.A fireplace has a positive effect on a home — the fire will warm you and your family in a way that no other heat source can. That said, the chimney attached to the fireplace requires regular maintenance to ensure your family’s safety. We’ve seen all kinds of chimney problems over the years — from … Read more
The coronavirus, known as COVID-19, continues to wreak havoc throughout the nation and the world. As a result, many of us have to make accommodations to mitigate the spread of this terrible disease. From businesses temporarily closing to hospital staff, grocery store teams, and many other essential companies working around the clock to help us … Read more
Spring has officially sprung. Temperatures are rising, we’re starting to see more sun. With that, any remaining snow and ice are melting away. All of this is good news for us humans, but that water runoff can cause problems for our homes. Too often, this melting will saturate the soil, and force that water into … Read more
As you can imagine, we spend a lot of time looking at people’s chimneys and fireplaces. Can you guess the most common complaint that we hear? Aside from serious problems, the most frequent complaint is that homeowners just don’t like the way that their fireplace looks. It’s dated, out of style, doesn’t complement the rest of … Read more
Though brick and mortar steps are built to last, sometimes they need maintenance to ensure their longevity. After all, they have a hard job in a challenging environment. They deal with every change in temperature, all the inclement weather that comes with the changing seasons and we use them every day. Your masonry steps can … Read more
Masonry walls, steps, and chimneys seem permanent and impervious. After all, it’s strong and can take a lot of abuse — pretty darn near invincible right? Well, brick and mortar do make mighty building material, and with proper maintenance, your masonry construction will last a long time. Masonry has two enemies that can shorten its … Read more
As you might imagine, we’ve seen basements in every stage of flooding — from a tiny leak to an unpleasantly surprising indoor swimming pool. We also meet a lot of folks who worry about the possibility of water damage to their home and possessions. They have a lot of questions and aren’t sure what they … Read more
If you’ve struggled with a leaking basement, then you know how frustrating it can be. What you might not know is what causes the leaking in the first place. After all, the builders didn’t make a house with the intention of letting water into the basement, did they? Probably not. While some older homes with … Read more
I ask most people I meet if they like their kitchen. The kitchen is, after all, where you’ll spend time cooking your meals, where your kids will run to grab an after school snack and where you’ll get that much-needed coffee boost in the morning. We spend a lot of time in our kitchens, so … Read more
Old man winter likes to play tricks on us — hitting us with freezing temperatures and tons of snow one week, and then more mild weather the next. While we tend to enjoy these brief reprieves from the bitter cold, these warm spells have another effect as well. They melt snow resulting in basement leaks. … Read more