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Cody Enterprise Thursday, April 23, 2015
Use reputable, local roofing firms Insurance agents: Be wary of offers from ‘fly-by-night’ By BUZZY HASSRICK Special to the Enterprise Homeowners should be wary of fly-by-night roofers, warn local insurance agents who recommend dealing with Cody area companies. The typical fly-by-night scenario begins when a man knocks on your door and offers to inspect your roof, suspecting some damage or potential damage. If none exists, he might even climb up and create problems. The fly-by-nighter will then offer to fix the roof and pressure you into signing a contract. He’ll also offer to handle any claims, assuring that your insurance will cover the costs. Later, he might inflate the original cost estimate by finding other issues. Later, if a problem with the work arises in a year or two, he cannot be located and the job ends up costing double the initial quote. While that scenario hasn’t occurred in Cody, agents report hearing about transient roofers in Washakie and Big Horn counties. The incidents there indicate the crews often come from Florida and Texas and target areas of town where roofs are older or damage has occurred. “And they prey on the elderly,” Farm Bureau agent Jeanna Kennedy said. Farmers Insurance agent Dave Balling advises people to be cautious about a business with no local roots. “My main concern is for the customer,” he said. “We don’t want them to take advantage of our customers.” The out-of-towner “may or may not install the roof properly,
photo by RAYMOND HILLEGAS
McG’s Roofing owner Brian McGonagle nails shingles to a house he was reroofing Monday on Cedar Mountain Drive. and it may or may not be a good product,” Balling said. “With local companies you know it’s a good product and, if there’s a problem, you can call and they’re going to come and fix you up.” Problems with out-of-town roofers occurred last summer in Lovell and Worland, according
to State Farm agent Jen Talich, whose adjuster works in those communities. The newcomers would ask customers to sign a contract before contacting their agents or encourage them to call their agents after office hours. The contract might include add-ons the fly-by-nighter would
try to get from the insurance company, Talich said. Then, if insurance wouldn’t pay, the transient would put a lien on the house for unpaid fees. “It can get really, really messy,” she said. Such transient roofers have worked metropolitan areas like
Billings and probably will be here soon. “It’s coming our way. They just move from town to town, spring and summer,” Kennedy said. “Buyer beware. Get references.” “We’re hoping to try to educate our clients,” Balling added.
Please see ROOF, page C-10
Find lawn mower to meet your needs Simple energy audit
helps lower heating bills
By AMBER PEABODY Special sections editor Mowing season soon will be upon us and if you’re considering buying a new mower to tackle the lawn this year, it’s important to first consider a few things. “The size of your yard is the first consideration because that will help you decide whether your need a push unit or riding mower,” Ace Hardware manager Rod Peterson says. Consumer Reports suggests that if your lawn is greater than a half-acre (220-by-100 feet) you should consider a riding mower.
Walking mowers
If you decide to get a walking lawn mower there are many options. You can choose between a motor-powered or people-powered mower, self-propelled or push, and more. Before you get to cutting, you’ll also want to define how you plan to use your mower. Are you a bagger who collects your clippings? A mulcher who wants a machine that chops the cut blades of grass into tiny bits that fall to the ground and nourish the lawn? A side-discharger, who’d like the clippings blown out of the side of the mower and lets them remain where they fall? Finally, consider the terrain you’re cutting. A 15-degree slope is about the maximum angle one can safely cut.
Manual mower
The manual reel mower was the standard among households in the first half of the 20th century. These push mowers emit no pollution, make little noise, require little upkeep, and are a fraction of the cost of a power mower. But cutting grass with a manual mower is hard work, especially if the grass needs more than an one-inch haircut. “If you have a smaller property, and don’t have much grass, these work well,” Peterson said. “You don’t have to mess with gas or oil and, since it’s smaller, it can easily be stored on the wall of a garage.”
A gas-powered lawn mower is a smart choice for yards smaller than a half-acre. Prices for manual mowers begin around $125.
Gas-powered
Today’s modern gas-powered mowers are efficient, powerful, durable and dependable, when properly main-
tained. Some even come with electric starters, which alleviates the user pulling on the old rope-yanks. “If your grass grows faster we usually recommend a push mower with higher horsepower,” Peterson said. Please see MOWER, page C-10
By AMBER PEABODY Special sections editor A home that wastes energy can put significant strain on your budget. Extremely cold winter temperatures and scorching summers, together with a poorly performing thermal system, will drive monthly heating and cooling costs higher than expected. So what can you do to cut the waste and expense? The best way to tackle your home’s energy inefficiencies head on is to understand your home’s overall performance with an energy audit. “People want to know why they’re losing heat and the best way to lower their bills,” Wyoming Weatherization CEO Ron Willis says. “They don’t want to spend a couple of thousand dollars on something when they don’t know for sure it will work. They want the best bang for their buck.” Willis, who also works for the Wyoming Home Inspection Network, adds that an energy audit can help homeowners prioritize their investments. As part of an energy audit, they check how the air moves in the home by using specialized tools such as blower doors, infrared cameras and carbon monoxide analyzers. In the blower door test, a large fan is used to pull air out of the house and create negative pressure inside. The higher air pressure outside the home then flows into the home through the unsealed cracks and openings. A well-sealed home should have no air leaks. The auditor also may complete a comprehensive infrared scan of your home using an infrared camera. These scans provide a clear image of the location of your home inefficiencies.
“Little leaks lead to big leaks,” Willis said. “Windows don’t leak as bad as people think, but we see many bypass leaks.” One of the easiest ways to dramatically improve the overall performance of your home, following an energy audit, is to assess your home’s existing insulation. Insulation and a tight air seal are vital to keeping the temperature inside comfortable and consistent year-round. Attic insulation is a small fix that makes a big difference. “Insulation offers one of the best saving-to-investment ratios,” Willis said. Old appliances are another energy drain which can be replaced with new, Energy Star certified models, meaning they are at least 30 percent more efficient than older models. Refrigerators are the biggest energy consumers in the house. “You should get rid of that old yellow or green refrigerator because they’re a horrible energy waste,” Willis said. “With a new refrigerator you’ll get a huge savings in its lifespan.” Another major, albeit underthe-radar, energy hog is the DVR box. Cable and satellite companies want them on all the time so they can be updated, so even when you think it’s off, the box still is drawing a large amount of power. Unplug the box when not in use. One of the simplest ways to reduce cost is replacing conventional light bulbs with a more energy-efficient variety. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) or LEDs can reduce your energy use by 50-70 percent. They may cost more up front, but you will save on your power bill in the long run. Willis says windows and doors that leak should be weatherized
Please see ENERGY, page C-10