Our first real snowstorm has finally hit us in Southwest Michigan, and it looks like the snow is here to stay. Meteorologists are now saying that you could have anywhere from 8-18 inches depending on your location. While some of you may be excited to build your first snowman, happy with the change of scenery, or grouchy that you must now drive down icy roads, we’re looking forward to showing you how to analyze your roof under the new weather conditions.

The easiest way to see if you are losing energy is to look for snow melting, especially on the north side of your house. Patches where your roof is showing through is a strong indication that there is heat loss. Icicles, while beautiful, are also a bad sign of melting snow.

Roofing, unfortunately, is one of those things that needs to be replaced routinely. The average wood shake and shingle roofs last about 20 to 25 years. That’s one reason why we really encourage you to consider our roofs at SIR Home Improvements. We offer the most energy efficient roofs with LIFETIME warranties so you will never have to replace yours again. EVER. Plus you’ll have some more encouraging energy bills, as our roofing systems can save you up to 25% off your energy costs.

Below are some other signs of a bad roof system:

1. Curling shingles: this is a sign of water absorption. Sadly, there is no way to stop shingles from curling once it has started.

2. More than one layer of shingles: this is a costly fix, as the shingles underneath will destroy the shingles on top, costing the homeowner thousands more than they should be spending.

3. Water stains or marks: clearly this means there is water leaking through the shingles. The longer this continues, the worse the damage and expenses will be.

4. Blistering: this is also a sign of water absorption. Be aware that it is unsafe to walk on a roof with curling or blistering shingles.

If you have any doubts about the condition of your roof, do not hesitate to give SIR a call. We will gladly come out to your house and give you a free quote, where we will assess your roof’s current condition and give you an exact price so you will know what to expect for your replacement.

We love helping you with your big house, so we thought we could help with a little one. The following recipe is a good one posted by Elise on “Simply Recipes.”

HOW TO MAKE THE DOUGH:

INGREDIENTS

• 6 cups all purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 4 teaspoons ground ginger

• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 1/2 sticks (12 Tbsp) butter, softened

• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 cup dark molasses

• 1 Tbsp water

METHOD

1. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl, set aside.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium speed the butter and brown sugar until fluffy and well blended. Beat in the eggs, molasses and water until well combined.

3. Beat half of the flour mixture into the molasses mixture until well blended and smooth. Stir in the remaining flour. Knead (or use your mixer's dough hook) until well blended. If dough is too soft, add a little more flour.

4. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least two hours, preferably overnight. You can make it up to 3 days ahead of time. Let sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before rolling out.

5. At this point, you’ll want to roll out your dough and cut your pieces. It helps to prepare patterns on cardboard beforehand so your measurements are accurate. As many of us unfortunately know, if your pieces don’t match up, your house will collapse.  Rub flour on your dough and rolling pin to avoid stickiness

6. Bake in a 350°F oven until the edges are just beginning to darken, 11-15 minutes for the large pieces, 6-8 minutes for the small pieces. Rotate the cookie sheets half way through the baking for more even browning. Remove the sheets to racks to cool, about 15 minutes.

7. While the pieces are still slightly warm, lay the pattern pieces over them and use a large straight chef's knife to trim off any parts of the pieces that have through cooking spread beyond the pattern.

8. Remove pieces to cool directly on racks to cool completely.

After your pieces are cool, you can start building your house! I recommend using store-bought frosting at this stage. As delicious as many home-made frostings are, if they aren’t the right consistency, everything is bound to fall apart. Decorate at your will! And don’t forget to lick your fingers along the way!

Behind all the holiday festivities and cheer, there is a good deal of consumerism and waste. Below are some tips to help you save some energy and resources.

 Be creative with your wrapping paper! Old comics or travel sections of the newspaper look great on your gifts. Old maps and wall posters also look really neat and will set you apart from your fellow givers.

 Try to recycle your tree. Millions of trees end up in the land fill each year when they could be used for wood chips or mulch. If you go to www.earth911.org you can find your local tree-recycling program. Your city may also run its own pick-up after the holidays, so we encourage you to keep your eyes open!

 Save energy in your home by following a few simple tricks. For many holiday meats, such as turkey & ham, you don’t need to preheat the oven, even if the recipe calls for it, since these foods will roast for a long time anyway. When it comes to washing your dishes, it can be fun and energy efficient to all join in and wash/dry your dishes by hand. After all, it is a rare occasion when so many hands available.

 Change up your lights. You could be losing a lot of money. Newer C7 or C9 lights use 5 to 7 watts per bulb, whereas older ones were using up to 10 watts a bulb! Even more energy efficient bulbs are the new LED lights, and you will be sure to notice your energy savings right away with them.

 Support local farmers and producers. While it may not be less expensive to buy locally grown foods, you are saving large amounts of gasoline that would have been used to transport these products across the country. You are also doing your local economy a favor by putting money back into your own market. Just some food for thought!

 DID YOU KNOW? The two man-made objects you can see from space are the Great Wall of China and New York City’s dump? You can make an impact by checking to see if your holiday cards and gifts are made from recycled goods. Every little bit helps.

