Courtesy of Russ Warren & Lindsay McIntyre

HOMEOWNERS HAVE A VARIETY OF ROOFING MATERIAL CHOICES

MAINTENANCE TIPS FOR WOOD SIDING Once the snow vanishes, sprucing up the exterior of your home becomes a priority for many. Here are a few tips for cleaning a home with a wood sided exterior. Garden Hose: If your siding isn’t too dirty, water could very well be enough to clean seasonally stained wood siding. Always spray at a downward angle to avoid chipping the painted surfaces and to keep water from getting into the siding panels. Homemade Cleaning Solution: There are any number of commercial cleaning products available that will wash away built-up grime. But there’s also a homemade cleaning solution that will do the trick: white vinegar, water and a scrubbing brush. This mixture can safely remove dirt, winter grime and even mould from wood siding. Just mix equal parts of vinegar and water together and pour into your garden sprayer. Spray the mixture directly onto the soiled surfaced, gently scrub with your soft bristled brush and finish it off with a rinse from the garden hose. Bleach for Mould: If winter mould has really set in then more determined action might be required in the form of a mild bleach solution. The application process and rinsing efforts are the same as with the vinegar solution, with many users feeling an oxygen-based bleach rather than chlorine-based is more effective at removing mould and gentler on the surface. Mix powdered oxygen bleach and water in equal parts and apply and rinse to remove mould. Allow the solution to remain on the wood for about 20 minutes before rinsing off. If mould still remains than a stronger commercial product might be required. Always test your cleaning solution in a small, inconspicuous area first to ensure it will not damage your siding’s finish. Metal Roofs are highly resistant to extreme weather conditions, and are in use across the country on everything from sub-urban homes to log cabins. Metal roofs normally come in one of two different styles. Panels or shingles and can be constructed of different materials including aluminum, copper, stainless steel and even zinc. A key part of the structure, look and efficiency of any home is its roof. But as no two people are the same, so it goes with the choice of roofing material used in the construction of Canadian homes. These are some of the common roofing materials employed by contemporary builders. Asphalt Shingles are one of the most common materials used in roofing today. Relatively inexpensive to produce and straightforward to install, asphalt shingle roofs are used throughout North America and are suitable for a wide range of architectural styles. Clay or Concrete Tiles can add a combination of texture and elegance to a roof. Coming in a variety of colours and styles, you can choose designs that are flat, scalloped or ribbed in appearance. Clay and concrete tiles help to regulate indoor temperatures, are great for shedding water and are highly durable. However, these tiles are very heavy and cannot be supported by all roof structures. Consult an engineer if you are thinking about clay or concrete tiles for your home.

BRAIN TEASERS Courtesy of www.rd.com

1. No matter how little or how much you use me, you change me every month. What am I? 2. Spelled forwards I’m what you do every day, spelled backward I’m something you hate. What am I?

3. I have branches, but no fruit, trunk or leaves. What am I? 4. Two in a corner, one in a room, zero in a house, but one in a shelter. What am I?

1. A calendar 2. Live 3. Bank 4. The letter “R.”

Answers: