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Designer Glass Storm Doors Richmond VA

Posted on: January 30th, 2012 by bigoak No Comments

Creative Energy Exteriors’ Guide to Glass Storm Doors

Richmond, Virginia does not experience the most extreme weather in the United States, but home owners who live there would all agree that they get their fair share of cold winter nights and hot summer days. One of the best ways to protect your Richmond home against these adverse weather conditions is to add a custom storm door to all of your homes entrances.

The most common storm doors are installed in existing entryways on the front of homes. The location of these storm doors, requires that look of these doors be discrete or enhance the entryway because of their direct effect on your homes curb appeal. All quality storm door providers should offer a variety of options to improve both the efficiency and over all look of their storm doors.

Glass Stomr Door from Creative Energy Exteriors

Designer Glass Storm Doors Richmond VA

A high grade storm door will provide homeowners with a number of options that can be added to increase the efficiency of their storm door and meet the needs of the homeowner. When you are choosing a storm door you should look for one that includes an overlapping system and high quality weather stripping. Combined, these features set up a line of defense that will help keep unwanted cold or warm air from reaching the inside of your home.

If your door is located in an area that is exposed to the sun you may want to choose a storm door that has been coated with a UV protectant. This additional protection will decrease the number of harmful rays that can damage your door and shine into your home. Other options you may want to consider are glass that has been tinted to increase your privacy or even pet resistant screens that will protect your door against dog and cat scratches. If you like to open your home up during the warmer months to increase air flow, many storm doors offer that option of replacing glass with screens during the summer months.

Stylish Replacement Storm Doors

Storm doors have been popular for many decades but in recent years companies have risen to the challenge presented by homeowners to provide not just energy efficiency, but also a pleasing aesthetic. If you are concerned about the resale value and look of your home you should choose a storm door company that provides you with options to customize the look of your storm door so that it will fit your home. Many companies offer doors that can be easily matched to your existing door or purchased as a set with one of their matching front doors for the ultimate in beauty and efficiency.

Tags: common storm doors, creative energy, Replacement doors, richmond VA, storm doors, UV protectant
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Fredericksburg VA Exterior French Doors

Posted on: January 23rd, 2012 by bigoak No Comments

Add a Touch of French Door Elegance to Your Home Improvement Project

The Renaissance was a time of rebirth, beauty, and elegance. In modern times we have borrowed many design elements that appear in our clothes, home accents, and architecture. Perhaps one of the most popular elements that can be found in many homes inspired by this time in history is French doors. French Doors, evoke a grand romantic feeling in any home.

French Door Elegance for Your Home's Exterior

Elegant Exterior French Doors

The original French doors were designed as floor to ceiling windows that provided access to quaint balconies in cities across France and Germany during the nineteenth century. In modern times, this architectural detail has been utilized in many different ways to help connect a home more openly with its natural surroundings.

For homeowners and business owners in Fredericksburg, Virginia, adding a set of French Doors to their home or office will give them a chance to enjoy the beautiful scenery provided by nearby mountains and other natural wonders. In addition to providing uninterrupted views, French doors can be easily opened to create an environment that allows the cool fall breezes and sweet smelling spring air to flow easily into your home or office.

Original French Door Designs

The original French doors were designed during a time when homes did not have electricity. There floor to ceiling glass, allows homeowners to take advantage of natural sunlight for a much longer time than traditional windows. While nearly every home and office today has electricity, you can still benefit from increased natural light in your home or office. Relying less on electric light will decrease your monthly bills and lessen you or your businesses negative environmental impact.

Today, French doors have been designed that can meet any homeowners needs. Replacing sliding glass doors or traditional doors with a set of French doors can open up the look of any room. If you have a sun room, or are considering an addition to your home, choosing French doors will increase the value of your investment and allow more light to flow into your home. Modern French door designs are some of the most energy efficient doors on the market. They are manufactured using materials that allow maximum light but still create a tight seal that protects your home or office from the hot or cold of the season.

Imagine throwing your next spring garden party from a sun room with French doors that open directly into your garden, or sit cuddled up in your living room and watch the snow fall outside through floor to ceiling glass doors without even the hint of a draft. Installing French doors in your home will provide you with year round enjoyment.

