Macek Custom Builders

02/06/2023

02/06/2015

Rest in Peace Toledo Mayor D. Michael Collins. Our sympathy goes out to his family & friends.

02/10/2013

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Macek Custom Builders Holland, OH

02/01/2013

Preventing Ice Dams

Winter weather in the Greater Toledo Area brings snow covered roofs, freezing temperatures, and snow melt that can cause damaging ice dams.
Ice-dam problems occur when melting snow pools behind dams of ice at the roof’s edge and leak into the home.

Some visible indications of problems caused by ice dams may include delaminated roof decks, water-stained ceilings, dislodged roof shingles, sagging ice-filled gutters, peeling paint, damaged plaster, mold and mildew, and wet wall and attic insulation.

Here are three tips for avoiding these frosty formations and the damage caused by them in typical roof/attic designs in our area:


1) Don't heat your roof, keep it cold! the underside of your roof should not exceed 30 degrees Fahrenheit in temperature.

2) Make sure your attic is adequately insulated, an air space between the roof deck and the insulation with proper attic ventilation in order to prevent a condensation buildup that can delaminate the roof deck.

3) Make sure your attic is adequately ventilated so that air flow is introduced into it to exhaust warm moist air rapidly that is typically generated from improperly sealed conditioned living spaces below. If adequate cross ventilated gable vents or ridge vents with soffit venting don't generate sufficient air movement to extract the heat and humidity escaping into the attic, adding motorized venting to the attic to exhaust the heat and humidity can be helpful to supplement attic ventilation, just as long as there is adequate make up air vents that generate flow into the attic from exterior air sources lower than the motorized exhaust vent fan location. Proper attic ventilation design is critical for proper function.
Consult with qualified building professionals for proper new design, and before implementing any changes to your existing design, or the problem could be exacerbated with improper design and implementation.

Just remember that ice dams and the damage that results from them is avoidable!

Tips 2 and 3 can also be benefical in helping reduce cooling bills in the warm and hot months.

More Helpful Links:
Assess Your Home’s Efficiency with an Energy Audit
http://www.nahb.org/generic.aspx?genericContentID=133

02/01/2013

Prevent Damage from Freezing Waterpipes!

According to large market leading insurance company, over a quarter-million American homes are damaged every year due to waterpipes freezing and bursting during the winter months.

Waterpipes freeze for a combination of multiple reasons: quick drops in temperature, poor insulation and sealing techniques, too low of settings on thermostats and failures of heating systems. Here are a few simple tips for avoiding damage from this problem.

• Insulate supply pipes in your home's crawl spaces, basement and attic, even if you live in a climate where freezing is uncommon. The more insulation you use, the better protected your pipes will be. Another benefit is that hot water supply pipes will maintain their temperatures longer, meaning that those sometimes long waits for hot water to arrive at the tap can be reduced! Also with the cold lines, condensation dripping can be reduced or eliminated.

• Use of heat tape or thermostatically controlled heat cables to wrap pipes can be helpful if proper air sealing and insulation techniques are not possible first.

• Seal air leaks with caulk or insulation that allow cold air inside near where pipes are located (around electrical wiring, dryer vents, and pipes).

• Disconnect garden hoses and, if possible, use an indoor valve to shut off and drain water from pipes leading to outside faucets before winter weather occurs.

• A trickle of hot and cold water might be all it takes to keep your pipes from freezing. Let warm water drip overnight, preferably from a faucet on an outside wall.

• Keep your thermostat set no lower than 55 degrees during both day and night so your not caught off guard by a sudden drop in temperature.

• Open cabinet doors to allow heat to get to un-insulated pipes under sinks and appliances near exterior walls.

• Shut off and drain the water system, particularly if home is unattended for an extended period.

More Helpful Links:
The Weather Channel: Prevent Frozen Pipes
http://www.weather.com/activities/homeandgarden/home/hometips/severeweather/

02/01/2013

GREEN PRODUCTS: Haiku Ceiling Fans

Haiku Fans, from "Big Ass Fans", was recently chosen as one of the Top 10 Green Building Products for 2013 by BuildingGreen, Inc. The Haiku’s sleek profile conceals patent-pending electronics and a cool-running motor with an integrated inverter drive that delivers an 80% improvement in energy efficiency over conventional ceiling fans. Haiku ceiling fans significantly exceed Energy Star requirements using from only two to 30 watts of power.

More Helpful Links:
Top 10 Green Building Products for 2013
http://www.mnn.com/money/green-workplace/blogs/top-10-green-building-products-for-2013

BuildingGreen, Inc. announced the top 10 Green Building Products at the 2012 Greenbuild Conference in San Francisco, California.