8 roof maintenance tips every homeowner should know this summer

With regular maintenance your home’s roof can be a major asset, improving curb appeal, increasing property value, and protecting your loved ones from rain, snow, and other extreme weather.

The summer is the perfect time to conduct repairs and inspections thanks to the longer days and warmer weather making access and investigation a much easier task than would be the case in other seasons.

Identifying problems as soon as possible will help you prevent disasters such as flooding and other weather damage as well as saving you from facing much larger repair bills in the long term.

Here are the 8 most important things to remember when conducting roof maintenance:

1. Look out for common signs of repair

Your roof goes through a lot, being exposed 24 hours a day to whatever the Scottish weather can throw at it.

Rain, heat, ice, and snow all have the potential to increase the speed of deterioration, increasing the risk of leaks that could damage your home’s interior.

Some of the more obvious signs of a damaged roof that you will be able to spot through a simple visual inspection include missing/broken tiles, shingles that have collected in the gutters, or a discoloured roof.

It is recommended that you always use a professional to inspect your roof as they will be able to do so in the safest possible manner and will know exactly what to look for.

2. Protect your roof from harmful UV rays

Your roof can be damaged even on the calmest of summer days with UV rays and high heat causing a number of potentially serious issues.

Heat and heat fluctuations can cause your roof to decay, warp, and crack.

Consider applying a coating to your roof that protects it from UV rays, controls temperatures, and helps avoid corrosion.

3. Clean your gutters

Blocked gutters lead to a build-up of water that can seep through gaps and cracks in your roof, damaging property and instigating mould growth.

Some easy DIY ways to clean your guttering include using a leaf blower, power washer, or garden hose.

If you are concerned, hire a professional gutter cleaning company that will have all the debris and blockages removed in no time at all.

4. Remove vegetation

Moss and algae growing on your roof will absorb water over time, increasing in weight, and causing sagging.

It will also increase the likelihood of mould growth as there will be more moisture present on your property.

A professional roofing contractor will be able to get rid of moss and other harmful plants as part of a general roof clean, keeping your roof in great condition and maintaining a healthy and safe environment.

5. Inspect your attic

Inspections of your roof should not only be conducted on the exterior and assessing the attic space between your living space and the roof is just as important.

Keeping an eye out for problems in your loft can help you to deal with underlying problems before they reach your ceilings.

Some of the things to look out for when conducting an attic examination includes water leaks, stains, mould, rust, and damaged insulation.

Unlike exterior examinations, an attic check will not require you to use the services of a professional unless a serious problem is detected.

6. Keep tree branches trimmed

Any branches that are hanging close to your roof and may cause damage if they were to fall should be trimmed.

As doing this could bring about the very disaster that you are trying to avoid, you should get an expert in to complete this task.

Failing to deal with low hanging trees can result in a number of serious issues in the event of a storm including destroying tiles, clogging gutters with leave and trigs, and smashing windows.

7. Don’t forget the flashing

Metal flashing, installed between your roof and obstructions such as chimneys and skylights, is vital to keeping your home weatherproof.

Faults with flashing are often the cause of rook leaks and should be given specific attention during your roof inspection this summer.

Loose nails, holes, and broken seals are clear signs of flashing deterioration, and a roofing professional will be able to identify and repair such problems if they have developed.

8. Create a schedule for ongoing maintenance

Amongst all the busyness of everyday life, roof maintenance can be easily overlooked.

However, this isn’t something that should only be done once in a blue moon, and by creating a schedule, plus a maintenance checklist, you will be able to keep your roof functional and fresh for many years to come.

Your schedule should note all the specific areas of your roof that require the most attention and remind you to contact a professional at www.Vertex-roofing.co.uk when required.

Jun 10

What to expect when speaking to a divorce lawyer

If you are looking for a divorce lawyer and have made the tough decision that it is time to end your mortgage, it can be difficult to know where to start.

The initial consultation can be extremely nerve-wracking and doing some pre-meeting research and preparation is essential to making a positive start to your work together.

This blog will tell you exactly what to expect from your first meeting with a divorce lawyer and give you some top tips for how to make your conversation as productive as possible.

Be ready to get personal

In order to give the most effective counsel, your lawyer will need to know all the details relating to your case.

Given the nature of divorce cases, this will mean that you need to be willing to talk about potentially highly sensitive and emotional issues right from the start.

