Tag: Richmond Remolding Services

Why You Will Love Radiant Heat in Your Sunroom Floor

Richmond sunrooms are a popular addition to many homes. Sometimes used as a three-season room, and sometimes used year round, the sunroom is designed as a place where you can relax to enjoy the light and warmth of the outdoors through walls made primarily of windows. Because sunrooms are often afterthoughts – added to the home long after it’s built, heating the room to become an all-season space can be a challenge. Instead of adding ducts to nonexistent walls or ceilings to try to add forced hot air, or lining the spaces below the windows with baseboard heaters, consider a better way to heat your sunroom – radiant heat. Radiant heat can keep you warm and toasty in your sunroom year round, and for a fraction of the cost of what it would take to heat the room using other methods.

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What Is Radiant Heat?

Radiant heat is technically defined as heat that is transferred from the heating source directly to an object. In this case, radiant heat refers to the method used to warm up the floor of the room. When you stand on the floor, the heat gets transferred directly to you – not into the air of the room. This is a more efficient method of heating, and keeps you more comfortable than other heat sources.

You can install radiant heat in your sunroom in a few different ways, such as running forced hot water through pipes beneath the floor. Because most sunrooms are built on a slab, however, the most common method involves installing electric mats beneath your flooring. These thin fiberglass mats have wires embedded in them that are laid directly on the slab or subfloor. Your finished flooring is installed directly on top of the mat, which is hooked up to a thermostat. When the mats are turned on, the radiant heat energy is transferred from the mat to the floor, and from the floor to the objects in the room such as your furniture – and you.

Why Radiant Heat Is So Beneficial in a Sunroom

Radiant heat can technically be installed in any room of your home, but it makes the most sense in a few specific areas – such as your sunroom.

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Less Heat Loss

For the most part, the majority of sunrooms are made with three outside walls filled with windows, if they aren’t made entirely out of glass. In some cases, your ceiling may also be made of glass or may have windows installed as well. This makes insulating the room very difficult, particularly because windows can account for as much as 40% of the energy you use to heat a room being lost through the air.

Because radiant heat is transferred directly to objects, it doesn’t heat the air. This means that you need less insulation in your sunroom to stop heat loss. In fact the air temperature in the room can be significantly lower in a room with radiant heat and still keep you warm because your chair and body are coming into contact with the radiant heat – and getting the heat transfer – rather than the air.

Easy Install

Some people originally install sunrooms as three-season rooms or porches. The biggest reason for this, rather than originally creating them as four-season rooms, is because it can be so difficult to install decent heating in the room. Forced hot air requires ducts that often can’t be run into the thin walls or slab floor of the room. Forced hot water and oil heat require pipes to be run to the room, which means opening up other walls and floors, and electric baseboard heaters can often be expensive and inefficient.

Sunroom additions richmond, va

Radiant heating is very easy to install, even on a slab. The mats or wires can be laid anywhere, and are even easy enough for a DIY homeowner to put down themselves. The wires hook up to a thermostat on the wall so you can control the heat of the sunroom separately from the rest of the house, and you can install any flooring you want right on top from tile to hardwood, letting you customize the look and feel of the room while remaining warm and comfortable. You can also easily retrofit an existing sunroom with radiant heat, so even if you have a current three season space you want to convert, you can do so without too much time or expense.

Low Cost to Run

Many of the radiant heat mats on the market today take about as much energy to run as it costs to run a single light bulb. This means that you can heat your sunroom for significantly less money that it would cost you to try to heat it using other methods. And because you have less heat loss, and often feel warmer in a room using radiant heat, you need less energy to be comfortable in the same space. All of this translates to you being able to enjoy your sunroom year round for just pennies on the dollar.

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Add Some Radiant Heat to Your Sunroom

Whether you’re building a new sunroom onto your home, or just looking for a more efficient way to heat one that’s already there, give radiant heat a try. You’ll find that for your money, there are rarely more efficient methods out there that can keep you as warm and comfortable in the space year round.

For any other tips on how to make your home remodeling a breeze, Classic Construction
is available for all your Richmond remodeling services. To learn more, give us a call at 804-776-5070 or fill out our online form for a free consultation.

Author: Classic Construction

Established in 2001, Classic Construction has since become one of the leading Richmond remodeling companies. With decades in the home improvement industry, Brian Holder, company president, is intimately involved with every project and works with our vendors and installation crews to ensure every job runs smoothly and meets our high standards of quality and customer satisfaction.

Key Features of a Roof That Will Last a Very Long Time

Your roof is one of the most important components of your home. Not only does it contribute to your home’s curb appeal, it helps protect your home from the elements, keeping out the rain, wind, sun, and snow that could damage your belongings.