Tags: creative energy exteriors, exterior french doors, french doors, french doors fredericksburg, Replacement doors, replacement windows, virgina home improvement company
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Creative Energy Exteriors Expands Into Northern Virginia

Posted on: January 20th, 2012 by bigoak No Comments

Virginia’s leading home improvement company announces it is expanding into Northern Virginia. While our competitors have been struggling with the recessionary environment, we have found an increasing demand for high quality workmanship, products and service which has become our hallmark.

Demand for Creative Energy Exteriors across the state has led to a major decision to establish a marketing and service presence in the NOVA area, delivering exceptional home improvement services, including roofing, replacement doors, replacement windows, siding, gutters and or course, our leading range of sunrooms.

Now clients across the Commonwealth of Virginia can enjoy the superior home improvement services Creative Energy Exteriors is known for.

Remember, we treat every installation and home improvement project like it was our own mother’s!

Tags: alexandria roofing, arlington home improvements, common storm doors, dale city roofing, manassas siding, northern virginia, NOVA, VA replacement windows
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Skylight Installation Charlottesville

Posted on: January 15th, 2012 by bigoak No Comments

Virginia’s Leading Home Improvement Company on Skylight Installation

If you own a home in or around Charlottesville, Virginia, you know that the sun’s rays shine bright during all four seasons every year. As a home owner you should look for ways to harness the power of the sun and put it to work for you in your home. The sun provides natural light, and has even been proven to increase a person’s positive outlook on life.

Charlottesville Home Improvement Skylights

Charlottesville Skylight Instalation

Having a dark, cave like home could make the winter months seem long and arduous. One of the best ways to solve this potential problem is to install a skylight in your home. With the modern advances in skylight manufacturing and materials, your skylight will let in light without sacrificing the energy efficiency of your home. Here are a few things you should consider when you are planning for the installation of a skylight in your home.

The very first thing you should consider is the placement of your skylight. If you are installing a skylight in a small interior room, like a bathroom, you may not have many options, but if you are installing skylights in a large common room, you should consider the direction your skylight will face. The sun is a powerful energy source that provides not only light, but also heat to your home. If your skylight is going to be installed on a part of your roof that receives direct sunlight during the warmest part of the day you should consider investing in an automated blind system that will make it easy for you to shade your room on a hot summer day. Many skylight manufacturers also offer a variety of coatings that can be applied to help extra insulation to keep heat out in the summer and in during the colder winter months.

Choosing the correct size for your skylight is also important. The process of installing a skylight is somewhat labor intensive, so in most cases the instillation costs make up a majority of the budget. While many homeowners may be tempted to choose a smaller sized skylight in an attempt to save money, the reality is, the cost of installing a skylight is about the same, whatever size you choose and investing a little more in a large skylight will provide you with more light, a better over look, and higher home resale value.

When you are choosing the location for your skylight it is also important to consider how it will affect the overall design of your home. The placement of your skylight can drastically change the look of your home on both the outside and interior. Make sure that your design is balanced to avoid having your skylight look out of place.

Tags: charlottesville home improvement, creative energy exteriors, energy efficiency, home improvements, skylight installation
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Top 5 Futuristic Homes

Posted on: January 12th, 2012 by bigoak No Comments

Creative Energy Exteriors Top Picks of Space Age Homes

The homes of the future are being designed by today’s leading architects. Concerns about preserving the environment, enjoying the beauty of the outdoors, blending in with the natural landscape, and even humanitarian concerns, are molding the designs being tested by these forward thinking artists. Here is a quick review of five of the most futuristic homes on the planet.

Triple Zero Home

In the city of Stuttgart Germany, architect Werner Sobek achieved something remarkable with the completion of a Triple Zero Glass Home. The residence stands four stories high and was built using only recyclable materials.

Night Shot of Triple Zero Home

If the owner of this amazing glass home wants to move, they can pack up their home and take it with them. The modular design allows for all of the elements to be disassembled, and with a little skill, put back together again in a different location or completely recycled, leaving no trace behind.

Interior of Triple Zero Home

While the home is inhabited, the electricity needed to power the home is provided by solar panels, making the house one of the most eco-friendly homes in the world.

While some architects have focused on making their homes the most eco-friendly, others have gone a step further and allowed nature and the homes surroundings inspire their designs.

Brian Meyerson's Bondi Penthouse

In its water front location on Bondi Beach, Australia, the home created by Brian Meyerson evokes images of the waves that roll on and off the sands just outside the home. The homes wave like appearance helps the home to blend in with the vibe of the area.

