Windows can be one of your home's most attractive features, but they can also account for 10 to 25 percent of your electric bills. If you have single-pane windows, consider replacing them with double-pane windows with high-performance glass. This will help lower electric bills and make your home more energy efficient.

When replacing your roof, take a look at your siding when selecting a roof color. Consider choosing a roof shingle with color granules that match your current siding color, so you can create a unified exterior.

Preparing your roof now for the high winds and rain of hurricane season may prevent damage and expensive repairs in the upcoming months. Check for loose or damaged shingles and seal around flashings, chimneys, or vent pipes if necessary. Also inspect your drainage system for loose or clogged gutters and downspouts.

When patching a hole in your metal gutter, make sure the material of the patch is the same as the material of the gutters. Using a different metal could lead to electrolytic corrosion which will slowly etch away one metal in favor of the other.

Preparing your house for summer heat can help prevent "heated" headaches. To help protect your house and your loved ones from extreme heat, hang drapes or blinds to keep direct sunlight out, check your air-conditioning unit to make sure it works properly, remove storm windows, reinstall window screens, and add an extra layer of insulation to help stop heat transfer.

Pick a dry day to begin cleaning your gutters. Make sure you have the necessary equipment including gloves, bucket, garden trowel, or gutter scoop, whisk-broom and rag. Inspect your gutters as you clean. Look for corrosion, holes, leaking or loose joints, and missing or bent hangers and mark the problems with masking tape. The tape will help you find the problem quickly when you are ready to do the repairs. Of course you can eliminate these chores by having The Aluminum Company of North Carolina install a gutter helmet system so that your gutters never have to be cleaned again. Not by you anyway. If for some reason they do become clogged just call us.

When cleaning your exterior windows, first use a brush or broom to dust them off so you don't create extra mud. If you don't have a squeegee to dry windows with, use newspaper-it won't leave lint.

When powerwashing your vinyl siding, make sure to cover all outside vents and shrubs with bags or dropcloths. High pressure water and cleaning products seep inside your home, damage plants, trees and bushes.

Some symptoms that indicate time for a new roof are:
Algae Growth on Shingles
Damaged Flashing
Buckled Shingles
Blistered Shingles
Curled Shingles
Missing Shingles
Rotted Shingles

If you have a shake roof you may notice:
Moss/Algae Growth
Missing Shakes
Split Shakes
Damaged Flashing
Curling/Rotting
Termite Damage

If you open your shades or window blinds on the south and west side of the house during the day you may maintain the warmth of the sun, but remember to close them at night. If you have single-pane windows, consider replacing them with double-pane windows with a special glass that reflects heat back into the room during winter months.

Air seeps in around your old wooden windows causing you to run your air conditioner more in the summer and your heater more in the winter. You could use a plastic cover and tape, or you could replace old wooden windows with fusion- welded, framed vinyl replacement windows, with 7/8" thermo-pane, Low-E argon gas filled glass.The new windows will have a coating to help prevent UV rays and sunlight from warming your house in the summer and help lower the cost of cooling your house. The welded frames help prevent the cold air from seeping into your home in the Winter and help to lower the cost heating your home.

If you are looking into vinyl siding for your home it may be for any number of reasons. It may be time to paint again, your electric or gas bills may be high and you would like to make your home more energy efficient. Vinyl siding can do all those things and make the exterior of your home virtually maintenance-free. Vinyl siding comes in a variety of colors and styles which eliminates the need to paint, not just this year but every year. Your home will be insulated with fanfold insulation and then sided, making it more energy efficient.

After cleaning, tilt the sash back into place. Make sure the latches have also been sprung back into place. Push the top sash up into place, and check again to see that the bottom sash is in place. When tilting inward, keep each sash parallel to the sill to avoid balance disengagements. Should a balance disengagement occur, please call The Aluminum Company and we will gladly assist you.

Each window comes with two tilt latches (surface mounted or recessed) on each operating sash. Raise the bottom sash about 3 inches. Using both hands disengage the tilt latches on both sides simultaneously. While holding the latches with your thumbs, gently pull the top of the sash toward you until the latches are clear of the frame. Holding the top of the sash, continue to lower it until you hear a "click". This signifies that the balance locks have become engaged on both sides. To tilt the top sash (on double hung windows only) lower it about 3 inches also, and follow the same procedure as for the bottom sash.

The natural lubricating ability of vinyl prevents dirt, grease, or stains from penetrating the vinyl surface. But as with any window, abrasives can dull the finish. Slight scratches can be "polished" out with a small amount of scouring powder and then finished off with a cream wax or polish.

Even though we don't want to think of buying a product and then having a service, we do know that it sometimes becomes a reality. We must ask ourselves "Will service be available if you need it?" or will you get a disconnected number when you call for service or is it economically feasible for the company to service. Sometimes we have to think about material replacement as well. Will the same material be available when and if you need it if you were building an addition, or if somehow damaged by weather or other environmental sources. When dealing with the average company, they only sell hot products at that particular time.

Once or twice a year you should take a garden hose and spray off the nose of the gutter protection system to rid it of any excess dirt buildup.

Normal weathering will enhance the performance of the gutter protection system.

As a law of nature some icicles may occur during winter months; this will not impede the performance of your Gutter Helmets.

To clean, wash with mild soap and water. Other cleaners including turpentine or denatured alcohol are also acceptable. For stubborn stains use common household cleaners. Wipe heavy dust off balance rods on double hung windows. WD-40 should not be used to lubricate balances.

All hardware will function better if properly cleaned.

