All Posts By

Cassie Remillard

Oct 21
0

Hartford Paving Celebrating Over 40 Years of Dedicated Service

By | Inside Rhody, service | No Comments

As the leaves’ colors start to take on a warmer hue and the temperatures cool down – you know it’s time to get your asphalt paved surfaces ready for the New England Winter. That means the snow, ice, road salt, and chilly temperatures that lie ahead. The change from Fall to Winter often creates periods of freezing and thawing as temperatures fluctuate above and below freezing, back and forth – especially in New England. Water can seep into all the cracks and crevices, then freeze, the ice then expands causing larger cracking and other damage. That’s why driveway maintenance is so important in the Fall. There are some measures you can take this fall to make sure your driveway is looking its best year-round.

That being said here are some pro tips you can use to prepare your asphalt paved surfaces for the brutal New England winter weather.

Clean the surface
Pressure washing your paved surface removes dirt, debris, chemicals, and petroleum products that can otherwise be carried into cracks and cause additional damage. Pressure washing also adds to the curb appeal of your driveway and/or parking lot. This is something you should be doing on a regular basis, but it’s especially important before you have any other type of maintenance done. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to clearly see what type of wear and tear exists on the paved surface if it’s covered with leaves, dirt, or other debris.

Protect Your Edges
An important but often overlooked step in asphalt maintenance – edge your driveway to keep grass and weeds from invading and creating cracks that invite moisture into the material, opening it up to permanent damage. Closeby tree roots are also a big culprit for damage. Even though they grow slowly, the damage can creep up on you.

Identify Potential Issues
You may not be a professional paving contractor, but you should be able to see any obvious signs that your paved surface is damaged. Look for things like visible cracking, crumbling, flaking, potholes, or depressions in the pavement where water is collecting. This includes even tiny cracks. Any of these are probably signs that your pavement needs to be repaired – small problems can quickly cascade into worse ones. Make a list of items that need to be addressed. Knowing is half the battle.

Sealcoating
Sealcoating is crucial for your asphalt driveway during the long, cold winter months. It creates a barrier against moisture and prolongs the life of your asphalt pavement. It also enhances the asphalt’s appearance and color. Sealcoating should be done every 2 to 3 years. Unsealed asphalt is susceptible to cracks which, if left untreated, can result in costly repairs of potholes or sub-layers.

Get Professional Help
This one may seem a bit on the nose, but it’s much more important than you’d imagine. It’s always a good idea to have a trained professional handle the repairs for you. While it’s possible to purchase some type of patching material from a home store and do it yourself, improperly repaired pavement can make it even more susceptible to becoming further damaged later on.

When it comes to protecting your pavement investment, there’s no better time to perform preventive maintenance than the fall.

If you need to maintain your lot or driveway or pave a brand new one, we are equipped to turn your vision into reality!

Why Hartford Paving?
Our goal at Hartford Paving & Site Construction is to provide lasting quality, superior value, and professional service – all the while building long-term relationships with our customers. Our family has over 40 years of experience servicing Rhode Island, and all of our employees are experienced in all degrees of pavement construction and materials applications. Our experienced, knowledgeable, and friendly staff will be happy to assist you with your next paving, asphalt, or construction project.

We take great pride in every single one of our projects, whether it’s commercial, residential, large, or small. Whether your humble family of four or a fortune 500 company – you can trust Hartford Paving & Site Construction to take good care of you. If you need to maintain your lot or driveway or pave a brand new one, we are equipped to turn your vision into reality!

For more information or a free estimate, call us at 401-942-8857 or submit an inquiry on our website http://www.hartfordpaving.com/.

Sep 27
0

Outdoor Escapes of NE Grand Opening of their New Showroom

By | Inside Rhody, outdoors, service | No Comments

Outdoor Escapes of New England celebrated the Grand Opening of their state-of-the-art showroom. The brand new showroom is the perfect retail destination, that will make any homeowner feel comfortable and ready to shop!
Outdoor escapes is a family-owned business that was established in 2003. Being family-owned, the staff offers the best experience for all of their customers, helping as they would help their own family.

Outdoor Escapes of New England offers high-quality and easy to install pavers including; Tech-Bloc, Nicolock, and Belgard. They also carry a wide selection of materials, such as Bluestone, Blue Mist, Brownstone & Cobble Stones, as well as various stone, gravel, sand, and loam. The options are endless when deciding on how to create the perfect landscape! Maybe create a classy ambiance with their outdoor lighting selection, or inquire about a fire pit or fireplace installation. To top it off, including a kitchen, with a grill island or a fancy pizza oven. Outdoor Escapes of New England is at your service!

