Doug Visits 1350AM WINY – Fire Safety

Doug talks with Gary-O about Fire Safety Month.

  • Remember to check/change your Fire/Smoke Detectors Batteries.
  • Test Monthly
  • Replace every 10 years
  • Leave Gas Cans outside
  • Clearance around stovetop
  • Pan Fire – Use a lid, not water!
  • Fire Extinguisher in the Kitchen – verify it is still charged
  • Keep your dryer vent clean
  • Eliminate the Extension cord + remove extra power strips
  • Unplug items when not in use – unplug your phone charger when not charging your phone
  • Do not leave space heaters unattended

June Home Checklist

Summer is almost here, take a look at this great Home Checklist to get a jumpstart on your summer.

  • Make a checklist of summer must dos – visibly post it
  • Empty standing water regularly – keep mosquitos down – check with NDDH on West Nile
  • Corral Summer necessities in a bowl or basket – change seasons – put away winter gloves – get out sunblock & bug spray
  • Check play equipment for safety – swing, slides – repair or replace
  • Hang a clothesline – save energy – fresh smell to clothes
  • Reorganize your kitchen – summer appliances front and center – blenders – self-help center with healthy snacks
  • Make space for summer crafts – re-energize and inspire you
  • Organize and put away school papers – document box – scanning artwork
  • Keep cooling systems running smoothly – change filters – schedule maintenance
  • Plant bee-friendly native plants – fall-blooming perennials – asters – goldenrod – very important source of pollen and not carried by the wind like ragweed
  • Keep eye on irrigation systems for leaks – especially early in the seasons
  • Clean out your garage – do you still need the ice melt right at the door? – gardening tools
  • Check your summer equipment – is it ready to use – beach umbrella
  • Refresh your bathroom – new shower curtain – summer towels
  • Update first aid kits and emergency supplies – issue at my office – American Red Cross checklist
  • Schedule major outdoor projects – upgrade your deck – new patio
  • Clean your gutters if you did not get them done this spring
  • Catch up on projects and maintenance – make June your month to catch up

 

Via Laura Gaskill as posted on Houzz.com

WBA – Lifelong Eduation

April 23, 2019, Woodstock, CT … With over four decades in the business, Woodstock Building Associates (WBA) still firmly believes in continuing education for all of its professionals and tradespeople. This spring, both designers and craftsmen of WBA attended JLC LIVE New England at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence to learn how to up their game in the residential building industry.

JLC LIVE is an important annual trade show and conference hosted by the Journal of Light Construction. It draws thousands of architects, designers, builders, remodelers, tradesmen and field crews from across New England for networking, product showcases, skills clinics, and classroom-style conference sessions led by nationally recognized experts.

Among the WBA attendees this March, Architect Steven Keene had many takeaways. His experience resulted in a list of 29 action items ranging from marketing ideas to client relations to estimating project costs. According to Keene, this show is one of a few major national events in the industry for knowledge and skill building. “Attending shows like this is a great educational opportunity,” says Keene. “The JLC conference sheds light on the thousands of materials, methods, craftsmen and tools that must come together for a successful project. Designing and building a house is like doing a puzzle. Understanding and reviewing the importance of all the intricate pieces through the JLC brings increased knowledge, experience, and value to both our clients and our employees.”

WBA Managing Partner Doug Porter realizes that while his team has decades of experience, innovations in building technique and materials continually improve. Even simple fasteners, such as nails and screws, have changed since he helped found WBA in 1978. WBA’s lead carpenters and drywallers have mastered their craft. New tools and techniques can make even the most experienced craftsman’s job more efficient. At JLC LIVE, they discovered the latest tricks and tips. At Woodstock Building Associates, learning is lifelong, which means their team has the most current information and skills to make every client’s project a success.

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With over four decades of operation and a team of experienced professionals, Woodstock Building Associates, LLC is an established leader in custom home building and remodeling. This award-winning team serves northeastern Connecticut and South Central Massachusetts with well-planned and expertly executed projects of all sizes, working with clients from design to finished product. Visit wbahomes.com for more information.

WBA Awarded Guildmaster Award for 6th Year in Row

May 20, 2019, Woodstock, CT … Based in Woodstock, CT, and Franklin, MA, Woodstock Building Associates, LLC, received a 2019 Guildmaster Award from GuildQuality for demonstrating exceptional customer service within the residential construction industry. WBA achieved a recommendation rate of 90% or above from their customers surveyed by GuildQuality. This is the 6th year in a row that WBA has been awarded this designation.

Since 2005, GuildQuality, an Atlanta-based third-party customer satisfaction software surveying company, has powered the Guildmaster Award to recognize and celebrate home building, remodeling, and contracting professionals demonstrating the highest level of customer service within the U.S. and Canada.

Out of more than 700 eligible applicants, Woodstock Building Associates is one of 300+ businesses within the residential construction industry recognized by GuildQuality for consistently delivering superior customer care.

In determining which businesses received the 2019 Guildmaster Award, GuildQuality reviewed thousands of survey responses submitted by customers of Guildmaster candidates and considered two primary metrics for each candidate: the percentage of customers stating they would recommend the business to friend and the percentage of customers who responded.

