It doesn't matter whether you're considering a new residential roof or a large commercial structure, the options available can seem mind-boggling at times. Metal roofing provides a wide range of benefits as well as drawbacks in certain situations. In today's post, we'll discuss the pros and cons of metal roofing.

Metal Roofing Pros

There are a wide range of benefits that metal roofing brings to the table, including:

• A long lifespan.áCompared to traditional asphalt shingles' typical lifespan of 15-20 years, metal roofs usually last 40 to 70 years, depending on the material. In fact, Thomas Jefferson's Virginia plantation house, Monticello, still has its original metal roof in excellent condition.á

• Strong, durable material.áDepending on the grade used, metal roofs are able to withstand winds up to 140 miles per hour. Except for seaside and heavy industrial applications, the metal won't corrode or crack. áMost metal roofing is resistant to hail and small falling limb damage.

• Low Maintenance.áUnlike many other roofing materials, metal roofs don't require regular expensive maintenance, though they should be regularly inspected to ensure repairs are not needed.

• Fireproof.áWhether the source is a wildfire, lightning or sparks from a wood stove,ámetal roofs don't burn. Though this doesn't guarantee the structure won't burn , a metal roof removes the danger of several fire sources.

• Energy efficient.áBecause metal roofs reflect solar heat, you may realize reductions in your summertime cooling costs by 10% to 25%.

• Green Technology.áBecause of the prevalence of metals recycling, metal roofs quite often contain between 25% to 95% recycled material, depending on the material used. Even better, they're 100% recyclable when they reach end of life, so they can be turned right back into more roofing. By comparison, asphalt shingle waste contributes very significantly to building waste that takes up more landfill space.

• Heavy snowfall friendly.áBecause metal roofing has a slick surface with little friction, snow is quickly shed, helping reduce snow load on your structure and reduces or eliminates winter snow-removal operations.

• Ease of installation.áBecause the roofing panels are so much larger than asphalt shingles, the panels go up much more quickly, helping reduce the labor costs inherent in a roof installation.áThe average roofer can install several square of metal roofing in the same time it takes to layout and fasten a single square of asphalt shingles. What's more, metal roofing's lighter weight means you don't need to upgrade roofing members if they're too lightweight for asphalt shingles.

Metal Roofing Cons

Though metal roofing has some awesome advantages, there are also some drawbacks to keep in mind when considering this roofing material:

• Price.áMetal roofing systems have a significantly higher initial outlay than other roofing materials. If you're continuing to use the structure for a long time, metal roofing makes better financial sense, but if you're planning on flipping the structure fairly quickly, you may not realize enough of a return on your investment.

• Noise potential.áDuring heavy rainstorms or hail, a metal roof can be noisy. This is a drawback that is easily treated by adding extra insulation during the installation process, giving you the best of both worlds..

• Heat expansion/contraction.áWhen used in a larger roofing structure, metal roof panels will expand and contract as temperatures rise or fall, creating a small amount of noise. If the proper fasteners are not used, this process can loosen the fasteners from the roof's framing, leading to loose panels.

• Long-term color matching.áIf you're expecting to make repairs or add an addition, you may want to consider the potential problem of matching color over a longer period of time.

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Photo credit: NCinDC / Foter / CC BY-ND
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Sources:áhttp://www.motherearthnews.com/green-homes/metal-roofing-pros-and-cons-zmaz84mazgoe.aspx?PageId=2á

Indoor air quality is important, the health of family members a priority for everyone. Many, however, are not sure what pollutants to test for or how to check the air quality within their home. The end result is the hidden dangers going undetected. The good news is one can indeed discover exactly what pollutants put their family?s lives at risks and how to test for each one.

Indoor Pollutants

Indoor air pollution isn?t something one wants to think about, but the danger exists. In fact, there are a number of unseen health hazards polluting indoor air, including:

• Carbon Monoxide
• Radon
• Mold
• Mildew
• Dust Mites

Fortunately, there is a way to monitor or test for each one, dust mites included, allowing homeowners to keep their families safe and sound.

