Reduce your home maintenance to-do list with vinyl siding

As a siding contractor who came into the industry when aluminum siding was popular, one of the best enhancements I’ve seen in home remodeling is the evolution of vinyl siding. It’s now the number one exterior cladding choice in the United States, and for homeowners in our area, installing vinyl siding is an excellent investment due to its durability, no fuss maintenance, energy efficiency, and overall esthetic. If you’re looking for a way to update your home that will require minimal upkeep, vinyl siding has my vote. Here’s why:

It looks great. When vinyl first starting getting popular, some people shied away from it because it looked a bit, well, plain and ugly. But vinyl siding has come a long way in the past few years, with manufacturers listening to the call to create a product that’s more visually pleasing. Believe it or not, you can now find vinyl siding that comes in a variety of profiles such as fish scale, shake or scallop shapes – plus there are styles to mimic the look and texture of natural building materials such as wood.

It’s incredibly strong.  Winters here in Central Connecticut can be brutal, as can the summer sun. Vinyl siding is made to withstand winds of up to 110 mph and won’t fade or deteriorate as the seasons change. Most products come with a prorated warranty of up to 50 years for peace of mind, so you know your siding will stand up to the test of time.

It’s easy to maintain. Imagine a lifetime free of painting, staining and caulking the outside of your home.  One of my favorite things about vinyl is that it doesn’t need much maintenance, other than a soapy sponge bath and garden hose shower once in a while. Plus, unlike wood, you never have to worry about splitting, rotting, or termite and insect damage.

It will reduce your energy bills. Insulated siding is energy efficient and works like a blanket over your walls and wall studs. More than 75% of homes I work on are under insulated, which means that heat is escaping in the winter and cool air is getting out in the summer. By installing vinyl siding, you’ll be able to keep the air in your home regulated at a more comfortable temperature without running to the thermostat.

It pays for itself. With a 50-year warranty, no cost maintenance and the savings you’ll reap from your energy bill, installing vinyl siding is an investment worth thinking about. Plus, vinyl consistently ranks as one of the highest returns on investment for remodeling projects. 

Have you ever considered vinyl siding for your home? Do you have questions about making the switch to vinyl? I’d love to help – get in touch or check out our siding page for more information.

Hearty Veggies to Plant in Your Summer Garden

This summer my family has been enjoying the crop of vegetables and herbs that have been flourishing in our garden. There’s nothing better than making a salad from your own fresh lettuce and jazzing up your steak with rosemary plucked off the bush.  If you didn’t get a chance to plant a spring garden but crave the joys of straight from the source produce, there are a whole bunch of delicious veggies that you can get in the ground today to enjoy before the first frost.

Before you start, make sure you check the ground temperature. Get out into the garden a few hours after sunrise and use a soil thermometer to see how warm the dirt is. Most of the vegetables I’ve listed like the temperature to be between 75-85 degrees Fahrenheit. If your garden gets a lot of sunshine, your soil could be too warm and you might need to shade it.

Remember, summer seedlings will germinate quicker and will need more water in order to survive and thrive.

There are too many fall favorites for me to list, but johnnyseeds.com has a great round-up of picks for a weekend plant. As a general rule of thumb, hearty greens, most varieties in the cabbage family, and root vegetables are a safe bet. Here are the ones at the top of my list.

Swiss chard is an amazing vegetable to enjoy in the autumn. It needs a ground temperature of about 86 degrees Fahrenheit and will be ready for picking in six to eight weeks.  If you’re not familiar with this veggie, collard greens and kale are more popular produce picks that have a similar flavor and grow time.

Spinach is one of my favorites because of its tough to beat in terms of iron and vitamins K, A, and C. I love that you can enjoy it raw in salads, sautéed as a dinner side, or cooked in an omelet for breakfast. Plant this one now to enjoy in between six to ten weeks. 

Beets also love the warm soil and if you put them in the ground now they’ll be ready to eat by the end of summer. My wife is an amazing cook and she loves roasting the bulbs and sautéing the greens, which are high in beta-carotene, vitamin C, iron, and calcium.

Finally, everyone loves carrots, which are a slow growing vegetable but most definitely worth the wait. Carrots will take up to 12 weeks to be ready for picking, which means they’ll be ready for slow roasting just in time for the cooler October weather.

If you don’t have time to plant your own garden, you can enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of our local farmer’s labor by visiting the new Bristol Farmer’s Market every Saturday at The Patch Downtown from 10am to 1pm. It’s a great way to support the local community and get a taste of what’s in season.

Remodeling Projects to Help Older Adults Stay Comfortably at Home

According to the recent Age-Friendly Community Survey from AARP, more and more Baby Boomers are electing to stay in their current home rather than downgrade or move into an assisted living facility or retirement community. Are you one of them? If so, you will need to think about certain modifications that will need to be made to your house as you age. Everyone deserves to be able to live in the comfort of their own home, but let's face it, your mobility at the age of 85 might be a bit different to what it is (or was) at 65. So in order to stay happy and healthy in your own house, there are a few remodeling projects to consider. Here are the most popular according to the AARP survey. 

Bathroom Modifications

Forty-two percent of all survey respondents said that remodeling their bathroom was the most important change they would need to make to stay in their own home. Some of these modifications are simple and relatively inexpensive, such as changing doorknobs to swing handles and installing a grab bar alongside the toilet. However, larger projects such as lowering countertops, installing a handicap accessible shower, and widening doorways take a bit more time and planning. 

Medical Emergency Response System Installation

Thirty-two percent of respondents rated having an emergency response system as the most significant change they wanted to make in their home as they age. These systems generally consist of a small device that you wear around your neck or wrist. When the device is pressed it will transmit a signal to a call box, which will then immediately connect you with emergency services. For older people who live alone, these systems are highly recommended. Unfortunately, according to the Federal Trade Commission, most insurance companies don’t pay for the equipment so if you need to purchase this kind of system, expect to fork out for installation and monthly service fee.

Improved Lighting

This one seems obvious and nearly one-quarter of all respondents agree that better lighting would be a necessary modification for them to stay in their home. Change in vision is one of the downsides of aging and it happens to nearly all of us. Believe it or not, the human eye actually begins to deteriorate from the age of 40! According to a separate AARP study, older adults require two to three times more light than younger adults, and as we age, our eye lenses tend to yellow, decreasing our ability to see white light. Using cool white halogen and fluorescent bulbs is just one way to maximize vision and can help minimize the chance of a fall or other accident. 

Easier Home Accessibility

Twenty-two percent of survey takers said that changing the way they get in, out, and around their home was the most important consideration for staying in it. Personally, I would have thought that this would be the most popular change, but ramps, doorway modifications, and chairlifts ranked only fourth. These types of alterations should be carefully considered because they are not only the most expensive changes that need to be made; they also take the most time. It would be a wise decision to have your home assessed for these modifications well before you may need them as they could very well change your decision about staying in your home.

Addition to First Floor Living Area

Finally, 14 percent of respondents listed modifications to the first floor as an important part of staying in their own home. Many houses in the greater Bristol area are two-floor Cape Cod style homes with narrow staircases, which is a difficult entry point to a second-floor bedroom. Converting a rarely used first-floor dining room to a bedroom, or making changes to a kitchen to accommodate a wheelchair are definitely remodeling projects to consider as you age.

 Are you an older adult living in the area? Do you agree with the survey results? Are there other modifications you consider to be important for you to stay in your home? I’d love to hear from you.