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Quillen Construction Group
504-800-4126
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504-800-4126
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(504) 888-4232
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(985) 788-3539
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(985) 893-1110
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Blog
Recycling Heat
If you own or work at an office with computers or servers, it’s likely you’ve realized how much heat they give off. In fact, most computers are equipped with a small fan which helps to dissipate the intense heat so as not to burn the house or office down. Thinking back to your ninth grade physical science class, you may recall that heat is just another form of energy….energy we waste a lot of when it comes to computers.
How do I know if I am hiring a good contractor or subcontractor?
Don’t skip these important steps when hiring someone to work on your home:
When hiring a professional subcontractor, make sure to ask for references.
Check out other jobs that the contractor has completed and speak with past customers to see if they were satisfied with the contractor’s work, if they showed up when they said they would, and if they made promises to the customers that they failed to fulfill.
More Thoughts on Mold
Here is some more great information from Dr. Claudette Reichel of the LSU Ag Center Louisiana House Resource Center about how to get rid of mold growth in your home. LaGrange Consulting can also answer any questions you may have about moisture damage and can perform infrared and moisture scans with specialized equipment if you feel you might have a problem.
Post Categories
Leaky Ducts….what’s it costing you?
According to the national Department of Energy, “Typical duct systems lose 25 to 40 percent of the heating or cooling energy put out by the central furnace, heat pump, or air conditioner. Homes with ducts in a protected area such as a basement or dropped ceilings may lose somewhat less than this, while some other types of systems (such as ducts in attics or underneath raised homes in our hot, humid climates) often lose more.”
Domestic Water Heater Maintenance
Performing regular maintenance on your storage tank water heater can increase the useful life and efficiency of a water heater. The high operating temperature of water heaters encourages the precipitation of calcium carbonate, which settles and builds in the bottom of the tank.
Solar Guide by LSU AgCenter
Are you thinking about adding a solar energy system to your home to generate electricity? If so, this consumer guide will help you explore various options, ask important questions and make a well-informed decision.
Get your Bi-Annual Check-Up (HVAC Maintenance Checklist)
This article comes directly from the Energy Star website, but is an invaluable tool in making sure your HVAC service company is making the most of their service visits and that you are doing all you can to maintain the units in your home. Take a look…
What do I do if my metal door begins to rust?
It’s best to address the rust now before it gets too deteriorated. First, purchase a rust neutralizer and good quality exterior paint of a matching color. Follow the manufacturer’s directions and neutralize the rust, and then apply two coats of paint, allowing each coat to completely dry before applying the subsequent layer.
Insulating Raised Floors in Hot, Humid Climates
Do you live in south Louisiana and have a raised home?
LSU AgCenter offers the summary of a study of the subfloor moisture levels of south Louisiana, raised-foundation homes with six different insulation systems includes the resulting recommendations – all intended to help homeowners, builders, architects, insulation contractors, home inspectors and others balance energy efficiency, comfort and durability issues.
Energy Loss Through Recessed Lights
Each non-IC rated recessed light that is not insulated or air sealed creates a nearly two square foot thermal hole in your ceiling.
Thermostat ON or AUTO?
Ever walked into your home and it feels like someone just took a shower? The air is heavy and muggy…
If so, then you know the first thing you do is quickly google the number of your local AC repair company. Of course, your next thought, “Please don’t let this be an major expensive fix”.
Bleach does NOT kill MOLD!
A well-known expert in our area, when interviewed on a local New Orleans radio station, recently said, “When you have a mold problem, simply wash down the affected area with diluted bleach.”
Insulation for Walls & Attic
The best insulation to use for hot humid climates is open cell spray-in foam insulation. This foam seals all air leaks and insulates very well in the walls and at the roofline.
Thermostat ON or AUTO?
Ever walked into your home and it feels like someone just took a shower? The air is heavy and muggy…
If so, then you know the first thing you do is quickly google the number of your local AC repair company. Of course, your next thought, “Please don’t let this be an major expensive fix”.
Bleach does NOT kill MOLD!
A well-known expert in our area, when interviewed on a local New Orleans radio station, recently said, “When you have a mold problem, simply wash down the affected area with diluted bleach.”
Insulation for Walls & Attic
The best insulation to use for hot humid climates is open cell spray-in foam insulation. This foam seals all air leaks and insulates very well in the walls and at the roofline.
Chimney Safety and Building a Fire Tips
Building a fire properly keeps your chimney “healthy” by reducing the amount of creosote buildup. It also ensures that your marshmallows come out “toasted” instead of “hickory flavored” – a good fire has minimum smoke and maximum warmth. Here are some recommendations on how to get that done:
Keeping It Real…I mean WARM!
As we begin heading into the colder season of the year, it is a great time to review the list of things to be done to get your heating system ready to perform at its best. A few tips to stay safe and get the most out of your heating system:
Tankless Water Heater
You have a new tankless on-demand water heater and you love the fact that it provides endless amounts of hot water (which is nice when you have a teenager in the house). Then the thought hits you… “How do I maintain this water heater? It doesn’t have a tank to flush out. It’s doesn’t have an anode rod. Is this going to require a call to the plumber?”
NORMI FLOOD RESOURCES
Doug Hoffman, Executive Director of NORMI, offers important advice, tips and guidance for those affected by flooding.
