#best gutter clean tools

[expertguttercleaners]

Gutter Clean Out Tools

Gutters cleaning – a portrait of improperly stable ladders, overloading muscles and an overflowing mess comes into our mind. However, there is no need for the dismayed owner! The right ammunition of tools and fixtures and the right attitude will make it possible clearing the area within no time, and turning it from an unbearable chore into a satisfying or even backyard adventure Okay, so buckle up and tag along with us on an exploratory adventure of annihilating the gutter through some imaginary equipment.

Gutter Clean Out Tools: Ease the Gutter’s cleaning.

Gutter cleaning is the essential part of the home maintenance which prevents the occurrence of the water damage, mold growth and undermines the structure of the building. Here are some Important Gutter Cleaning Tools.

Gutter Scoop: A gutter scoop is primarily a hand held device made with curved blades to pick out leaves, twigs, and dirt from gutters and drains. Thanks to ergonomic design, one can navigate through the area and can clean up the space efficiently.

Gutter Tongs: Gutter tongs have long shafts with pincers or claws on one end, allowing grabbing and easily removing the railing from gutters without the need to put hands in the dirt. With this tool, it is possible to fit into gaps and spots that are hard to reach in other ways.

Gutter Brushes: The pan brushes are long spiral brushes adapted to the gutters to sweep off debris along with water flowing through. They do so by stopping debris from swimming down drain pipes, enhancing flow in the drainage system and reducing demand for manual action.

Telescopic Gutter Cleaners: Specially designed telescopic gutter cleaners come with adjustable poles which users can exploit for cleaning of gutters situated at high elevations without ladders or scaffolding. They frequently come with attachments such as brushes and sprayers to ensure that one can get the dust out of places in a very thorough way.

Gutter Flushers: Gutter flushers use a high-velocity jet to wash away tough dirt, soiled leaves and other kinds of clogs in the gutters and downspouts. They excel at cleaning the tough soils and dirt that cannot be removed by hands.

Vacuum Gutter Cleaning Systems: Vacuum gutter cleaning systems use powerful vacuum suction to remove the leaves, twigs, and debris from gutters and spouts. These combination systems typically consist of a handheld vacuum unit that is attached to a long hose that is able to retrieve gutter debris at different heights. They offer an easy and speedy way of cleaning downspouts without though some physical labor.

Rain Gutter cleaning Tools: Are the most crucial gutter cleaning tool which keeps our Roof Guttering clean and control growing of unavoidable pesticides and mosses grown in Roof valleys. Rain gutter cleaning  tools are essential to minimize the efforts and enhance the cleaning efficiency of the gutters. . These devices allow homeowners to avoid performing this task manually, such as climbing the ladders to remove debris from the roof guttering system. 

Besides that, there are also downpipe guards which help in preventing downpipe overflow. In addition to regular and thorough cleaning of rain gutters fixing, any clogs and repairs of damages ensures that the whole guttering system works flawlessly and lasts for longer.

Importance of gutter cleaning Accessories.

https://gutterscleaning.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/gutter-cleaning-Accessories--2048x1365.jpg

Gutter cleaning accessories greatly reduce the frequency in which manual gutter cleaning would be required.

Through functioning like a debris shield, these components prolong the time needed between cleanings and therefore, are time saving for homeowners, as there is no threat of having safety issues of climbing ladders due to the cleaning of gutters.

 The debris inside the gutter may result in no room for water drainage that consequently makes gutter and downspout sags, rusted or damaged.

Gutter cleaning accessories provide the gutter and the downspouts structural integrity preservation by directing the water runoff efficiently and decrease the possibilities of corrosion and decay. These gutter accessories can provide a variety of essential functions that are critical for the long-term health and proper functioning of house gutters.

 

Ground Level Glory: The Tools for The Unaccessable Spots.

Gutter Scoops:

Don’t be proportioned anymore but use swiftness in your performance! With the long, lightweight handles and the ergonomically shaped grip, the scoop gutter essentially lets you scoop leaves and debris from the ground while staying comfortable, minimizing fatigue and working from one place only. Opt for scoops with round heads for accomplishing the purpose of making corners and fitting in tight spaces easier.

Gutter Grabber Tools:

The creative inventions of these scoops collect with grabbing and let one’s reach even further so that one can pick up all of the stubborn debris beyond the scoop’s reach. Try to find combs with adjustable brushes and curved ends for more comfortable handling and more efficient debris removal.

Ladder Stabilizers: Safety first!

The most resistant obstacle for a successful gutter cleaning is the unsteady ladders. Investigate heavy duty ladder stabilizers that will stick your ladder tightly to the ground… particularly when you want to get higher gutters.

In some cases, they will also usher in spirit levels so that you can be 100% sure of their stability.

Leaf Blowers:

A simple leaf-clearing task carried out by a leaf blower can be very helpful in this case. Select a blower with multiple airspeed settings in order to have a go at both fragile leaves as well as sturdy twigs. Remember, do not spread the debris onto your roof or into the gutters, otherwise, you are probably going to make things worse.

Power Washer Wands:

If you have your gutters full of grime and dirt, don’t hesitate to use a power washer wand attachment. Be sure to use low pressure and a wide water spray to avoid damaged gutters. Make sure you wear safety equipment when using the power washer.

Scaling the Heights: Roof Gutters Smasher like a Pro:

Telescopic Poles:

Forget about the ladder-climbing drama! They utilize continually telescoping poles which grab gutters that are as high as the roof, at safe and convenient lengths. Others come already set up with such devices as scoops and brushes, which can be used even for a specialized type of cleaning. Select a metal pole made of aluminum for reliability and long-term use.

Safety Harnesses and Safety Lines:

While performing roof assignments, keep safety your number one priority. Choose a durable harness and make sure it is correctly fastened. Do not ignore a quality lifeline being secured to a singular safe object. Recall that safety is not up for debate!

Roof Hooks:

These smart gadgets are inserted into your ladder so that you can tie your safety line to it being securely anchored. It is this transformation that makes the cleaning of roof gutters from a scary endeavor to a relatively manageable one, thus offering you the opportunity of enjoying cleaning without the fear of falling.

Roof Gutter Cleaning Kits:

Evaluate total roof gutter kits available which are equipped with long-reaching poles, gutter scoops, brushes, and safety harnesses. This way, the kits provide convenience to homeowners and allow them to have all the components needed for working with even the most difficult roof gutters.

Embrace the Suction: Vacuum Cleaning to the Free Damage Solution

Gutter Vacuums: Gutter Cleaning Vacuum.

Be no longer occupied with the scooping out and only pleasure the efficiency of the gutter vacs. These powerful machines, with different attachments such as vacuums and hoses, can do the work quickly and effeminately without adding to your workload or amount of time spent doing it. Picking up models with adjustable suction power will help you clean different kinds of trash.

Wet/Dry Vacuums with Gutter Attachments:

Have one of the standard wet/dry vacuum cleaners at hand? The installation of gutter attachment could be an option to take into account. Although not as powerful as dedicated gutter vacuum, they have the ability to tackle small cleaning jobs, mainly ground-level gutters. Versatility is key!

Dust Mask and Goggles:

Choose a dedicated vacuum or a wet/dry vacuum, however be careful and follow the safety instructions. Protect yourself against inhalation of dirt, dust and pollens with a proper fitting dust mask and safety goggles. Breathe in clean air while you work.

Specialized Solutions for Every Gutter Challenge:

Clogged Downpipe Tools: Let’s not let stubborn pipe downpipes triumph! Invest in a drain auger as it is designed to tackle clogged drains and restore the water flow. Select the proper size and the length that corresponds to the downpipe size.

Gutter Guards: Thinking about the gutter guards is reasonable, especially in the areas where leaves fall heavily. Instead of clearing out the gutters, this wire grid will keep your gutters clean and free of debris, thus avoiding unnecessary costs and effort in the future. Go for guards made from materials of long-term durability such as aluminum or stainless steel for ensuring their longevity.

• Mesh Gutter Guards: Mesh guards are composed of screens or fine mesh that cover the openings of gutters, which enables water flow but blocks the passage of large debris like twigs and leaves.

• Reverse Curve Guards: These guards are designed with curved shapes in order to lead the water into gutters while keeping the debris out from the clogs of the gutters.

• Brush Guards: Having bristles of brushes that fit the inside gutters, these guards that allow water run, but hold leaves and debris on the top.

Cleaning Solutions:

These Gutter cleaning solutions could be used specially to unstiffen the dirt and grime that maybe you can scrape after that. Opted for Eco-friendly choices to preserve your environment during your gutter cleaning and Safeguard your Home and Property. You see, a little preparation can work wonders!

[konakoro]

When most people see celebrity crushes in their dreams, they usually get to enjoy a romantic or erotic dream experience.

Meanwhile, I'm having a dream taking place in my childhood home, and I'm going to the downstairs family room because there's a very good stew set up down there for some reason, and lo and behold, Cillian Murphy is slumped across the couch, stoned out of his mind, and having the most dad conversation possible with my own dad.

(I mean, it beats the dream I had with Adam Brody where I did ask him out, and he flat out said no and laughed in my face before walking away. And then I got hit by a car)

[toolreview68]

There are a lot of options for gutter cleaning solutions, but the best one is the one that you can afford. The best gutter cleaning solution is the one that you can afford. You should go for a solution that will work for your needs and budget. There are many different gutter cleaning solutions available in the market.

[attapullman]

Robert From Next Door | Robert "Bob" Floyd

Summary: You've lucked out with the perfect neighbor, a kind and overly helpful WSO. He puts up Christmas lights, lends his lawn mower, and grabs your morning paper. But what happens when he's out of peppermint tea one night?

Word Count: 3.6k

Warnings & Notes: Robert "Bob" Floyd x gn!reader, extremely fluffy, food mentions, heavy making out, shirtless Bob, only referred to as Robert for the series, unrealistic expectations of next door neighbors, 18+ as always. This idea hit me like a bus while walking the dog (where I almost was hit by a bus) and has been fully unable to leave my brain since then. Cozy, sweet, overly helpful Neighbor!Bob is literally all I want for Christmas. And he's my holiday present to all of you!

robert from next door | if only the neighbors knew

“I have a ladder you can borrow.” You look up from the box of Christmas lights you’re detangling in the garage to see your neighbor standing in the opening to the street. Coffee mug in hand as he watches you loop out another knot. He’d noticed your garage open that morning, too early for a Saturday, and came to investigate or possibly offer assistance. If there is one thing Robert Floyd does best, it’s help his neighbors.

You had moved into the tidy bungalow just under a year ago, placing a potted fern on the doorstep and painting over the dated beige walls. It was finally starting to feel like a home. Now with the holidays approaching (as reminded by the entirely too jolly Santas everywhere in town) you were excited to start new traditions in your humble home. And it started with putting twinkling lights on the house, lights currently tangled in the cardboard box you haphazardly threw them in twelve months ago. 

Threading out another knot, you give him a playful smile. “How do you know I don’t have a ladder?”

“Lucky guess?” He’s not going to admit he’s scanned and memorized nearly every inch of your garage.

The day after the moving truck came and went, you were thrilled when your first new neighbor rang your doorbell. While you had expected some middle aged woman with a plate of brownies and a plea for babysitting, you were pleasantly surprised at the man in a flight suit (Lt. Robert Floyd according to the stitching) with the striking blue eyes who stood there instead. He didn’t have brownies, but he happily gave you the lowdown on the neighborhood as you sat amongst moving boxes drinking lemonade out of paper cups. 

As the months passed, an easy friendship had developed amongst neighbors. In the morning before making his way to base, Robert would scoop up your morning paper and walk it up the seven steps to your porch. The paper boy always threw it short. And despite numerous pleas to leave it be - you didn’t mind the short walk - every morning when you went for the paper, there it sat neatly on your mat along with any misdelivered mail.

And when he wasn’t saving kittens from trees in his free time, Robert was a shining example of a great neighbor. Driving his truck for a trip to get plants at the nursery, lending his mower when yours broke in the heat of July, cleaning your gutters when the leaves fell…you shouldn’t be surprised he’s now offering up his ladder so you can enjoy your Christmas lights. Looking down at the tangled mess, you hadn’t even thought about how you were going to get them actually on the house. Nails? Did you even own nails?

Not even an hour later you’re standing on the sidewalk facing your home with a hot cup of coffee in your chilly hands. Propped up on a ladder with detangled lights in one hand - and a tool belt around his waist like your personal Mr. Fix It - Robert hums to himself as he hammers nails into the trim before wrapping the first strand of lights in place. 

You had accepted his ladder graciously, but mentioned you needed to hit the hardware store first for nails. With a nod of his head he left your garage and you continued on the lights. It was a tedious project, but rewarding once the final strand lay flat against the concrete floor. You were digging around in boxes for tools when your neighbor reappeared. He had a ladder and his tool belt, a full box of nails clutched in his large hand. Cheeks warm, you assured him you would buy your own. He let out a playful pfft.

“Nonsense. It’s Saturday, the hardware store will be packed. Consider them an early Christmas gift.”

You couldn’t help but smile. “Let me at least trade you for them? A cup of coffee?”