Come visit their big, bright, and inviting showroom and talk to their experts who are happy to lend a helping hand. With the scenic atmosphere and our professional staff, there is no doubt that you will leave Outdoor Escapes of New England satisfied and with a smile on your face!

Outdoor Escapes is open weekdays 7:30-4:30, and Saturday’s 7:30-11:30. For more information, visit their website https://outdoorescapesne.com/, call them 401-942-8857 or email them at info@outdoorescapesne.com. Be sure to take a look at their brand new showroom with your own eyes, located at 112 Old Pocasset Rd, Johnston, right off of exit 7.

Sep 27
0

Live the Lakefront Life

By | business, Inside Rhody | No Comments

How the experts at Lakefront Living Realty are helping buyers and sellers make the most out of their lakefront homes!

With Fall coming soon, now is the time to find your New England escape for next summer and every summer for years to come. Whether you’re in the market to buy or sell a lakefront home, the experts at Lakefront Living Realty have the experience and knowledge to provide you with the best possible experience.

Lakefront living specializes in direct lakefront homes and it is the only real estate franchise that is entirely lake-focused. If you dream of summers spent kayaking, tubing, or teaching the kids to fish, Lakefront Living Realty is the most trusted authority in Lakefront life!

As Lakefront experts, they offer detailed information about not just the beautiful homes they are listing, but the lakes as well so you can make well-informed decisions. They also display every direct lakefront home for sale on a given lake, not only for their listings but the listings from the entire listing service. Do you have a favorite lake in mind? You can find every home for sale on that lake instantly at Lakefrontliving.com!

For homebuyers, owning a lakefront property is an incredible lifestyle that Lakefront Living Reality makes even better. Lakefront’s Specialists will make sure that your new home is the right fit for you. Meanwhile, the large selection of homes Lakefront Living Reality offers in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and many other states across the U.S. allows you to have the flexibility to live out your dream of family boat rides and lakeside lounging.

For real estate agents, partnering with Lakefront Living will allow you to expand your New England market in the lucrative market of lakefront properties. With our franchising opportunities, you can go from agent to owner within 90 days with the only lake-focused real estate franchise. When you team up with Lakefront Living, you access our protected territories, utilize our proprietary lead generation systems, and benefit from our deep understanding of a booming niche market.

Whether you are looking to buy or sell lakefront properties, Lakefront Living Realty provides the expertise and passion to make sure you get the most out of your lakefront life! Visit Lakefrontliving.com to learn more about them.

Sep 27
0

Fall Foot Care

By | health, Inside Rhody | No Comments

Summer is coming to an end and your feet need extra love heading into the cooler seasons ahead! Follow these care tips to avoid injury and keep your feet in healthy condition.

Try on your Fall shoes.
It’s time to pack up the flip flops and sandals and bring out the seasonal boots and sneakers! Make sure your shoes fit properly and support your foot type to avoid injury and future foot problems.

Take a break from nail polish.
Now that your feet are hidden, take a break from painting your toenails. The constant chemicals from the polish can cause discoloration to the nail and deteriorate the nail bed.

Exfoliate, soak, and moisturize!
Integrate a weekly foot care routine. First, dry exfoliate your feet to prevent cracking in your skin and leave them feeling baby smooth. Next, soak your feet in a warm bath to soothe the stress and soreness of your feet. Finally – hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! After the harsh heat of the summer sun and the cooler months approaching, it is crucial to keep your feet moisturized to avoid dryness and pain.

Take precautions when exercising.
Always warm up your feet before jumping into exercising – start off with easy, non-impact movements. Stretching before and after exercising and building your foot and ankle muscles are key to prevent strain and injury.

Rely on the experts at Foot & Ankle Institute for your tips, care, and treatment!
Foot & Ankle Institute offers a wide variety of services that can accommodate all types of foot and ankle issues. If you suffer from foot and/or ankle problems, be sure to get in touch today!
https://www.newenglandfoot.com/.

Sep 27
0

DPW’s are getting winter-ready with this New England-based product!

By | business, Inside Rhody | No Comments

It may sound early for most Rhode Islanders, but for the Department of Public Works in your town, now is the time to think about road salt for winter storms. While these traditional ice melting methods are useful for helping to keep drivers safe in icy conditions, typical road salt can have devastating events on the environment. Thankfully, a New England-based company called Safe Road Services provides local public works departments with a much safer alternative.

The Dangers of Road Salt
According to Smithsonian Magazine, an estimated 22 million tons of salt are scattered on U.S. roads every year. To put that into perspective, that’s about 130 lbs. of salt for every American.

