Bay Area Edition | July 2022

GUIDE

Local businesses oer home improvement tips

HOME IMPROVEMENT AND MAINTENANCE

ASK A ROOFER

Prosperity Roong & Construction owner Alex Ruiz, who services the Bay Area, has some tips for ensuring the health and integrity of Houston homeowners’ roofs.

COMPILED BY DANIEL WEEKS

when the granules on the shingles are just being brittle, they’re just coming o. A lot of the times when the shingle is about to end its cycle, when it rains or you have heavy winds, it’s starting to release a lot of granules, and it’s coming down in the gutters or the side of the house. … That’s when you know you’re getting close to the end of the life of the shingle. Look for wind damage, I would say, all the perimeter around the house. … Just anything that looks lifted a little bit. Sometimes the wind drifts in and then just lifts up some shingles or edge metals or even your pipe jacks or bands. Anything that just looks suspicious and lifted. … Sometimes it looks like the shingles might be OK, but because they’re being lifted, they’re breaking under, and now the roof is actually exposed to the next heavy winds.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD A HOMEOWNER INSPECT THEIR ROOF? Around the month of May they should do one inspection. … Homeowners don’t really check their roof until they realize that something is either missing or slapping on the roof. In hurricane season, when you get the high winds and rainy days and stu, I think it should be paid more attention. HOW SHOULD A HOMEOWNER SAFELY INSPECT THEIR ROOF? Well, I don’t recommend homeowners to get on their roof. Basically, just [a] visual inspection walking around the house and just looking at the shingles as close as they can from the ground. WHAT SIGNS SHOW THE NEED FOR REPLACING SHINGLES? By looking at your shingles you can see

ASK A DESIGNER

For those in the Bay Area looking to spruce up their living space, Yulonda Buster from Designs by Duchess provides guidance on how to get started. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE A DESIGNED LIVING SPACE?

WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT DESIGNING HOUSES AND APARTMENTS? The dierences in designing an apartment versus a house would be very minimal for me. What’s important is to keep in mind and apply the principles of design as well as the elements of design. Balance, emphases, harmony, proportion, rhythm and scale, color, light, line, mass, pattern, shape, space, and texture are important to bring any space together perfectly. My design philosophy leans more toward loud and proud; however, it depends on the lifestyle and personality of the individual and not just the living space. WHERE SHOULD A HOMEOWNER SEARCH FOR INSPIRATION? I recommend looking at magazines that resonate with how you want your space to be, Instagram, Pinterest, and places you’ve traveled or want to travel, just to name a few.

It is important to have a designed and organized living space because your home should be a place that makes you happy to be there; a place to let your hair down to breathe, relax and dance a little. WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF DESIGN TO YOU? If I had to choose only one aspect of design, the most important one would be rhythm. Rhythm is the movement of the space. It’s the way the eyes move around a room, bringing all of the individual design elements together in a cohesive fashion. Yulonda Buster Owner Designs by Duchess 281-699-6678 https://www. designsbyduchess.net WEATHER READY AT HOME

Alex Ruiz Owner Prosperity Roong & Construction 2837 Miller Ranch Road, Ste. 133, Pearland • 832-831-9945 https://prosperity-roong-and- construction-llc.business.site

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Measures that can be taken:

In addition to preparing for disasters by stockpiling food and water, homeowners can prepare themselves and their homes for severe weather events through home maintenance and repairs.

Renovations: while updating appliances, ooring, walls and windows

Construction: during the design phase of a new home or addition

Now: immediately and are renter-friendly

Windows & doors

R C Plants Trees can protect

Walls & oors

Roofs

Insulating pipes with foam sleeves can protect them from extreme temperatures. N R C

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Weather stripping can protect doors and windows from rain and external moisture.

Overhanging roofs can shade windows from the sun while still allowing indirect light in.

sunny sides of buildings. Native trees are best adapted to the home’s climate.

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Using mold-resistant insulation can improve air quality, especially in homes that are humid or prone to ooding.

Solar panel installation can be paired with a smart inverter for optimal energy use.

Thermal curtains can protect against both extreme heat and cold while conserving energy.

SOURCES: HOUSTON ADVANCED RESEARCH CENTER, TEXAS STATE ENERGY CONSERVATION OFFICECOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

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6640 South Shore Blvd., Suite 100 League City, TX 77573 713.852.6700 TexasBayCU.org

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BAY AREA EDITION • JULY 2022