Creative Energy Exteriors Bondi Penthouse

The Stunning Bondi Penthouse

The windows in the home are very tall and allow the residents to enjoy all of the benefits of the ocean side location. Another wonderful addition is the garden on the roof.

Another German futuristic home can be found in the city of Ludwigsburg – the Dupli Casa by J Mayer H Archtitects.

Dupli Casa

The ultra-modern design flows from outside to in, accentuated by the homes stark black and white color palate.

The Stark Interior of Dupli Casa

The placement of the rooms and windows in this unique design were no accident, every room boasts a magnificent view of one of the cities many landmarks or scenic locations.

In the United States just outside the Nation’s Capital in Bethesda, MD, is a cubic home made from wood, concrete, and large pieces of glass.

The Cube House by Robert Gurney

Robert Gurney designed this home and wanted the materials that were used on the outside of the home to continue into the house. In order to do this several of the upstairs rooms feature transparent glass floors that allow for the flow of natural light through the home.

Finally, perhaps the most unique futuristic home is one that was created as a possible answer to a humanitarian tragedy.

Creative Energy Exteriors Top 5 Futuristic Homes the Airdrop House

The Airdrop House en route

Floods have devastated many countries throughout the modern era and the newly created Airdrop house could be the answer to aid future flood victims with recovery efforts.

B-52 Dropping the Airdrop House

A collection of airdrop home kits can be loaded into a plane and dropped into flood areas. The kits are approximately 1 meter and are designed to fall to earth right side up. When the kit comes in contact with flood waters it draws the water in and expands into a round structure with about a 7 meter diameter.

Artist Rendition of Airdrop House Community

As the house dries it provides shelter. The exterior materials used to make these homes are filled with food plant seeds that will also grow over time and provide food. Over time if the airdrop home is not utilized and maintained it will break down completely and fertilize the ground where it landed.

Tags: airdrop house, bondi penthouse, creative energy exteriors, cube house, dupli casa, triple zero home
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Fredericksburg Home Improvement Style and Design

Posted on: December 19th, 2011 by bigoak No Comments

Fredericksburg Home Improvement is an investment that is well worth your money. Home and property values in the city of Fredericksburg, Virginia have been on the rise for many years. This Virginia City’s close proximity to the Nation’s Capital, Washington DC is one of the factors that have led to the rise of this great Virginia City. With the Capital just to its North and Virginia’s beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains only a short drive away investing in improving your home in Fredericksburg Virginia is a great way to improve your home’s value. There are several home improvement projects that will increase your homes appraisal amount and some will also enhance your curb appeal.

home improvement Fredericksburg Virginia

Fredericksburg. Va.

One of the most common and beneficial home improvement projects is finishing your basement. Many homes are built with a bare bones approach to this area and basements often become a catch all for holiday storage, outfits from years past, and a number of other items that do not have a place in your home. Cleaning out your basement and turning it into a family entertainment room, studio apartment, or hobby room is a great way to greatly increase your homes livable space without the costs of pricy room additions.

Cathedral Sunroom Style

The natural beauty of Fredericksburg, Virginia makes it a perfect location to add a sunroom to your home. If you have an existing porch there are many companies who offer conversion packages to help you turn your seasonal outdoor porch into a four season sunroom. If you do not have a porch there are many different styles and sunroom options that can be customized to easily fit your homes style and your wallets budget.

The curb appeal of your home is greatly affected by the look of your homes windows and doors. Upgrading your windows and front door area will increase the future value of your home and save you money on heating and cooling bills. When you are redesigning the look of your front door, remember that adding decorative elements like side windows and updated hardware will go a long way toward giving your home a custom look.

Patio Doors

Bathroom and kitchen renovations are also a wonderful way to give your home a new, updated look. With an endless variety of energy efficient appliances and sustainable materials on the market, you will be adding to the value of your home while making it more eco-friendly.

Your Fredericksburg home improvement projects will provide you with immediate and long term value and money saving opportunities.

Tags: Creative Energy Fredericksburg, Fredericksburg home improvement, Fredericksburg replacement doors, Fredericksburg sunrooms, Virginia home improvement company
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Richmond Sunrooms and Porch Enclosures

Posted on: December 12th, 2011 by bigoak No Comments

If you are looking for a building project that will make a positive impact on value, enjoyment and curb appeal of your home in Richmond, sunrooms are a wonderful option. Sunrooms offer homeowners a place to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors all year long. There are several different sunroom style and design options to choose from. The look of your home, the space available for expansion, and personal preference all factor into choosing the right sun room for you and your family. All of the different styles offer increased energy efficiency, natural light, visual interest, and additional indoor living space. These are some of the most popular sunroom styles in Richmond.