“Do you still have those Kona beans?” His ocean blue eyes are hopeful.

Your smile widened as you nodded. The overpriced beans you had expensively shipped every month were a favourite of the weapons systems officer. Last month you had hosted the homeowners association meeting (for the first and hopefully only time) and Robert had raved about the coffee you served. He was used to the basic stuff they made on base, his own home brewing not much better. Your coffee was the best.

When you came back to the garage after whipping up a carafe - hot mug in hand - you shouldn’t have been surprised to see your neighbor already up the ladder, deep into the project.

You holler up to him. “Robert, get down! You don’t need to do that!”

But he waves you off, insisting that he had already started and might as well finish the job. He would just drink your delicious coffee once he was done. And so you were relegated to the sidewalk to make sure everything looked straight from the street. 

From this distance you could admire him innocently. The military-issue wire frames that catch the morning sun. Broad shoulders under the neat canvas barn coat he recently replaced when the corduroy collar ripped. His strong hands shielded from the chilled wind under his workman’s gloves. Because someone like Robert Floyd follows safety precautions and owns workman’s gloves. 

At this angle you can see the slight smile on his lips as he strings lights along your porch. For the next hour you watch him put up lights, him occasionally turning back and asking you how they look.

“Are you sure they’re straight?” You promise him they are, but he meticulously checks his work anyway. He wants your house to look perfect. 

The wind has tinged both your cheeks a deep pink and the cold is starting to seep through boots. Robert has nailed the last of your lights to the trim and deemed them faultless. He comes down the ladder and walks to stand beside you to admire his handiwork. Hands on hips - with that damn tool belt still astride his waist - he turns to you beaming at a job well done. It’s impossible not to beam back, thinking how long it would have taken you to do even a job half as good.

“Thank you for putting up the lights. You didn’t have to, but I appreciate it.” He isn’t sure whether your cheeks are red from the cold or something else. “I’m so lucky to have you as a neighbor.”

His smile is permanently stuck at your compliment. He opens his mouth to make a joking comment about the coffee you owe him - anything for more time together - when he feels the telltale buzz in his pocket. Pulling it reluctantly out after shedding a glove, he sees it’s Phoenix and is only semi-annoyed. They have lunch plans, which he’s running late for. And while he’s sure his front seater would approve of him blowing her off for the neighbor he can’t stop talking about, he’s a better friend than that.

Turning back to you, where you’re enjoying your freshly strung twinkling lights, Robert rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. “I have to head out…lunch plans. Rain check on that coffee?”

Nodding through your disappointment, you help him gather up his ladder and assure him that coffee is his whenever he wants.

The following morning you pad toward your front door, eyes bleary from a deep sleep. The house was cold and you pull your robe tighter around you. Through the glass panel in the door you can see your paper on the mat, as always, ready for you to consume over coffee and toast. As you open the oak door and scurry to shut it with the paper secured, something - or rather someone - catches your eye. 

Robert stands in the doorway of his own bungalow, calmly watching the neighborhood. The thick fair isle sweater covering his wide shoulders looks incredibly cozy, and he nurses a mug between both hands. He exists in that moment without worry, and you’re envious. 

His placid expression is broken when he feels your eyes, turning his head to see you, bedhead and newspaper clutched in your fist. His lips turn in a warm smile and he raises one hand in a slow, friendly wave. Your heart flutters, utterly taken away with how surely he carries himself, how sweetly he treats others. An emotion quickly squashed when you realize you are still standing in a bathrobe and knobby socks, flying back inside and shutting the door with heated cheeks. 

As you go about working on your Sunday chores, you keep picturing Robert’s face, that small happy smile you can’t get out of your head.

Later that night, after hours of tossing and turning in the sheets unable to find peace, you finally trudge down the hall into the living room, settling under blankets on the plush couch with a cup of chamomile. You’ve lost details of the plot of the movie you started, brain racing as your fingers fidget with the mug. 

The faint trill of your phone on the coffee table breaks you from your thoughts.

“Hello?”

“Hi. It’s Bo-Robert…from next door?” You yawn a hello while checking the clock. It was nearly one in the morning. “I just wanted to check if everything was alright? Noticed your lights were on.” 

A warm feeling spreads through your chest at his concern. Picturing him peering out his kitchen window with the striped cotton curtains, filling up his own kettle, distressed that your house lights were on so late. You’d like to think he wore tartan pajamas, neatly buttoned. Those would suit him. 

You settle back into the cushions as you reply. “Everything’s fine. Just couldn’t sleep.”

His thoughtful nod can practically be heard through the phone.

“Better question is, what are you doing up so late?” 

The whistle and clink of boiling water and china crash over the line. A sigh pulled from his lips before responding. “I was going to make myself a cup of tea while I finished some reports, but appears that I am out.”

You glance down at your own mug of tea. It’s late, but not that late.

“What kind of tea do you like?” He muses on about his lack of preference - an equal opportunity tea lover - before admitting he was looking forward to a cup of peppermint. You make your way to the kitchen, phone pressed to your ear as you both open your cupboards. Your voice feels small as you offer, “I think I might have some.”

A silence lingers on the line. An unspoken late night implication that neither of you knows what to make of it. Your fingers flip through boxes of tea that take up too much cupboard space. Pomegranate, green, oolong. You don’t even drink tea that often. But right as you think you have too many white teas, you see the striped box of peppermint tea, one lone bag waiting for its turn.

You empty the box and walk to the window in your kitchen, where you can see the faint light on through his curtains. You clear your throat. “Look out your kitchen window.”

To your disappointment, Robert does not wear tartan pajamas to sleep. Although you are delighted to see his shirtless chest, defined from years of Navy training. He waves at you through your respective kitchen windows, holding up his mug of hot water. You lift up the tea bag, and his face splits into a toothy smile.

Before you can offer to bring it to him, he’s already turning toward his front door, speaking into the phone, “I’ll be over, just a minute. Need to find my coat.”

By the time there’s a soft knock on the door, you’ve turned on the kettle and gotten a fresh mug for him. You open the door, greeted by the tip of his nose and ears a merry red, the cold kissing his features. He’s been outside all of a minute. You usher your neighbor in, watching him observe how you’ve put up garlands and festive knickknacks in the entry since his last visit.

He slips off his boots, bare feet settling on the cold hardwood, and fingers the collar of his canvas barn coat. In his rush to come over he’d thrown his coat on forgetting his bare chest. It feels obnoxious to be half naked in your home, so he keeps his coat on and follows you to the kitchen. 

“Peppermint still good?” You tease, the packet of tea leaves in your hand. He nods, slightly distracted by how cozy you look in your soft loungewear and the robe from this morning. Dunking the bag into the hot water, you search for a topic to pass the steeping time. But when you turn to talk to him, words catch in your throat because he’s right there.

Eyes so blue the sky is jealous. Shy smile so friendly it warms the room. Your thoughts dirtily flit to the tool belt around his waist on the ladder, fingers adeptly wielding a hammer. Fingers that brush yours in the proximity. He’s so close and your brain blanks as bodies simultaneously take action.

Your mouths find each other effortlessly, bodies pressing together as if they know the moves the two of you were just figuring out. The low-lying tension building for the past year breaking the surface as the dark of the house gives you both the bravery needed. His hands are cold as they find your waist, your hands too warm on his chilled jaw.

His mouth is all soft lips and hard pressure, the faint hint of toothpaste in his taste. It’s exactly as you imagined, but better.

Lips become more desperate the longer you connect, your back suddenly against the counter as he presses into you. This moment has been building since he’d watched you first walk up the front steps with that too big moving box. A hand slips into his sun-bleached locks he always has so perfectly combed. He moans into your mouth, a sinful noise in the quiet kitchen. 

Before sense can interrupt, you’re reaching for the zipper of his coat, revealing every inch of his toned pale chest as the zipper slowly comes down. You slide a hand over the skin, a low gasp slipping out at the strong muscle. You’ve been attracted to his mind for so long, it feels unfair his body should be attractive too.

He shrugs out of the barn coat and follows you to the lowly lit living room, where the couch is softer on your back than the counter edge. Sitting side by side, knees knocking, he’s more hesitant to touch you in this context. Despite his body screaming to explore every inch of his pretty neighbor’s mind and body, he knows he’s basically barged into your home and immediately stuck his tongue in your sweet mouth. You get to set the pace. 

“This okay?” His hand encompasses your knee, thumb rubbing smoothly through the fabric. You nod, tilting your head toward him to continue kissing. He’s warmed up now, your home and body bringing him to temperature. Robert smiles into your kiss. You can’t get enough of him, wanting to consume him fully. He’s delicate with you in the most delicious of ways; gentle kisses pressed to your soft lips before sliding his tongue across to politely ask for access.

Your mouth can’t open fast enough.

You place you hand on his hip, enjoying the warm skin and lean muscle beneath your fingertips. Groaning lightly into your mouth, he blindly reaches for your hips to bring you into his lap. His tongue takes its time to taste you, learn every intricacy of your flavor. Administration so thorough your eyes roll back in your head. The sounds escaping you music in the darkened room.

Fingers dance across skin, finding purchase on thighs, shoulders, chests. You can’t get close enough to him, resting one hand on the back of his neck as your swollen lips press harder to his. Robert loves the way your thighs straddle him as he leans against the couch cushions, his warm, large hands along your back bringing you closer to him. Your sharp inhale as one hand toys with the waistband of your lounge pants.

When his lips trail down your neck, praising the delicate skin, you can’t hold back your declaration any longer. “I…I’ve wanted this for a while.”

His lips pause, brow furrowed. “This?”

“You.”

That gratified smile will forever be imprinted along your neck. “I’ve wanted you since the day you moved in.”

The whimpers that rip through you when he nips the thin skin behind your ear have him grabbing your chin and swallowing your sounds. Reveling in the shared passion you’ve both had simmering beneath the surface. Can’t help his hips rutting up into yours, glorious friction he’s been craving satisfied. You giggle through a moan against his lips.

“So, we could have been doing this all year long? What a shame, lieutenant.” 

You ground down in his lap, running your own tongue along his lips and savoring his taste. Thoughts of what he tastes like after his peppermint tea have you wrapping your arms tighter around his bare shoulders. Behind his head, outside the window, the faint glow of the Christmas lights he strung up shines in the winter night. How did you find this perfect man, and how is he your neighbor?

You express your gratitude for him with your mouth along his jaw, licking along the skin while he deliciously whimpers in your ear.You can only take so much before you’re sealing your lips over his again, inhaling his every breath.

As lips finally reach exhaustion - brains well past tired as the clock strikes a new hour - Robert and you pull apart with content smiles. Already cold without his warmth, you immediately lean back into him. He’s practically a furnace now under your ministrations. Unspoken words pass between as you invite him to sleep on your couch with you. A throw blanket produced from the nearby chair as the two of you tangle your limbs. There’s something comforting in the way he rests your head upon his arm, your knee upon his thigh. Again, it’s like your bodies know the actions like they’ve been waiting for you to finally figure them out.

You’ve just settled your head upon his warm chest when a thought strikes you, prompting you to lean up to look at those sleepy cerulean eyes. The small curious smile he gives you melting your heart.

“Did you still want your tea?” 

He shakes his head with a chuckle, using the last of his energy to tuck the blanket tighter around your body. “It’s okay. I got what I really wanted.”

Your heart feels two sizes too big as he presses a kiss to your temple before sleep takes you both. 

When the winter sunrise streams through your curtains the next morning, you refuse to get up. Perfectly warm wrapped up in the thin throw and your neighbor’s arms, you are purely too content. When Robert blinks open his eyes and gazes at your face, he sees the same placid smile he wore the morning before. The same one he’s had since you moved in next door. 

Despite both being all too happy to remain entangled on the couch, sharing small kisses on any skin within reach, the responsibilities of Monday morning dawn and you must get up. Reluctantly you release him, watching him fold the throw neatly upon the sofa arm before helping you stand. Warmth blossoms down your spine the more you’re in Robert’s presence, the little things he does meaning so much to you. Especially as he strides through your home shirtless, musing about the whereabouts of his coat on the kitchen floor.

Your eyes flit to the cold mug of abandoned peppermint tea as you offer him coffee. But he’s intent on getting home for his flight suit, the drive to base longer than he’d like. Of course, he would ideally spend the morning drinking your expensive delicious coffee and listen to you go on about the neighbors down the street with the atrocious holiday decorations. If you’d let him, he would spend every morning like that for the rest of time. But his admiral would put him in drills all week if he was any later.

You walk him to the door, robe pulled tight across your chest to keep out the cold. He’s pulled on his boots for the short walk and wraps his arms around you in an intimate embrace, disappointed this perfect night must come to an end. You bury your nose in his jacket-covered chest to enjoy the last of his herbal and citrus scent, hands reluctantly slipping from his middle. He turns to leave and both your hearts pang.

When Robert reaches the end of your path, he bends down and picks up the paper, thrown too short as always. He turns around and retraces his steps, walking back up the steps and straight up to where you reside in the doorway still. Fingers brush as he hands you the newspaper, saving you the walk as he always does. Only this morning he tips his head to press a kiss to your lips.

You’re already adding peppermint tea to your shopping list as you walk back into the house. Just for him.

see what antics happen at the next HOA meeting

taglist: @callsign-mongoose

[alwaysaslutforfic]

Daichi Headcanons ❤️ - NSFW

Here he is! The man the myth the legend 🥰

Written in his memory 😔 RIP Daichi

Warnings: mentions of daddy kink, choking, and various position but nothing super explicit

Minors are not allowed to interact and stay out of the cut! Minors DNI!!

I murdered my beta’s like Tanaka murdered Daichi

Check out my headcanons for Tsukki and Kyoutani

Sexy driver pt2. One hand on the wheel, the other holding yours. Just watching his arms flex as he changes gears is enough to have you flustered. Always opens your door for you and helps you get in. Let’s you pick the music and pulls over if you want takeout

Concedes the aux cord but has pretty good taste in music. Prefers more mellow sounds. Indie, jazz, soft rock. He takes you to local shows as dates and will either watch you dance, or hold you close to slow jams. FestivalDaichi! is a new man. Get him drunk and he gets handsy. (Drunk kisses 🤤)

Just loves to spend time with you. The best day out partner. Breakfast at a cafe in the morning, holds your bags and your hand. He doesn't complain if you wanna try on clothes or shoes or browse games, he’s just genuinely happy to be there

A handyman. Owns a tool belt that you bought him and looks damn good in it too. Puts up shelves, fixes sinks, cleans gutters, mows lawns. And if it’s summer, then you have a shirtless handyman to boot. (Note to self: handman Daichi 😌)

Speaking of shirtless Daichi, because of his rota at the firestation (hashtag: FiremanDaichiForLife) he prefers to workout at home. He works out in the garden when it’s warm, and in the living room when it’s cooler. Either way, you have a free show at least twice a week. He will let you sit on his back while he does push ups, or hold you while he squats

Will indulge all your couple tiktok challenges with a sheepish grin, and fondness in your eyes. The comments are full of ‘get you a man who looks at you like that’

This man is romantic. I’m talking candlelit dinner, flowers for no reason, surprise lunch at your workplace. He’s just a modern, old-fashioned man who treats you like a treasure

The king of soft intimacy. Cooking together. Baths together. Wine and candles in your living room. Cuddles, cuddles, cuddles. Play with his hair and you risk just putting him straight to sleep, but who can resist the world’s best weighted blanket.

Daichi is forever your personal cheerleader. He supports all your choices, dreams, and goals. He’ll give you advice, or talk through anything you’re hesitant on. Even if they’re whimsical. You wanna start dance classes. He’ll go to any recital. You decide to switch to marathon running, he’ll be there with a sign and a gallon of water. Cosplay, chocolate making, fanfiction 😉. He doesn’t care, as long as you’re happy

Call. Him. Daddy. And let him fuck you into the mattress or kitchen table, or sofa, or floor as a result

I touched on this briefly once, but choke him. You are Not in charge, but he just loves the feeling of your hand on his throat. The flutter of your fingers as he makes you cum

An ass man through and through. At this point his fingerprints are embedded in your ass cheeks from the way he grips them. Doggy; he’s spanking you. Missionary; he’s using your ass as leverage. Riding him; better believe he’s squeezing it as he makes you bounce harder.

Speaking of handy men, he has big hands and puts them to good use. Sits you on his lap and fingers you until he thinks you’re ready

Thick thighs save lives, and Daichi wants you to ride his. He’ll lick your nipples while you do, and basks in the mess you make on his thighs as a result (clearly my thoughts revolve around sitting in his lap and having a great time)

Without fail, will pull them panties to the side. Even on days when you have time to get naked. Loves the way you look in lingerie and loves the way you soak the fabric when he makes you cum

Daichi just make brain go brrr. Nothing but respect for my husband captain

[genuine-wrestleboy]

is there...a touchstarved fic coming?

IT'S COMING I PROMISE it's a little mechanophilic rn is that a turn off for anyone? idk please have a snippet i love you for waiting

“They hired me to fix you,” you add, like that might sway its decision. “We met once. I don't know if you remember.”

The animatronic stares without speaking, and you get the impression of narrowed eyes, a thoughtful frown. A flock of late-migrating birds goes by outside, calling mournfully into the brisk morning air. The animatronic perks up at the sound, then shakes itself violently and jabs a finger at the back of its head.

“Get it out.” Its voice is stone on stone, grinding and guttering, and silly though the sentiment may be, you can't help but think that it sounds painful.

“Okay,” you say amiably. At this point you wouldn't be surprised if the animatronic had some way to troubleshoot its own systems, but it seems best practice to see what's going on for yourself before you start pulling things loose.

While you get your tools, the animatronic lowers itself stiffly to its knees. You feel its eyes follow you, heavy as a human gaze, and something about it puts flushed heat up the back of your collar. There's that inchoate sense of appraisal again, like it knows something you don't and is waiting, amused, to see whether or not you figure it out.

“Alright, I'm going to touch you now.” You feel a little silly for the warning, but you figure it doesn't hurt to be polite.

Its response comes slowly, as though it has to think about it. “Very well.”

Even still, when you start exploring, it freezes, so quickly that you worry that something in the long-neglected mechanics must've finally shorted out.

“Shit, everything alright?”

“Just do it,” says the animatronic tightly, and then lets out a staticky, startled sound when you touch it again that makes you very glad it can't see your expression. It's not a moan, because you wouldn't know what to physically do with yourself if you had to deal with the implications of that, but the sounds share a border so close that they could rub off on one another, like wet paint.

It feels like every nerve in your body has migrated to your hands as you search for a seam in the matted fur. Fine, ashy grit collects in the whorls of your fingerprints, staining them a waxy grey.

“We should really get you cleaned up after this,” you say, just to say it.

The comment is met by the pinched, metallic sound of old fans scraping into agonized motion. A new rush of urgency tenses your muscles. Care and deliberation are all well and good, but you don't exactly trust the efficacy of the cooling system after all this time, and none of it will do you any good if everything's too hot to touch by the time you find your way in. Adrenaline urges you along, and you feel a surge of triumph when your searching fingers close on the hidden pull of a zipper. Age and grime stick the teeth fast together; you worry at it while trying desperately not to break it. When the fur finally peels apart, it does so with the stiff, reluctant cling of an unripe orange.

Underneath, the metal is greasy black and tacky to the touch. Thick dark liquid coagulates in a shallow divot the size of your smallest fingernail, sucks at the pad of your thumb when you move to swipe it aside. 

“Let me know if this—” you begin, then falter. If this hurts, you were going to say. Over the animatronic's shoulder, you can see its fingers claw against its thighs. You clear your throat awkwardly, suddenly too aware of your own fingers, the metal heating steadily beneath them. “—if anything feels wrong,” you finish lamely.

The animatronic grunts noncommittally. As carefully as if it were made of porcelain, you press the tip of your screwdriver experimentally under the divot's hidden lip. Slow, careful pressure—a small hatch pries stickily upwards, and excitement flares in your chest. It's tempered only a little by the smell that follows, a burst of wet, cloying rot that thrusts through your sinuses and lays itself in your mouth like a sluggy second tongue. You don't gag, but it's a near thing. 

“There we go,” you say, a little nasal, “that's not so bad, right? Oh, look at you, you're gorgeous.”

Visible now under the hatch is a snakes’ nest of wires, blue and red and black, their insulating skins shedding to reveal gleams of greening copper so expertly soldered that you can still make out every path between the joints. The patterns are alien to you, though, unlike any of the machines you've worked on before, as though whoever was responsible for this one was making it up as they went along. It's fascinating in its novelty and exhilarating in its sheer blunt competence. 

How had the creator managed it, to make an animatronic that was still capable of such complex operation after, if what your now former boss was to be believed, thirty years of inactivity? There must be redundancies built into the design to preserve functionality in case of damage, but the fact that they're still effective is astonishing. It makes you want to do something embarrassing, like lean forward and kiss it. If it weren't for the awareness of your impatiently shifting audience, you probably would.

Instead, you focus on the captivating puzzle in front of you, sorting gingerly through the wires with reverent, gloved fingers. They part readily under your touch, slick with more of that dark, acrid liquid, though by now you’re starting to get used to the smell. A rigid tension seizes the animatronic's shoulders, as though it were stopping itself from moving away. The fans in its chest whir and screech.

“Hanging in there?” you ask.

“Don't coddle me,” it bites out, and you laugh before you can stop yourself.

“Who's coddling? I just wanna make sure I'm not touching anything I shouldn't.”

As you speak, you slide a fingernail between two wires, teasing them apart with a soft shlick. Sitting beneath them, top left like a postage stamp, is a battered chip of purple plastic. Corrosion bleeds from its edges in crystalline gobs and fans out in feathery white veins, caustic mechanical mold. Where it meets metal, rubbery ribbons of sealant curl away to bare the fragile circuitry below. You let out a short, appraising breath between your teeth. 

It looks—to use a technical term—bad, but you know better than to mess with anything when you still don't know what it does. You hover a fingertip over the chip, testing for heat. You expect it—a functional heat, at least, enough to confirm that it's still doing what it's meant to, whatever that is. What you don't expect is the chill. It's like the chip is carved from ice, radiating a cold well below the air around it. The unexpected sensation gets a gasp out of you, prickling up your arms in gooseflesh that feels like nails raked lightly along your skin. 

Heat rises into your face, and sinks into your belly. Humiliation nips at its heels.

“There's a chip here,” you blurt, your own silence taking on uncomfortable weight. “D'you know what it's for?”

It's a long shot, but your aim proves true.

“Yes,” says the animatronic, sounding pleased.

[solradguy]

SOL RADGUY SCANNING GUIDE

Covers:

What you need to scan a book.

How to do it.

How to do it better.

What to do now that it's scanned.

This is a long post with images.

WHAT YOU NEED //

A scanner.

I use an Epson Perfection v39. It's old but it was affordable (~us$60 in 2016 money) and it's reliable. You need something that can scan in color, greyscale, and black & white modes at 300 DPI. DPI (Dots Per Inch) is the resolution the scanner outputs the scan in. Anything over 300 DPI for art/comic scans is a little overkill, imo. However, if you're planning on printing physical copies of your scans, consider scanning them in at 600 DPI for something around printer paper sized, or 1200 DPI for posters. These files will balloon in size considerably with the increase in DPI. It may be worth it buying an extra hard drive just for managing work in progress scan files if your computer's local hard drive is smaller than 500gb.

Black construction paper.

Construction paper that's black. Put this behind the page you're scanning and it prevents page bleed through. More on how this is used below.

Masking tape.

Not really necessary, but useful for mapping out the ideal scanning area on your scanning bed. Speeds things up.

Art/photo manipulation program.

I use Clip Studio Paint EX ver. 2.0 and Photoshop CS5. Your program should have a clone tool and basic image manipulation such as cropping and rotating. Free alternatives are GIMP and Photopea.

OPTIONAL:

White inspection gloves.

These are thin cotton gloves used to handle sensitive things such as historical photos, coins, and old books. Highly recommend investing in a cheap pack if your book has glossy pages. Don't have to worry about cleaning up greasy fingerprints in post with these on.

Bone folder.

This is a flat plastic (bone, historically) stick used to crease pages in book-making. I find having one is useful for carefully pushing pages flatter to get cleaner scans. If your book has tense binding this tool might prove useful.

Heat gun, hair dryer, or a stovetop + big skillet.

Tools for de-binding books in order of most to least useful. I use a heat gun. More on how these are used two sections down.

X-acto knife.

For skinning. It's sharp, it's a knife.

Non-abrasive document cleaning pad.

If you buy a book with glossy pages that's greasy as hell consider picking one of these up. It's a fabric pouch full of a soft powder that gently picks up and removes dirt and oils from paper. I've got one by Lineco and used it on the Dengeki PlayStation magazine scans. Some art stores will carry these but I had to buy mine online.

HOW TO DO IT //

Remove the dustjacket, obi (informational band around the book), and any other loose materials inside of the book (mark what pages those materials were found on). Clean the pages as best as you can with the doc. cleaning pad or just wiping it down gently with a dry paper towel, then get your black construction paper and stick it behind the page that's going to be scanned. If your book is really big, remove the lid on your scanner. It's only going to get in the way.

Try to put as much pressure on the spine as you safely can and hold down the parts your hand can't reach with something heavy-ish. I usually use this paint water jar. Scan in PNG or TIFF format at 300 DPI. For art books and manga use either the color or greyscale modes. Raw text (novels, etc) benefits from the black & white mode.

Here's the raw scan:

Artworks of Guilty Gear X 2000-2007 scans very nicely despite being perfect bound (bound with glue) and rather stiff, but it's still an old book and has some minor damage that will need cleaned up in post later, as well as any dust that I missed cleaning off my scanner bed beforehand. The gutter is on the left. Note the black specks of dust in the right corner and in the big white area, and how you can't see any of the image printed on the other side of this page due to the black construction paper preventing bleed through:

HOW TO DO IT BETTER //

SKINNING BOOKS. A scary thought... But sometimes necessary. Manga volumes have really tight binding that makes them almost impossible to get clean scans of in a traditional flat scanner bed.

