As a homeowner, you may find yourself needing to replace your roof at some point, which can be overwhelming if you have young children. However, with the proper preparation, you can ensure that your roofing installation goes smoothly and your family remains safe and comfortable.

Getting a new roof can be disruptive for kids. The loud noises from constant hammering and footsteps on the roof can be unnerving and may disturb younger children or pets. Also, the potential hazards from falling debris and the risk of injury can cause concern. It is essential to take precautions and prepare ahead of time to minimize the impact of the roof replacement on your family, including your children.

The Benefits of a New Roof for the Whole Family

There are numerous benefits to getting a new roof, including the following.

• A safer environment for your children to play and live in. An old or damaged roof may have weak spots that can pose a danger to your family.
• Enhanced protection for your home, ensuring your property and personal belongings are shielded from the elements.
• Boost your home’s curb appeal and overall value
• Improve energy efficiency, potentially reducing heating and cooling costs and making your home more comfortable.
• Peace of mind, allowing you to feel secure in your home and confident your family is protected.

Under normal circumstances, you should inspect your roof once or twice a year, but sometimes, life gets in the way. Maybe you’ve fallen behind on your inspections, or you’ve noticed some damage since your last inspection. Regardless of your personal case, it’s never a bad idea to get an inspection. Look for reputable roofing companies in your area. They should be able to help you out.

Preparing Your Home and Children for a Roof Replacement

Here are some steps to take to make the installation process as smooth as possible. First, prepare the rest of your home for the roof replacement because the installation will impact the whole house. The vibrations caused by the roofers’ work can cause damage to wall decorations and other fragile items such as mirrors, framed photos, and wall hangings. Next, protect your patio furniture and yard during the replacement. Anything in your backyard, such as patio furniture, toys, barbecues, potted plants, lawn ornaments, and inflatable pools, should be moved to the back of your yard or into the garage to avoid damage.

Make sure to also clear your roof of branches. Large trees overhanging your roof can be a hazard for roofers, so it’s best to have any branches trimmed. Cover or move any items stored in your attic to protect them from debris, dust, and vibrations during the roof replacement. If you have a satellite dish, contact your provider before the roof replacement starts. Consider power sources for the roofers. They will need access to power for tools such as saws and nail guns. If your home doesn’t have exterior outlets, they must run their extension cords into the house. Finally, keep your children and pets safe during the roof replacement. The constant noise of hammering and footsteps on the roof can be unsettling for small children and pets.

Remember, if you need a new roof, you are not alone. Each year in the US, more than five million new roofs are installed. This means many roofing professionals have vast experience in handling various types of roofing installations. Therefore, you should take your time to research and find a reputable roofing company that can meet your specific needs.

Why You Should Prioritize a New Roof

The construction industry generated a staggering $2 trillion in revenue in the US in 2019, meaning many homeowners are investing in roof replacements and other home improvement projects. They are a great way for you to add value to your home. Even if you are not selling, you can benefit from an increased home value. You will also save money in the long run for repairs. A new roof means you won’t have to worry about it breaking down any time soon.

While the process of getting a new roof installed can be disruptive, it provides numerous benefits. With proper planning, the process will be smoother, not just for your children but also for the entire family.

Septic tank maintenance is one of the simplest and least obvious ways to save money. Unless there is an offensive odor or you work in the plumbing or septic tank sector, your home’s septic tank condition usually won’t be a major concern.

You should have a second motivation, though, which is the ability of septic maintenance to save money. According to the EPA, a septic service expert should evaluate a household septic system at least every three years. That said, you can spend less on family septic tanks while keeping them in tip-top condition. Here are some tips for saving money on home septic system maintenance.

Keep Your Septic System Clean

Avoid having plants, trees, shrubs, or structures near your septic system. Put differently, your septic tank shouldn’t be built over. Otherwise, the weight may lead to cracks and make it hard for septic specialists to access your tank. Since roots can block the pipes, you should refrain from planting trees or shrubs near or inside your septic system. Remember, roots can cause pipes to burst, allowing sewage and untreated water from your septic tank to leak into the ground. Additionally, growing tree roots can choke pipes by sneaking into cracks in the pipes.

To secure the pipe, use a torque wrench. The tool is used to apply a precise amount of torque to fasteners, such as nuts or bolts. Here’s a fun fact. Conrad Bahr created the torque wrench in 1918 while employed by the New York City Water Department. However, doing the job yourself might appear cheaper and easier, but it will probably cost you more. Saving money on septic services occasionally entails contacting the experts rather than taking care of repairs yourself.