Much like sterling silver, even the finest of brass will react naturally to the elements surrounding it. To maintain, polish with nonabrasive automotive or furniture wax. You may have to clean with a brass cleaner if the brass tarnishes.

Tighten screws when necessary.

Oil hinges on storm doors as needed with light machine oil. Keep weatherstripping clean of dirt and grit for proper sealing. Wash with mild soap and water. Vinyl and rubber seals can be treated with vinyl protector.

To clean, wash with mild soap and water and treat like your new car finish.
If finish is accidentally scratched or chipped, use touch-up paint available from your dealer.
To protect finish, spray with vinyl protector such as Armor-All or use a high quality auto wax and polish the surface.

Some cleaners are capable of damaging the surface appearance of the siding. Examples of such cleaners are:

Chlorine bleach
Liquid grease remover
Strong soaps or detergents containing organic solvents
Nail polish remover
Furniture polish/cleaners.

Wash using a soft cloth or ordinary long-handled soft-bristled brush. Clean gently to avoid surface abrasion. After cleaning, rinse area with water.

To wash entire house, start at the bottom and work up to the top, then rinse back down to bottom in order to prevent streaking.

For difficult-to-remove stains such as top soil, motor oil, lithium grease, crayon, felt-tip pen, caulking, lipstick, grass, bubble gum, mold and mildew, use readily available household cleaners.

Most cleaners are inefficient in cleaning stains such as pencil, paint, oil, and tar. In these cases you may wish to use a mildly abrasive cleaner, but the use of any abrasive material could have a negative effect on surface appearance.

Do not use cleaners containing organic solvents, or other aggressive ingredients because they could affect the surface appearance of the vinyl.

Cleaners for removing stains from vinyl siding:
Bubble Gum: Fantastic, Murphy's Oil Soap, solution of vinegar (30%) and water (70%) or Windex.
Crayon: Lestiol
Oil Based Caulk: Fantastic
Felt-tip Pen: Fantastic, water-based cleaners
Lipstick: Fantastic, Murphy's Oil Soap
Lithium Grease: Fantastic, Murphy's Oil Soap, Windex
Mold/Mildew: Fantastic, solution of vinegar (30%) and water (70%) or Windex.
Motor Oil: Fantastic, Murphy's Oil Soap, Windex, Lysol.
Oil: Soft Scrub
Paint: Brillo pad, Soft Scrub
Pencil: Soft Scrub
Rust: Fantastic, Murphy's Oil Soap, Windex.
Tar: Soft Scrub
Top Soil: Fantastic, Murphy's Oil Soap, Lysol.

Is this company geared and experienced to do the job that we are interested in or is the company just "another" home improvement company that sells you an order, then goes out and buys the product, any product, and then subs it out to the lowest bidder? When having improvements done to your home, a company should not need a down payment. Companies should have the capital to do a job from start to satifactory finish. If they need your money to start the job, this should send up a "Red Flag". You also should not have to submit payment until the job is completed to your satifaction. If a down payment is needed you may wish to reconsider using that company. If it's the first type of company, you probably have a good chance of getting the job done properly. If it's the second type of company, then it's pot luck.

Does the company have qualified labor that is properly trained and supervised and most important, labor that only works for one company, Or, if the company is like most home improvement companies that depend on subcontractors who are Jack of all trades, "master of none". Or worse yet, farm that whole part of the job out on a labor and materials basis. If you are going to have installers in your home they should be affiliated with the company you choose. All installation crews should be covered by Worker's Comp. and Liability insurance. You should feel free to ask for certificates of insurance. If they are not available this should send up a "Red Flag". Any insurance company will gladly mail or fax anyone who requests one a certificate of insurance. If a company stalls this process, you may wish to reconsider using them.

A company should offer Free, No Obligation, estimates. If a company wants to charge you for an estimate this should send up a "Red Flag". If a company is not willing to give you a free estimate you may want to reconsider using them.

What is the proper material to do a specific job? Will it pass certain stress tests? Will it pass different weather tests for different parts of the country? Will you have just what's available, or can you get the product to your wants and needs. A variety of products is an important factor in choosing the company to work on your home. You don't want to have to go from place to place to have all your work done. If you need a roof repaired, siding, windows, and doors, you want one company to provide all these services if possible to save you time and energy.

If all these aren't enough problems, the question arises, "How do you pay for this?" Of course, if you have the cash this helps, but if you have to borrow, will you be able to find convenient terms that fit your budget and have a sensible interest from a reliable institution. A company that provides 100% financing or that accepts credit cards will make the decision to make the necessary and wanted repairs or improvements on your home that much easier.

The very first worry we have is to be aware of all the "so called bargains" that usually end up costing more or are inferior material because there are many grades of materials made by prime manufactuers such as Norandex, Alcoa, etc. Do not let prices dictate your purchase. If you choose to go with a lower price you may get inferior products and or poor service.

Is it a one man company that works out of the house that can go in and out of business at any time, with no employees, expenses, etc. Or is it a true company that is in business today, tomorrow, etc., continually wanting to provide all the services to you. A way to decide about the company and products you are going to use is to stop by their showroom. Once there you can view the actual products and meet the staff you will be dealing with face to face. This will also give you an opportunity to take a look at the conditions of the company's facilites. If the showroom and offices are not well kept and presentable, this may not be the company for you.

One of the first things you want to do is find out how long the company has been in business. You want to choose a company that has been in business for at least 10 years. Most home improvement businesses fail within the first few years of being in business. Therefore you want to make sure the company you choose has been around and is going to be around for you after the work is complete. Your warranties and guarantees aren't going to be any good to you if the company you choose to do the work goes out of business before you need them.