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Part 3: Natural Disasters Can Strike Anywhere – Be Prepared

In the last of our series of emergency preparation tips, we’d like to share information with you to help cope with the dangers of harsh winter weather. Winter storms have hit the Northeast with severity, and here in Minnesota we’re no stranger to the problems of blizzards and heavy snowfalls. Here is some information to help you weather the next bad snowstorm.

As with other threatening weather, make sure you pay attention to storm alerts via TV, weather radio, or online weather sites.
Have a stock of rock salt or ice melt handy. Sand is also helpful for adding traction to icy areas. It’s a good idea to have covered containers inside near each entry door. Make sure if you have pets that whatever ice melter you use is pet safe.
The same is true with shovels. Remember, metal and metal-edged shovels may work well on concrete, but don’t use these on decks or wooden stairs because they can damage the wood – use only plastic on these surfaces.
If you heat with something other than natural gas or electricity, such as wood, fuel oil, or propane, have a good supply laid in before the storm season starts, allowing yourself some cushion if severe cold lasts longer than usual.
Insulate pipes on outside walls.
If a storm hits, lower the temperature in your home to save on fuel. Put on extra layers and more blankets on your bed.
Keep a stock of batteries, flashlights, candles, and matches on hand in case you lose power. If you use candles for light, keep them in holders such as hurricane lamps that shield the flame. Have a fire extinguisher handy.
You may want to have a backup kerosene or propane heater if your furnace requires electricity. If you do use portable heaters, keep them away from flammable materials such as drapes and keep a window open slightly to ventilate toxic fumes.
Know where your water shut-off is in case your pipes burst from freezing. If pipes do freeze, shut off the main supply, remove any insulation, wrap pipes in warm rags, and open all faucets to alleviate pressure.
During a winter storm, the best thing you can do is to stay warm and dry; avoid being outside any longer than necessary. Once inside, get into dry clothing.
Watch for signs of frostbite: loss of feeling or whiteness to the skin.
Watch for signs of hypothermia: uncontrolled shivering, slurred speech, or a feeling of disorientation

A winter storm emergency usually means you’ll be snowbound in your home, but conditions may require you to leave. To be prepared for that possibility, keep your exits clear and your car free of snow. A clear path from your entry door as well as a cleared driveway are important.

Part 2: Natural Disasters Can Strike Anywhere – Be Prepared

In a previous post we shared with you some tips for being prepared in case of a natural disaster. Here are additional things you can do to be prepared in case of an emergency:

Make a plan with your neighbors. Who will handle things if you are away from home when trouble hits? Make sure this person has your emergency contact number as well as possible ways to reach you – email, cell phone, Twitter, etc.
Locate local emergency shelters. Know where to go if you can’t go back into your home. Find out where the closest shelters are, and if you have pets, find out their policy. Not all shelters accept pets, but many do.
Know your emergency escape routes from your area. What roads would be used if you need to evacuate your neighborhood?
Utility shut-offs. Have a plan in place and a person designated to shut off the electrical, water, and gas supply to your home, if it’s available to do that ahead of time.
Take a basic first aid course; if you’ve already had one but it has been awhile, take a refresher course. The Red Cross offers basic first aid training, and often larger medical clinics and health systems do as well.
Stock up on emergency supplies. In addition to your weather radio and first aid kit, you should have one gallon of water per person and pet per day as well as nonperishable food for three days; include a manual can opener. There are various emergency sites you can visit to obtain a checklist of emergency supplies. For further suggestions, visit the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) site for disaster kit info.
Have a well-marked house number at your curb for emergency vehicles to quickly locate you. A number somewhere besides the one on the house is helpful.

The most common natural disasters that affect us here in Minnesota are fire, flooding, tornadoes, and severe winter storms. Here are some disaster-specific tips.

To reduce damage from flooding:

Waterproof your basement
Raise electrical appliances on the lower level up at least a foot – have furnaces, water heaters, and washer/dryer units put up on pedestals
Keep gutters and downspouts cleaned out
Find out from your insurance agent if your are in a potential flood zone, and make sure you have appropriate insurance coverage

To reduce the potential of fire damage:

Cut back tree limbs which overhang the house
Remodel with nonflammable materials such as steel siding and roofing, fiber cement siding, etc.
Add tempered and double-pane glass windows to reduce the chance of shattering
Keep plantings such as trees and large shrubs at least 5′ from the house; this cuts down on fuel for flying embers
Keep your lawn well watered and mowed a up to a distance of 30′ from your house

Dealing with the threat of tornadoes:

Even if your home is constructed according to code, whether or not it will withstand the impact of a tornado is questionable. The best thing you can do to protect yourself in case of a tornado is to seek safe shelter. Consider building a safe room in your home, or find out where there are emergency tornado shelters nearby.

