All the leaves have fallen from the trees, there?s a chill in the air, and we?ve had enough time to recover from the Nationals? latest playoff disappointment. You know what?s next: the holiday season! Thanksgiving arrives this week, followed by Black Friday, December, holiday lights, Christmas trees, snow (eventually), Santa Claus, and New Year?s Eve. And somewhere in there, our football team will probably disappoint us, too.

This time of year is crazy for Gaithersburg residents and everyone in the DMV. Don?t neglect upkeep of your home during the coming weeks. Putting off an important repair until after Christmas is tempting (and, sometimes, unintentional), but the draft coming through your front door is as much a problem in December as it is in January. In other words, even though life is busy during the holidays, make the time to attend to your home.

Gaithersburg News

• Gaithersburg is great for car prices: A new report ranks Gaithersburg as the most affordable place to buy a car in Maryland?$720 below the state average. See how other Montgomery County cities stacked up.
• Swarm stings 32: With winter almost here, this news item isn?t an immediate concern, but it?s worth noting?32 people were treated for insect stings after a swarm disrupted classes at Quince Orchard High School in October. Although initially reported as honeybees, the stings were caused by a hive of yellowjackets. Read more about the angry swarm here.
• Help a family in need: The City of Gaithersburg is now accepting monetary donations for its 2017 Gaithersburg Holiday Giving Program. For 20 years, the city?s Community Services Division has worked with community groups, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and individuals to provide food and gifts to families in need during the holidays. For more information or to make a donation, visit the city?s website.

Homeowner Happenings

• Deep-fry the bird, not your home: Using a deep fryer to cook a holiday turkey is a bragging-rights challenge for some ambitious homeowners/cooks. Part of the challenge is preparing a delicious bird; another part is not setting your house or yourself aflame. This post details step-by-step processes for safely deep-frying a turkey either outside or inside.
• Light up your home for the holidays!:aWith Thanksgiving almost here, many homeowners start thinking about putting up their outdoor Christmas lights. Get into the holiday spirit with these tips for lighting up your home.

hbspt.cta.load(1965781, '746c8477-79fa-442a-8f7e-75706c7add42', {});

Gaithersburg Events

• After Hours series at the museum: The Gaithersburg Community Museum is hosting an After Hours speaker series, offering evening programs geared toward adults. The next event in the series is ?Universal Life: The Race to Discover Life Beyond Earth,? at 7 p.m. on December 8. The cost for this event is $10, and preregistration is required. More information and future After Hours events can be found here.
• No humbugs allowed: Arts on the Green and the Kensington Arts Theatre are staging A Christmas Carol November 25 through December 10 at the Arts Barn, 311 Kent Square Road. Tickets are $20 for adults and for children older than 14 and are $12 for children 14 and younger. For more information, including performance days and times, visit the City of Gaithersburg?s website.
• Gaithersburg Chorus concert: The Gaithersburg Chorus will celebrate its 30th anniversary with a free concert at 7:30 p.m. on December 5 at the Rosborough Cultural Arts Center, 301 Odendhal Ave.

Home Improvement Tip of the Month

The idea that your roof is beginning to fail?or at least needs some sort of urgent repair?is not appealing to many homeowners. But ignoring the signs that something is amiss can lead to bigger problems and greater expense down the line. Some of these signs are:

• Leaks and sunlight into your home
• Damaged shingles
• Missing shingles
• Granules collecting in gutters
• Failing flashing
• Drooping and sagging
• A roof that is decades old

We wrote an informative blog post that delves into these warning signs. If you start seeing indications of a roof problem, don?t hesitate to call a professional to assess the situation. Repair or replacement may not be the answer you were hoping for, but at least you will know what that missing shingle means and can take action accordingly.

That?s it for this month?s newsletter. Happy Thanksgiving! a

hbspt.cta.load(1965781, '7dadd232-3433-4d20-b55c-03119e653386', {});

One of the biggest draw backs to solar roofing was the aesthetics of the solar panels installed on the roof.a In addition to being unappealing to most retail consumers, the early generations were not that efficient with capturing and converting energy.a However, in the last few years great advancements in solar technology have been made.a For the first time, home and business owners can now have a solar installation that integrates seamlessly into your roof; solar shingles.

Solar Shingles Systems

Specifically these systems are referred to as Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV).a These BIPV systems are systems that integrate solar cells into traditional roofing materials like metal, slate, and asphalt.a

The roof system is simply installed over existing sheathing (if materials are in good enough condition) or brand new sheathing.a An electrician or specially trained Houston roofer will wire the solar shingles together and connect the entire system to your home or business? electric system.

Solar shingle systems also work in partnership with your local electric grid, allowing your home to pull electricity from the grid during times where the sun has gone down or is covered by a rainy day.

A Numbers Game

Each individual shingle produces little energy conversion (50-200 watts).a However, when an entire roof system is comprised of these solar shingles, enough energy to power the home can be provided.a Your Houston roofing contractor should be able to calculate the square area of your roof system, the generation of energy from each shingle, and the approximate yield of power from the entire roof, during all parts of the year.a A quick comparison to your previous year?s energy consumption will determine what amount of power you need to generate in order to be ?self-sustaining?.a

Solar Pays

In addition to 30% tax saving margins offered by the federal government and big incentives from the State of Texas, solar shingle roof system can actually pay you money back.

In many areas of the country, local municipalities are allowing self-sustaining and solar systems to sell energy back to the grid.a Believe it or not, solar roof systems are actually helping a growing energy problem by providing energy back to the grid or reducing the grid?s energy consumption during peak hours.

Rates vary on the amount and rate of electricity sold back to the electric grid.a Please check with your local municipality about the availability and rates of the program.

Warranty Backed

Most solar shingles come with some sort of warranty.a However, popular names like DOW POWERHO? USE offer 20 year warranties on their materials.a With the cost of energy rising dramatically in the next few years, experts like Noah Kaye of the Solar Energy Industries Association believe that the cost of solar shingles will drop just as dramatically.a That means that your investment in solar shingles can start paying for itself today with some reassurance that it will continue to do so in the coming future.

Schulte Roofing is an expert in solar shingle systems, providing materials from the biggest manufacturers in the industry.a If your Houston roof has the sun bearing down on it, turn it into an energy provider instead of an energy consumer.a Schulte Roofing will calculate out your energy yield and back up the entire roof system by the industry?s strongest warranty, the Bulletproof Roof Guarantee.

a

a

Let?s do a little math. Assuming your energy bill is like most Americans, it?s probably between $170 and $200 per month. If we multiply that by 12 months per year, we are looking at $2040 to $2400 per year in energy bills. Now let?s say that you own your home for ten years. You are looking at paying $20,400 to $24,000 over the time that you own the home.

a

That?s a lot of money.

a

Now let?s look at another scenario. Let?s say that you spend $10,500 on a solar roofing system (this cost is calculated using the average cost of a home solar system, which is $10,000 to $16,000 dollars, and subtracting a 30% tax credit ? which is on the low end of what is offered in most states), that covers 50% of your energy cost. You save roughly $1000 per year on energy cost ? which again is a very low estimate. Over the ten years that you expect to own your home, the system pays for itself.

a

But wait. I didn?t factor in two very important details. Energy costs rise an average of 3.75% annually. That is unless you lock in your rate, which is exactly what you do when you provide energy via a photovoltaic system. For the percentage of energy you provide through that system, your energy rate does not change.

a

So let?s recalculate. A 3.75% annual increase on a $2400 electric bill equals $640 dollars. Even if we don?t apply this increase exponentially, that adds up to $6400 over the time you own your home (ten years).

a

Okay so that?s another $6400 you can expect to save by going solar. And remember, these estimates are on the low end.

a

But I also didn?t factor in the added value that a solar system brings to your home. In most cases, homeowners can expect an increase in their home?s value of $15,000 to $25,000 dollars.

a

The numbers are adding up. You spent just over $10,000 to install a system that saved you $16,400 in energy bills, and added roughly $20,000 value to your home.

a

If this sounds like a no-brainer, it?s because it is. Solar energy might just be the best value in the homeowners market.

a

Tile roofing is popular in College Station roofing because of its color and texture. Fire resistant due to material composition, tile roofs are extremely durable and have a long life. When maintained properly, tile roofs have 50 year or more service life.

Tile roofs owe their strength and durability to their quality clay and concrete components.a In fact, tiles typically do not leak.a The leaks that occur tend to originate from failure of flashing and fasteners.

Tiles can also be energy efficient as well, when installed as a light color.a According to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, research shows that the shape of the tile contributes to the overall reflectivity and ventilation.

Identification of Problem Area(s)

Problematic tiles are usually easy to spot.a They are usually broken, cracked, and/or missing.a Of course different impacts, such as hailstones, will create impact patterns that are recognizable to trained personnel.aaa If more than 25% of the total roof area is damaged, building code might require full replacement.

Surrounding tiles should be lifted and inspected for damage.a The head lap (overlap) should be at least 3 inches and the noses should all be properly fastened and secured.a Alignment should also be considered.a Uneven tiles potentially mark problem areas.

Proper Underlayment

Underlayment is the protective barrier between the interior of your home and the surrounding environment.a On low slopes the minimum standard for underlayment is a 3 play bur felt.a On steeper slopes underlayment is required to have 6 inch side laps and 2 inch head laps.a The attachment of the underlayment should be done with respect to the wind uplift calculations.a Your local College Station roofing contractor should be able to provide you with these calculations.

Attachment Standards

Metal attachments are also regulated to meet certain specifications.a The International Building Code states that metal in roof valleys, trays, and flashing should be at least 26 gauge galvanized metal.a This prevents premature corrosion and helps with the longevity of the tile roof.

On low slope roofs, only 1 fastener per tile is required.a However, on steeper slopes 2 fasteners for each tile should be used.a Even the fasteners are required to meet ASTM A641 Class 1 Standards.a Use of copper or stainless steel nails will help prevent rust.

Matching Materials

One of the most challenging aspects to repairing tile roofs is matching the original materials.a Tile roofs can discolor over time; the longer the exposure, the more the discoloration.a In College Station roofing all roofing contractors use the same materials from the same vendors.a That means that with proper research you should be able to find a close match.

Tile roof repair is more than just replacing broken tiles.a Your College Station roofing company should be able to calculate the wind lift and recommend the best installation materials and procedure to make sure your roof lasts.a Contact Schulte Roofing for professional tile roofing repair as well as the best warranty in the industry, The Bulletproof Roof« Guarantee.

a

a

If you really want to know what someone values, check their calendar and their checkbook.

So says Jim Tressel, president of Youngstown State University (YSU) and former national champion head football coach at both YSU and The Ohio State University.

People can tell you anything they want, he says, like My family is most important to me or My faith is most important to me or Serving the community is most important to me, but when you look at their calendar and what they spend their money on it doesnt always match what they say.

Tressel has made a longstanding practice of keeping a good accounting of how he uses his time.

Probably not unlike most people you have way more to do than you have time for, he said. Therefore, one of the things that we should all try to do is to audit ourselves to get a good sense of where were spending our time. Its a helpful exercise that I got in the habit of doing decades ago.

Tressel continued explaining that when people audit themselves, they can better understand why they dont feel like theyre accomplishing as much as they hope to.

Whats interesting is that when you document your time, you may find youre allowing yourself to get pulled off course in many different directions and spending time on things that dont have much to do with your main mission and your main focus, he said.

Since the 1980s when he attended at a seminar and learned of the time auditing tactic while serving as an assistant football coach at Syracuse University, Tressel starts nearly every morning by journaling where he spent his time the previous da

In Part 2, well cover Jim Tressels 6 keys to time management success.