Some of the information that a divorce lawyer is likely to ask for in your first consultation includes your children’s current arrangements, where you live, the state of your finances as a couple and alone, how long you have been married, and what you are looking to get out of divorce proceedings.

They will also need to know what caused the marriage to break down as this information can be crucial to setting realistic goals for the outcome of the case.

Make a list of priorities

In order to represent you in the best possible way, it is important for your lawyer to understand what your priorities are during divorce proceedings.

Financial settlements, children’s living arrangements, and division of assets such as property are all often the focus of divorce cases, and knowing exactly what you want to get out of the separation will allow your lawyer to develop a gameplan focused on achieving your goals.

Be Honest

It is vital that you are honest with your divorce lawyer about the circumstances surrounding your divorce.

Without all the relevant information at hand, it is impossible for a lawyer to act most effectively in your best interests, and they could be blindsided later in proceedings.

Details such as new relationships, finances, and the events that led to the start of divorce proceedings are all factors that could be crucial in deciding the outcome and you need to be completely honest in regard to these particulars.

Although it may be tempting in the heat of the moment, there is no benefit to putting exaggerated blame at the door of your former partner, if the evidence does not support your statement, so stick purely to the facts at all times.

Be Realistic

A divorce is a negotiation process and managing your expectations is key to not being disappointed with the outcome.

If you come into the process expecting to be granted sole custody of the children, all the money in shared accounts, and the house, you are likely to be disappointed so setting realistic goals is vital.

Some of the key facts about the divorce process that you should understand prior to beginning legal proceedings to avoid unrealistic expectations include:

Divorces can take a long time

On average, in the UK, divorces can take up to 9 months to finalise. Even then this is only to formally end the marriage agreement in the eyes of the law, and any specifics concerning children or finances can take much longer to resolve.

Sole Custody is rarely the best option

Family law is focused on making decisions in the best interests of children caught in the middle of a divorce, and when possible, will always look to ensure that they have access to both parents’ post-separation.

Unless there is genuine evidence that your partner is an unfit parent and cannot be trusted to care for their children, it is very unlikely that you will be granted sole custody, and attempting to achieve this outcome is generally a bad idea.

Finances will almost always be split

If you go into a divorce thinking that you won’t have to share any finances or assets with your former partner, you will probably be disappointed.

If you have been married for more any significant period of time it is likely that money and other assets such as property will be considered legally joint and the default point for negotiations will be a 50/50 split.

It may be that in the right circumstances you are able to secure more than this but expecting to retain 100% of your house, pension, or savings is not a realistic approach.

Contact Oracle Law

Oracle Law Family Law is the leading supplier of top quality family law services at fantastic prices for customers across Scotland.

For more information, or to arrange a consultation, call us now on 0141 332 0915, or fill out our contact form.

May 10

Top 7 reasons that saunas are good for your health

Saunas have been famous for their healing and relaxation qualities for centuries and scientific research continues to find more and more incredible health benefits for those who use one on a regular basis.

Nothing is more relaxing yet more invigorating than a deep sweat achieved via a good sauna or steam room session. After a long tiring day, nothing helps your muscles relax, body unwind, and mind de-stress quite like a sauna.

All it takes is a few minutes every so often and your body and mind will never have felt in better shape. Home saunas, from incaukltd.co.uk, are fantastic for long-term health, with the benefits of regular exposure to gentle penetrating heat renowned by experts across the world.

Here are the top 7 reasons why saunas are so beneficial to human health:

Improve cardiovascular performance

Sitting in a sauna will raise the core temperature of your body and the surface temperature of your skin, causing blood vessels to dilate and cardiovascular output to increase. Lifting your heart rate in such a manner before it is slowed again once your body cools down, often below normal levels, will help reduce the risk of cardiac events as well as all-cause mortality.

Reduce stress

Saunas are a blessing for the mind as much as the body and there is little that compares when it comes to unwinding and forgetting about the stresses of the day than coming home to your very own home sauna.

As if the heated luxury alone wasn’t enough to help you de-stress, the heat of a sauna actually helps to regulate the level of cortisol in our bodies, the hormone that we release when we are overly stressed. Lower cortisol levels results in better sleep quality and you will find it easier to relax outside of your sauna sessions.

Saunas help to cleanse the skin

Over the course of our day-to-day lives, our skin accumulates a layer of grime and toxins that clog our skin’s pores and can lead to illness and poor skin quality.