Being prepared for emergencies can bring you peace of mind as well as reducing the potential for damage and injury. In our next post we’ll talk about preparing for severe winter weather.

Roof Repairs and Caulking Is Not As Easy As It Looks in Minneapolis

Caulking and home repairs go hand in hand. It is used to fill in gaps to prevent water, air, dust and insects from wandering into your home. Creating a smooth finish that will last looks simple, but is not always so. The first thing to know is what brand of caulk to use.

There are so many on the market, but DAP seems to be the leader in this field. They have all types of applications, caulking for wood, glass, metal, and in a variety of shades. When it comes to roofing and siding, DAP’s AlexPLUS is often used with great results. This is great for external use, and will stick to almost anything. The clear color seems to be a little more adhesive that those with a pigment and it won’t stand out as much either.

If you are going to attempt to apply caulking yourself, make sure you have a wet rag to wipe your hands with frequently. Excess caulking will gum up quick, and make the job much harder than if you do it this way. It is also important to keep the caulking gun moving with long, steady strokes. By applying caulk in a slow, shaky motion, it will look more like you were baking a cake, than you were trying to leave a smooth, clean finish.

It is also a good idea to wait until the weather is above 60 degrees. This will allow the material to be more receptive to absorbing the caulking, and give it a better chance of sticking to it.

Having said all this, the absolutely best way to handle your homes caulking needs is to give us a call, and let us do it. Iron River Construction in Minneapolis has all the ladders and experience needed to protect your home, and make it look its best at the same time. If your home needs a little attention and/or repair to its roofing and siding, give us a call and we will make it easy for you. We are ready when you are. 952-442-1762

Caring For Your Deck | Minneapolis St Paul Metro Custom Decks, Gazebos, 3 & 4 Season Porches

Decks can be an amazing addition to any home that not only adds beauty, but also value. To ensure that your deck lasts as long as it possibly can, you will need to take good care of it to save yourself money and work down the line.

Decks should be thoroughly inspected once a year. Things to keep an eye out for are loose nails and cracked wood. Cracked wood can lead to even more cracks in surrounding wood so the best thing to do is replace the one board before you end up having to replace multiple boards in the future. Nails sticking up or out of wood can be very dangerous for humans and pets. Loose nails will also lead to loose boards, so just hammer and pound any loose nails back in.

Try to sweep your deck weekly of any dirt or debris and power wash or scrub it down at least once a month with water and some form of shampoo. If you happen to have any mold or mildew, apply a little bleach and water to the spot to kill the bacteria and stop it from spreading.
Decks will take an absolute beating from the weather, that’s why its important to re-stain and repaint them every few years or as needed. When staining, use waterproof sealant to protect against rain and other weather elements.

Research has shown that if applied every 12-18 months, oil based penetrating sealer that follows the dry cell structure line, will increase your decks life expectancy to 30-50 years. Remember the price for building a deck doubles about every 8 years so the longer you can make your deck last, the more money you will have to spend on other projects.

Decks can be a fun, attractive addition to any home, but failure to keep your deck up to par can cost you big money in the long run. Its very easy to get the max life expectancy out of your deck by doing a few tasks here and there. If you’re looking to build or add on to an existing deck or if you just have a few questions on anything pertaining to decks, give us, IRC Deck Contractor Minneapolis , a ring at 952-442-1762.

What Do Earthworms Know? Might Be Time to Weatherproof! Vinyl Siding, MN

Up to fifteen minutes before the earthquake shook twenty-two states on August 23, 2011, orangutans, gorillas, flamingos and red-ruffed lemurs at the National Zoo in Washington DC were going bananas. According to Washington Post, primate keeper K.C. Braesch said, “Animals seem to know. You always hear it anecdotally, but this is the first time I’ve seen it.”

