What’s New from Whirlpool

The Whirlpool brand name is one of the most famous in household appliances. Whirlpool gained its current name in 1950 and sold its first top-loading automatic washing machine in the same year, just one year after the first ever sale of the top-loading automatic washer. Since then, Whirlpool has expanded its product line and acquired many other famous name brands, including KitchenAid and Maytag. Keep reading to discover the newest home appliances available from Whirlpool and how they can enhance your quality of life every day.

Duet Washer and Dryer

The 2014 Whirlpool Duet washer and dryer system is designed to minimize the time and effort you spend doing laundry. These high-efficiency front loading appliances incorporate numerous features that sense your laundry’s needs to provide the perfect cleaning cycle every time. The 4.5-cubic food washing machine offers a 12-load detergent cartridge, reducing the time it takes to throw in a load of laundry; a detergent monitor lets you know when it’s time to refill so you’ll never be caught off guard. This adaptive appliance includes up to 14 different wash actions and a precision detergent dispense system to tailor the washing process to each load. Washing cycles include an allergen cycle, a sanitize cycle, and even a wash and dry cycle that washes and dries small loads without the need for a dryer. The matching 7.4-cubic foot Duet dryer is available in both electric and gas-powered models. Dryer features include a sanitize cycle, a steam refresh cycle, and a SilentSteel dryer drum that minimizes dryer noise from metal zippers, buttons, and more.

Gold Dishwasher

The Whirlpool Gold dishwasher with TotalCoverage spray arm technology is crafted to provide customized cleaning no matter the load. This dishwasher is ENERGY STAR qualified and features Whirlpool’s unique TotalCoverage spray arm, which cleans dishes using twice the number of jets as other dishwasher brands. With its smarter spray sequence, your Gold dishwasher will clean your dishware from every angle for superior results. Other features include an AccuSense soil sensor, which detects the amount of cleaning needed based on the soil level of your dishes, and a specially-designed silveware spray option to prevent residue on silverware in the basket. If you use the same cycle option frequently, your dishwasher will even remember your preferences and automatically choose the last cycle when activated.

Slide-In Gas Ranges

Whirlpool’s slide-in gas ranges are equipped with a variety of features designed to make meal preparation and cleanup a snap. These 5.8-cubic foot appliances can be customized to meet your exact kitchen specifications for a seamless, built-in look. Slide-in ranges incorporate some of Whirlpool’s best cooking technology innovations, such as Frozen Bake technology that eliminates the need to preheat your oven and TimeSavor Plus convection cooking for reduced cook times and improved flavors. When you’re done creating your meal, Whirlpool’s AquaLift self-cleaning option will clean your oven in just 50 minutes, eliminating the need for harsh cleaning chemicals or time spent scrubbing your appliance.

Even the highest-quality home appliances need regular maintenance and repairs to perform their best. Visit our website for additional information or to schedule appliance repair in Portland online or by phone. Click through the articles in our blog to stay up to date on the latest brands, maintenance tips, and more for your home appliances.

All About Slate Roofing

Slate is a durable, long-lasting, and handsome roofing choice for your Alexandria-area home or business. This type of roofing material has been used on countless monuments and pivotal buildings throughout human history, with many slate roofs lasting for centuries. If you’re interested in adding a slate roof to your home or commercial building, keep reading to learn more about this versatile and beautiful roofing option, available from your local roofing contractor.

All About Slate

Slate is a natural layered rock composed primarily of clay and volcanic ash, which contains other minerals that may include quartz, mica, graphite, and many more. Prior to its exposure in quarries, slate has spent millions of years subjected to intense heat and pressure inside the Earth’s crust. Slate is available in a variety of colors, each determined by the rock’s chemical and mineral composition. Some of the most popular colors include gray, red, purple, and green. North American slate is typically quarried in Quebec and Newfoundland in Canada, as well as areas along the eastern coast of the United States, including Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, and Virginia.

All About Slate Roofing

As a roofing material, slate is prized both for its beauty and its durability. Slate has been used as a roofing material throughout human history, with many of these roofs outlasting the buildings they protect. Thus, slate remains an excellent choice for a long-lasting residential or commercial roof in modern day. Its longevity and natural origin also makes slate a green roofing option. Not only are no harmful chemicals or byproducts produced in the creation of slate, but your slate roof will not need to be replaced for 50-100 years or more, keeping excess roofing waste out of landfills. Slate roofing can also boost the energy efficiency of your home or office, making it easier to maintain indoor comfort and reducing your carbon footprint while lowering your utility bills. Because slate tiles are made from rock, they are heavier than wood, asphalt, or other types of shingles. Thus, it’s important to discuss this factor with your roofing contractor if you are considering a slate roof. To offset the extra weight, your underlying roof structure may need additional support before slate roofing can be applied. However, new roofing technologies are also becoming available, offering lighter slate shingles that utilize a fusion of slate and other materials to give you the look and the durability you want with less weight.