Carbon Monoxide Detector

Fire alarms are a common sight within homes, the device easily installed and going a long way to keep people safe. Fortunately, one can set up a carbon monoxide detector with just as much ease. In fact, they are advisable for any house that uses natural gas or oils or has a fire place. Once properly installed, the device will sound an alarm if carbon monoxide is detected, this handy gadget not only testing indoor air quality but helping to keep families safe.

Radon Detection Kit

Radon is not necessarily a threat to everyone, but there is still wisdom is testing for the deadly gas on a regular basis. Luckily, radon detection kits are readily available and easy to use. Simply open the kit as instructed and leave it undisturbed for three days. At the end of that period, pack the kit up and sent it to a lab to discover whether one?s home is radon free or not.

Mold, Mildew and Dust Mite Kits

People often view mold, mildew and dust mites as more of an inconvenience than a danger. However, all three can present a real risk to anyone?s health, depending on the type or the concentration. One can easily purchase detection kits for any of the three, follow the simply instructions and test the indoor air quality of one?s home. Once again, the tests must be sent into a lab, but knowing one?s home is safe from hidden dangers is well worth the effort.

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1. Photo credit: poolski / Foter / Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)

2. Photo credit: Judy ** / Foter / Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Construction work is hard on the body, and it can be especially hard on your hands. Because your hands are so hard working and are necessary for your livelihood, it's vital to protect them. In this post, we'll take a look at considerations in hand protection and what OSHA requires for hand protection on the job:

Considerations in Hand Protection

It's vital to take into consideration the job that is being done and what kind of protection is needed. If hand protection makes the job too difficult, workers will tend to remove the hand protection and risk injury to their hands. Here are a few considerations in hand protection:

• What areas need to be protected? Does only the hand need protection, or does the wrist or entire forearm need to be covered as well?
• Does the job require fine dexterity? If the work takes place in wet, oily or slick conditions, does there need to be additional grip?
• Does there need to be protection against chemicals? If so, what kind of chemicals, what type of exposure and for how long?
• Is additional protection needed against thermal extremes, electricity, vibrations or wear and tear? To what extent of protection is needed?
• Are the gloves the right size for everyone in your crew? Ill-fitting gloves provide poor protection and can cause more accidents.

OSHA Level Hand Protection

OSHA requires that employers provide protection for employees' hands for a variety of hazards. These include:

• Abrasions: Material that makes it harder for abrasive materials to reach the skin or that will hold up against rubbing or rough surfaces work well for abrasion protection. Leather, hard reinforcement at wear points and thicker coatings over areas that stand proud from the surface of the hand, such as knuckles, all work well.
• Cuts or Lacerations: Material that will hold up well against abrasion may not hold up against cuts or lacerations. A heavier leather, gloves with reinforcement at wear points and at areas that are more in danger of damage, metal mesh or gloves that otherwise provide protection against cuts help prevent damage to your hands, especially when working with utility knives, saws and similar equipment.
• Punctures: Leather or reinforcement with harder materials is the best protection available against punctures. Often caused by a slipping screwdriver or drill bit, a nail, an awl or similar tool, puncture wounds can be ground zero for a serious infection and loss of functionality, even ending a contractor's building career.
• Skin Protection from Harmful Substances and Chemical Burns: Depending on the particular substance, there are a wide range of options available, but for most chemical exposures, nitrile is the best option. Because it does not react and tends to hold up against most chemicals that can cause skin issues, it's one of the top options for contractors.
• Thermal Burns: When you're dealing with hot substances or doing welding, you need to protect your hands against the serious heat that comes with the job. Heavy leather or split suede gloves provide the best protection, though there are a few other options that can also provide some protection against burns, such as Kevlar layers.
• Extreme Temperatures: In the northeast, the biggest threat to your hands in terms of extreme temperature is frostbite. You need gloves that not only provide insulation, but also provides protection against dampness by wicking away sweat. If you do have a job where heat is a concern, you'll want gloves that can provide protection from thermal burns as above.