You will need either a heat gun, hairdryer, or a big skillet and a stovetop for this part. I use a heat gun. Warm the spine of the book CAREFULLY over the heat gun while gently pulling back on the cover until it pops free from the glue. A hairdryer will be used the same way as a heat gun, just slower. Turn it to the hottest setting.

For the skillet method, heat it up until it's just a little too hot to touch (BE CAREFUL; don't actually touch the skillet with your bare hand). Then hold the book spine-down on the skillet and peel the cover off that way. This method can burn your book very easy because it's harder to gauge how hot the skillet is. Take your time.

Now that the cover is off, use the same method to remove the pages one by one. Make sure to keep them in the right order. Sometimes there will be a thick glob of binding glue that can be sliced off with the X-acto knife. Watch your fingers.

Scanning loose pages is mindlessly easy and there're ways to make it even more mindless. Tape black paper to the top of your scanner lid and use masking tape to mark where exactly on the bed to put the pages so you can get them all in about the same spot. Makes lining them up later in the digital cleanup stage a piece of piss. Don't be a fool and think to use regular tape or duct tape. Cleaning adhesive off glass is a nightmare.

Time to put on some Zeppelin and zone out for about an hour. Remember your page order.

My setup and the raw scan:

I number my pages how they are in the book with the cover, obi, and inside cover flaps usually being zeroes with a letter following it ("00a-dustjacket-FRONT, 00b-dustjacket-BACK, etc":

Your art program should load in the file as a layer with the file name. Load in about 10 to 20 at a time (if your computer can handle it), line them up, clean the dust, adjust colors, sharpen image, then save them in a new folder separate from the raws. Use the clone tool to clean up dust. If you sharpen the image, remember that less is more.

WHAT TO DO NOW THAT IT'S SCANNED //

Upload it. I put all my (non-doujinshi) scans on Archive.org and include a .PDF of the scanned book with smaller resized pages and a .ZIP of the full size pages as loose files. This is optional, don't feel obligated to do both because it really adds a lot of extra work saving the files in two different sizes. Having the full size files is more valuable than a compressed .PDF, though, if you're unsure about which to go with.

For smaller files (<25mb total as a .PDF or .ZIP) you could put them on Neocities too. Neocities doesn't really like the idea of people using their site as a file sharing host so while I don't really recommend using just Neocities, it's definitely something you could do if coding a website sounds fun to you. Here's the archives page on my NC site for an example of how you could code/organize your own archive, if you wanted: solradguy.neocities.org/archives

If you scan something and wanna get more eyes on it, feel free to slap my @ somewhere on the post or you can email it to me (junkyarddogmkii [at] gmail [dot] com ) and I can reblog it and share it with the lore server crew.

Here's a link to the Guilty Gear scans masterpost: https://solradguy.tumblr.com/post/701138089295364096/comprehensive-guide-to-unofficial-guilty-gear

[billthedrake]

BIG DADDY (PART NINE)

Mark came over that weekend to help me clean the gutters. At least that was the pretext. Of course he came over to fuck his daughter.

It wasn't every time we all three ended up in my bed, or even close. But it was happening more and that day Mark and I kissed and made out with Cheryl side by side, each taking duty on one of her tits, sucking and licking before we made our way down. It was like a playful competition, taking turns, seeing who could give my wife the most pleasure by eating her pussy. Big Daddy had the advantage of being her father, and every bit of taboo thrill with that. I had the advantage of being better at eating cunt. We'll call it a draw.

I continued to eat her out while Mark knelt up and offered his thick paternal cock. I heard her moan as she took him into her mouth. The combo drove her wild and pretty soon my tongue was giving her a major orgasm. I gave another swipe of my tongue along her trimmed pussy lips and leaned. I could have taken her there, but I wanted some of what Big Daddy was getting.

Mark smirked as I made my way to kneel beside him, clearly offering my hardon for service. "You want some, Brennan?" he teased.

I nodded. "Fuck yes," and like that I watched Mark's thick fingers curl in Cheryl's long soft hair and nudge her off his cock, caressing her locks a couple of seconds as they made eye contact. God, their connection was fucked up, but so hot to watch. I imagined my wife doing this for all these years.

Then she turned to me. "Horny, Nick?"

"You know it, babe," I growled in a tone that suggested I was more keyed up than I was letting on. Particularly as I felt Mark's free hand on the small of my back. Bryant was a touchy-feely man, and the physical contact sent jolts of electricity to my prick, especially once Cherly started going down on me.

Cheryl was in bona fide heat. Daddy and I passed her back and forth between us, keeping eye contact mostly on her porn-slut blowjobs but also connecting man to man in the process.

Finally, Mark pulled her off his bone gently. "Daddy's gotta be inside ya, baby doll."

Cheryl almost pounced up to meet him in a kiss, her fingernails pressing against her father's hard plate-like pecs.

"I take it that's a yes, Princess?" Mark chuckled lewdly.

"Hmm hm, yes, Daddy," my wife cooed in his embrace. His hand was no longer on my back but hers, working over the round curve of her ass. Cheryl had always had a smoking hot body, but the post-pregnancy weight filled her out in all the best ways. I didn't have to ask Mark Bryant if he agreed. His grabby hands told the answer.

They kissed, Frenching open mouthed as Mark pulled her more petite body back onto his burly build. I realized that I'd normally witnessed Mark fucking missionary or doggie, but this was an exciting change of pace to see Cheryl grind her privates against the big man' crotch as they made out. Then Mark grip his daughter's slim waist to pull her up and line that pussy up with his massive tool.

My prick spurted out a heavy dose of precum at that first penetration. Their private father-daughter ritual that I was privy to now. They fucked slow but deep, Cheryl pivoting her hips to sink further on Mark's prick with each stroke.

She now sat up fully, feeling the depth of penetration as Mark's hands gripped Cheryl's full boobies, which had swollen lately. It was all amazing to watch, even the way Cheryl's body pressed some against her dad's beer belly, which had grown some lately too. I was almost content to sit back and watch the incest mating in action.

Almost, but not quite.

I grabbed some lube from the bedside table, and started slathering a lot on. Now that Cheryl was back in her nympho phase, she had been letting me sodomize her more lately. ANd as worked up as Big Daddy was getting her, I realized I was gonna get a bucket list chance now.

I positioned myself behind her, between Mark's thick legs, and reached into the cleft of her ass.

"Oh yes, Baby..." Cheryl gasped as my finger touched her rosebud and began lubing up. Gently probing her ring.

It took Mark a little longer to realize what was going on but I heard his loud growl. "You coming in, too, Brennan?"

I didn't answer him in words. Instead I lined up my rock hard prick and pushed.

It took a little work, but not much. I held Cheryl still for the penetration as Daddy watched and growled his encouragement.

"Take Nick's cock, Baby Doll," he cooed as he stroked his daughter's hair and gave her a soft, tongue heavy kiss. I wanted to hold off cumming, so I concentrated on thinking about work stuff for a bit, till I felt a more normal fuck pace.

That is, until Big Daddy scooted beneath pile drove that fat, heavy cock up into her cunt.

"Yes!" my wife cried. It was her first time taking two dicks at once, and I realized it was my first time with this experience. Fucking Cheryl from behind while Mark did her from the front. It was incredibly hot, but the thing that got me to cum was Mark's strong hands. No longer feeling up his daughter's tits, they were on my arms now, them my hips, feeling my muscle. Feeling me up.

I nutted hard, and I heard both Mark and Cheryl cum in rapid succession. It was wild.

We were messy and sweaty when we finally parted. I showered off and left them in bed for some one-on-one time. I mean, someone had to clean the goddamn gutters.

Still, as I slipped on my briefs, I couldn't help but see Big Daddy's eyes on my fat softening dong.

****

A lot can change in four years.

In the words of my buddy Kevin, I was "all Texas and shit." Turns out he was too, now, or at least on his way.

Mark Bryant was still the titular head of RC Pool Supply, but in every meaningful way I was running the business day to day, while Mark was taking a soft landing into his early retirement.

I started taking Cheryl and Iris to the Jersey Shore for two weeks in the summer. Just us. I needed a break from the Bryant family sometimes.

My bond with Dan Bryant became less of an open secret. I'd go over frequently to Dan's after work and we'd go to the guest room to fuck and just spend some brother-to-brother time, alone and naked together. Courtney knew what was up, and she now knew Dan needed it. My dick - but my love, too. Dan made sure to be the stand up husband to Court in every other way.

And yeah, I may have fucked Courtney on the side, from time to time.

And while I still would suck Big Daddy, it was less an act of asserting his authority and now something else.

Like this weekend. Another guy's weekend, this time at a golf resort out west. Dan couldn't make it, so it was just me and Mark, which was good. It let me have some father-in-law time and for us men to talk business. Mark Bryant was all about mixing business with pleasure. I guess I was, too.

That first night I fucking made love to that big giant dong. I had no shame in doing so, it was hot. Taking that meaty thickness into my mouth and letting my throat relax to just go for it. Mark loved the contrast between the way I did it and Cheryl, or Dan, or the secretary sluts he banged. It took him no longer than two minutes of my excited head for the big man to growl and fire off with a heavy load. He kept it hard and I slowly sucked him a second time. The gruff dude was almost romantic as I worshipped his cock, stroking my hair and saying he was glad to have such a hot son in law. By the time I finally stroked off, it was an intense load.

The next day was an afternoon round of golf. I played great, and Mark grumbled at each lousy shot he made. "If I wanted a good golf player, I would have brought Dan instead," he teased. Dan Bryant was only good at two things in life: taking cock and playing golf. But that meant he was really fucking good at both. OK, begrudgingly, I'll say my brother-in-law is a good salesman, too.

Mark and I were in a better mood after dinner and a couple of drinks. We had a cabin-like suite at the resort and the weather was nice, warm but dry. Big Daddy had something on his mind, I knew.

"What's your price, Brennan?" he finally asked as we sipped some top-shelf boubon.

"Price for what?" I asked.

He looked me in the eye. "Your ass. How much would I have to pay you to fuck that lacrosse jock ass of yours?" He was a little tipsy but I could tell he'd been thinking about this. I didn't know how much of it was a power trip and how much was really wanting to nail me. I knew it was some of both.

"What makes you think I'd let you?" I replied. I wasn't pissed off, more intrigued. Still, I'd never taken dick, not that way, and I wasn't about to start.

Big Daddy seemed unfazed. He leaned back, his girthy meaty body looking more imposing in its stance. "Like I say, every man has his price."

I leaned back myself, in a classic manspread position. I was actually chubbing up. Something about this power play had me going. "How bout this, Mark? You write down what you're offering, and I'll write down what I'd be willing to accept. And we can see how close they are."

That got a wide grin out of the big man. He stood up and strutted over to find a notepad and pen at the hotel room desk. I could see he was throwing hard, at least half hard, that big dong looking formidable in his golf shorts.

He ripped out a piece of paper and handed it to me. "Don't play hardball, Brennan," he smirked. He quickly wrote down a number and handed me the pen as he folded the paper. "This is a damn good offer," he said proudly as he placed the folded paper on the table.

I quickly wrote down on mine and we switched. I opened his first. He'd written down a large figure. Mid five digits.

I think he thought I'd be impressed. Or shocked. Or something. Instead I nodded to him to open my folded paper. I knew what he was reading: "I fuck your ass - first."

"Jesus," he growled, looking up at me. "What the fuck?"

"You said every man has his price," I explained. "That includes you, Daddy."

"You like being a wise ass?" he asked me, his eyes twinkling some. He'd put on even a little more girth the last year or so, and for some reason I found that attractive.

I spread my legs a little more. "I just don't like being taken for granted," I replied.

We stared at each other. It felt like an eternity but was probably just a half minute. "Fuck," Mark growled. "My princess picked out a hard bargainer, all right."

I felt a vibe between us. It was the last thing I'd ever expect to happen with Mark Bryant, but maybe it was gonna. "We actually doing this Big Daddy?"

He gulped. "Counter proposal... I go first."

I shook my head. "Un unh," I said. "My terms, Daddy." Somehow it felt perverse to call him Daddy now.

"You're really insisting ongoing first, Brennan?"

The man had a lot of pride on the line. I wasn't gonna let him keep it. "Sure as fuck am." I said. "I fuck you tonight. You fuck me tomorrow. Same positions."

He blushed red. I think the alcohol was helping him even consider this. "Damn, I want in your ass so bad, stud... you know that, right?"

I grinned. "Yep. I do." I stood up, my boner evident in my shorts. "Come on, Big Daddy. Let's do this... you may actually even enjoy it."

He stood up. For all of his anxiety, his fat cock was more than chubbed up, too. It was rock hard. He took one more swig of his drink and set it down.

The sexual tension was ratcheting up quick as we went back to his bedroom. I stopped to get some lube from my bag and when I joined Big Daddy he was already kicking off his shoes and stood bare chested, his beefy body on full display. I followed suit quickly in stripping down, which seemed to thrill Mark.

"You have a way of messing with my head, Brennan," he growled as he finally stripped naked and got in bed. I was two seconds behind him, my hands greedily reaching out to feel up that older father-in-law bulk.

