Doc February
Doc March
Doc April/May
Doc Holm is in, and he's taking your questions:
April/May 2008 questions from Doc Holm:
Q: Hi Doc,
In two places on my roof this winter I've noticed water dripping over my eves and drops
on the gutter extension. This is not fun to hear. What can be done other than using a
rook rake?
Are the corner shields necessary? They just cause the water to run off the roof in two places either side of the shield.
A: Can I assume the problem occurs when there is snow on your roof and the dripping starts when the snow starts to melt? I remember that sound of dripping water onto aluminum...that constant and steady drip, drip, drip. Water torture!!!! My suggestion would be to move the extension and change the routing. That would be easier than pulling out the roof rake. Now about the second question... you are talking about the shields on the gutters where the water runs down a valley... those shields are typically necessary to prevent the large amount of water in a valley from overshooting your gutter and landing onto the porch or damaging landscaping. You should call the company who installed your gutters for some advice and to help solve this problem...
Q: Dear Dr. Holm,
We are planning to replace the windows in our house and would like to know what the
best window is to replace our old 34 year old windows. We are planning to buy
casement windows and would like windows that are maintenance free. What would
you suggest?
A: Good call on the casement windows. I really like casement windows for their unobstructed viewing. I have looked at, dissected, and goofed around with many replacement windows. Maintenance free to me means; minimal washing of the outside glass, no staining or painting on the inside, no painting and caulking on the outside.
What I look for is how can the doc enjoy his weekends on the golf course! So taking into consideration of my idea for maintenance free, my bang for the buck value, I strongly recommend the Restorations Innovative Window System that we feature. They are beautiful, well made, thermally efficient with all the ratings, and my idea of easy living. You didn't think I was going to say anything else did you?
If you have a question for Dr. Holm - please email him at info@kearnsbrothers.com.
March 2008 questions from Doc Holm:
Q: Spring is about here. Long winter, salt in the air. How do I clean the siding on my home?
A:Is this question about spring almost being here? I haven't seen it yet... I have heard about global warming and that... no, no, no! No political banter... It has been a long, snowy winter. The city I live in used a lot of salt this winter. It seems like that salt is now clinging to my siding. This is what I recommend to freshen up the siding... Using a low pressure water sprayer, wet down the siding, working from the bottom up, keeping the bottom portion wet to prevent streaking. I know my nephew stands under a shower and thinks he gets clean without soap, but using soap to clean is fantastic idea. There are specific cleaning products for the type of siding you have on your home. Use cleaners, not just water to clean your home.
Q: I see a lot of shingle granules coming out of my downspouts. Is this something I should worry about?
A: The sky is falling... the sky is falling, chicken little! Is this a problem? Let me be perfectly clear about this, maybe yes and maybe no. The maybe no depends on how recently your roof was installed. The best manufactures account for some granulation run-off on newly installed roofs so this would be a common occurrence and nothing to worry about. If your roof is older, say over 15 years old, this is not a good thing. Take out a pair binoculars and look at your roof..are your shingles looking a little tired, do you see more dark spots than color on your shingles, are the corners curling up? Then yes, be concerned. May I recommend you call us for a free roof assessment... yeah, I pander at times.
Q: What if my dog gets skunked....what do you suggest to clean her coat?
A: Gracie.... my dog....not my wife got skunked last year, I smell your pain.... try this solution; one pint of hydrogen peroxide, one small box of baking soda, and a couple of squirts of any dish washing liquid mixed in a gallon of water makes an effective, scientifically based antidote. "Scientifically based"...what does that mean? Based on the molecular structure of said products and the formula of portions of said products interact with each other and the moon in the 7th house..eureka! If the skunk's victim is a pet, work the solution into the coat thoroughly, let it sit about five minutes, then rinse it out. The skunk smell will be gone! But let me tell you this.....that skunk smell will stay in your sensory memory bank for a long time...it's enough to make me gag
If you have a question for Dr. Holm - please email him at info@kearnsbrothers.com.
February 2008 questions from Doc Holm:
This is the first edition of Ask Dr. Holm. Doc Holm is a fictitious character of course and any resemblance to any real person, well it's just not there. You just might find him a bit eccentric and erratic. We'll do our best to keep him in check. The Doc is now in and answering questions one at a time!
Q: You guys say you can guarantee a roof will be installed in one day. Sounds like smoke and mirrors to me.
A: Whoa! Yikes! That's not exactly what we say. And did you use a typewriter to send me that question? That sure would be nice to guarantee a one day installation but I live in The Real World. And The Real World I live in has absolutely nothing to do with that MTV Show. My son used to watch that show..that's crazy stuff..why would anybody subject themselves to be on a reality tv show?
Sorry... about roofing and a ONE DAY Installation guarantee..the fact is 90% of our roofing jobs are completed in one day. Because of the varying size of our crews, their experience, productivity and quality of workmanship, gives us confidence to make a REAL WORLD claim, "90% of our roofs are installed in one day!"
Mel and Shawn pick the roofing team that shows up to install your roof. Their decision is based upon the specifics of your roofing job; i.e., the size of your roof, the degree of difficulty, weather concerns, and time of year. You know it just doesn't make any sense to send out a five man crew for one of those big homes in Northville or a 15 man crew to work on a Dearborn bungalow. That's just crazy... kinda like that MTV show... doc out.
If you have a question for Dr. Holm - please email him at info@kearnsbrothers.com.
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