Although a wide range of hypotheses exist, scientists don’t really know why or how animals do it. Rather than expound on those educated guesses about animal behavior, I’ll do a Readers’ Digest and share some of the aforementioned anecdotes instead: in 1755, famed German philosopher Immanuel Kant witnessed a multitude of earthworms emerging from the ground in southeast Spain. A full eight days later, a devastating earthquake struck in Portugal.

Prior to Kant’s “Age of Enlightenment” and complicated systems of data measurement, folk wisdom was the more widely accepted method of weather forecasting. For instance, some Native Americans believe that hares’ paws will become fluffier if heavy snow is on the forecast, or that black bears take special sleeping spots in their caves depending on how cold the winter will be. Fortunately, we don’t have to inspect hares’ paws or wait for a drove of earthworms to pop out of their underground bunkers to prepare our own homes for the ornery side of Mother Nature.

Before you find that “special sleeping spot” to make it through a cold winter, make sure your home is weather-tight. With 100 mile an hour winds coming up the eastern seaboard this weekend, I am reminded of James Hardie fiber-cement board, which can withstand wind speeds up to 150 miles per hour. It has been specified by hurricane-zone building codes for building homes in hurricane-, tornado-, and wildfire-prone areas “due to its impact resistance against hail and windblown debris,” according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). You can also check your roof for any loose, missing, or damaged shingles so that you can avoid long-term damage from rain and snow.

If you are considering repairing or replacing it, now is the time! The licensed, bonded and insured professionals at Iron River will do it right, will do it to your specifications, and will get it done quickly. Contact us today to find out what Iron River Construction can do to get your nest ready for the weather ahead.

With a Home Gym, Chanhassen Can Have Its Cheese and Eat It Too

Did you resolve to “get in shape” this year? If so, you’re probably strutting around town now with that new beach body. No? Then welcome to the club—the Twin Cities’ Star Tribune reports that 63% of Minnesotans are overweight or obese. Maybe that’s because the mere thought of going to the gym triggers a fight-or-flight response. While socializing with strangers is swell, that’s what Facebook is for, and most of us civilized folk prefer to grunt, sweat and do other less flattering activities requiring terry sweatbands in private. That’s right—personal dignity remains high on our list of priorities.

Despite this, some of us don’t cancel those memberships because we rationalize all the money we’ve already spent on gym memberships with the idea that someday soon we will recoup that loss when everyone is like, “WoW! Look at (insert your name here). He/she is lookin’ gooood!”

Whether or not you’ve been spending your Benjamins on a gym membership, when you finish or remodel your basement this year, consider adding a home gym. Minnesota winters are long and cold, and you are unlikely to get all the exercise that your doctor actually recommends unless you work out indoors. More importantly, exercise releases endorphins and combats the winter blues by making you feel good.

A home gym allows you to work out on your own schedule—no driving on icy and dangerous roads, no waiting in line for equipment or wiping someone else’s sweat off of it before use. And, if you want to kiss your bicep in the mirror in anticipation of how great you’ll look in a few months, you can do that without eliciting giggles and stares from strangers.

So, now that you are going to be working out regularly, you can add that wetbar you’ve always wanted and throw fondue parties ALL WINTER LONG. (By the way, did you know that cheese also releases endorphins? The Swedes knew exactly what they were doing…)

Whether it’s a wet bar, entertainment room, home gym, custom closets or storage, Iron River Construction can build to suit your needs and tastes. Call today at 952-442-1762, or submit a quote request online to find out just what we can do for you!

Tags: Chanhassen, Home Gym MN, Home Remodeling MN, Remodeling Chanhassen

Restoring Your Basement After A Flood | Minneapolis Storm Damage Contractor

Its important to take precautions while doing certain tasks to ensure that you get your basement back to normal.

Anytime your house floods, you can almost guarantee your basement is going to be affected and if you’re like us, chances are you have some storage or boxed items stored down there.

First and foremost, always check the power and electrical supply to make sure that all power is off and that there are no loose wires exposed to the water. Put on a pair of gloves and thick soled boots before you enter the flooded area to prevent yourself from mold, mildew, sharp objects, or any other potential threats floating around in the water. If you just have minor damages, you can take a mop, sponge, or broom to clean up the mess. In the case of major flooding, you’re going to have to drain the entire basement thoroughly with a sump pump. When draining the hard hit areas always make sure you’re only draining 3 feet every 24 hours. Rapidly draining all the water at once can cause the soil and foundation to shift leaving your home weak and vulnerable to caving in. Once all the water is removed completely, run a dehumidifier to remove any moisture that has built up on windows and walls.