"You've always gotten into mine Big Daddy," I hissed.

Our lips met. We'd kissed while double-teaming Cheryl. But Cheryl wasn't there now. It was just me and my dad-in-law, making out. Yeah, this was a power play, but it just fueled our lust and attraction. Big Daddy was pawing at my leaner body now, just as eagerly as I was gripping his.

"My baby girl picked out a winner," the man hissed, reaching down to cup my hardon. "Just don't treat my like one of your side bitches," he growled. Maybe he had his son Dan in mind.

"That wasn't part of the agreement," I joked.

Mark laughed. "Just remember you're getting payback tomorrow."

"I know, Mark," I grinned. "You nervous?" I asked after a minute.

The man nodded. "I'm not scared of much in life... but this, yeah..." As crazy as the idea of Big Daddy letting me fuck him was, the fact he was being so emotionally direct and open was a mind fuck of its own.

I patted his meaty ass. The one I'd admired and lusted after when I watched him fuck my wife. "I'll break you in easy, sir," I smiled. "On your belly, Big Daddy."

He winced in fear but did as instructed.

Goddamn, that ass was full. Some padding but lots of brawn, too. I gripped the round cheeks and pulled them apart, diving face in. I'd gotten into rimming Randy Slocum and Dan, but Mark Bryant's ass was even more munch-worthy. I licked and rooted around and played with his pucker with my tongue. Big Daddy fucking loved it, hiking his ass back to my face.

"Fuck yeah, Brennan," he hissed. "Eat me out."

I did, too. I wanted to take my time enjoying what was probably be a one-time shot. And I was 100% sure Mark Bryant was cherry. I'd take my time working him open.

Eventually I pulled back, lubed my fingers and started working him open that way. It was less immediately pleasurable to Mark, but pretty soon I had three fingers twisting in and out of that dad hole, deep. And I'll be damned if Mark wasn't hiking back against my thrusting hand.

The penetration went easier than I expected. Mark freaked out a little once my dick breached his ring, but that was a mental thing, and as I kissed along his thick neck, he relaxed back into me. It's a real fucking turn on to have a dude as big as that relax back into you, I'll tell ya. He wasn't gonna say it, but Mark Bryant was enjoying having my cock inside him.

He even enjoyed it when I started thrusting into him. Soft, steady thrusts. His body face down, I made love to his whole body, feeling him kissing his shoulder, fucking deeply into him.

I may have even told him I loved him, right before my body seized up and I had the hardest orgasm of my life. Several inches inside my father in law.

I took a second to relax and recover than I rolled off him, patting him softly and affectionately on the ass. I leaned up just a little and held up my still-rigid prick. "Your turn to come, Mark. Why don't you sit on my cock while you do?"

I was definitely pushing it, and I expected him to growl at me. Instead he had a quiet, needy expressing as he knelt up on the mattress, his own meaty prick hard and leaking. I could read it all in his face. Sexual excitement, embarrassment for having liked it too much, and the urgent need to get off. He eyed up my cum-slick dick.

"Yeah," he barked and scooted his big body over to straddle me. The man was girthy all right, and felt even more so as he settled on my lap, his belly brushing against my hard on before he moved up and reached back to guide me back into him. He hesitated.

"It's just you and me, Big Daddy. No one else," I assured him.

That's what he needed to hear to le himself go. He eased back onto me, and the entry was easy now. Mark was doing the driving now, using his weight and strength to ride my meat and stimulate his insides how he wanted it.

"Goddamn, Brennan, you got a cock on ya," he hissed as he bounced heavily up and down on me and flogged his cock. Cum spurted out of that big dong a couple of seconds before the full orgasm hit. Then it was a throaty growl and some wild bucking that nearly snapped my dick off. Big Daddy was having his first p-spot orgasm, and I was getting drenched. I watched him cum, then he reached down and used his grip on my neck to pull himself down and met up to a hot, heavy kiss. I humped excitedly, determined to get a second nut before Mark's was done. I succeeded.

We actually didn't talk after we uncoupled, but we cleaned off and made out, softly, until Mark's eyes grew heavy with the need for sleep. I started to get up and go back to my bed, but his arm reached out and gripped my forearm.

"You don't gotta go, Brennan." came his words. I nodded and eased back into Mark's bed.

***

Payback is a bitch.

Mark Bryant has a massive cock. He tried going easy, copying my own foreplay from the night before. But it stung going in, and stung getting reamed out by that monster. Still, a bet was a bet, so I clung to the bedsheets and took it. Getting my virginity fucked away by the biggest, fattest cock I could imagine, and feeling the heaviness of his body on top of my back, thrusting away. At least if I ever did this again, I'd know I'd gone full out.

The whole time Mark was telling me how much he'd looked forward to taking Big Brennan down a notch.

But a minute and a half into the ordeal, he stopped and climbed off me. I was surprised, because usually once Mark got into a fuck it never took him long to nut. I felt that slick dong slide across my ass and hip, and my ass felt like a freight train had driven through it.

The mattress sank as Big Daddy lay next to me, that massive cock still bone hard and sticking up an inch from his beer belly.

"What?" I asked, wondering what was up, or if anything was wrong.

Mark looked at me with his normal "Boss" look. "We said same positions, right?" he asked.

It sunk in. Mark wanted me to ride his cock. And more than than he wanted me to enjoy this.

I'd try. At least my ring was still loose and opened up as I straddled the big man and felt that fat lubed tool nudge back in place. Mark's cock felt scary and thrilling at the same time.

"Take your time, Brennan," the man said softly. His hands openly caressing my gym-toned thighs.

I nodded and sat back in place on him. The reentry felt full. Fuller than full. Mark Bryant was hunk like a motherfucker. But this position worked better. I could control the pace and now that he'd already reamed me from behind the switch made this feel better. I mean, it was still a challenge, but I started riding the big man slowly.

"Nice, Nick," Mark hissed, really getting into the softer vibe between us. "Ride my cock, buddy."

I did, working my ass up to take more of his pole, feeling a wild range of emotions.

Mark timed it perfectly, knowing when my insides were unclenching enough to thrust up to match my own motion.

"Oh fuck!" I hissed.

"Too much?" he asked.

I shook my head. Still in a-bets-a-bet mode. But feeling something else. "No," I answered, feeling Mark's massive dong thrust faster. "Feel good?"

"You have no fucking idea," he growled, his hips getting more urgent and his hands now running along my front, appreciating the way my tight abs and ripped body contrast to his own bulkier build.

We mated silently for a minute, then Mark spoke up again. "You know, I wish you'd been my son Nick."

It was a gut punch of a thing to say, but it fed my sexual pleasure. "I know, Daddy," I hissed back. Goddamnit, his confession was gonna get me to cum. I saw a playful leer on his face as he watched me enter orgasm, my hips having a life of their own to bounce on his dong and my fist a blur on my erection. It was a scattershot of an ejaculation, spraying all over Big Daddy's hairy body.

"Fuck yes, Nick," Mark growled and with a couple urgent thrusts of his own, I knew he was seeding me good.

I rode it out, my orgasm, and his, and felt guilty, like I'd betrayed Dan. I knew Mark had fucked me as an equal and his son would never have that.

Mark and I didn't talk about it, though. We didn't talk about much of anything until after we'd showered and dressed. And as we packed to head to catch our flight, it was normal talk about golf and R.C. Pool Supply, and if Mark's retirement meant he'd no longer have a pool of secretaries to fuck.

***

Mark and I had taken separate cars to the airport, and now I was on my way home. Sure, maybe I was speeding, but I got annoyed when I saw the cop car lights behind me. "Fuck me," I grunted, dutifully pulling over.

I expected a gentle talking to and being let off with a warning. For all intents and purposes, I was a Bryant, and the Bryants owned this town.

Indeed, I couldn't have imagined a more deferential tone in the police officer's voice as he looked in my rolled down window as he stood beside the car, 6 foot even in his uniform shoes.

"Sorry to bother you, Mr. Brennan," the man started off with an apology. He was early 40s and hot as fuck. Weathered skin, sea blue eyes, just the right amount of muscle under that poly blue material. "If you could do me a favor, could you slow it down some?"

"I can probably do that, Officer," I replied. I took another look at the man. I'd become a convert of Texas beef, but maye I was developing an appreciation when that beef was aged a little. I spoke before I thought. ".And maybe you can do me a favor." OK, my dick brain was doing the thinking now.

"What kind of favor?" the officer asked nervously. I could tell he got a sense of where this was going.

"You take it up the ass, Officer?" I asked with my best poker face. Not working up to the main event, like with Slocum. Just going right for the jugular.

He gulped and I could see those blue eyes "Not in a long time, Mr. Brennan," he almost whispered. Scared as hell.

"It's like riding a bike, Officer," I smiled. "And I know what I'm not doing... come on, man... I'm sure you know a private place we can go."

Those sea blue eyes met mine. Almost pleading for a way out. I stared back, unblinking.

Officer Friendly let out the breath he'd been holding in. He took a nervous darting look around, then turned back to me. "My partner's back in the cruiser," he grunted softly, but with that same apologetic tone.

Holy shit. I looked back and there was a rookie-looking dude in the passenger seat of the cop car. Slocum hot, and probably not six months from his time on the gridiron. But I was getting into the middle-aged cop even more. "What time you get off, Officer...?" I asked turning back.

"Officer Mitchell. Five o'clock, sir," he replied deferentially.

"Live alone?" I asked. I didn't see a wedding band.

"Yessir, Mr. Brennan. Divorced last year." That Texas accent coming thicker.

"Sorry to hear Officer Mitchell," I said with half-real sympathy.

The cop shrugged. God he was the strong silent type but had a certain vulnerability to him that gave me a bone. "It is what it is, Mr. Brennan." He then pulled out a pad and wrote his address on the paper and tore it off to hand to me.

His hand was actually shaking. "Please go easy on me, Mr. Brennan, sir."

"I will Officer," I grinned, stuffing the address in my shirt pocket.

Mitchell gave me one last look, like he wanted to suck my cock then and there. He ran his fingers along my car door where the window was rolled down. "All right... stay safe, sir.. and slow it down if you can."

"You bet," I nodded, feeling horny as fuck. Good thing 5 o'clock was only a couple hours away.

I watched Officer Mitchell strut back to the cruiser as I started up the car and set it in drive. I sped off.

In the words of my buddy Kevin, I was all Texas and shit, and I couldn't be happier.

END

[anguilliforme]

Bushfire / Wildfire preparation and survival (long post)

Because of climate change, we will be facing increasingly difficult fire seasons not just for this year, but for what I can only assume will be every year from here on out. While I fully recommend contacting your local fire services to find information most helpful to you, here is a list of general advice for bush/wildfire preparation and survival. This list will cover:

General things you should know before preparing for fire season

Pre fire season preparation

Your evacuation kit

What to do on fire risk days

What to do if you choose to evacuate

What to do when you evacuate too late and your car is about to be caught in the fire

What to do if you choose to stay and defend your home

Firefighting tools

How to defend your home from a fire

What to do as the fire front approaches

What to do if your home catches on fire while you're in it

No house no car no evacuation centre- best places to use as emergency shelter

I am Australian so I will be using the word "bushfire" because that is what I am familiar with, please feel free to replace it with wildfire or whatever your local term is. Information is taken from the CFA, Fire TAS, and the NSW rural fire service but please check with your local fire authorities for the best information for your area.

General things that you should know:

You don't have to be in the middle of nowhere to be at risk for a fire. If you are located near paddocks, grasslands, costal scrub, or if your neighbourhood borders bushland (or woodlands/forests for my non aussie friends) you can be at risk.

Familiarise yourself with your local fire danger rating system (FDRS) I can not stress this enough. Go on your local fire services website now and look it up. I will be using the Australian FDRS as a reference because it is what I am most familiar with. It looks like this:

You should understand what your local FDRS levels are, because they are extremely important tool for communicating the possible severity of fires, and can help you make important decisions on how you should act.

You should also familiarise yourself with your local wind patterns. You would be surprised by how many people die in bushfires because they are unfamiliar with wind change patterns and get caught out.

Pre fire season preparation- your house

Prepare your property! This is basic fire safety, and most people who live rural will be familiar with the motions but for those who aren't in the know:

Keep the grass in your lawn cut to 10cm (4in) or less. Rake your lawn so there aren't loose leaves or twigs in the grass. Clean your gutters while you're at it.

Store any wood piles and flammable liquids away from your house (put it in a shed or any building that isn't attached to your house).

Cut back any trees that are overhanging your roofs. Generally you want 10m (or 33ft) of clearance. Prune the lower branches of shrubs to separate them from any possible fuel underneath them.

Line your garden beds with pebbles instead of mulch, if you have any shrubs or bushes under windows get rid of them.

Evacuation kit

You should have an evacuation kit ready to go during fire season. This is different for every individual but here are a few things that should go into it:

Scan all of your important documents (birth certificates, wills, passports, drivers licences, insurance documents, etc) and put them on a USB. Put this in your kit alongside the documents.

Your medication. Your prescription paperwork if it is not digital.

Portable chargers for your devices.

A battery-operated radio (check the batteries regularly).