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Everyone knows that roofs are also one of the more expensive things to repair or replace on your home. Therefore, when it’s time to take care of your roof, you may want to consider investing in Richmond roofing materials and installation methods that will ensure it lasts as long as possible. After all, with everything you have riding on it, it only makes sense to ensure your roof returns the investment you put into it.

Your Roof’s Longevity

There are many factors that can contribute to how long your roof lasts. These include:

  • The material your roof is made of; slate, copper, and aluminum roofs will last longer than asphalt roofs.
  • The location you are in; areas with more moderate climates tend to have roofs that last a little longer than those in areas with a lot of sun, wind, hail, or rain.
  • The kind of maintenance you put in; regular roof maintenance is key to ensuring that your roof lasts the maximum lifespan. Maintenance includes regular inspections, removing snow in the winter, keeping your gutters clear, removing moss and algae, and replacing missing, broken, or curling shingles.

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Ensuring Your Roof Lasts

When the time comes to repair or replace your roof, there are several things you can do to help ensure that it lasts as long as possible.

Get Attic Ventilation

You may wonder what your attic has to do with how long your roof lasts, but proper attic ventilation can go a long way toward maintaining the integrity of your roof. Attic vents help keep air moving. This ensures that your attic doesn’t become super heated in the summer, or that the warm air rising in your home doesn’t become trapped there in the winter.
Without the buildup of heat below it, your roof will not get as overheated in the summer, which will help prevent early deterioration of your shingles. And without a warm attic in the winter, the snow on your roof is less likely to melt, run to the edge of your roof, and refreeze into an ice dam that will force water to back up under your shingles.
Most attics are under ventilated, and many roofing contractors will also install attic vents at the same time they replace your roof. Investing in additional vents will not only help your roof last longer, they’ll help your home stay more comfortable as well.

Stripping Old Shingles

It is possible to layer a set of asphalt shingles over an old set. And some homeowners choose to do this to cut down on the cost of roof replacement. Unfortunately, this can cause some problems that may eventually lead to your roof deteriorating faster.

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First, you can only layer shingles once. So if you already have two layers, you risk the third layer not adhering as well to the roof, and causing problems with leaks.
Second, many roofs aren’t redone all at once. So if you only need a partial reroofing, the newer section and the older section probably won’t match one another at the peak. The ridge cap has to be modified to help disguise this, which can lead to potential leaks in this area down the road.
Finally, if the original set of shingles was in poor shape, you won’t know what was going on below them if you don’t pull them up. Wood rot, mold, and mildew are all issues found with a leaking roof. When you seal all that in with a new layer of shingles, you could be risking the integrity of the roof deck, and leading to much higher repair bills down the road.
By stripping the old shingles, you can ensure that there are no problems with the roof deck before you reroof. You can also ensure that the new shingles go on properly and that the correct underlayments are used so you have fewer leaks in the future.

Using Good Materials

Depending on the type of home you live in, and the climate your house is in, you may want to consider one of a few different roofing materials to help ensure the longevity of your roof.
Architectural shingles, for example, last on average about 10 years longer than standard shingles. They’re thicker, with a different installation method than the standard three-tab shingles, which gives them a better appearance and a longer life.
Standing seam metal roofs are also growing in popularity amongst homeowners for the simple reason that this type of roof can last for a lot longer with less maintenance than a traditional asphalt shingle roof. If you have a modern or rustic home, this style of roof fits right in and can last twice as long as an asphalt roof. Metal shingles are also available to give you a more traditional look, but with the same longevity as well.
If you have an historic home, and want to put the money into it, copper and slate roofs can last for a hundred years or more. These materials are expensive and difficult to find a contractor for, but their longevity and relative low maintenance combined with their beauty makes them well worth it for many homeowners.

Invest in Your Roof

There’s a lot riding on your roof, from the way your house looks to how well it holds up to the elements. Make sure your roof lasts as long as possible by investing in these methods. Over time, you’ll find it more than worth the effort.

For any other tips on how to make your home remodeling a breeze, Classic Construction
is available for all your Richmond remodeling services. To learn more, give us a call at 804-776-5070 or fill out our online form for a free consultation.

Author: Classic Construction

Established in 2001, Classic Construction has since become one of the leading Richmond remodeling companies. With decades in the home improvement industry, Brian Holder, company president, is intimately involved with every project and works with our vendors and installation crews to ensure every job runs smoothly and meets our high standards of quality and customer satisfaction.

