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.

Natural Light

You can use natural light to create an inviting atmosphere by keeping a few important points in mind.

Sunlight entering from the north is usually colder. By contrast, a southern exposure guarantees a warm sun-filled interior. Rooms that receive light from the east will have bright mornings, muted mid-days and cooler evenings. West facing rooms will experience the most sun in the afternoon and evening.

You can bring light in from above with a skylight. No matter where you put a skylight in your home it will allow you to admit the full scope of the day’s light into your décor. Both venting and fixed skylights will offer light that enters through it if you add simple accessories like manual or remote control blinds.

Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule (RRP)

Pre-1978 homes are at high risk for containing lead and the EPA has strict codes when dealing with lead. The RRP rule is designed to protect children and adults from the dangers of exposure to lead-based paint, which can lead to brain damage and learning disabilities. As a homeowner it is your responsibility to find a contractor who is knowledgeable when it comes to lead-safe practices. Keep in mind ANY AMOUNT OF LEAD IS HAZARDOUS. Non-compliance with the RRP can affect your health and the health of your neighbors. A contractor not educated in the RRP may submit bids that are less expensive however a responsible contractor will bid a job accordingly using RRP lead-safe work practices.

Remodels may be Better than a Savings Account

It is recommended that you stick to improvements likely to increase your home's resale appeal and value. There is no such thing as a guaranteed return on investment, but some home improvements have a better track record than others. For instance, a basement remodel will recoup 70 % of its cost at resale. Adding a bathroom returns more than 50 %  of your investment, while modernizing a kitchen can bring about 70 % of a return upon selling your home. Tips:

• Establish a budget
• Hire a qualified remodeler who is familiar with local building codes
• Compare products and prices prior to beginning
• Work with a contract

Fall Home Improvements

After summer holidays are over and the heat and humidity subsides, it's a good time to start home renovation and preparation projects before the cold weather sets in. Flower beds can be cut down, lawns fertilized for the last time and windows washed. Here are five projects that are perfect for cool fall days.
Winterize the Deck
Decks get a lot of use during long summer days. By the time fall comes around, they can look worn out and old. Once the deck is cleaned off and all summer chairs and tables are stored away, power-wash the deck with a high-velocity pressure washer. This will dislodge any dirt that is stuck in the wood grain and will take away the gray color that decks fade to over time. Fall is also a good time to reseal the deck if you use a sealant or stain. Choose a warm day that has no chance of rain and start the process in the morning so that the deck has several hours of drying time before nightfall.
Insulate Exposed Plumbing
Uninsulated plumbing lines in unheated spaces are a major cause of power use, as the water heater must work extra hard to heat water. It can also cause pipes to freeze and burst if you live in an area that dips below the freezing mark in the winter. Check all of your plumbing lines to identify those that are outside or underneath the house, or are in an unheated basement or attic. Foam wrap can be purchased at any home improvement store. Wrap all exposed pipes to save on energy when the days start getting colder.
Roof Work
Once all the autumn leaves have fallen, cleaning out the roof gutters will save you from building up ice dams that can damage the roof in the winter. Blow out the gutters with a leaf blower or wash them out with a hose. Check for any holes or other damage to the gutters and repair them before heavy snow makes them worse. It's also a good time to take a look at the roof itself and fix any shingles that are curling or any flashing around chimneys that has come loose. If your roof is in bad shape, bring in a roofing contractor to assess whether the roof needs to be replaced before winter or can wait until the spring.
Upgrade Doors and Windows
If you have old, single-pane windows, you will lose a significant amount of heat in the wintertime. Replacing old windows with energy-efficient, double-paned upgrades can pay for itself quickly in heat savings. Check all exterior doors to ensure that they are insulated and that there are no gaps or cracks between the doors and the frames that could let heat out. If you have weatherstripping around doors, make sure it is intact and in good shape. If it's not in good shape, replace it before the cold weather sets in.
Interior Painting
Warm fall days are perfect for indoor painting. Summer is often too humid for paint to dry properly and that can cause walls to look splotchy. In winter, the lack of ventilation can make paint fumes hang around and can lengthen drying times. Open up windows to ensure there is a breeze that will both reduce the paint smell and dry it quickly.
The Bottom Line
Fall is an important transition season for home improvement projects. With the cold of winter coming, getting the house and yard prepared will save you money in the long run.