100% wool blankets. Enough for everybody in your household to be fully covered. Do not pack anything synthetic. These blankets need to be accessible if you are travelling by car so do not pack them in the bottom of any bags.

"Bushfire fits", clothing that is either wool, heavy cotton, or denim. Once again, no synthetic fabrics. Shoes should be leather boots and not sandals or runners. There needs to be enough to clothe everyone in your household.

If you have pets you need to have their carriers, medication, food/water and bowls ready.

You should also have food and (more importantly) water for yourself and everyone in your household ready to go should you need to evacuate.

Other pre fire season preparation things

Practice packing your car at least once so you know exactly how long it will take you to get ready if you do end up needing to leave.

Talk with your neighbours. If you can't drive they might be able to drive you, if they're staying they may be willing to help defend your house if you let them use your water. You'll never know if you don't ask.

You need to talk with the people in your household and decide whether you will stay to defend your home from the fire or evacuate. If you want to evacuate you need to agree on which FDRS danger level you will evacuate on, or what your trigger to leave will be.

If you will leave, decide ahead of time how you will leave and where you will go. In a fire, phone services ay go down; have a physical map that shows not only your main evacuation route, but also your backup ones. Have these clearly marked.

On fire risk days

Stay informed. Listen to your local radio and use more than one source of information if available. You want to know if a fire starts near you.

If you have a deck or verandah with mats or furniture on it, move them away from your house. Hanging pots need to go too.

If you have a car behind an electric gate or garage door take it out and have the car facing the road ready to go.

Ensure your evacuation kit is ready to go. Make sure that everyone is aware of the evacuation trigger and has agreed to leave.

If you choose to evacuate

Leaving early is always the safest option. Many things can be replaced, but your life can't. This is the official stance of the Australian government. Leaving early (as in, before the fire even starts) will prevent any issues being caught in your car during a bushfire can bring. You do not want to drive through heavy smoke, and you do not want to accidentally block roads for emergency services.

Make sure everybody is in their bushfire fits, even if you can't see the fire. Better safe than sorry.

Turn off your home's gas and (if you have the time) plug your downpipes and fill your gutters partially with water.

Close and lock all of your doors and windows.

Leave your front gate open.

Tell somebody that you are leaving, and where you are leaving to.

Late evacuation- my car is about to be hit by fire

If you evacuate late there is a chance you may find that you are unable to drive safely due to smoke or flames. It is considered extremely dangerous to shelter in a car, however you can do the following to increase your chances of survival:

Do not park on a road. Emergency service workers do not need to be dealing with car crashes as well as the fires.

Park your car away from dense bushland, preferably in a clear area. If you can find a rock wall to buffer some of the radiant heat even better. Face your car towards the oncoming fire.

Stay in the car, close all windows and doors. Shut all vents and turn off your engine.

Cover yourself with the wool blankets from your evacuation kit. sit or lie down below window level. Drink water.

Once the fire has passed, get out of the car and move to burnt ground.

If you choose to stay

The best way to prepare to stay for a bushfire is to have an action plan that you have both written down and practiced with your household. During a bushfire there is a high likelihood of service disruption both during and after a fire, so do not expect for there to be phone service, internet access, electricity, or water. You should expect:

Embers and spot fires which will move ahead of the main fire. Embers can also land for hours after a fire has passed. Embers are the number one cause of house fires when there is a bushfire.

Darkness. You will never truly understand how dark it can get in a bushfire until you are in it. It's darker than midnight.

Smoke will also make the air difficult to breathe. Invest in good face masks.

Local roads can be blocked from fallen trees or power lines, burnt out cars, dead animals, or emergency service vehicles.

Radiant heat. This is the biggest killer of bushfires. There is very little way around this. Long term radiant heat exposure will kill you long before the main bushfire gets to you. You can block radiant heat with solid walls (such as brick or concrete). Stay away from windows.

Your weapons in the fight against fire

You will need at a bare minimum 10,000 litres (2200 gallons) of water to defend your home. Have a petrol/diesel pump ready to use close by your water source.

In Australia you can find specialty firefighting hoses. Check your local availabilities, but you can still use a gardening hose in a pinch (be aware that plastic will melt once it gets too hot, get ones with metal fittings). Any hose you use should be able to reach all the way around your house.

Sprinklers. Ensure any plastic hoses connected to them are buried so they don't melt.

Buckets. And mops. Yes, you can whack an ember to death.

Metal rakes and shovels which will help break up burning materials.

Metal ladders so you can reach your roof.

Defending your home

If you are planning on staying to defend your home there needs to be at lease two fit adults. They both need to be physically and mentally willing to work for several hours in difficult and distressing conditions.

Everyone who stays also needs to be aware that there is a chance of dying. Survival is not guaranteed if you stay to protect your home.

Make sure you are all wearing appropriate clothing. Put on your bushfire fit. Wear eye protection and face masks to block out smoke. As funny as the picture of the bloke in his shirt and thongs standing on his roof with a hose is, it is a monumentally dangerous move.

Turn off your gas supply, air conditioners, and close all of your windows and doors facing outside.

Block your downpipes and fill your gutters with water, put wet wool blankets (or cotton towels) inside of windows and as door stops.

Check that pets are safely contained, and your car is ready to go in case of a late evacuation.

When embers appear, turn on your sprinklers.

You will need to patrol for embers, and put out any spot fires which occur. As embers float through the air, you will also need to check your roof as your home can easily be set alight from roof embers.

You will be patrolling for embers for several hours, as they can show up before, during, and after the fire front has passed.

Keep hydrated, even if you don't feel like drinking.

As the fire front approaches

You will begin to feel the radiant heat. Remember- you will need to protect yourself from this. Once the heat outside is unbearable you must retreat indoors or you will die.

Hose down any decks and/or garden beds connected to your house.

Collect your fire fighting equipment and bring them indoors. Anything plastic will melt. There are specialty fittings that will let you attach your fire fighting gear to washing machine taps to make it easier to fight fires inside your house.

Stay hydrated. Drink water, and splash your face with water to cool down.

If you are caught in your home during a bushfire

You will still need to patrol inside your home to check for embers starting fire. This includes going into your roof space, as embers enter most easily through the roof.

Make sure the room/s you are sheltering in have two exits- one to another room and one to outside your house. Keep all of the doors inside your house open.

Do not shelter in a room with frosted windows as you want to see what is going on outside.

If your house catches fire and it can't be put out

Close the door to any room that is on fire. Move away from the area/s on fire, keep low to avoid breathing in smoke. Close all doors behind you so you know not to turn back.

As soon as the main fire has passed your house get out! Please do not stay in your on fire house. Instead move to burnt ground.

Drink some water. The last thing you need is to be dehydrated.

Once the fire front has passed

Use your own judgement on whether the outside radiant heat is bearable. Remember, solid walls protect you from radiant heat, so it may be hotter outside your house. Once you can go outside, you are back on outdoor ember patrol.

Do not take your bushfire fit off. Yes, even if it is warm. You don't want bare skin in bushfire conditions.

Put out any fires that have started near or on your house.

Hose down the outside of your house, all of it including the roof and under the floorboards.

Call your friends and family. Let them know you are alive, and that the front has passed you.

Drink water. Do not die of dehydration or heat stroke now.

You will need to stay vigilant for several hours after the front has passed- embers can still start fires.

Places to shelter

If you are caught in the open with no options available to you, you can use these as a last resort shelter:

A stationary car in a clear area such as a bare field.

A ploughed paddock, field or park.

A body of water such as a river or dam.

Thats all I can think of right now. If anybody has any more information to add before this years fire season starts feel free.

[daburuwosagase]

Manga scanning: a practical example

Lately I've been getting a lot of people asking questions about how to scan and subtitle. And it's kinda hit me: there aren't a lot of visible, accessible resources for this, are there? As time winds by, the masters of these arts have moved on and vanished from the internet. So for posterity, I want to talk about my own work process. (Remember to save a backup of this post somewhere if you like it...)

Maybe someone else has already written this up better than me, but it's nice to infodump about the process regardless.

The book I'm scanning is Inazuma Eleven GO: Saikyou Senshu 100-nin Zukan. It was a magazine extra drawn by multiple artists, and to my knowledge it's never been rereleased in tankobon format. Which is a damn shame, because it's full of hilarious gags! Time to bring it back to the world. So, how do we start?

0) Tools and programs

Before anything else, ya gotta have a good, clean scanner. My actual scanning is done with a basic 11x17 flatbed scanner with 1200dpi max. Default OS scanning programs usually suck, so I always download the scanner drivers and programs from the manufacturer's site!!

Other physical requirements are a microwave and some black paper. The digital steps are all done in Photoshop and XNView.

1) Scan the cover

For scan settings, I default to 600dpi PNG. I used to scan things at 200/300dpi, and while this is quicker and more economical, it's not nearly as crisp! It can also cause some weird color banding, due to some scientific phenomenon that still confuses me! Basically, if a scan looks stripey, change the DPI. It's much better to work at higher resolutions and then shrink it down later. I don't have to fret over 100mb+ raw images anymore because I have plenty of external storage! Yippee!!

Before doing anything else, I scan the cover while it's still in the best possible condition. Obviously, opening the book too far will cause creasing near the spine.

Since my edition was a well-loved secondhand copy, there is a LOT of creasing. But I don't feel like spending 3k yen to get a mint copy that I'm just gonna rip apart anyway, so this is where Photoshop comes in!

2) Retouching cover damage

Fortunately, there isn't any color fading to deal with here. The majority of these imperfections were touched up with Content Aware Fill. It's a very powerful tool that assumes what the selected pixels *should* look like based on the surrounding pixels. Use the Lasso or Magic Wand to select the imperfections, and try to avoid selecting pixels you don't want fixed. Content Aware works best on small spots, so you kinda have to break it up by color blocks, but it's still a million times faster and way less depressing. Seriously, cleaning and typesetting let my mind wander too much.

I currently have two Actions shortcuts to make this process even faster:

1) regular Content Aware Fill

2) Expand by 5px > Content Aware Fill > Deselect

When Content Aware fails, this is when I have to go manual. Clone Stamp is my best friend ever. Carefully select a source with the Alt key, line up the dots over the touchup area (toggle Enter for better viewing), and keep brushing! This can be painstaking, but man, I love seeing and comparing the finished result.

Healing Brush is helpful when you have to clone a pattern but the color is different. It'll preserve the source pattern but adjust the lighting to match the surrounding pixels. It's a lot more finicky and will blur colors *too* much sometimes, especially near borders. This tool's really better on photographs, but it still comes in handy.

(I hear that Patch combines the functionality of these two! I wanna try it out next time...)

When Healing Brush can't blend colors well enough, using Clone Stamp in combination with Dodge (lighten) or Burn (darken), with strength adjusted accordingly, is the next best thing. Burn is GREAT on lines that aren't quite black enough! This technique works wonders when touching up gutter shadows especially. I will spend an exorbitant amount of time on retouching if it means I don't have to rip apart my nice books (that being said, it's important to really gauge whether it's worth retouching in the first place! I waste too much of my time on tiny details that nobody else cares about!!)

If being able to see the printer dots bothers you, there's an easy fix: the Surface Blur filter. This is one I've only discovered recently and I'm still playing around with it. On one hand, it gets rid of the tiny white dots and can make scan images look absolutely magnificent. On the other hand, it has some trouble preserving sharp lines and small highlights. Since I don't like altering the original image too much, the scans I post aren't usually blurred -- but it's something you can try out at home!

Hot damn! Look at the difference! Look at my boy Tenma! You'd hardly guess the condition the original is in!

Note that the final version does not have all the creases removed. At this point I had already spent a couple of hours retouching and decided nobody else was gonna care THAT much about the peripheral damage. If you do care that much, feel free to spend *your* time perfecting this.

3) Melt

Now that the cover's scanned... it's time to toss the book in the microwave!

(Pictured is a *different* book, but you get the picture.)

No, seriously. Microwaving is the easiest way to warm up the glue enough to tear the pages out. Or more accurately, gently tug on the pages till they separate from the rest of the bunch. I start from the front cover and tease the pages out one by one. On thicker books, I'll alternate between front and back covers.

I set the initial heating count to 30-50 seconds, and sometimes I turn down the power level if I'm feeling apprehensive. Really gotta play it by ear depending on the book’s size and condition. After tearing out a couple dozen pages, the glue gets cool again and the pages start to resist again. Continuing like this results in the paper tearing!! This is when I chuck the book back in for another 10-15 seconds.

It's a little scary at first, but the toner on the pages heats up too! It doesn't bleed and it shouldn't be *too* hot to the touch though. So it's just something I've had to get used to.

This particular book kinda smelled when I heated it up! I blame either the paper quality or, y'know, being secondhand and maybe not being stored in perfect condition. But the stink was fortunately temporary.

Some people prefer ironing the spine (with a towel over it), but IMO that's more precarious and time-consuming. Maybe it works better for the middle pages though...? Worth trying out someday.

You could just slice out the pages with a knife or something, but with melting, it's possible to rebind the pages later! This is another thing I haven't done myself yet, but I'm excited to try it out with a nice archival glue. I'll update with the results eventually.

