In the annual ?Best of the Brazos? vote, put on by Bryan Broadcasting, Schulte Roofing has been nominated for the fifth consecutive year.a Best of the Brazos is annual competition where community residents vote on their favorite local business and service provider.a Geared towards celebrating local business, the Bryan Broadcasting has been circulating the promotion for the last 13 years.

David Schulte attributes their growth and success to, ?Honesty and Integrity?, the company slogan.a By equipping that business philosophy in their toolset has allowed Schulte Roofing to offer some of the best guarantees and warranties in the roofing industry.a

Known as the ?Home of the Bulletproof Roof« Guarantee?, Schulte Roofing has built a reputation that guarantees 100% satisfaction or it?s free.a The Bulletproof Roof« Guarantee is a warranty that exceeds manufacturer specifications and guarantees customer satisfaction.a Additionally, it comes with 3 years of free maintenance and roof inspections.a

David Schulte believes that inclusive roofing system is exactly what homeowners need.a ?It is a system that covers and protects your entire life,? according to Schulte.a Removing the hassle and trouble in conventional roofing projects helps the homeowner by eliminating the normal concerns and worries.

According to its President, Schulte Roofing also believes that their main goal is to educate homeowners on the roofing process and the thousands of choices available.a Properly educating the homeowner on how roofing systems work and the options they have is the best way to find their roofing goals.a Roofing goals can range from energy efficiency, to solar power conversion, to low maintenance, to long term warranties, to low cost.

Education also provides an opportunity for homeowners to learn about the thousands of choices available.a ?There are literally thousands of options?, David Schulte states.a Options range from material type like concrete tile, laminate shingles, composition shingles, asphalt shingles, standing seam metal, and hundreds of other composites.a

In addition to roofing material options, color options have greatly expanded for all material types.a Now homeowners can truly design and outdoor color scheme that takes the roof?s color into account.a Home designers and architects have a new range of options and elements they can use due to advancements in roofing technology.

Working with insurance companies has also proven beneficial for Schulte Roofing and home owners.aa ?A lot of the business we handle involves insurance because of stormy weather?, David Schulte notes.a ?We?ve created a streamlined process that facilitates the communication and transactions between us, the insurance company, and homeowner.?a

Schulte Roofing has dedicated insurance specialists which help inspect roofing damage, facilitates proper documentation to the insurance company, and helps to ensure that all parties move through the repair or reroofing process smoothly and quickly.

Schulte Roofing has been nominated for their 5th consecutive Best of the Brazos Valley Award for ?Best Roofing Service?.a To vote, please go to: http://bestofthebrazos.com/vote/10/9#BestRoofingService

2016 might have been called the year of solar power. Not just did solar panels become less expensive and Elon Musk, founder of Tesla motors announced the purchase of one of the country?s largest solar providers, SolarCity, but we saw many things become solar powered that we never knew were possible. Things like a train, a roadway, an island, and an entire city.

According to Thierry Lepercq, French energy company Engie SA?s head of research, technology, and innovation, that only the beginning. As he told Bloomberg, ?The promise of quasi-infinite and free energy is here.?

And the reason, Lepercq says, is that the price of solar power will probably fall below $10 per megawatt-hour (roughly 1ó/kWh) in the world?s sunniest places. At the same time, conventional coal-based sources could even be more expensive in the future.

In a recent report, the World Economic Forum (WEF) seconded Lepercq, showing how solar power is now less expensive than fossil fuels. And, if solar power keeps trending at the rate it has been, declining at a compounded 20% annual rate, it will soon reach grid parity, making it a worldwide option.

And as solar power has expanded, so has its innovation. We now have large scale solar energy infrastructure in many countries, a solar desalination plant, supercomputers that run on solar power, and a farm that uses solar energy and seawater to grow crops.

Yes the solar power revolution has arrived.

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If you?ve just built a shed, you will need an equally protective roofing for sheds as you do your home! Sheds can be pushed aside when it comes to weather, but they will need the same protective measures your house gets if you plan on using it to store wood, tools, or other equipment. Below are the three most common roofing materials for sheds along with the benefits and downsides to point you in the right direction.