When the ice and snow melts, all of that salt has to go somewhere – which happens to be a big problem for waterways, soil, and our infrastructure. When road salt dissolves, it splits into sodium and chloride ions. When those ions run off roads and into the nearby environment, they can cause serious damage.

According to the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, these ions can enter freshwater bodies of water through runoff and even seep into groundwater, affecting drinking water. Chloride from road salts can be toxic to aquatic life. On top of that, it can affect wildlife and pets who can often ingest road salt. It also damages the vegetation that wildlife feed on by changing the chemical structure of the soil.

If you’ve noticed how road salt can corrode the paint on your vehicle if it’s not clean, it’s easy to see how road salt damages roads, bridges, vehicle parts, and equipment after years of heavy salt use. According to the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, “The cost of corrosion damage and corrosion protection practices for highways and the automobile industry has been reported to cost a staggering 16-19 billion dollars per year.”

That’s where Safe Road Services comes in to make a difference.

Safe Road Services Steps Up

SAFE MELT™ is a powerful de-icing product from Safe Road Services that can be used to reduce the amount of harmful chloride ions introduced to the environment from road salt by as much as 50%. Made from calcium chloride and a forestry byproduct of the paper-pulping process called lignin, this de-icer passes some of the toughest environmental safety tests in the country. It is even safe enough to eat as demonstrated on WGME CBS News in Portland, Maine – although we don’t recommend it.

The future of ice melters, SAFE MELT™, is effective to pavement temperatures of zero degrees Fahrenheit. It is biodegradable, low toxicity, safe to handle, and cost-competitive with other ice melters in the industry. Not only is it better for the environment, but it has received glowing testimonials from the highway and department of public works officials who have used it.

“We have been using Safe Melt for the past 8 years and are very satisfied with the product thus far… Using this product means the difference between having to stay later and use more salt or going home to get that much-needed rest. It tends to bind to the asphalt very well and lasts longer than salt alone,” wrote Jim Jones, a foreman who cares for the roads in Brewster, MA.

“We often get comments from other surrounding towns on how well Brewster’s roads are. The use of this product has helped greatly in the response to public safety and with school delays and closures,” Jones continued.

If you would like to learn more about SAFE MELT™, visit saferoadservices.com!

Sep 27
0

Create Your Fall Bucket List

By | activities, food, Inside Rhody, Whats Happening | No Comments

The weather is changing, which means it’s the season of corn mazes, football, and pumpkin-spiced everything! To make the most of the coming season, take a look at some of the ways that you can embrace this September!

Scary Acres:
It’s never too early to start getting into the Halloween spirit. Take a ride to Confreda Farms for a spooky experience as the haunted hayride and maze begin to open up. Tickets can be purchased on their website confredafarms.com.

Salisbury Farm (apple picking and corn maze):
Salisbury Farm in Johnston is in its prime apple picking season! Take a peaceful stroll and pick your very own tasty apples, then walk through the huge maze in their fields! How fast can you make it out?

Pumpkin Flavored Everything:
Whether it is going to Brewed Awakenings, Dunkin or your favorite local coffee shop, the pumpkin flavor has finally returned! Maybe add some pumpkin spice to your favorite coffee, or in the form of a muffin or donut to compliment your drink.

Football Season starting up:
Grab your lucky jersey, and support your local school teams as the season starts! Check out the RIIL website to stay up to date with game schedules. Aside from your local teams, be sure to watch your favorite football stars on the big screen, or maybe even watch them in person!

The Avery:
Take a ride down to Providence to The Avery for a taste of your favorite drink after a long day! This five-star bar opens at 4 pm

Scary Acres: 2150 Scituate Ave, Hope, RI
Salisbury Farm: Entrance on Plainfield Pike across from Pippin Orchard Road, Johnston, RI
The Avery: 18 Luongo Memorial Sq. Providence, RI

Sep 27
0

Cornerstone Commercial Capital: Helping Fuel New Businesses

By | business, Inside Rhody, service | No Comments

Starting a business can be a stressful and scary proposition. Starting a business in the middle of the pandemic only amplifies. You may be shocked to hear the global pandemic has acted as a catalyst for a surge of new businesses being created. Whether by way of having extra time at home, or being forced to find a new source of income, many people took the leap into entrepreneurship.

According to the U.S Census, more than 4.3 million new business applications were filed in 2020, with 2021 already on track to surpass that number by year’s end. In July 2021 alone, more than 454,000 new business applications were filed!

