PORTLAND, Ore.—The Metal Roofing Alliance has kicked off its 2021 Best Residential Metal Roofing Project quarterly competition and this year, the opportunity to enter is open to both the trades and homeowners.

Designed to honor the most stylish, creative and effective use of metal roofing, the MRA will select one winner each quarter based on project appearance, performance and originality/use of materials.

Interested participants may upload their project photo along with a 200-word-or-less description for why their metal roofing project is worthy of top honors at metalroofing.com. Winners will be highlighted on MRA’s website and digital channels and will receive a $200 prize.

MRA’s quarterly honorees for 2021 will be selected in March, June, September and December and only residential metal roofing projects in the U.S. and Canada will be considered (see MRA website for specific details and rules).

“Homeowners tell us how much they love their metal roof and what a difference it has made to their home,” said Renee Ramey, MRA executive director. “This competition is designed to show off how quality metal roofing is being

If you’re fortunate enough to live in the Sunbelt or some other balmy region, chances are you’ve never heard of — or at least experienced — ice dams.

I, on the other hand, live in New England, so every winter, ice dams are as common — and as welcoming — as frostbite and sub-zero temperatures.

That’s because ice dams can be problematic, destructive, and virtually impossible to remove once fully formed.

Ice Dams: Beautiful, But Problematic

Ironically, ice dams are often responsible for one of the most beautiful and iconoclastic of all winter images: glistening crystal-clear icicles hanging from gutters and eaves.

Heck, even I marvel at the delicate beauty of icicles — but only when they’re hanging off someone else’s house.

So, what causes ice dams?

It all starts with a roof blanketed in snow. The snow layer sitting directly on the roof begins to melt, and water runs down the roof under the blanket of snow.

When the water hits the overhanging eave of the house, it begins to freeze. Some

Thinking twice about renovating your home? It’s a common dilemma. You know your home needs updating and your roof needs replacement, but economic uncertainty freezes you from moving forward.

Unfortunately, homes don’t wait for recessions to end. Roofing wears out and severe weather strikes. So, there’s no time like the present to make smart improvements.

Consider these points before planning a major renovation.

1. Know Your Options

Want to save money on utility bills? Re-roofing — that is, installing a new roof over an existing one — is a surefire way to do that.

Re-roofing with quality metal materials — those that are coated to increase energy efficiency — can save you up to 40 percent on annual heating and cooling costs.

Even basic, unpainted metal roofs reflect more solar radiation than asphalt roofs. But low-glare metal roofs with certain colors and coatings reflect mostly non-visible, infrared and ultraviolet rays. These produce the most heat and cause the most damage.

A common question is, “How much does

Some people can revive just about anything in their home, but feel stumped when they encounter one particular material. Want to learn how to clean brass? Then read on!

Have you ever wondered, “Does brass tarnish?” If so, you probably haven’t owned anything that’s brass!

This building material, which is made from copper and zinc, may be beautiful, durable and resist corrosion, but it eventually tarnishes, according to Popular Mechanics.

Fortunately, when that happens, there is a solution.

Here’s how to clean brass: Place 3/4 cup of lemon juice in a bowl, add 1/2 cup of baking soda, mix well and submerge the brass pieces.

After about 30 minutes, scrub each piece with a scouring sponge until it’s shiny. 

And that’s it!

You can file this under “We practice what we preach.” I used this recipe to clean tarnished brass cabinet knobs, and it worked beautifully.

Let us know how it goes for you in the comments below!