Roll Roofing

Roll roofing is by far the least expensive option to go. Resembling asphalt shingles in appearance, roll roofing comes in 100 square foot, three foot wide rolls. Roll roofing is in fact composed the same as the asphalt shingles, but is typically thinner than asphalt shingles. Usually installed on low angle roofs, roll roofing makes a convenient roof for most sheds. The life expectancy for roll roofing is only five to eight years and is aesthetically lacking according to popular belief.

Wood Shingles and Shakes

Shakes and wood shingles provide a very beautiful aesthetic roofing for sheds. The price of your shed?s roof does go up with this option, but there are also many more options for you to choose from. Both shingles and shakes come in a variety of wood types and colors as well as multiple shape patterns. The difference between the two also gives you another option; with shingles being thin and manufactured smooth slats of wood and shakes being hand split from logs giving it a tapered, textured, and more natural appearance. Being made of wood, they will need to be treated to withstand exposure from the elements. Good quality shakes and shingles can last 30 to 40 years.

Asphalt Shingles

Asphalt shingles are probably the most common roofing for sheds. More expensive than roll roofing but less that wood roofs, asphalt shingles still come in a variety of shapes and colors. This can allow you to match your house, or have its own style and flair. With a life expectancy of 20 to 30 years, all the choices, and moderate price, adding the ease of installation makes the popularity of this option puts this roofing material ?on top? of this list.

Nothing feels better on a cold winter day than curling up next to a roaring fire in the fireplace. It?s something the whole family can enjoy. But, if your chimney is not maintained properly, common problems like the ones we will explain below could make for a dangerous situation.

Below are some of the problems that can arise in your chimney overtime, and what you can do to address them.

Blockages

It is not rare to have some type of blockage in the flue of your chimney. This is often caused by debris. Any blockage, large or small, can prevent your chimney from ventilating heat, smoke and gases out of your home, and should be removed.

However, you may also find that a Chimney Swift has made a nest and hatched baby birds in your flue, which is common in this region in the Fall. In this case, it?s important to leave them be? they?ll migrate South in just 2-3 weeks.

Creosote Buildup

When you burn wood in your fireplace, the gasses that are released condense on their way out and form Creosote, a corrosive, combustible substance. Enough creosote buildup could potentially ignite and start a fire in your chimney. To remove it, you?ll need to purchase a product that will change the creosote from a glaze into ash that you can sweep out. The most convenient products are logs you burn in the fireplace just like any other, and some will work to remove the ash as well. However, this is no substitute for a professional cleaning and thorough inspection annually.

Cracks and Holes in the Flue

The byproducts of wood fires, like creosote, can be so corrosive that they damage the flue over time. Any openings that develop in your chimney can allow harmful gases to creep inside your home. So, have a professional inspect your flue and make needed repairs every year. If issues like these are left to erode further, a crack in the masonry work could lead to serious structural problems that will cost much more to repair or replace.

Chimney Crown and Cap Damage

The chimney crown and cap cover the flue to keep rain, debris, and animals from getting inside the chimney and down to your fireplace. If these become cracked or have missing pieces, things can get inside and create blockages and other problems, and lead to more extensive repairs. For example, in cold weather, water absorbed by the chimney?s porous brick and mortar can freeze and crack the mortar joints open. This allows the chimney to act like a sponge and bring water into the attic. Usually at this point the chimney has significant structural damage and may require rebuilding from the roofline up to the top. It can become dangerous and even fall from wind or any undue pressure against the chimney. All this can be avoided by pressure washing the chimney and sealing it every eight to ten years to prevent water intrusion.

If you notice any of these problems when inspecting your chimney, make sure to complete the repairs before you use it for a fire.

With regular inspections, you should get plenty of years of good use from your fireplace. By taking care of chimney repairs as soon as possible, you will find that the costs are much less than letting the problem grow. Chimney problems and improper maintenance can be life threatening, so it?s important to consult a professional about repairs.

*Commercial and Residential properties on the Real Estate market are charged a $250 estimate fee. This fee will be credited to your invoice when work is complete.