“Once again we are pleased with the recognition from GuildQuality,” says Architect Steven Keene. “Customer surveys have proven to be an invaluable tool to our industry. We are humbled by our clients and take their opinions to heart. Every review offers us the opportunity to provide even better service. We would like to thank both our team and our clients. WBA has worked hard to build a talented team and develop standardized systems over the last four decades so we can complete our projects with the highest quality standards and provide an exceptional client experience.”

For more on the 2019 Guildmaster Award and qualifications, visit www.guildquality.com/guildmaster/.

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About Woodstock Building Associates

With over four decades of operation and a team of experienced professionals, Woodstock Building Associates, LLC is an established leader in custom home building and remodeling. This award-winning team serves northeastern Connecticut and South Central Massachusetts with well-planned and expertly executed projects of all sizes, working with clients from initial design to finished product.
Visit wbahomes.com for more information.

About GuildQuality

Over 2,500 residential construction professionals rely on GuildQuality’s customer satisfaction surveying software to help them deliver exceptional customer service and get the recognition they deserve for their commitment to quality. Join GuildQuality’s community of quality today and see your company through your customers’ eyes. For more information about GuildQuality, visit www.guildquality.com.

https://www.guildquality.com/blog/2018-guildmaster-award-winners/

Doug’s Tip for Winter Prep

Doug has some helpful tips to prep for Winter. Doing these before it gets cold makes them a little easier.

  • Take out your Window AC units
  • Check that you have an insulated cover over your attic stairs
    • If you do not have a cover, get one from a local lumber yard – Modern Lumber or Eastford Building Supply
  • Have your Boiler/Furnace cleaned – call your fuel supplier
  • Check Gutters and Gutter downspouts, make sure they are not blocked by landscaping beds
  • Add insulation to your attic
  • Check exterior doors
    • Check the weather stripping and door sweeps
    • Foam the wedge at bottom, this will direct water out of the house
    • Check the condition of your door jambs, if needed repair and paint while still warm outside.
  • Windows
    • Remove Screens
    • Install Storm Windows if you have them or lower storm in place if combination storm/screen
    • Does the window lock close tightly
  • Have your Chimney cleaned, if you need someone – Sean from the Flue Doctor in Pomfret is a good person to call
  • Check the Dryer Vent – Clean out any lint and check that the exterior flapper is working properly
  • Service your Generator and make sure it is ready for use during those winter storms

Summer Cleaning Tips

While the weather is amazing outside, take a few moments to check off some homeowner tasks.

  • Change your Air Conditioning Filter
  • Check the Air Conditioners drain for clogs
  • Make sure your AC doesn’t have any plants growing close to it.
  • Vacuum the coils behind your Fridge
    • If you have a wood or vinyl floor, use a sheet of plywood when you roll your fridge out. That way you don’t mark up your floor.
  • Clean your bathroom fan.
  • Clean your ceiling fans.
  • Verify your dryer vent is clean and clear.
  • Replace your washing machine hoses every five years to prevent them from failing.
  • Clean your smoke detectors of small insects.
  • Repair the cracks in your driveway
  • Make sure your irrigation system hits the correct areas on your lawn.
    • Try running the irrigation system in the morning hours to get the best results
  • Make sure your Pool gate closes and latches.
  • Check your screens for damage.
    • New screens allow for more light to pass thru than the older models.
  • Power wash your house and deck – checking for loose connections on your decking.
  • Clean your gutters.
  • Check your chimney for damage.

 

Prior to going on vacation:

  • Stop your newspaper delivery
  • Set your lights on a timer.
  • Turn off your AC to save on power.
  • Run your dishwasher before you leave.
  • Check your generator.

Winter Tips

During a storm:

If the power goes out and you have a  generator, make sure you are using it safely and leave plenty of airflow space around the unit.

How Ice Dams are formed:

  1. Heat from inside your home enters the attic, warming the roof.
  2. The snow on top of your roof melts and runs off the house.
  3. As temperatures, drop, the melted snow can refreeze at the edge of the roof, forming an ice dam.
  4. The ice dam block any additional melted snow and forces it back up the roof and into the attic.

Preventing Ice Dams:

  1. Insulate the attic floor and light fixtures in the ceiling below it to minimize the amount of heat exiting from your home.
  2. Keep the attic well ventilated
  3. Remove debris from gutters and drains so water can properly flow through them
  4. Put weather stripping around entryways to the attic
  5. Seal attic ducts, chimneys and fans.

Snow Flood:

  1. Inspect sump pumps and drains to make sure they are working properly
  2. Shut off electrical service at the main breaker if you think the electrical system and outlets may end up under water
  3. Place appliances on masonry blocks or concrete at least 12 inches above the projected flood elevation
  4. Seal cracks or gaps in your foundation or walls
  5. Remove piles of snow that are against the house

Additional Tips:

Have your chimney swept before using it for the cold winter months

Make sure your propane tanks are filled up and have your generator serviced

Clean out your dryer vent and hose.  Make sure the flaps on the outside of the house are closing properly to minimize the cold air entering the house.