Conservatory Sunroom

For the ultimate in grand luxury a sunroom with a cathedral ceiling creates an indoor palace that will be flooded with natural sunlight all year round. There are several options available to homeowners beginning their investigation into cathedral ceiling sunrooms in Richmond. By nature sunrooms have wrap around windows that let in tons of light. If you enjoy gazing up at the stars, choosing an energy efficient glass ceiling will ensure you never miss a falling star. Some homeowners prefer to have a ceiling made from more traditional roofing materials installed to provide more privacy and a little shade.

Cathedral Sunrooms

If you are on a budget but still want to add value and a beautiful room that provides natural light to your home year round then a straight style sunroom is what you are looking for. These simple, clean lined rooms fit easily with most types of architecture so you will not have to worry about your new sunroom looking like an afterthought.

Traditional Porch Enclosure

If your homes architecture reflects an old world classic style like Georgian or Victorian adding on a conservatory sunroom is the perfect way to mirror the elegance and beauty of a traditional building style. This style will surly increase your home value and provide you with a beautifully inspired room that will be perfect for gathering the family together, a home office, creating an outdoor dining experience without having to worry about the weather, or even as the perfect location for that pool you always wanted. Imagine enjoying the snowy Richmond winter in a bathing suit!

No matter what style or design you choose to best fit your home and family’s needs, adding a Richmond sunroom will be a decision you never regret, and it will provide you with the perfect gathering space to create new memories with your family for years to come.

Tags: cathedral sunrooms, conservatory sunroom, porch enclosures, richmond sunroom, straight sunroom, victorian sunrooms
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Creative Energy’s Top 5 Fun Home Improvements

Posted on: December 9th, 2011 by bigoak No Comments

Nearly every home owner is searching for ways to make their living space unique, and these are the Top 5 Fun Home Improvements we could find. Whether you are looking to surprise your house guests, enjoy an inspired view, or create the ultimate room for kids or kids at heart, let one of these five home improvement projects inspire you to think outside the box.

Where's the floor gone!

Optical illusions have intrigued people for centuries. The next time you are replacing the flooring in your bathroom or thinking about upgrading the paint on your walls or ceiling, consider commissioning an artist to create a realistic mural. Murals can range from fun and playful to truly shocking! If a custom mural is not in your budget many companies sell wall murals that can be easily installed using wall papering techniques.

Trap Door Slide Floor

Mundane Stairs:Have you ever tired of trekking up and down the stairs in your home every time you need something from a lower floor? Do you miss the days when you would swing your leg over the banister and hold on for dear life? Concealing a trap door that covers a slide down to the room below is a great way to add something unique to your home. If you are not ready to cut holes in your floor a basic construction project can help you turn one side of an existing staircase into a simple slide. [Credit AB Rogers and DA Studio]

Skateboarding allowed indoors!

No skateboards in the house, unless you turn your living room into a skate park! Adding specially designed curved walls and built in lounge areas can turn you living room or entertainment room into a skater’s paradise. If skateboarding is not your sport of choice use your imagination and integrate other sporting events or hobbies into your space. [Credit: Air Architecture]

Don't drink and skateboard guys!

Every kid dreams of joining the pirates on the open seas and searching for buried treasure create the ultimate kids room by converting your child’s room into an ocean adventure complete with floating pirate ship. Many homes are built with high ceilings and utilizing that space is important to getting the most out of your children’s room. Taking advantage of the upper wall space in a room by building a play area or elevated bed is a great way to separate the space in a room. [Credit: Kuhl Design Build]

interior of child bedroom in shape of boat

Captain Jack Sparrow lives here

Is that Peter Pan walking up the gangplank?

Our final fun home improvement is less for the kids and more for adults looking for the ultimate sanctuary. Nothing is more calming than sleeping under the stars, but why battle weather and bugs when you can create your very own glass house. Four season glass rooms are a popular addition for people and are often utilized as family rooms but if you have property with a view, why not enjoy that view in bed with a cup a coffee every morning. You can even create a free standing guest house in your back yard or on a small piece of vacation property. [Credit: Avanto Architects & Linda Bergroth]

The Ultimate Solution for Snoring Partners

During the summer, grow your own tomatoes too

Keep these top 5 fun home improvements in mind for the next time you start planning to make changes to your home.