So, with the "how" out of the way, "why" would you take apart a book in the first place!? It still feels a little sacrilegious. But scanning pages one at a time gets you the best possible results.

It eliminates three major issues:

1) Gutter shadow

As mentioned before, shadows at the "gutter" (the inside spine) naturally happen because the page isn't lying flat there. It looks bad. And it takes a whole lot of work to retouch.

2) Angled pages

The cousin to gutter shadow, angled pages happen when the spine is a leeeetle more open/closed at the bottom/top. So with a spread, you've got the left page at -1 degree and the right page at .5 degree. Both of these pages are going to have things cut off when they're cropped. And it's going to look very weird when you're flipping through pages and have slightly alternating angles. Rotating these pages so that they're at the same angle is a lot more trouble.

It's really hard to keep the spine open exactly the same way for an entire book! The weight of the scan lid can throw off careful positioning anyway!

3) See-through pages

Manga in Japan is CHEAP and is not printed on the best paper possible. If you have the pages all bundled together, you can see large splotches of black or white from the spread that's behind the page being scanned. Leveling the image can fix this, but it comes at the cost of destroying midtones. Which is to say, any gray in the image becomes off-white or almost-black.

I hope you're beginning to understand how much effort and technical detail goes into the scans you enjoy.

4) Scanning

Same scan settings as the cover (600dpi PNG). I always scan in color, even for grayscale images. And I don't trust the auto settings enough to let the machine fiddle with colors and cropping.

You know how scanners have a little arrow at the corner saying "align here"? Don't do that. The ones I've worked with like to shave off a few millimeters from the edge because they assume there's a margin anyway. So I place my documents about 1cm AWAY from the edge just to make sure the whole page is scanned in. This inevitably causes some slight rotation, which will be fixed later.

A new technique I've learned to reduce the effects of aforementioned see-through pages: use a black background! The toner blends in with the dark backing. This reduces the luminosity of the whites, but that's something that can easily be fixed via leveling later. I do not have black paper around the house, so I resorted to fabric.

For comparison, here's the first page scanned with both a white and a black background. Note that white is slightly brighter, but there are some weird shadowy lines in the background. If you look really hard, the line goes through the screentone on Tenma's hair! Maybe it's excessive, but these tiny details can be weirdly distracting.

This book doesn't have page numbers, so I had to be extra cautious about missing pages (or accidentally dropping the stack)!

5) Leveling

Typically this step is something I leave for last, but since it significantly reduces file size, that's going to make the next steps easier.

So I've mentioned leveling before. But what is it?

Essentially, Levels make black *blacker* and white *whiter*. This is one very easy step to make pages look SO much better.

Switching over to XNView now, I'm setting these pages to about 40-220. Usually this would be a bit too heavy -- this could easily erase something light or turn something dark into pure black. But in this instance, the high dpi means individual screentone dots are visible and any grays are pretty well preserved anyway. So let it rip! XNView batch processing can run through all selected pages all at once and save the leveled copies to a new folder.

There's a ton of dust left still. Leveling gets a *lot* of it, but again, the paper quality is not great in the first place so it's kind of unavoidable. Resizing and cleaning the page later will help somewhat.

6) Rotate

This is the one step I do fully manually. I haven't had much luck with auto deskew/crop before, nor have I tried any different methods for it recently. Please tell me if there's a better way of doing this step that won't sacrifice border pixels.

Anyway, since I scanned slightly away from the edges earlier, the resulting digital image is slightly rotated at a random angle! For some ungodly reason, Photoshop doesn't have a shortcut for custom rotation, nor can you really set an action for it. XNView once again comes in clutch here. The basic steps are:

5a) Click and drag to create a bounding box. This will be used as a guideline to check whether the digital image is actually upright.

5b) Shift-O and test out values from -3 to 3. Ctrl-Z and repeat until it's just right.

After a while, you get a hang for approximate values, but "just right" means getting within .05 of a degree!! Even the untrained eye can tell when something's off by a mite.

5c) Adjust the bounding box's borders to the edges. If the box is aligned to one corner and the adjacent corners *aren't* aligned too, that means you have to rotate until all four corners are aligned. Then crop and save and move onto the next one!

7) Align

This is a new step I've never done before! Given the number and size of pages I'm working with here, I had to think and plan out this process in advance for once. Basically, instead of cropping and resizing each individual file, I load them all in at once so that they're perfectly aligned with each other. This is gonna require a lot of Photoshop automation.

First off, I go to File > Scripts > Load Files into Stack. There are four types of pages here: 1 comic on the left, 1 comic on the right, 2 comics on the left, and 2 comics on the right. This process will have to be repeated for each type so that the automation doesn't get confused. Then we check the "Align Source Images" box and let the process run... for a while.

So now I have a single file with one layer for each of the pages, and the comics themselves are all nicely aligned! Yahoo! The edges are mismatched though, so it's time to crop again. There's gonna be some cutoff but that's acceptable in this instance since I just care about the small comics. If I was doing bigger, full-page manga, I'd probably *add* some margin after cropping.

The pages are approximately a 5:8 ratio, so I've decided to crop these down to 2550 x 4080. To make sure that the comics are at the same distance from the margin regardless of page type, I'm using Guides to roughly estimate the comic positions after cropping. I want them to end up at about 70px and 100px from the horizontal and vertical margins respectively. I could also change the size of the canvas instead of cropping if I really wanted to.

Once I'm satisfied with the cropping, I use the Timeline/Animations window to flip through (at about 0.5 seconds) and check that all of the layers look right. There are a couple tears and visible background instances which are quickly fixed with Content Aware Fill and Clone Stamp. Since the background's black, I even had to temporarily change the Photoshop interface color lighter so that I could detect the imperfections better.

Then at last I go to File > Scripts > Export Layers to Files and... wait for a while again. Now we have separate files! And now I have to repeat these steps all over again for the three other page types!

Lastly, it's time to rename the resulting files in order. I actually screwed up on this step. Photoshop exported all the files *backwards*, which gave me file names like "PSexp0025-InaGo01". This is an issue because it makes batch-renaming via XNView a whole lot harder!! Photoshop automatically adds a numbered prefix to all the auto-exported files, and XNView can't remove wildcards from filenames. The result is weirdly staggered out-of-ordered files. It took some careful manual work to fix this, but at long last, we have a whole folder of 90 beautiful pages!

8) Translate (FINALLY)

You see how long it took to get here!? This took at least six hours for 90 pages. After all that work with the raws, finally I can do something with them!

Guess what! If you have a digital edition, you can skip all of these steps! Instant gratification for five bucks! Buy digital editions when you can and give your money directly to the author!!

Anyway, further stages may be discussed in another post once we get around to them. Lassoing translators and typesetters is its own struggle. I hope you learned something new from this post!

[clean-pro-columbia-md]

Clean Pro Columbia - Rain gutter Cleaners Near Me - Just How Much Does Gutter Cleaning Cost?

Rain gutters are an extremely vital part of the residence's framework. They assist network water away from the house to prevent it from creating damages to the structure. Without correct upkeep, clogged gutters can bring about severe troubles such as roof and also structure damages. Having your gutters cleaned up by a specialist once or twice a year is a simple means to ensure your rain gutters are functioning effectively.

Depending on your location and also the size of your residence, the cost of gutter cleaning can differ. Generally, rates vary from $105 to $480 for 150 feet of rain gutters. Labor costs and also tools also influence the total rate.

The length of your gutters will figure out the amount of time it will take to clean up them. The cost will certainly likewise vary if your downspouts have a lot of build-up. It is best to flush the water out of your gutters to look for leakages as well as make certain your downspouts are functioning appropriately. If they are not, you may need to work with a Clean Pro Columbia specialist to fix them.

The elevation of your residence is another factor that can have an effect on the cost. Higher residences will certainly have to be accessed using unique tools. For example, gutters on 2 story structures will certainly be charged $2 per foot, whereas a one tale house will certainly be priced at $0.70 to $1.30.

Having trees or various other landscaping attributes on the home can complicate the procedure of cleaning up your rain gutters. When the gutters are blocked, they can not quickly move water as well as will pool. This can create the foundation of the house to damage, along with damage the roof covering product. To eliminate the buildup, you can use a telescopic hose pipe wand or heavy-duty stress washing machine.

The slope of your rain gutters is likewise a variable. If you have an incline that is uneven or too steep, it can take longer to clean your rain gutters. A full evaluation of the incline of your rain gutters will certainly guarantee that the incline is correctly established and that there are no problems with your gutters.

Many homeowners procrastinate when it comes to expert rain gutter cleaning. This is not just a negative concept, it can lead to expensive as well as potentially dangerous fixings. Instead, home owners must arrange their rain gutter cleaning to take place semi-annually. While this is not a specific scientific research, it is far better to intend in advance to prevent typical gutter problems.

You can additionally conserve cash on gutter cleaning by hiring an expert. Experts will recognize just how to finest clean and also fix your rain gutters to expand their life-span. However, they may additionally have to make use of more advanced devices and techniques to get the job done. Ultimately, this is a financial investment. Not just will you have satisfaction, but you will certainly likewise protect your house's worth.

Whether you determine to clean your very own gutters or have them cleaned up by a specialist, ensure you have a gutter ladder that is sturdy as well as can reach the top of your rain gutters. Also, take care not to climb on decorative rocks or various other hard surfaces when utilizing your ladder.

[guttters-fairfax]

Gutter System Cleaning Tips

There are a number of factors to think about when it concerns gutter system clean-up. This includes the charge, safety precautions, as well as when to do the task on your own. There are additionally numerous kinds of tools readily available, which will certainly make the procedure much easier. You need to additionally have an idea of the actions to take and also the time it will take to finish the task. Hire Clean Pro Fairfax

Cost The charge of gutter cleaning deviates depending upon the dimensions of your residence and the sort of rain gutter. For one-story residences, the rate will certainly be lower than for a two-story residence. Multi-story homes can double the cost of gutter system cleaning. For an ordinary house, gutter clean-up can be priced at in between $75 and also $160.

The area of your house also has a primary affect the fee. Gutter system clean-up in cities as well as suburban areas will be much more expensive than in smaller, rural regions since the labor rate is greater. This results from the increased need for the service and also the little supply. Whether your gutter system is very old or inadequately maintained might additionally influence the price. If you're bothered concerning the expense of gutter cleaning, consider additional services that are used by the company.

While it can be more economical to clean up your gutter systems yourself, you have to have particular tools as well as experience to stay clear of injuries. Furthermore, you might be revealed to harmful weather. Bear in mind not to try out to clean up your gutters when it's raining or icy. And ensure to wear safety gloves, which protect you from cuts and also water.

Safety and security preventative measures

Utilizing the ideal safety and security gear is essential when cleaning your rain gutters. This type of work exposes your hands to microorganisms, mold, and also other unsafe pollutants. Make certain to secure them with handwear covers and also eyewear. Wearing handwear covers will certainly also prevent your hands from ending up being inadvertently cut. Natural leather or suede gloves are usually the best choice, though rubber or plastic handwear covers may not safeguard your hands properly.

Correct clothes is additionally important. You must use long-sleeved tee shirts and pants and also use rubber-soled shoes. Putting on handwear covers is necessary despite the climate, specifically if you are cleaning up the gutter systems on a chilly, gusty, or wet day. Thick natural leather or suede handwear covers will certainly secure your hands from cuts as well as from unclean water that can have germs. Likewise, put on eye defense, especially if you plan to clean your rain gutters from a ladder.

Safety preventative measures when gutter clean-up need to consist of a durable ladder, a notice from an entrusted next-door neighbor, as well as putting on handwear covers. If you are utilizing a ladder, make certain you have proper grip and also wear rubber-soled shoes. Ultimately, make certain to wear protective eyeglasses, as debris and other sharp items can create major eye injuries if you are not thorough.

Price of maintenance

Gutter cleaning is an important part of preserving the situation of your home. Without correct gutter system treatment, your residential property can experience significant harm, including foundation problems. Along with costly water damages, unrepaired structure issues can make promoting your home hard. Cleaning your gutters likewise protects against mold and mildew buildup, which can result in respiratory system problems and other health issues. This type of mold can be extremely pricey to get rid of, and the repair work can set you back approximately $40000.

The expense of gutter system cleaning depends upon numerous factors, featuring the size of your residence and also the seriousness of the blockage. It may additionally depend on the added safety and security precautions needed to have by the rain gutter cleaning business. As an example, scaffolds and particular ladders might be required for residences with numerous stories. In addition, a rain gutter cleaning professional may suggest extra services, consisting of eliminating screens and also dealing with repairs. These added services can include one more $100 to $200 to the overall cost.

In addition to cleaning up gutters, rain gutter cleaning services likewise tidy downspouts. While the last is optional, it will increase the sum price of gutter system clean-up. If your rain gutters are seriously obstructed, you may need a downspout installation too, which will add to the price. Also, some gutter cleaning companies charge for travel expenses. The type of devices used by the rain gutter cleaning company will also affect the price of the solution. Some service providers may additionally raise their prices throughout peak times of the year.