Saunas cause our bodies to produce a deep sweat, opening up our skins pores and washing away many of the impurities that have gathered there. Sweating also rinses bacteria from the epidermal layer and cleans out our sweat ducts, giving you a vibrant healthy looking glow.

Saunas help us lose weight

Whilst weight lost in the sauna itself over a single session is probably just water weight lost via sweating (make sure to rehydrate properly after a sauna session and take a bottle in with you to sip on throughout) it can be a valuable tool to help you along your weight loss journey.

Sauna use puts your body into calorie burning mode, in a similar manner to exercise and you may find that you burn a higher number of calories in the hours following a sauna session as a result. Sweating itself also requires a certain amount of energy that is gained through the burning of calories so you will certainly use more sitting in a sauna then you would sitting around anywhere else.

Note that saunas should be used a as supplement to and not as a replacement for regular exercise and good diet.

Saunas reduce the risk of cold and flu

Exposing your body to the heat and steam of a sauna or steam room prompts the production of white blood cells that are crucial to fighting off illnesses and killing viruses.

If you already have a cold, steam inhalation is a god-send as the steamy environment will help to clear congestion, clear sinuses, and soothe your sore throat. This is one of the many great things about having a steam room or sauna in the convenience of your own home as you wouldn’t want to attend your local spa or gym with a cold or the flu.

Lower risk of dementia

One of the more remarkable findings of scientific sauna study is that regular sauna use (47 times a week) for sessions of around 20 minutes a time, resulted in a significant reduction in the risk of Alzheimer’s and Dementia.

This is just one of the studies that demonstrates the power of saunas for both body and mind health.

Soothing sore muscles

There is a reason that all top end gyms have a sauna. Heating the body after a tough workout will dramatically reduce muscle aching by removing lactic acid that has built up.

Sending blood flowing around the body will also help to speed up the healing process for strained and pulled muscles as well as any other minor injuries that you might have picked up whilst exercising over the last few days.

Oct 15

Looking Ahead to Autumn News

UK Business News

Business news in the UK can be broken down into two distinct categories: general business news and employment law news. General business news refers to articles that discuss business, economics, and other aspects of business. Employment law news covers topics such as the Minimum Wage, dismissal rules, employment law updates, and similar employment related information. Both of these categories have regular news updates. The main difference is that business news is generally considered non-biased, while employment news tends to focus more on issues and events which may affect employees directly.

A great example of the first category, is regional business news. Most newspapers publish a business section which covers regions and industries. This could include a business section reporting on how the economy is doing in the region, or how it is going in the business sector of that region. This may even include an area-specific business news website such as the Yorkshire Post. Regional business news provides a valuable service to those looking for information on local companies.

Another example of general business news in the UK is the social impact stories that appear in local newspapers. A great example of this would be the release of a report highlighting child poverty statistics for a region. Though the main topic of the report is that of social impact, the facts and figures can serve to influence social policy decisions at a national level. It is for this reason that many people find business news more interesting than most entertainment news. While entertainment news tends to center around celebrities and news stories based around the lives of stars, business news features stories that may have an effect on the business community at large.

A third example of business news in the UK would include the reports released regarding the Autumn Statement. The Autumn Statement was released by the Office for Budget delivery, which includes government finances. The Autumn Statement deals with economic projections for the coming years up to the end of the financial year, giving a detailed overview of spending plans and the likely impact on the economy. Although not every household will be directly affected by the Autumn Statement, it is important to keep tabs on the current state of the economy and ensure that future spending plans are carefully considered.

One of the few examples of current business news in the UK that covers both business and the consumer would be the ongoing row concerning pandemic preparation. Experts have been warning for some time that it would be difficult for the UK to cope with an outbreak if there were no form of pandemic preparation in place. This issue became especially serious following the London Olympic Games, where thousands of people had to be quarantined due to a severe pandemic. The Pandemic Season has reached an all-time high for the UK, with experts claiming that the recent weather pattern is the most unpredictable in over 100 years. This has left many people worried about what will happen to them next.

With the Autumn Statement having been issued, it is hoped that the problems caused by the pandemic will begin to ease, and hopefully consumer confidence returns once again. This would be a welcome relief after what many people felt was an unstable and unpredictable period of time since the global credit crunch began. Business news in the UK will continue to be influenced by the financial climate, but for the time being, we can look forward to more good than bad, providing the UK has any form of weather restraint.