After you have finished removing the water and moisture, now is the time to sort through what items can be salvaged and which ones need to be trashed. Items such as books, papers, or files are most likely to damage but items like furniture, rugs, or curtains can be rescued by drying out and shampooing clean.

As soon as you’ve cleaned and cleared out your basement, your going to need to sanitize it with a mixture of 1 cup bleach mixed with gallons of water which will create a solution that can be used to scrub down all affected areas. This solution will help kill off all bacteria and mold saving yourself from future problems including your health. Once you have fully sanitized the basement, open up any windows to air out any odors the water left behind.

Dealing with a flooded basement is never fun but don’t let the problem get out of control to the point where it can’t be fixed. These procedures will help you get your basement back to its original form but if you find yourself needing help or have any further questions feel free to contact us, Iron River Construction Minneapolis Storm Damage Contractor, at 952-442-1762.

Tags: Minnesota Storm Insurance Claims, Storm Damage Company Minneapolis, Water Damage Minneapolis

Remodel a Basement, Turn Your Basement Into An Entertainment Room

Turning your basement into an entertainment room can be a very exciting project when done with thought and precision.Turning that dingy unused space into an entertainment/media room will take a little work but will ultimately be worth it once you see the results and no longer will you cringe when walking downstairs.

The first thing you need to check out the structural status of your foundation to determine if you have drainage or flooding issues. Flooring will be a major decision depending on what type of entertainment room you desire. The possibilities are endless-from new recycled material options to the tried and true.

Now its time for you to decide on what type of entertainment room you would prefer. It can be a game room, a sports room, or even a home theater. The type of room you decide on will help determine what of type of feature you will need installed such as built-in surround sound, raised seats similar to move theaters, sound proof walls, pool tables, etc.

After you decide on the type of room and flooring, you need to think about heating your new space. Basements always tend to be much cooler than the rest of your house, so a heating system with its own thermostat would be ideal. Fireplaces always add visual interest and warmth. If you decide to go with a fireplace, make sure you have a professional install it. Cutting corners on fireplaces is never a good idea and a professional will ensure its installed correctly for your safety. Electrical fireplaces have become increasingly popular as of late due to their low maintenance and the ease it takes to install over traditional fireplaces.

Whether its flooring, heating, or foundation work, sometimes it can all become a little to much. We here at Iron River Construction specialize in interior/exterior Minneapolis Basement Remodeling and would be more than happy to answer any question you have. Feel free to contact us at 952-442-1762.

Tags: Home Remodeling MN, Minneapolis Basement Remodeling

Commercial Roofing and Repair in Minneapolis

Commercial roofing is a specialized trade. Just because someone can perform residential roofing, doesn’t mean that he is qualified to perform commercial roofing, too. There are a variety of materials used in commercial roofs that are not seen in residential, and some specialized tools that will be required as well. Finding a qualified and specialized commercial roofing contractor is something of a prize, so when you do, keep their number in your speed dial because you never know when you will need them.

After the winter we have experienced here in Minnesota, it is a good idea to have a roofing contractor come out to take a look at your commercial roof, and make sure there was no damage that was caused this past winter. Most property owners never go up on the roof until there is a problem, but like all trades, preventative medicine is the best kind.

Small compromises in flashing and sealing can become large leaks pretty fast; with the sun beating down on a large surface, commercial roofs can heat up pretty quick. Average roofing temperatures can reach as much as 140 degrees in the heat of summer, and this is enough to melt adhesives and cause them to come apart.

By sending a trained specialist up on your roof to check for any problems, you will be preventing small issues from becoming larger ones, and extending the life of your roof many times over. Oftentimes insurance will not cover the cost of maintenance, and it might not be so easy to prove damage, so consider your roof, and give us a call to make this appointment. We are Iron River Construction that serves the Minneapolis Metro are, and we have over 10 years of firsthand experience working on all kinds of roofing, gutters, siding and windows. We offer everything related to your roofing needs, and bring with us a team of professionals that will get you back in business fast. Give us a call for your inspection today. 952-442-1762

Tags: commercial roofing Minneapolis, roof repairs Minneapolis