5 Ways to Increase the Curb Appeal of your Home

1. A freshly painted front door.   This is probably the easiest way to spruce up your home and make it feel new.  A freshly painted front door, especially if it is a new color, will give your home a new look.  Make sure if you’re selling your home soon it’s a color most will also like; standing out with a unique color may not be in everyone’s taste and you may have a harder time selling your home.
   
2. Landscape your Yard and keep it well maintained.  Keep your lawn cut and select plants that fit with your home.  There are many tools online to help you plan your design. (Click here for a Garden Planner from Better homes and Gardens).  You may also want to make a stone, stamped concrete or brick path to your front door or through your plants.  A lit path with plants will give your front entrance a welcoming look; if will show off your landscaping as well as your home.  A brick path or concrete path is always a good choice as well for your sidewalk or driveway. (Click here for some unique path ideas).
   
   
   
   
   
3. Take care of your homes structure.  A fresh tuck-point for your home, fixing broken bricks or repairing crumbling concrete or bricks can add to your home’s appeal and may help the structure as well from further damage.
   
   
   
4. Repair or replace your roof.  Not only is a roof repair practical for your home or business, but it will also give your building a fresh look.  It’s probably on the top of the list of things you may need to do if you’re going to sell your home soon.  A new roof is practical and can make a good selling point to potential buyers.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Repair or replace your gutter.  Your roof and your gutter system are important to divert water away from your home.  Faulty roofs or gutters can be the cause of leaks and other more serious issues such as foundation problems.  A new gutter system also can make your home look better.

Getting your Fireplace and Chimney ready for the Holidays

The Holidays are quickly approaching.  Anyone who lives in the St Louis area will realize it seems to get cooler every day.  Here are just a few tips to get your fireplace and chimney for the holiday season.

1)       Make Sure your chimney is inspected.  Your chimney inspector may find issues with your chimney that you cannot see.  These issues can be potentially dangerous for you and your family, if not troublesome maintenance issues for you down the road.

2)      Get your chimney cleaned by a professional.  Any buildup from a previous fire(s) in your fireplaces should be removed from this cleaning, giving you a safer fire for the holidays.  Some debris left over from previous fires can potentially be dangerous.

3)      If possible, visually inspect your fireplace andchimney for any damage such as cracks.  This may be better left to a professional.  This will most likely be noticed during your chimney inspection.  (see Tip #1) 

4)      Make sure your chimney cap and fireplace damper are in good working order.  Chimney caps can help keep out the unwanted critters from entering your chimney.  Also, ornamental chimney caps give your home a boost of curb appeal.

5)      Check outside your chimney for any tree limbs.  Tree limbs can be a fire hazard if they are too close to your chimney.  They can also damage your chimney cap and limit the draft.

Having a great fireplace can be a benefit to you and your family.  The importance of using a safe fireplace and chimney can bring peace of mind and will help you enjoy your holiday.

6 Tips to get your Home ready for Winter Weather

Anyone who lives in the St Louis Area, knows that the weather here is unpredictable.  It’s always a good idea to be prepared for the colder winter weather headed our way.

Here are a few tips to prepare your home for the cold:

1)     Make sure to have clean gutters – Falling leaves during the autumn can lead to clogged gutters, mold problems, standing water, and other potentially harmful water damage to your home and your homes foundation.  You may also want to hire a professional to inspect your gutters to make sure your gutters are in good working order so you don’t have any problems with your home later.

2)     Disconnect and drain all outdoor water hoses, drain any residual water and turn off any shut-off valves for your faucets.  The shut-off valve can be damaged if frozen.  Your water hoses can also be frozen if water is left in them causing them harm or ruining them entirely.

3)     Insulate attic and walls.  Air leakage can cause a larger heating bill in the winter and a large bill for summertime.  Insulation comes in many forms each of which has pros and cons.  Each type of insulation and where it is being installed have different general guidelines which are best left to professionals.

4)     Remove any tree branches that could be weighed down with ice and snow.  Tree branches that have accumulated snow or ice can fall either hurting your home or someone.  It’s best to have these taken care of before problems arise. 

5)     Repair any roof leaks.  Moisture from frozen water during the winter can cause many water damage issues to your home.  Mold, interior damage, structure damage are just a few issues that can affect your house.  The same is true for damaged chimneys which can lead to the same water issues with your home.

6)     Make sure your fireplace is ready.  Getting a yearly (or more) inspection and cleaning for your chimney will remove residual buildup which will give you more safety to use your fireplace.  Make sure your chimney is not damaged as well—a professional mason is best to check for cracks for this.  The mason can also check that the cap and damper are in good condition.  It is also a good idea to clear out any ashes from previous uses.

These are just a few steps to ensure you have a warm winter.  If you need a local mason in the St. Louis area, feel free to contact us.