If you’d like to learn more about slate roofing in Alexandria, Fairfax, and Arlington, visit our website to check out our residential and commercial roofing solutions and maintenance plans. Our roofing contractors will work with you to find the perfect roof and gutter solution for your needs, including green roofing options. We also invite you to click through the latest articles on our news page to read through more information about roofing, skylights, and more.

Preventing and Dealing with Ice Dams

Ice dams are a common yet serious threat to your roof and your home. An ice dam occurs when a buildup of ice forms at the edge of your roof during the winter, preventing runoff from leaving the roof. With nowhere to go, melted ice and snow can instead penetrate shingles and roofing underlayment, leading to leaks that cause structural and cosmetic damage to your home. Preventing ice dams or dealing with them quickly will not only prolong the lifetime of your roof, it will also protect your belongings and finishes from water damage and mold growth caused by roofing leaks.

Add Ventilation

Ice dams are primarily caused by nonuniform roof temperatures, which allow snow some areas to melt while others stay frozen. Thus, the key to preventing ice dams is to ensure your roof remains a single temperature—this generally means addressing temperature fluctuations in your attic. Adding ventilation, such as ridge vents and soffit vents, can easily address this problem by allowing for improved circulation and temperature control beneath your roof. Your roofing contractor can perform an evaluation of your existing ventilation system to let you know where ventilation could be improved to prevent ice dam formation.

Add Insulation

As an alternative to adding ventilation, improving your attic’s insulation can also help to better regulate your roof’s temperature during the winter. Added insulation will prevent heated air inside your home from reaching the outer layers of your roof, keeping the surface cold to prevent ice and snow from melting and running off. Improving your attic’s insulation can have other benefits as well, such as keeping your home warmer while reducing the load on your heating system to improve its longevity and save you money on your heating bills. Your roofing contractor or local building department can help you determine the right amount of insulation for your home.

Remove Snow

If you already have an ice dam on your roof, addressing it quickly will prevent melting ice and snow from penetrating your roof. One simple method to prevent damage from an existing ice dam is to remove the snow from your roof to prevent runoff. You can use a roof rake to remove snow either from the ground or by using a ladder. Never attempt to remove the ice dam itself by chipping or scraping at the ice, as this can cause damage to your shingles or gutters. If you can’t remove the snow safely on your own, contact a roofing company to handle the issue for you. Your roofing contractor can either rake or steam the snow off your roof to prevent the buildup of melted water and leaks.

Your Fairfax County roofer can help you prevent or address ice dams this winter for a healthier, longer-lasting roof. Click through our website for more information about roofing repair, replacement, and maintenance in the Alexandria and Arlington areas, or check out our most recent news articles for additional tips and information.  

Designer Bathroom Inspiration

The bathroom is often ignored in terms of interior décor. Although this room may seem solely functional, a stylish and inviting bathroom is a luxury that shouldn’t be underrated. While you don’t need to spend a significant amount of time or money decorating your bathroom, taking a few design tips into consideration can completely change the look and feel of this space, creating a personalized retreat you’ll love.

Soft, Luxurious Textiles

Your Carmel Pacific Ridge apartment features beautiful, modern-style bathrooms with all the luxuries you want. You can enhance the feel of your bathroom by adding soft, luxurious textiles to complete the room. Investing in high-quality bath towels is a great start—Egyptian, Brazilian, and Supima cotton are some of the most highly-prized towel options, offering a soft texture coupled with excellent absorbency. Make sure to purchase bath towels, hand towels, and washcloths for a cohesive look. In addition to luxury towels, consider a plush bath mat and elegant shower curtain to complete your bathroom’s décor.