Super-Smart Lighting Ideas to Brighten Your Home

Everyone knows that lighting is one of the most important parts of an interior design. A room without a lot of natural or artificial light can feel dark, cramped, and oppressive. In other words, it becomes a place that no one wants to be in.
There are three general types of lighting that you need to consider when designing a room’s interior
1.  Ambient lighting
2. Accent lighting
3. Task lighting

Using all three together is the best way to brighten up any room. To ensure that your room’s design is as bright and functional as possible, try combining a few of these super-smart lighting ideas throughout your home.

1. Ambient Lighting Ideas

Ambient lighting permeates the entire room. Richmond replacement windows give you ambient light, as do lights that are installed on or in your ceiling. This is the light that you turn on as soon as you enter a room, and no matter what other light you may have installed there, ambient lighting is usually always on when you’re using a space. Good ambient lighting should illuminate the entire area evenly, yet be in the background of the design at the same time.

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A few tricks to ensuring that your ambient lighting is up to the task of brightening a room include:

  • Using mirrors opposite natural light sources in dark rooms to double the amount of natural light in the space
  • Using a combination of recessed lighting and domed ceiling lighting fixtures within the same room – recessed lighting gets you some of the best ambient lighting around, while a few well placed domed fixtures give your room a little extra style and interest
  • Using dual fixtures in one room – this used to be a no-no, but new trends in lighting are emerging that say that it’s totally fine to install two fixtures – even if they don’t match – at opposite ends of a room to bring in more light
  • Using decorative track lighting in modern homes – follow the lines of your furnishings, counters, or cabinets with the track to add style as well as light

2.  Accent Lighting Ideas

Accent lighting is the additional light that brightens a room while decorating and highlighting the space at the same time. Accent lighting can take on a few different personas. Sconces on either side of your bathroom mirror, pendant lighting above a kitchen peninsula or dining room table, and recessed spot lights above wall art are all examples of accent lighting. They are illuminating a specific spot in the room to help show it off and brighten a smaller area.

accent lighting
A few new trends and smart ideas in accent lighting you can try in your home include:

  • Hanging drum pendants in sleek, minimalist designs as part of the trend sweeping through kitchens and dining areas of modern and transitional homes
  • Using sconces and pendants that have a white finish to them – the white color is not only unobtrusive and unlikely to go out of style, it also makes the entire space look brighter
  • Making your accent lighting part of your décor by using industrial and global inspirations such as art glass, etched metal finishes, and warmer metal tones to draw the eye to the fixture and make it more than just a source of light
  • Using lanterns designed for the indoors – people have been bringing outdoor lanterns in for years and manufacturers have finally listened with a brand-new line of indoor lanterns that really cast a lot of bright light, while adding a unique accent and style to a room

 

3.  Task Lighting Ideas

Task lighting is one of the most important, and yet overlooked types of lighting in the home. This is the light that illuminates only the area that you are currently working in – and nowhere else. Under cabinet lighting in your kitchen or a reading lamp on your desk are great examples of task lighting. The idea behind task lighting is that you while you could use the space without it, why should you have to? Task lighting makes it easier to see areas that may get cast into shadow, particularly during times of day when there isn’t any natural lighting around such as in the evening.

taks lighting
Smart ideas and trends in task lighting include:

  • Using bright white light fixtures in areas such as under cabinet lighting to provide the most natural looking light to darker areas
  • Installing long lights or tube lights beneath cabinets rather than small recessed or touch lights, because they give you more even lighting over the entire area
  • Installing adjustable sconces on or just above the headboard of your bed to give you perfectly placed reading light
  • Using bathroom sconces that have long, flexible necks to allow you to move the light closer or further from the mirror so you can get the right amount of lighting for the task at hand

Enhance Your Interiors

Lighting is one of those areas of design that don’t get nearly as much emphasis as they should. The best lights are the ones that illuminate your home so perfectly that you never feel like you’re in the shadows, regardless of where or when you’re working in the home. In addition, good lighting should complement the rest of your décor, fitting seamlessly into your interior design. Pay a little extra attention to your lighting choices throughout your home and make better use of your entire space.
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For any other tips on how to make your home remodeling
a breeze, Classic Construction
is available for all your Richmond remodeling services. To learn more, give us
a call at 804-776-5070 or fill out our online form for a free consultation.

Author: Classic Construction

Established in 2001, Classic Construction has since become one of the leading Richmond remodeling companies. With decades in the home improvement industry, Brian Holder, company president, is intimately involved with every project and works with our vendors and installation crews to ensure every job runs smoothly and meets our high standards of quality and customer satisfaction.