OUR BLOG
OUR BLOG
Check out what’s happening with Myers Constructs as well as the latest news and trends in home renovation.
Dumpster Makes a Handy Work Shop
I caught Chris B using his dumpster as a tile backer board cutting area yesterday. Nice way to keep the dust under control! I imagine the broom is in there to get the cement crumbs out of the way. They make a terrible noise on the steel floors of the dumpster!
Easy DIY Projects #2: Fire Prevention
Regular readers will remember my blog post “Where There is Smoke, There is Fire.” Here is the link In that post, the problem of dryer vent fires was discussed. These fires are very common and easy enough to prevent. So easy, in fact, that I, too, had neglected to do the necessary maintenance at my house that would help prevent such a fire. It occurred to me recently that I hadn't checked on how much lint was built up in my ducting. (That reminds me of the movie Brazil, when they asked, “How are your ducts?”) Here are the steps involved. The whole process should take about 30 minutes or less: Pull the dryer away from the wall and disconnect the vent hose. Look inside the vent hose, and also inspect the area where it connects to the dryer outlet and to the outlet that goes to the[...]
The Rule of 10,000
Image: SolarNavigator.net In Malcolm Gladwell's book, "Outliers," he explains that to be good at anything, you have to put in at least 10,000 hours doing it. Outliers Seasoned general contractors (GCs) know this to be true. During the course of their careers, GCs typically put in many years of 12-hour days learning their craft. You'll find that most GCs have at least a few gray hairs to show for all this hard work. I call these pros "silverbacks," which is also the nickname for the leaders in bands of gorillas. It's important for you, the homeowner, to know that an experienced construction pro is going to be able to manage your project better than the younger average Joe. They are also going to do a much better job than you, should you be tempted into thinking that taking on their role on a project would be fun or economical. How[...]
Hitting the Airwaves
Our own Tamara Myers will be interviewed about lead safety by MyFixItUpLife, a live home-improvement radio show on WCHE 1520AM. Check out her interview on Thursday, April 22, starting at 1 pm, and again on Saturday, April 24, at noon.
Home Energy Audits – Part I
As you may already know, we supply home energy auditing for our customers, usually as part of larger home-renovation projects. It’s with these larger projects that we attend to enough area of the home to really affect the home’s total energy performance. But even with smaller projects, energy efficiency is top of mind during design and construction. As part of the home efficiency testing, auditors get a look at past utility bills and existing appliances, and they test the tightness of the home. They should also test for indoor home air safety, including C02 and other toxins. We find that drafty windows and doors, uninsulated spaces in walls, and breaks in the vapor barrier or thermal envelope of the home are the usual sources of air leaks. And air leaks are very costly because they cause you to use more energy keeping your home comfortable in hot or cold weather.[...]
A Look at the 2010 Old House Fair…
This past weekend, we attended the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia's (PAGP) Old House Fair, an event that brings together homeowners and aspiring owners of older and historic homes with historic preservation specialists from throughout the Philadelphia area. This is the second year in a row we've attended the fair, and we always seem to run into many great folks we've known for a long time but haven’t seen in a while. Our company is excited and honored to be involved with PAGP -- and to be receiving one of their 2010 Preservation Awards for our work on an extensive window-renovation project at The Fleisher Art Memorial (link to 3/10/10 press release). At the Old House Fair, our customer, Carolyn West, was also honored with a Homeowner Award from the Preservation Society! You can see her receiving her award in the photos below (she's wearing the blue blouse). And our[...]
Myers Constructs, Inc., to Present at 2010 Old House Fair
Myers Constructs, Inc., will be on hand at The Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia's 2010 Old House Fair on Saturday, April 3rd, at the Germantown Friends School, located at 31 W. Coulter St., in Philadelphia. (Hours are 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.) At 1:00 p.m., Myers Constructs, Inc.'s recent customer, Caroline West, will receive a Homeowner Award. At 2:00 p.m., Tamara Myers, LEED AP and window expert, will host ”Refurbish, Renovate, Replace: A Look at Historic Window Projects,” a presentation on window renovations that preserve the historical integrity of an older home while providing energy savings. Admission fees for the 2010 Old House Fair are as follows: $10 for general admission, $5 for Preservation Alliance members, and free for children under 18. Contact Amy McCollum, Old House Fair Co-Coordinator, at amy@preservationalliance.com or 215.546.1146 x7.
New Video — How to Repair a Slate Roof
Click the Video Gallery link over on the upper right side to see the next how-to video involving Tamara Myers. The topic is how to repair a slate roof.
How Do You Know When It’s Time? Part II
All of us have annoying things in our homes or offices that we live with but don’t have to. It’s good to watch for the adaptive behavior these things make us do. It tells you there is probably something in your home or office you are making do with, that could be changed to make life easier for you. Sometimes it’s a door or lock that sticks. In this case, we’ll take a look at electricity issues. […]
No Maintenance Exteriors?
I’ve received some flak recently from purveyors of vinyl siding. Those of you who follow my blog know I hate vinyl siding. It poisons people when it’s made, and when you’re done with it, you have to send it to the dump because it’s not recycled. Furthermore, while it’s on your house, you are deluded into thinking you have a “no-maintenance exterior.” I hate to shatter the illusion, but that simply doesn’t exist. My house is a 1957 split level. Originally, it had wood siding on it. Some areas were in a board and baton style, and other areas were long lengths of pretty cedar siding with an eight-inch reveal. What’s more, the patterns of the original siding highlighted the low-slung style of this house. […]