When to accomplish it

It is important to clean up your gutters on a regular basis to prevent blockages as well as maintain them in great form. You need to additionally examine the downspouts to make sure that the water is moving away from your residence and far from your structure. If your rain gutters are obstructed, the water will certainly not have the ability to flow appropriately as well as can cause foundation issue.

You should do gutter system cleaning twice a year, if your gutters are loaded with a lot of leaves. The first cleaning must be done throughout the very early autumn so that the leaves and twigs have not collected in your gutters yet. The second cleaning must occur right prior to the temperature levels drop below freezing.

The most effective times to do gutter system clean-up are spring as well as fall. Both periods bring the risk of autumn leaves, which can obstruct rain gutters as well as prevent water from draining. Fall clearance is essential to make sure that your gutter systems stay clear and protected throughout winter season. Or else, standing water might damage the joints of your rain gutters and also trigger your gutter systems to split up.

[shawnboday]

How to Sell Your Home Fast: Proven Strategies

Selling a home quickly can be essential for various reasons, whether you’re relocating for a job, looking to avoid foreclosure, or simply want to move on to your next property. Regardless of the reason, there are proven strategies to help you sell your home fast. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you achieve a speedy sale.

Prepare Your Home for Sale

Enhance Curb Appeal

First impressions matter, and the exterior of your home is the first thing potential buyers will see. Enhance your home’s curb appeal by:

Landscaping: Trim bushes, mow the lawn, and plant flowers to create an inviting appearance.

Cleaning: Power wash the driveway, sidewalks, and siding. Clean windows and make sure the front door is spotless.

Repairs: Fix any visible issues like broken gutters, cracked walkways, or peeling paint.

Declutter and Depersonalize

A cluttered home can be off-putting to buyers. Clear out excess furniture, personal items, and anything that makes your home feel cramped. Aim for a neutral, clean, and open space where potential buyers can envision themselves living.

Declutter: Remove unnecessary items from each room. Consider renting a storage unit to temporarily store bulky furniture and personal belongings.

Depersonalize: Take down family photos, personal collections, and unique decor. The goal is to create a blank canvas for buyers.

Make Necessary Repairs and Updates

Addressing minor repairs and updates can make a significant difference in how quickly your home sells.

Repairs: Fix leaky faucets, replace cracked tiles, repair any holes in walls, and ensure all light fixtures are working.

Updates: Consider making small updates like painting walls in neutral colors, replacing outdated fixtures, and updating hardware on cabinets and doors.

Price Your Home Competitively

Conduct Market Research

To sell your home quickly, pricing it right is crucial. Conduct market research to understand the value of similar homes in your area.

Comparative Market Analysis (CMA): Your real estate agent can provide a CMA to help you determine a competitive price based on recent sales of similar properties.

Online Tools: Use online valuation tools for a rough estimate, but rely on professional advice for accuracy.

Avoid Overpricing

While it may be tempting to price your home high, overpricing can deter potential buyers and result in your home sitting on the market longer. A competitively priced home attracts more interest and can lead to multiple offers, potentially driving up the final sale price.

Market Your Home Effectively

Professional Photography

High-quality photos are essential for online listings. Professional photographers know how to capture your home’s best features and make it look inviting.

Staging: Stage each room to highlight its best use and create an appealing visual narrative.

Lighting: Ensure photos are taken in good lighting conditions to make spaces look bright and welcoming.

Online Listings and Social Media

Most buyers start their home search online. Ensure your home is listed on all major real estate websites and use social media to reach a wider audience.

MLS Listing: Make sure your home is listed on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) for maximum exposure.

Social Media: Share your listing on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to reach potential buyers.

Open Houses and Private Showings

Hosting open houses and private showings can attract more potential buyers.

Open Houses: Schedule open houses on weekends to maximize attendance. Make sure your home is clean and staged for these events.

Private Showings: Be flexible with showing times to accommodate potential buyers’ schedules.

Work with a Real Estate Professional

Experienced Agent

Hiring an experienced real estate agent can significantly expedite the selling process. They have the knowledge, connections, and skills to market your home effectively and negotiate the best terms.

Marketing Expertise: Agents can create a marketing plan tailored to your property and target audience.

Negotiation Skills: A skilled agent can handle negotiations and help you get the best possible price quickly.

Be Ready to Move

Prepare for a Quick Closing

To sell your home fast, be ready to move out quickly once the sale is finalized.

Packing: Start packing non-essential items early to avoid last-minute stress.

Documentation: Ensure all necessary paperwork is ready for a smooth closing process.

Conclusion

Selling your home fast requires strategic preparation, competitive pricing, effective marketing, and professional guidance. By enhancing your home’s appeal, pricing it right, and working with a real estate agent, you can attract serious buyers and close the deal quickly. Follow these proven strategies to make your home-selling process smooth and successful. Originally posted on http://shawnboday.org/

[toolreview68]

The best gutter cleaner chemical depends on the type of gutter cleaner you are using. Cleaners with a high alkaline content are good for removing rust and sludge from galvanized gutters, while cleaners with a high acidity level work well on aluminum gutters. The best gutter cleaner chemical is one that works well on your particular type of gutter cleaner.

[roofingblogger3]

The Ultimate Guide to Roof Repair: Safeguarding Your Home from Top to Bottom

Your roof is your home's first line of defence against the elements, providing shelter and structural support. Over time, roofs can suffer from wear and tear, damage, and degradation. Regular maintenance and timely repairs are essential to ensure your roof remains functional and durable. In this article, we'll delve into the common roof problems, steps to repair them, preventive measures, and when to call in a professional roofing company.

Identifying Common Roof Problems

Understanding the types of issues that can affect your roof is crucial for effective maintenance. Here are some common problems you might encounter:

Leaks and Moisture: Water stains on ceilings and walls, damp patches, or mold growth indicate potential leaks.

Damaged Shingles: Shingles may crack, curl, or go missing due to weather conditions and aging, compromising the roof's integrity.

Sagging Roof: A sagging roofline can suggest structural issues, often due to prolonged water damage or weakened support beams.

Clogged Gutters: Debris in gutters can cause water to back up and seep under the roof, leading to leaks and rot.

Flashing Damage: Flashing around chimneys, vents, and skylights can deteriorate or dislodge, causing leaks.

Granule Loss: Finding granules in gutters may indicate that shingles are deteriorating and need replacement.

Steps to Effective Roof Repair

Addressing roof problems promptly can prevent minor issues from escalating. Here's a step-by-step guide to roof repair:

Inspection and Assessment: Conduct a thorough inspection to identify the extent of the damage. Use binoculars for ground inspections and take safety precautions if climbing onto the roof.

Gathering Materials and Tools: Depending on the repair, gather necessary materials such as shingles, nails, flashing, sealant, and tools like a hammer, roofing knife, and ladder.

Safety Precautions: Wear appropriate safety gear, use a sturdy ladder, and choose a dry, calm day for repairs.

Removing Damaged Components: Carefully remove damaged shingles, flashing, or other components using a roofing knife or similar tool.

Repairing the Underlying Structure: If the roof deck or support beams are damaged, repair or replace them before addressing surface repairs.

Installing New Materials: Securely fasten new shingles, flashing, or other materials, ensuring proper alignment and sealing.

Final Inspection: Conduct a final inspection to ensure all repairs are correctly completed and the roof is watertight.

Preventive Measures for Roof Maintenance

Preventive maintenance is key to extending your roof's lifespan and avoiding costly repairs. Here are some tips:

Regular Inspections: Perform biannual inspections, particularly in the spring and fall, to catch early signs of damage.

Clean Gutters: Keep gutters free of debris to prevent water from backing up and damaging the roof.

Trim Overhanging Branches: Trim trees near the roof to prevent branches from damaging shingles and reduce leaf buildup.

Check Flashing: Regularly inspect flashing around chimneys, vents, and skylights to ensure they are intact and properly sealed.

Address Moss and Algae: Remove moss and algae growth to prevent moisture retention and shingle damage, using specialized cleaners or professional services.

Ventilation and Insulation: Ensure your attic has proper ventilation and insulation to prevent ice dams in winter and reduce heat buildup in summer.

When to Call a Professional

While many minor roof repairs can be handled by homeowners, certain situations require professional expertise:

Extensive Damage: Large areas of damage or significant structural issues need professional assessment and repair.

Steep or High Roofs: For safety reasons, professional roofers should handle repairs on steep or high roofs.

Complex Repairs: Issues involving complex flashing, extensive shingle replacement, or significant roof deck damage are best left to experienced roofers.

Warranty Considerations: If your roof is under warranty, professional repairs may be necessary to maintain coverage.

Conclusion

Roof repair is an essential part of home maintenance that ensures the safety, comfort, and value of your property. By understanding common roof problems, following effective repair techniques, and implementing preventive measures, you can protect your home from the elements and avoid costly repairs. Regular inspections and timely interventions are crucial for maintaining a durable and reliable roof. When in doubt, seeking professional assistance can provide peace of mind and ensure the job is done correctly.

[barnes-roofing]

Comprehensive Guide to Surrey Roof Repair: Ensuring Longevity and Durability.

Maintaining a sturdy and reliable roof is crucial for the protection and comfort of any home. In Surrey roof repair, where the weather can be quite unpredictable, ensuring your roof is in top condition is essential. Whether you’re dealing with minor leaks or considering a full roof replacement, understanding the intricacies of roof repair can save you time, money, and stress. This guide, inspired by the detailed insights provided by Barnes Pond Property Maintenance, will walk you through the essentials of roof repair in Surrey.

Understanding the Common Roofing Issues

Surrey’s climate, characterized by heavy rains, occasional snow, and strong winds, can lead to a variety of roofing problems. Common issues homeowners face include:

Leaks and Moisture Damage: Leaks are often the first sign of a roofing problem. They can be caused by damaged shingles, cracked flashing, or blocked gutters. Moisture can lead to mold growth and structural damage if not addressed promptly.

Shingle Damage: Shingles can become cracked, curled, or even missing due to weather exposure. Damaged shingles compromise the roof’s ability to protect your home from the elements.

Flashing Failures:  Flashing is the material placed around roof features by Surrey  roof repair like chimneys and vents to prevent water penetration. Over time, flashing can crack or corrode, leading to leaks.

Gutter Problems: Clogged or damaged gutters can cause water to back up and seep into the roof structure, leading to rot and other damage.

Structural Issues: Over time, the underlying structure of your roof can weaken due to prolonged exposure to moisture or pests. This can lead to sagging or even collapse in severe cases.

The Importance of Regular Roof Inspections

To avoid costly repairs, regular roof inspections are essential. It’s recommended to have your roof inspected at least twice a year by Surrey roof repair, ideally in the spring and fall. During an inspection, professionals will check for signs of damage, assess the condition of shingles and flashing, and ensure gutters are clear and functioning properly.

DIY vs. Professional Roof Repairs

While some minor repairs can be handled by homeowners, it’s crucial to know when to call in the professionals. Simple tasks like cleaning gutters or replacing a few shingles can be done on your own. However, more complex issues like extensive shingle damage, leaks, or structural problems require professional expertise.

Professionals have the experience, tools, and safety equipment needed to perform repairs correctly and safely. Additionally, they can provide a comprehensive assessment of your roof’s condition and recommend the best course of action.

Selecting the Right Roofing Contractor

Choosing the right Surrey roof repair contractor is critical to the success of your roof repair project. Here are some tips to help you make an informed decision:

Experience and Reputation: Look for contractors with a proven track record in Surrey. Check reviews, ask for references, and verify their credentials.

Licensing and Insurance: Ensure the contractor is licensed and insured. This protects you from liability in case of accidents during the repair process.

Detailed Estimates: Obtain detailed written estimates from multiple contractors. Compare the scope of work, materials, and costs to make an informed choice.

Warranty and Guarantee: Reputable contractors offer warranties on their workmanship and the materials they use. This provides peace of mind knowing that your investment is protected.

Preventative Maintenance Tips

Preventative maintenance can significantly extend the lifespan of your roof and reduce the need for repairs. Here are some tips to keep your roof in excellent condition:

Regular Cleaning: Keep your roof free from debris, moss, and algae. These can trap moisture and cause damage over time.

Trim Overhanging Branches: Trees near your home can drop branches and leaves onto your roof, causing damage and clogging gutters. Regularly trim any overhanging branches.

Ensure Proper Ventilation: Good attic ventilation helps regulate temperature and moisture levels, preventing heat and moisture buildup that can damage your roof.

Address Issues Promptly: If you notice any signs of damage, such as missing shingles or leaks, address them immediately. Delaying repairs can lead to more extensive and costly damage.

Conclusion

Roof repair in Surrey is a critical aspect of home maintenance, ensuring your home remains protected from the elements. By understanding common roofing issues, conducting regular inspections, knowing when to call in professionals, and performing preventative maintenance, you can keep your roof in top condition for years to come. For expert advice and professional Surrey roof repair services, Barnes Pond Property Maintenance  offers comprehensive solutions tailored to the unique needs of Surrey homeowners. Their experienced team is equipped to handle everything from minor repairs to complete roof replacements, ensuring your home remains safe and secure. Visit their website to learn more about their services and schedule an inspection today.