Well Water Safety
What Private Water Well Owners Should Know to Protect Their Families: Private Well Water FACTS
The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) has developed a brochure which includes information on how to prevent the contamination of your private well, and the importance of getting your well inspected, tested for bacteria or chemicals that can cause disease, and disinfected after major hurricanes and floods.
How do I know if I am hiring a good contractor or subcontractor?
When hiring a (sub)contractor, make sure to check our list of Home Improvement professionals. Check out other jobs that the contractor has completed and speak with past customers to see if they were satisfied with the contractor’s work.
FAQs: Things to Know if your Home has been Flooded, By Guest Blogger, RJ Cavalier
We are excited to introduce our guest blogger, RJ Cavalier ! RJ has been an invaluable resource to many during the recent natural disasters. He is a tenured construction management professional with vast experience in remodel and new construction for both residential and commercial industries, and disaster recovery.
What about cabinets? Should they be removed?
Unfortunately, this is a question that is hard for people. I say, “ALL lower cabinets need to go”. If someone says different, you are more than welcome to take your chances. Sheetrock wicks moisture, and in doing so it gets between the Rock and the back of the cabinet as well as below the cabinet.
Portable Generator Usage Tips
Many people turn to a portable generator for a temporary solution without knowing the risks.
What are the names of products to address sanitizing my home from flood waters and preventing mold growth?
Best Products To Sanitize My Home From Flood Waters
1. Diluted Bleach (1 cup bleach to 1 gallon of water) is a good disinfectant and will help sanitize all surfaces that had Condition 3 flood waters. Agitating all surfaces with a scrub brush is necessary.
Flood damaged walls with spray foam insulation
Question: I have spray foam insulation in my walls, but I don’t know if it’s open cell or closed cell spray foam. How can I tell the difference and how do I address the moisture?
I only had 3″ of flood water do I need to remove sheetrock?
Question: My friend in Albany had 3 inches of flood water in his garage and utility room. Does he need to be concerned with the Sheetrock? The garage has concrete floor and the utility room tile flooring.
NORMI Letter of Clearance/Documentation
This program is designed specifically for HOMEOWNERS or PROPERTY OWNERS who choose to do any or all of the work themselves. You may utilize the services of professionals and it will not affect the value of this document. This document verifies that the following work has been completed in accordance with the clearance requirements.
Flood Damaged Fireplaces and Log Sets
Depending on the age of your home there is a high likelihood that if you have a fireplace it’s a pre-fabricated metal fireplace box. If not the metal box then it has to be a masonry fireplace.
FLOODING: Vapor Barriers and Mold
My in-laws took approximately 12 inches of water in their single story 3,200 square foot home. The home was gutted as soon as possible. Unfortunately, we only recently noticed, more than two weeks later, that we did not think to remove the vapor barrier strip located on the inside base of all exterior walls.
Q&A: Flooded Sewer Treatment Plant Sprinkler Septic System
I have a sewer treatment plant sprinkler septic system. The aerator was off for an undetermined length of time. Should I have the system pumped out? I have replaced the sump pump in the septic tank, as well as the aerator.
Q&A: Moisture Content in Insulation
We were impacted by the recent flooding, but the water did not get into our house. It appears that the water got high enough to “wick” into the insulation under the house. In most of the places we’ve checked the insulation, the insulation is damp on the bottom, but it’s dry on the top portion of the insulation.
Q&A: Water Damaged Celotex
Does water damaged Celotex have to be removed after flood? I have tried to do research and finding conflicting information. My home in Louisiana flooded several days ago and I received about 28-30 inches of water.
DRYING WOOD
Drying wood is just as much an art form as it is a science. Drying takes lots of adjusting, monitoring, and usually takes a very long time.
Sweaty Window Woes
Winter has reached Louisiana at last! The mornings are nice and frosty and our windows have started sweating again. So where did all of the “indoor rain” come from? In a word – dewpoint.
Buying a Replacement AC System
I am looking for opinions and guidance; I am rebuilding my home after the August floods and trying to make it much tighter, and more energy efficient.
What should I look for when making a decision on what type of water heater to purchase and install?
Storage tank water heaters are being made to be more efficient than in the past. There are two things to consider when making a decision between a storage unit and a tankless unit.
Unvented Crawlspace
Many homes here in the gulf south have foundations that are raised and have semi-enclosed crawlspaces.
Home Automation – Comfort
These days, home automation is the most popular upgrade that people are implementing in their homes. From automatic doorbells with cameras to apps that turn all your lights out before bedtime, the possibilities are endless. However, what if we could automate comfort,...
Easter Eggs and Renewable Energy
Easter is fast approaching. If you’re anything like me, you’ve already consumed a small child’s weight in Cadbury mini eggs. I really should stick to the high protein chicken version, but theCadbury ones are just irresistible. However, scientists in Japan have found a...
Components for Top Roofing Systems
It is a common misconception that there’s nothing more to a roof than the shingles you see and the felt beneath them.
What Causes Water Under Drawers in Refrigerator?
The most probable cause is the defrost drain tube is either clogged or frozen close. The easiest way to fix the issue is to remove and clean the refrigerator defrost drain tube.
Insulate Underneath the Subfloor
According to an LSU AgCenter subfloor study, Insulating Raised Floors in Hot, Humid Climates, the most effective subfloor insulation in our hot, humid climate is rigid poly-iso foam board with all seams and penetrations sealed and polyurathane closed cell sprayfoam.