References:

planetgreen.discover.com

consumersenergycenter.org

www.sierraclub.org

“Here's to the days of good will, cold weather, and warm hearts.”

This past weekend we were very excited to head on out to Mott Christmas tree farm in Vicksburg, MI. After being closed for a few years, it was very sentimental to be there once again. There’s just something heartwarming about heading into the large barn to look at the handmade decorations and wreaths, then taking a hayride out to the field to find the perfect tree.

It was difficult not to smile as we crunched over fresh snow mounds analyzing spruces, firs, and pines. Finally, we found the perfect tree: a beautiful, full, 8 ½ foot Frasier Fir that was worth the sawing and lugging back home.

This holiday season, remember to focus on all the little moments that bring us some cheer. After all, there are so many good things that come with the end of the year: time with family, gorgeous decorations, age-old traditions, and delicious food.

Here’s an idea to keep the right focus for your family. Keep a holiday blessings jar in the center of your home. Encourage everyone to write down all the things they are thankful for or things that make them smile. Then, when you’re ready, sit down with the family and read all of them to each other. It never hurts to remember all the blessings that we are given.

“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love!” ~Hamilton Wright Mabie

“Perhaps the best Yuletide decoration is being wreathed in smiles.” ~Author Unknown

With all the efforts we're putting forth to create jobs, along with America's neverending blame game, it's amazing how easy it could be to put ourselves back in business! The following video clip ran on ABC news not too long ago and it has some interesting insights on American-made products.

Here's the big bit of info to chew on while you're watching this video: If we increase the amount of American-made products that we use in our home by just 5%, we can create 220,000 more jobs in our homeland.

ABC Made in America

> So whether it be Sherwin-Williams paint in your daughter's bedroom, American-made nails to hang your pictures, or SIR's very own American-made windows, doors, siding, and bathrooms, your efforts can make a difference.

For an extensive list of other "Made in America" products visit this link:

Americans Working

If you are living in Southwest Michigan, chances are you are a Consumer's Energy user, and now that winter has introduced its terror on us once again, we are sure to be hitting our heads against piles of energy bills.

What many people don't know is that we are paying even more money than usual to Consumers in an add-on bill called "Energy Optomization." Irritating, right? But the truth of it is, that pool of money that has been building up is available to each and every one of us.

Why are we paying this, and how do I get my hands on that money?? Great question. The answer lies in a mandate placed by the state of Michigan not too long ago, in a drive to get homeowners to cut down on energy costs. This money can come back to you simply by purchasing products that save you energy. So buying anything from a simple compact fluorescent lightbulb (CFL) to purchasing a brand new set of energy efficient windows can get you your money back and more.

For more info on what products will help you out, you can visit Consumers Energy's website at:

www.consumersenergy.com

Now I'd be cheating you out on easy opportunities if I didn't let you know how much SIR Home Improvements could help you. SIR happens to be the #1 company for providing you with products that can get you the most money back, and I'm not just saying that (Feel free to do your research). SIR's products, with unbeatable warranties, have saved many customers over $1000.00. EASILY. Which means that if you were planning on getting new windows, roofing, insulation, or more in the next 10 years, NOW would be the best time to do it.

Of course, we're all for you getting those CFLs too :)

So, in conclusion, lower your energy bills, get your rebates, check something off your honey-do list, and help save the planet. There will never be a better time.

How To: Navigate SIR's Website: Copy and paste these links to your web browser Visit our 'going green' page with tips and our energy savings calculator: http://www.sirhome.com/goinggreen/GetGreen.aspx Our main webpage! Featuring SIR's 'coupons' for the month: www.sirhome.com Don't forget to check out the latest info on our social media tools, links are at the top of the page! One of my personal favorite features of our website: Build your own Bath section! http://www.sirhome.com/baths/Baths.aspx Hear what SIR customers have to say about us! Our positive reviews: http://www.sirhome.com/testimonials/TestimonialVid.aspx

Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend! And that your weather was as beautiful yesterday as it was here! Something I came across that I wanted to share.....You never want to regret hiring the company you chose for your improvement. Follow these guidelines for a sure way of being pleased with the end result of your project, and the overall experience: • Communication is key throughout the duration! Start off by clearly explaining your vision for the project. • Be realistic about your budget, and commmunicate this as well. • Give a specfic timeline to negotiate, and keep track. • Dont hesistate to ask questions, before, during and after as the project proceeds • Follow up one week after completion if need be

Found a wonderful article on yodle.com recommending great step by steps to check and see if it's time to replace YOUR old tub! Did you know SIR Home Improvements specializes in full bathroom remodels? Contact us today! Check out the following link, and just paste in your browser: http://local.yodle.com/articles/how-often-should-bathtubs-be-replaced

Visit the link below and read Angie's List top BEST picks in picking the RIGHT contractor for your project! SIR definitely agrees and exceeds at every point! Copy and past this link into your browser: http://magazine.angieslist.com/tips/hiring-contractor-tips.aspx