed. Any holes you can find, especially in the attic, plug or seal them.
Use Energy Efficient Appliances
We have more options than ever before when it comes to energy efficient appliances. These differ from standard ones since they require less power to operate. Although switching to some energy efficient appliances is a large investment up front, they do pay off the longer you have them. You’ll find that you reduce the amount of power you need, the run better and can even last longer.
Reduce Your Water Consumption
Your water consumption also affects how energy efficient your home is. The more you can conserve water, the less your property needs which will save you money. So, be conscientious about the length of your showers. Turn the tap off while brushing your teeth. Minimize the number of small loads of laundry or dishes.
Unplug Where You Can
Electronics not in use that stays on and plugged in can use up a ton of power. Even though the screen is black and the device is in sleep mode, likely things are happening behind the scenes that we don’t see. That means the device is using power when you’re not using it. Unplug electronics and chargers that are not in use.
Install Solar Panels
Although these are another investment, installing solar panels on your property have many benefits. To start, you can produce your own power rather than relying on buying it. In return, you’ll save yourself a lot of money the longer you use a solar panel.

Filed Under: Uncategorised

The Benefits of Letting in the Outside Air

January 28, 2019 By adminAPX

Remember as a child you were encouraged to go outside to play so that you could get some fresh air? That is because fresh air has many benefits for us. Except during high allergy seasons (spring with pollen and fall with harvest are excellent examples), you should try and bring the outside air into your home if you can’t make it outside.

One way of doing that is by installing a skylight that opens up, or a roof window. Not only do these let the sunshine into your house, but they also give you the option of opening them to let in the fresh air.

If you’re on the fence about an opening skylight, take a look at how letting in the outside air will benefit you and your family.

 

Clean Out Your Lungs

Even with excellent ventilation in a building, the air can get stale and full of particles. By opening a window and letting the fresh air circulate through your home, it helps clean out your airways. When you breathe in the fresh air, it dilates your lungs more fully while cleaning them out.

Be cautious about the time of year, however. If someone has allergies and breathes in the outside air that has pollen from plants, it could flare up their allergies.

Increased Energy

When you can breathe in more clean air, it gives your body a boost of energy. That is because fuller lungs allow you to breathe in more oxygen which goes into your body’s cells. More oxygen means more energy.

Increase Immune System

Continuing with the blood cells, more oxygen helps out or white blood cells. Those cells are our defences against germs and bacteria. So, the more oxygen you breathe in, the stronger your white blood cells are which means, the better prepared you are to fight off illnesses.

Boost Your Mood

Did you know that fresh air can help boost your mood, especially if you suffer from depression or anxiety? When you breathe in more oxygen, it increases the levels of serotonin in the body. Serotonin is the happy hormone our body makes to keep us happier in life.

Freshen Up Your Home

It’s hard to beat the smell of the outdoors, especially on a clear, crisp day. If you notice that your home needs a boost of freshness, one of the easiest and quickest ways to do that is by opening up a window. The smell of the outdoors can instantly make a home feel more clean and welcoming without doing anything.

 

These are only a few of the benefits of why you should let fresh air into your home. Installing a skylight that opens is one way of doing that. You get the benefits of the sunshine and Vitamin D, and you have the option to open the window to take in all the benefits of the outdoor air.

Filed Under: Uncategorised

Have a Skylight? Here Are 3 Tips to Keep it Secure

January 28, 2019 By adminAPX

Skylights are a popular and unique way to let in more daylight to not just small and enclosed areas of the home, but the whole house in general. The windows in the roof do not take up any precious wall space, and there typically isn’t anything obstructing their view. Skylights are an excellent addition to any home.

The one concern many homeowners have is how they can keep their skylight secure from leaks and unwanted entries into the home.

Luckily though, with a bit of knowledge and ensuring the right procedures are followed, you can have an elegant skylight that brightens up the home, all while being safe for the whole family.

 

What Kind of Materials Used?

The materials used in a skylight play a big role in how secure it is. Weakened glass will only be a quick entrance for anyone who wants to gain access into your house. Not only that, because they are easily breakable if you live in an area with high winds, large amounts of snowfall and hail, or where debris could fall on the skylight, it is also susceptible to getting damaged and broken.

A skylight should have a combination of tempered (toughened) glass and laminated glass. When you heat tradition glass about 600 degrees Celsius and then rapidly cool it, it creates tempered glass. It’s an excellent choice for the outer pane as if it was to break; it shatters into tiny pieces. There is less risk of any jagged shards falling into your home.

The downfall to toughened glass is that not only is it safer for your home, it is likely safer for intruders to break, causing it to be a risk for burglaries. However, by pairing it with laminated glass for the inner pane, you greatly reduce the risk of any chance a burglar could enter. That is because the glass supports itself and cracks rather than shatters.

Reseal It

Over time, the original seal used when installing the skylight can deteriorate, especially when it’s in contact with the outside elements. Once that seal breaks or weakens, it allows for water to seep through the seams. Resealing it is a good habit to get into to ensure that your skylight stays leak-proof.

Install a Skylight Screen

If you’re going to have people on the roof of your home or work in a commercial area where there is lots of action on the roof, a skylight screen may not be a bad idea. These are easily installed over the skylight and are typically made of steel. These screens protect workers from stepping on the skylight and potentially breaking it and falling through.

The downfall to a skylight screen is the appearance. Many do not like the look of having a flat or dome-shaped metal apparatus over the skylight. You’ll likely have shadows from the screen reflecting into your home. However, given the amount of safety it provides, that tends to outweigh the appearance.

Filed Under: Uncategorised

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