Get It Serviced Regularly

If you choose a letter at random from the alphabet, there is probably at least one disease, starting with each letter, that is associated with sewage contact. Just a handful of the countless illnesses that can be contracted from ingesting sewage-contaminated water, and direct contact with raw sewage, include hepatitis A, and gastroenteritis. If you couple this problem with poor dental hygiene, you risk getting periodontal disease. In fact, periodontal disease affects 47.2% of adults aged 30 and older, according to the CDC.

Now, when you service a septic tank regularly, coming into contact with sewage is not an issue. Only septic systems that have been ignored would cause severe problems. Ideally, toxic sewage can affect normal systems. Before sewage seeps into the water system and causes havoc, a specialist might detect an existing breach during an inspection and repair it accordingly before causing problems to your family.

Be Careful of What You Flush

Consider what you flush down the drain as another approach to avoid a septic problem. The obvious no-nos that can physically clog and backup systems include wipes, paper towels, tissues, balls of hair, and feminine items. Chemicals, grease, and cleaning products are additional things to avoid.

Your septic system is built to leverage naturally existing bacteria to break down sediments and waste. The pH of your septic tank can drastically shift when you abruptly introduce harsh chemicals or oil to that environment, upsetting the balance of ‘good’ microorganisms that maintain your tank operating effectively.

Simply read the label to see whether a product or detergent is safe for septic systems. A septic safe label or icon can be seen on many toilet paper products. Finally, it’s always better to be cautious than sorry.

We hope the above tips will be helpful to you. By adhering to these recommendations, you can save money on repairs and septic system replacements while also safeguarding the health of your family, neighborhood, and environment.

When you want to cost-effectively enhance your yard for the family and entertain, there are many ways to do this. You can create a space in small places, choose native plants and trees, keep the soil healthy, prevent runoff, and add specific features. Let’s review some simple ideas to begin the process.

Create a Special Space For Small Yards

When you have a small yard, you can still add some landscaping features to enhance your yard. Design a garden with potted plants on your porch or deck or design a small area for entertaining with outdoor furniture and plants. In small gardens, you can install a small water fountain or feature that adds to the ambiance. Many water fountains are self-contained, and the water is recirculated with a pump. Dining outside with a fountain or running water is relaxing and reduces stress. When you want to add a patio, use pavers to create an area for entertaining family and friends. Plant a garden that is easy to maintain and does not require much maintenance. Talk to your garden center to get ideas.

Plant Native Plants and Trees

Planting native flowers, shrubs, and trees is good for the environment. They are easy to grow and often are easier to care for. They adapt well to the local weather and often thrive. Often, native plants attract birds and insects that help the environment. Native trees often have fewer problems with growing than ones not from your region. When you plant native plants, you add appeal to your property and increase the value by about 15%. When you plant trees for privacy, it increases the value by about 20%. These plants need less water and do not need added nutrients added to the soil to thrive. These plants may be less expensive and more affordable when you buy them and often add beauty to your yard, too. They create privacy and reduce noise.

Add Special Features and Eco-friendly Furniture to Your Yard

Add a walkway to your garden, add a birdbath or bird feeder to attract birds and small animals. Outdoor entertainment is often more inviting when you add elements to your outdoor space. Add outdoor furniture for entertaining, made of teak, recycled plastic, and bamboo. You can find tables and chairs made with sustainable wood, loungers and other easy-to-use furniture for your specific needs.

Your family will enjoy the comfortable outdoor furniture when you serve dinner or entertain guests. To add shade to your outdoor space, you can have an awning installed, a constructed overhang, or a pergola. All these supply shade to areas that have no protection. Over 60% of homeowners said they did not use outdoor spaces because they lacked protection from the elements. Adding this feature will give you a chance to spend more time outdoors in privacy.

Keep the Soil Healthy and Prevent Runoff

Have your soil evaluated at a local garden center or university agricultural center to find out what it needs to improve in quality. It may need compost, fertilizer, and mulch to improve the condition. This will help you to grow local plants better. Aerating your lawn and property once or twice a year to put small holes in the soil to allow water and nutrients to get to plants. Prevent erosion by planting a hill or grass or ground cover that prevents erosion.

Use gravel or stone pathways that allow rain to go into the ground. Collect water in a outdoor rain barrel to use for watering plants and your lawn. Keep your yard raked and free of leaves, twigs and debris. Planting trees and shrubs in the right location in the yard can reduce energy bills for air conditioning by about 25%, so be strategic when you plant new items on your property.

These are some tips to add cost-effective landscaping to your yard and eco-friendly furniture. Your local garden centers can help you get started on creating an outdoor space for family and friends.