Hanging Holiday Lights Without Damaging Your Roof or Gutters
Every December we get calls about roofs that were fine in October. A lot of them trace back to the same weekend: the one after Thanksgiving, when the lights went up. The damage is rarely obvious at the time. A staple goes through a shingle, the lights look great, and nobody thinks about it again […]
Got a New Roof This Year? A Short List Before Its First Winter
When the crew pulls out of the driveway and the dumpster gets hauled off, most people consider the roof done. Fair enough. But there are a few loose ends that almost nobody gets to, and November is a good time to tie them up. The first winter is when a new roof in Rochester and […]
Cold Basement Floors? Check the Top of the Foundation Wall
You finished the basement so you could use it. Then November shows up, the furnace starts running most of the day, and the room is somehow still the coldest one in the house. Socks-on-the-carpet cold. And if you sit near an outside wall, there’s a draft you can’t quite trace. A lot of the time, […]
Why October Is a Smart Month to Get a Roofing or Siding Quote, Even If You’re Not Ready to Start
If you’ve been putting off calling a contractor because you’re “not ready yet,” October is actually a good time to make that call anyway. Here’s why. The Spring Rush Is Real, and It Starts Earlier Than You Think Every spring in Rochester and the surrounding area, exterior contractors get hit with the same wave. Snow […]
The Draft You Can Feel but Can’t See: Door Sweeps, Weatherstripping and Threshold Gaps
The first hard frost usually hits SE Minnesota by mid-October, and that’s when the phone calls start. Not about the roof. Not even about windows, though that’s what people usually blame first. It’s about a draft near the front door that nobody noticed all summer. Here’s the thing: windows get the reputation, but doors are […]
Caulk Now or Patch Later: Checking Siding Seams Before the Freeze
Most homeowners never think about the caulk around their siding until something goes wrong. That’s understandable. It’s not exactly the most exciting part of home maintenance. But right now, before the ground freezes for good, is one of the last good windows to catch small gaps before they turn into bigger problems. Why Small Gaps […]
Why September Is the Month Roofers Actually Want You to Call
A look at why fall, not spring, is the most practical time for SE Minnesota homeowners to plan roofing work before winter arrives.
What Falling Leaves Are Actually Doing to Your Gutters
A look at how oak and maple leaves affect gutter drainage differently in fall, plus a simple way to check your own gutters from the ground.
Batt Insulation: What “R-Value” Actually Means for Your Attic
A homeowner’s guide to understanding attic R-value, what number to target in SE Minnesota, and how to check your own attic before calling a contractor.
What’s Actually in Your Walls: A Plain-English Guide to Insulation Types
An explainer on batt insulation covering what it is, where it is typically installed, and how it fits into homes throughout SE Minnesota.