Elegant Accessories

Choosing the right type—and number—of accessories to place in your bathroom can have a big impact on its look. Keep the number of decorative items you use to a minimum to prevent cluttering your valuable counter space. If you’d like to add more accessories, consider a small table, cart, or wall shelves to provide additional horizontal surfaces. Choose accessories made of metal, glass, or porcelain for a classical look in your bathroom. These accessories will also help to reflect light and make the space feel larger. Flowers or other greenery also make an excellent bathroom accessory, adding color and life to this space as well. Small trays, baskets, and jars are excellent organizational tools that double as tasteful accessories as well.

Choose a Theme

Regardless of your decorating style, choosing a theme for your bathroom will tie the entire space together, making it feel like a cohesive room. Whether you’d like a rich, classical look or a casual, beach house feel, choosing a theme that speaks to you and maintaining it throughout the bathroom creates a personalized space just for you. Don’t be afraid to experiment with a style that differs from the rest of your apartment—bathrooms are a great area to get creative and try out new decorating ideas that are a daring and different. Keep in mind, however, that your bathroom is a smaller space. Choose colors that will reflect light and make sure to leave enough space to move comfortably so that your bathroom doesn’t end up feeling cluttered or closed-in.

A beautiful bathroom is just the beginning of a luxurious lifestyle when you make Carmel Pacific Ridge your San Diego home. Our resort-style apartment community offers amazing views of the city and bay beyond from your apartment and private outdoor space. You’ll also love our community amenities, which include our deck lounge and lap pool, European-style wine bar, hillside bocce ball court, and digital café and study lounge. Visit us on the web to find more information, including apartment floor plans and local hotspots.

Refresh Your Apartment for Fall

As summer fades into fall, it can be easy to view your apartment as faded and outdated as well. Even if you love your décor, there are a few simple ways you can refresh your apartment’s interior without making significant changes. Keep reading to discover how you can refresh your San Diego apartment this fall.

Change Your Shower Curtain and Liner

One simple change you can make that will have a big impact on the look and feel of your bathroom is changing your shower curtain and liner. Shower liners should be replaced on a regular basis—this small step can instantly refresh your shower from the inside out. Selecting a new shower curtain will transform the look of your bathroom; you can choose a new curtain in keeping with your current theme, or mix it up to try out a different decorative style.

Wash Your Windows

You may not realize how dirty your windows are until you wash them! Dirt, dust, pollen, fingerprints, skin oils, and more can quickly accumulate on your windows, reducing their ability to transmit light. Cleaning your windows can instantly brighten your apartment, making it feel lighter and more welcoming. All you need to wash your windows are a few simple tools, such as a soft sponge, squeegee, and microfiber towel. Use a dedicated window-cleaning solution or create your own eco-friendly cleaner from products you have around the home. Make sure to dry your windows after washing them—this will also help to avoid unsightly streaks.

Buy New Place Settings

You can give your kitchen table a refresh this fall with new place settings. Colorful or seasonally-themed placemats, napkins, and chargers will instantly update the look and feel of your entire kitchen. Consider a new centerpiece as well—candles, flowers, vases, or other decorative elements can be used to bring style and personality to your table. Keeping a few sets of different place settings handy can be a wonderful way to refresh your kitchen not only during the fall, but at various times throughout the year as well.

Update Your Lighting

Does your apartment look dingy and dark due to lack of proper lighting? Updating your lighting is a great way to imbue your apartment space with new life. However, updated lighting doesn’t require purchasing all new lamps. Start by replacing older light bulbs with energy-efficient options, such as CFLs. You can also transform the look of your apartment by purchasing full-spectrum light bulbs, which more accurately reproduce the look of natural sunlight. These bulbs will enhance the comfort of your apartment during shorter fall and winter days, when you must use your lamps longer due to earlier nightfall. If you decide your apartment could benefit from additional illumination, focus on lamps that reflect light up rather than down, which will provide better ambient lighting for your space. Making sure you have enough task lighting in areas where you read or work will make these spaces feel more comfortable and convenient.

Carmel Pacific Ridge features modern apartments for rent in San Diego. Our accessible location offers easy transit to some of the hottest shopping, dining, and entertainment in San Diego, Mission Valley, and Linda Vista. Visit our website to discover the many benefits of choosing a studio, one-, two-, or three-bedroom apartment in our luxury apartment community.

Fall Roofing Projects

Fall is an excellent time to take stock of your roof and prepare it for the winter ahead. With the heat of summer gone but the poor weather of winter not yet here, you and your roofers will be more comfortable and can complete work much more easily during this time of year. Rain, snow, ice, and cold can all take their toll on your roof, so ensuring your home is headed for winter in the best repair possible will save you time, stress, and money. There are a variety of roofing projects, ranging from cleaning to maintenance and repairs, that will enhance the appeal and comfort of your home throughout the colder seasons.

Roof Cleaning

Even if your roof is in excellent shape, it might need a little freshening up. Having your roof cleaned will not only improve your home’s curb appeal, it will also address any mold and algae that may be forming on your shingles. Neglecting to remove mold, mildew, and algae can have disastrous consequences for your roof, leading to deterioration of the shingles and leaks or structural issues. However, even a task as simple as roof cleaning should never be performed without the right preparation. Even if you want to wash your roof yourself, talk to your roofer ahead of time to find out which method is best. Pressure-washing some roof materials is fine, but others should not be subjected to such high water pressure. Additionally, you may not be able to wash your roof safely on your own—if this is the case, don’t try it. Instead, hire your roofer to handle the job for you. If you have had constant issues with mold and algae, now is also the time to talk to your roofer about a more permanent solution to prevent long-term roof damage.

Gutter Cleaning and Repairs

Your gutters work hard all year long to funnel water away from your home, preventing damage to your roof, siding, and foundation. Fall brings its own unique challenges with regard to your gutters, as falling leaves and other debris can easily clog or damage your home’s gutter system. During the latter portion of the year, you should have your gutters cleaned at least three times: once in the late summer, once in the early fall, and once in the late fall. Ensuring your gutters are clean during the changing of the seasons will prevent leaves and debris from causing blockages that lead to overflowing gutters, which can also damage your roof. Having clean gutters as winter sets in will help to prevent ice dams from forming, which can be particularly detrimental to your roof. In addition to ensuring your gutters are clean, also inspect them to look for damage or wear. Address issues immediately; if water is allowed to freeze in a damaged gutter during the winter, it can expand and cause significant roofing problems.

Fall is one of the best times of the year to have your roof repaired or even replaced. You can find more information about commercial and residential roofing solutions by clicking through our comprehensive website. We also invite you to check out our current web specials to help you get the most from your roof in Fairfax County this year!

Getting the Most from Your Roofing Contractor

Roof repairs and installation are not do-it-yourself jobs. Because your roof plays such an integral role in the comfort, safety, and curb appeal of your home, it’s important to work with a professional roofer to address roof issues or replacement. Whether you are searching for a new roofer or simply looking to get more out of your relationship with your current roofing company, keep reading to discover how you can get the most from your roofing contractor in Fairfax County.

Choosing a New Roofer

If you don’t have an established relationship with a roofing company, now is a great time to look for one. Professional repairs, cleaning, and maintenance will extend the longevity of your roof, making establishing and maintaining a relationship with a roofer in your area a great benefit. Additionally, finding a roofer before you need major roof repairs or replacement allows you to be more selective during the process and find a roofer that works well with your needs, preferences, and budget. When choosing your roofing company, check first to ensure the roofer is licensed and insured in your area. This ensures that your roofer is legally allowed to perform work on your roof and that roofers are covered by insurance in case of an accident while on your property. If you have special needs or concerns regarding your roof, such as a steep pitch or less common type of roofing material, talk to potential contractors to ensure they specialize in these areas. You can also ask for a portfolio or references to gain a better idea of your roofer’s work.

Working with Your Roofer

Once you’ve chosen the right roofer for you, it’s also important to maintain your relationship with them. While some roofing maintenance tasks, such as gutter cleaning, can be performed without professional help, you should schedule a professional roof inspection one to two times per year to ensure your roof remains in good shape. This will not only allow you to maintain an open dialogue with your roofer, it will ensure your roofer has up-to-date information about your roof in case repairs or replacement are needed. An inspection will also identify areas of wear or damage so they can be addressed before they can grow and cause more problems. During your roofing inspections, talk to your roofer about any areas of concern or ask about additional tasks you could be performing to improve the performance of your roof. Your contractor will be happy to help you get the most from your roof by suggesting further maintenance or how to improve your roof care techniques. If your roof does need major work, be open about your concerns, preferences, and budget. Without this information, your roofer cannot know how you want to proceed; by ensuring your roofer understands your needs, you can work together to achieve a result you’ll love at a price with which you’re comfortable.

The right roofer can make all the difference when it comes to maintaining a safe, sound, and appealing roof. If you need the help of an experienced roofing contractor licensed and insured in Arlington, Bethesda, Fairfax County, and beyond, visit our website for more information or to request an estimate online.