The numbers don’t lie – more and more people have been deciding to take their future into their own hands and create their own businesses. From a stay-at-home side-hustle to full-blown companies, may have come to us for help kicking off their new ventures.

At Cornerstone, we are capable of handling any size commercial loan for any need you may have. Whether you’re looking to upgrade from a home office to a real one, fund new growth, or dive into real estate investing we have a program for you. Our network of lenders gives us the opportunity to provide loans for property, restaurants, buildings, gas stations, churches, car dealerships, and more.

Whatever business you’re looking to build – Cornerstone Commercial Capital can help fuel it!
cornerstonecommercialcapital.com

Aug 18
0

5 Tips for Building The Perfect Homework Station

By | activities, Inside Rhody | No Comments

Whether class is already back in session for your child or you’re getting them ready for a change in routine, back-to-school season is now in full swing! Some kids may be sad to see summer ending while others may be excited to see their school friends again, but very few kids (if any) are excited about homework.

For a part of a student’s day that can already feel stressful or boring, taking on the challenge of homework in a loud or gloomy environment can make work feel even less fun. That’s where a homework station can be really helpful! Not only can a homework station help your student stay focused on the task at hand, so that they can get through their homework faster, but it can also change their attitude about homework as a whole!

While there are thousands of different design and layout options, your child’s homework station doesn’t need to be incredibly complicated. A great homework station tends to boil down to these 5 tips:

1. Find a quiet spot

With many people adopting “work-from-home” office stations over the past year, many adults have seen the importance of having a dedicated space to get their work done at home. Trying to be productive in the dead center of a busy house can be difficult for even the most well-disciplined and motivated adults. So as you could imagine, it can be even more difficult for students who are developing their self-discipline and motivation skills to focus on the task at hand. The most important part of setting up a homework station for the student in your life is to make sure it is away from noise and distractions.

2. Pick out the supplies

This is an important step that’s easy to overdo or underdo. Does your first grader need 148 different shades of colored pencils and a 3D printer? Probably not. But we’re sure they would enjoy a little more than a stack of printer paper and one blue pen. All jokes and exaggerations aside, don’t overthink this step. For younger students, start by asking their teacher what they would recommend. Many teachers will send students home with a list of supplies on their first day of school. From there, ask your child what they think might help them with their homework to round out a few more items on your shopping list. For older kids, you can likely skip the asking the teacher step and trust your student.

3. Stay organized

This goes hand-in-hand with steps 1 & 2. Making sure your student’s homework station has drawers and cubbies to keep any toys and extra supplies out of the way will help them stay focused. As you could imagine, for students who love to draw, the box of crayons on their desk may slow down their math homework. At the same time, the essentials should be close by so they don’t have to search for what they need.

4. Make the space bright and motivating

Consider finding ways to make a student’s homework station an inspiring place to be. While we can’t always control our students’ surroundings, doing whatever you can to spruce up the space surrounding where your student does their homework will help them enjoy homework more which may result in a more positive attitude about homework and with it, better performance. Little things like painting the walls a bright and fun color or adding a few educational posters can go a long way. Making sure the room is well lit with natural sunlight has also been shown to boost mood and productivity. But as a warning, it’s still important to keep Step #1 in mind and don’t let the decorations get out of hand to the point where it gets distracting.

5. Make it a team project!

While you may be doing most of the work to put this station together, remember who this workstation is for! Asking your kids to help you come up with ideas and design their homework space can be a great bonding experience and a chance to work together. From browsing the internet for little ideas together to putting the homework station together, making sure your child feels included in the process will help them build their confidence in their abilities to take on new tasks. It will also help them feel more at home in their workspace.

Now that you know where to start, all that’s left is to get going! The student in your life will thank you. While you will likely need to get some supplies and decorations from some bigger companies, we strongly recommend shopping local and supporting RI businesses for as much of your project as you can.

Aug 18
0

Add Value To Your Home This Fall

By | Inside Rhody, service, Whats Happening | No Comments

Getting ready to sell your home? Increase your curb appeal and value with these fall home improvement projects!

  1. Replace & Repair
    First impressions are key! Ensuring your windows, roof, and deck/patio are all intact is essential to increasing the value of your home.
  2. Keep it Tidy
    A well-maintained exterior and landscape presents nicely to all buyers! Keep your yard clean-cut and clear of weathering and debris. A good power-wash never hurts to give your exterior a deep cleaning before showing off your home.
  3. Stand Out
    Go the extra step! Buyers will always remember the home that stood out among others. Give your front door a fresh coat of paint, or even go bold with a pop of color! