Upgrade for Old Windows

Instead of replacing a sound single-pane window, consider adding Solar Gard Silver AG 50 Low-E Window Film. During the winter months AG 50 reflects 63 % of interior heat back into a room, the maker claims. During the summer, it prevents solar heat gain and blocks 99 % of UVA and UVB rays. It's available in clear or a variety of tints. This can be installed by Fauser Home Improvement by giving us a call at 309/792-3122.

Hanging a Door

Typically doors are pre-hung units shipped in the jambs. Remove the shipping material and pull the pins removing the door from the jambs. To avoid accidental damage remove the finals and store them in a safe place. To keep the jambs parallel install a temporary spreader just below the bottom hinge location. Then install the jambs, be sure to adjust the shims so they are continuously in contact with a level. Be sure the primary shims are centered directly behind the hinge locations to keep the jamb straight. Be careful not to “pigeon-toe” the jambs out of the parallel. Keep in mind, the top hinge carries the lion’s share of the door load. Now you are ready to hang the door! Leave the screws in the lower hinges just slightly loose. This gives a little play making the door easier to align. When finished open and close the door, shimming and checking the reveal for uniformity. Fauser Home Improvement specializes in exterior, sliding, and storm doors installation. For a FREE ESTIMATE give us a call at 309/792-3122.

Wasp and Vinyl Siding

The source of the problem: That small gap between the "J" channels of your home's siding and the vinyl siding sheet itself.  This small gap forms a wonderful, attractive, home for paper wasps and other insects.  The south facing side of your home gets very warm during the day and stores heat into the night.  Wasps just seem to find this ideal for their home! 
Don't blame your home builder, each piece of siding must be installed with a proper expansion gap at each end, typically 1/4".  Here is a link to the Vinyl Siding institute: http://www.vinylsiding.org/, they have an excellent PDF document providing many details about vinyl siding installation: Vinyl Siding Installation.  On hot sunny days your siding may expand quite a bit and without the gap would buckle!  Unfortunately the wasps get the benefit.
A simple long- term solution is to seal and caulk openings from the outside. Recommended products to spray around the entry points during the fall before the wasps have a chance to over-winter inside would be :
Cyzmic CS or Demon WP sprayed in that area.

Fall Home Improvement Tips

1.     Caulk exterior joints around windows and doors. Caulking helps keep your house weather-tight and lowers heating and cooling bills. It can also help keep insects and other "critters" out of your house. When you caulk before painting, it eliminates edges where the paint may start to peel.

2. Start to put away tools and equipment left outdoors during the summer such as play equipment, lawn mowers, barbeques, gardening tools and hoses. It may be time to winterize your pool, too.

3. It's time to think about the condition of your roof. Be proactive and prevent emergency -- and expensive --repairs. Find out about common trouble spots and how to locate a leak from inside.

4. You insulate and weatherstrip and think that you have your home all sealed up for winter. But there are some inconspicuous spots through which heat can escape. Learn how to seal these gaps too.

5. Inspect and clean your storm windows to get them ready for installation. Storm windows can help you save energy during the cold months and are significantly less expensive than putting in new double- or triple-glazed windows.

Make the Most of a Replacement Siding Job

A re-siding project offers a rare opportunity to upgrade a home’s air-sealing and insulation. You can do an initial test to determine how much insulation your home has in the walls by using an IR or infrared camera inspection. If you have an especially drafty house this might be a beneficial test for you. After finding you need more insulation, ask your contractor to fill voids and gaps around window frames with spray foam then tape the frames to the sheathing with self-adhering flashing tape. Wrap walls with 1 inch thick sheets of polyisocyanurate foam which acts as an air and vapor barrier and drainage plane. All joints including gaps between the rigid foam and jamb extensions should be foamed and sealed with flashing tape. Finally workers should trim the corners of your home with one piece corner boards to reduce maintenance costs. Energy savings are important and you will be very happy to save money! You will also be very comfortable in your home and will enjoy reduced energy and maintenance costs for years to come.