Investigating Bare Spots on a Snow Covered Roof

This week I received an email from a reader who has a problem that I see in many homes around our area of Connecticut. Her question was this: “Dear Bob, on particularly cold mornings over these past few weeks, I have noticed spots on my roof that accumulate frost and other parts that don’t. Why am I seeing these spots and is there something wrong with my house?”

I’m so grateful that a reader asked this question and with snow in the forecast, I’d like you all to go outside early in the morning and have a look at your roof. Do you have spots too? If so, you might be thinking that the places where snow is accumulating are the problem and the bare spots are good. But believe it or not, the spots where you can still see your shingles are actually the problem areas.

If your roof is covered with any type of shingle or material other than metal, it should be completely and evenly white after a heavy frost or snowfall. If there are places where shingles are clearly visible, these are literal hot spots where heat is escaping from your home and through your roof at a temperature warm enough to melt snow. This is a problem.

A well insulated and ventilated attic has one very important job to do in the winter - to keep the heat inside your home. Insulation helps to ensure that the air inside your home can’t escape while ventilation allows air to circulate so the temperature and humidity stays regulated. If a home is not insulated and ventilated correctly, you’re going to be subjected to a whole bunch of problems. If heat is escaping, that’s bad for the environment and your energy bills. Once the temperature in the attic deregulates, your roof is going to be susceptible to ice dams, which form because snow melts down to the gutter and refreezes again. When this happens, huge icicles can begin to grow, weighing down the gutter and potentially pulling it clean off. Of course, all this water hanging out where it doesn’t belong also opens your home up to leaks which can come through the roof into the attic and eventually down through your insulation, ceiling, and walls. All of these problems simply because the attic doesn’t have enough of a support system to let the house breathe the way it should!

So what should you do? Here is the easy part. Get your attic properly insulated and ventilated. As a general guideline, insulation with an R-Value of between R-49 and R-60 will sit at between 19 and 22 inches thick when settled. If you have a home that was built in the 1950’s or 60’s, you’re probably sitting on about three inches of insulation in the attic, which gives you an R-Value of about R-10. This might explain why you’re so chilly.

If you're not quite convinced to take on the project, consider this. According to Remodeling Magazine’s 2017 Cost Versus Value Report, adding insulation in your attic was the second-best home improvement project to undergo. In Hartford County, you’re looking at a 92.2% cost recoup upon the resale of a home. How’s that for an investment worth warming up to?

Bob O'Donnell is the owner of O'Donnell Bros, Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro”. All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O'Donnell Bros, Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

Don’t Let Your Home Get Drafty This Winter

If your house has old doors, winter can be a drafty time of year. Luckily, there is an easy, do-it-yourself fix to help you keep the cold air out and the warm air in where it belongs. Here is my guide to sealing your doors before the real cold sets in.

Examine your current weatherstripping for any rips, bends or wear and tear. In older doors, the seals usually deteriorate before the doors themselves, which will allow air to pass through. If you can feel a draft coming from the edges around a closed door, it’s time to give them a little facelift. However, if the door is damaged, sagging, or rattling, it might be time for a new one entirely.

Measure the top and sides of your door jambs with precision; you want the fit to be snug and airtight. I always say, measure twice and buy once! Once you measure the doors, you’ll find the materials that you need either at the local hardware store or online on any home improvement retail site. In addition to weather stripping, you might also need a sweep, which is the strip along the bottom of the door that looks like a tiny broom and keeps the gap between the door and the floor sealed. If yours is damaged or has broken off in parts, now is a good time to replace it. Luckily, basic individual weatherstrips and sweeps can cost as little as $10 each, which is a lot less than investing in a new door.

Just like painting, when you start weatherproofing you’ll need to begin on a clean surface. Scrape any old debris so the gap is free and clear. You want to make sure your gap is in good shape to lay the strips evenly and you need to have enough room for the strips to grip properly.

Finally, you can install your new weatherstripping. Cut it to size before you put it in the groove and ensure that you don’t stretch the material to fit – it will return to its original size and leave you short. Secure it firmly into the groove and open and close the door to look for any protrusions or gaps.

Weatherstripping is a quick, inexpensive fix that will help you stay warmer in the winter and give your heating bill a noticeable break. But just like any home improvement tasks, if you’re not comfortable using basic tools and equipment, you might want to leave the job to a professional. Either way, keep your family warm this winter and take some time for yourself to enjoy the holiday season.

Bob O'Donnell is the owner of O'Donnell Bros, Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro”. All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O'Donnell Bros, Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

Beat That Turkey Belly With This Post-Thanksgiving Exercise Routine

With the biggest eating holiday of the year behind us, now is a great time to get in a healthy habit of regular exercise to help fight off that holiday weight and get you feeling your best.

According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), the average Thanksgiving Day dinner packs in a whopping 3,000 calories which means that the average 160-pound person would have to run at a moderate pace for four hours, swim for five hours or walk 30 miles just to burn it off. That’s a lot of exercise for just one meal!

I love to indulge just like most people, but I also like to get back into my regular routine as quickly as possible. I usually start my day with a brisk walk or jog around Rockwell Park in Bristol, and this morning was no different. We all love to feast on Thanksgiving treats, but getting back on track quickly is the best way to ensure that your turkey belly doesn’t continue growing through the New Year. A 20-minute walk or jog gets the blood pumping and it helps to energize you for the rest of the day ahead.

While I am walking, I like to take hand weights and incorporate squats into my routine. I stand with my feet shoulder width apart and push down into a sitting position with my knees bent. Three sets of ten squats are usually enough to get the glutes fired up and they help me forgive myself for that extra slice of pumpkin pie.

Next, I like to move into lunges which are a fantastic exercise for strengthening the thighs. I do mine while walking which helps to improve balance which is key as we approach ski season. Lunges are easy to do - just take a big step forward and bend both knees at the same time, returning to standing when your knees are bent at 90 degrees. Try five on each side to begin and do three sets to really feel the burn.

For the upper body, I like to alternate pushups and tricep dips to get the muscles in my arms, back, and shoulders fired up. If you’re not used to push-ups, you can modify your positioning by starting on your knees which will make it a little easier to do them in proper form. For tricep dips, you can use a sturdy chair, bench or table that will hold your weight, but I like to use the outdoor exercise equipment in the park.

Then we come to that turkey belly. I often lay on my back and slowly raise my legs up to the sky before lowering them down again in sets of 10 repetitions. Then there is the plank, which can be done simply by getting in push up position and holding the body in place with the elbows against the torso and the back, glutes, and legs all in alignment. Try holding your plank for 30 seconds at first and then you can work your way up to two minutes.

With the holidays now in full swing, it can be easy to let your normal routine fall by the wayside in favor of sweet treats and deliciously lavish dinners. But if you keep your exercise up and enjoy the foods of the festive season in moderation, you’ll be much better off when it’s time to make that New Year’s resolution.

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.