Curtains optional, pot plants compulsory

Tags: construction project, custom mural, entertainment room, floor murals, four seasons room, fun home improvements, greenhouse bedroom, home improvement projects, lounge areas, optical illusions, pirate bedroom, skateboards, staircase, stairs, trap door, trap door floor slide, wall murals, wall papering, weird home improvement
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Winter Proofing using Exterior Doors

Posted on: November 30th, 2011 by bigoak No Comments

As winter approaches, you may need to replace the exterior doors on your home to help reduce your heating costs and make your home more comfortable during colder months. If you are experiencing a draft in your home it may be coming through unsealed areas around your existing door. If your energy bills are high you might also have doors in your home that are made from materials that conduct high levels of heat. Many older homes have doors made from materials that do not meet new energy efficiency guidelines. The following steps should be taken to help improve your exterior doors and keep your family warm this winter.

Enhance Curb Appeal with a New Door

The very first step you should take in your quest to winter proofing your home, is check all of your home’s exterior doors and door frames. Many homes shift and settle over the years and these small movements may have compromised your existing door frame. You will need to decide if you will only be replacing the door slab with a more energy efficient door, or if you need to replace the framing and insulation around your exterior doors as well. If you decide that you need to replace your current door and door frame, selecting a prehung door is one of the easiest ways to ensure your new door will be equipped with all of the insulating accessories needed to winter proof your home.

There are several different materials used to create energy efficient doors and most can be ordered through local building suppliers who have started making wooden doors that meet the requirements for an energy star rating. While wooden doors are beautiful and were traditionally used for most home construction, there are several manufactured doors on the market today that will make your home more energy efficient. Steel and fiberglass doors create a barrier between your home and the outdoors. Many of them contain insulation as one of the main materials used in the interior of the door to help reduce the doors heat conduction. Steel and fiberglass doors also are equipped with, what is known in the industry, as a thermal break. A thermal break is a material that creates a barrier between the elements outside your door and the inside of your house. As the temperature outside your home drops it will cool the outside of your door and that will begin to cool the air inside your door slab. When a thermal break is included inside the door slab it stops the cool air from traveling through your door and into the interior of your home.

Keep your family warm and heating costs low this winter by replacing your exterior doors with more energy efficient ones.

Tags: Charlottesville, energy efficient, exterior door, Fredericksburg, home improvements, Replacement doors, Richmond, Williamsburg, winter proofing
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Save Money on Heating Bills with Vinyl Siding

Posted on: November 22nd, 2011 by bigoak No Comments

Many new builders and remodeling contractors are choosing vinyl siding to improve the energy efficiency and durability of their construction projects. Vinyl siding can be easily installed on a new home or used to replace older siding that is less energy efficient. The newest vinyl siding technology available is often called insulated vinyl siding. There are several advantages to choosing this new product for your home.

Energy Efficient Vinyl Siding

Most homes are built with studs that are made from wood or other heat conduction materials. When siding is placed over the exterior of a homes frame, insulation is usually only placed in the walls between the homes studs. If the siding you choose for your home is also a material that conducts heat, your furnace or other home heat sources will have to work to replace the heat that is escaping through your studs, into the siding, and into the outdoors. If you choose an insulated vinyl siding your home is protected from heat lost through the thermal bridges around your studs because the heat can not move beyond the insulation that covers all of your homes exterior walls. Think of insulated vinyl siding as a blanket for your home.

When you are shopping for vinyl siding, one of the best ways to ensure you are choosing a material that will improve your homes energy efficiency, is to look for products that carry a high energy star rating. You might associate energy star ratings with home appliances but informed shoppers know that the energy star ratings have been given to a number of home construction materials as well. The Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA have teamed with the US Department of Energy to create the Energy Star rating system as a way for consumers to easily find products that will lower their energy costs and improve the environment. The energy star ratings given to insulated vinyl siding show that installing this type of siding can provide you with twenty five percent more insulation than most other home siding.

In addition to regulating your homes interior temperature in a more efficient way, vinyl siding is also very durable and can protect your home from damage caused by strong winter weather. Vinyl siding has proven effective at creating a moisture barrier around your home that helps prevent mold and mildew from developing.

Do not waste your money this winter because your home is not energy efficient and you are heating the outdoors. Install vinyl siding on your home and you will be making an investment that extends the life of your home and saves you money.