By taking good care of your hands, you're helping ensure that your livelihood is protected. Wear the proper hand protection for the job you're doing and your hands will give you years of work. If you need more information on how to protect yourself, or your fellow workers, be sure to download the OSHA Quick Card to Preventing Cold Stress below.

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When you're planning a special project, you can take the ordinary route with your drywall or you can create something truly unique and original that your client or family will love. But where do you get ideas and fuel your creativity to go above and beyond on a project? Many contractors and interior designers use online galleries to gather ideas for their project. Let's take a look at some great galleries, how to collect and organize your ideas and how to translate those ideas into real-world results.

Finding Drywall Galleries

If you're thinking that drywall is just drywall, and that any real design work would need to involve framed features like tray ceilings or recessed niches, think again. Drywall is becoming an art form under its own right. Here are some great places to cook up new ideas:

• Trimtex. TheáTrimtexáwebsite has an amazingágallery of productsábeing used in a variety of specialty projects as well as the last several years' winners of their drywall artist's competition. For everything drywall, there's inspiration on their website.
• Houzz. ThougháHouzzácovers a much wider range of inspiration, it's still an awesome place to go to gather ideas for drywall. While one person may like the beautiful marble around a fireplace, you can appreciate the hand-worked plaster wall art on the pillars supporting the mantle.

Organizing Your Ideas

Now that you've found some ideas that you like, it's time to organize them. You can do this either off-line using a traditional design board where you gather photos, finishes, colors and textures, online using a bulletin board service or a combination of the two as you present the ideas and collaborate with your client.

• Traditional design board. A traditional design board brings an additional dimension to your design idea. You can actually feel the texture, see how the light plays with a particular finish or get a better idea of how the different design elements work together in the real world.
• Online-only bulletin board. Good examples of these includeáHouzzáandáPinterest, where you can create boards oráideabooksáthat hold all your inspiration. You can also make notes about what you like in a particular image and how it ties in with the idea you're developing.
• Collaboration with client of online and traditional boards. Of course, if you're working hand in hand with a client, being able to do some collaboration online when you have spare time and being able to meet to verify on a traditional board the plan of attack for your idea is an awesome way to make sure everyone is on the same page about the new design.

Creating the Concept

Once you've gotten approval from the client on the basics, it's time to draft a few ideas. Whether you're more of a pencil and paper kind of person or like playing with CAD software to develop your ideas, here are some great ways to bring the idea to life.

• Professional-grade sketch for the artist's touch. Ask anyone who does sketching, you can create finer details including areas that are feathered out, sharp edges and similar features when you draw. If you don't draw well, consider working with a local artist.
• CAD software solutions for precision. CAD gives you extreme precision, so you can show exactly how that new trim won't interfere with the ceiling fan.
• 3D printed model for a hands-on approach. If you just need to play with the design in reality, look at creating a 3D printed model to work out the fine details.

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THIS CHECK-IN DEAL HAS EXPIRED!

Dear Loyal Customers;

All you need to do, in order to receive the weekly deal, is show your check-in confirmation to the store clerk.

DEWALT is a trusted name in power tools. They started revolutionizing the woodworking industry back in the early 20's and have not taken their foot off the gas since.

DEWALT really took off in the 40's after the government trusted them with contracts related to wartime situations and national defense.

DEWALT is still at the cutting edge of tool technology and continues to strive to make the best possible products for hard working contractors and do-it-yourselfers. These days DEWALT's line up consists of over 250 corded tools and 200 cordless tools as well as over 800 tool accessories.

Today there are many tool brand names to choose from, but few have the heritage that DEWALT presents. Wallboard Supply company is proud to stock DEWALT Power Tools and is now proud to offer them at a 10% discount this week in honor of our loyal customers.

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