In The News

by Jim Gerweck

New Canaan, CT -- A lot of people think of Mr. Handyman as their go-to source for home repair, and that's a good thing. But Lorenzo Wyatt, co-owner of the Mr. Handyman franchise for Fairfield County, wants people to think of his company when it comes to home improvement, too.

Wyatt calls it "building performance," focusing on making a home more energy efficient, something that's becoming increasingly important with each rise in the price of fuel.
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by Lorenzo Wyatt

Fairfield, CT -- Last week, distressed homeowners sought our help as water leaked into their living space and damaged ceilings and walls. The problem was ice dams: ice formations that trap melted snow at the lower roof.
The cause. Too much heat was escaping from their living space into the attic or vaulted ceiling. Next, that heat warmed the underside of the roof deck and melted snow at upper-roof areas. Water ran down the surface of the roof and re-froze near the eaves. Subsequent water pooled at those formations, penetrated seams in the roof components, and damaged interior structures. 

Once ice dams form, very little can be done. Scaling a ladder to remove snow from a frozen roof is dangerous. Breaking the dams with roof rakes risks injury from falling icicles, as well as damaging the roof or gutters. 
The solution. 

Ice dams can be prevented by ensuring that your attic temperature and the outdoor temperature are nearly equal. Start with the following investments:
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Fairfield, CT -- Mr. Handyman, Fairfield County's leading home repair and maintenance service, won a three-year contract to weatherize 770 households served by ABCD, Inc. Weatherization, a Bridgeport-based social service agency.

ABCD, Inc. selected 39 material vendors and contractors to help fulfill its mandate under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) Weatherization Assistance Program, the economic stimulus program. ARRA funding targets two objectives: create jobs and lower energy costs for low- and moderate-income families by improving the energy efficiency of their homes.

Mr. Handyman provides energy efficiency services such as caulking and weather stripping; installing windows, skylights and doors; insulating attics, walls, and appliances; installing programmable thermostats, etc. These measures can reduce homeowners’ energy costs by over 20%. The savings could increase even more when combined with tax credits of up to $1,500 for weatherization investments.
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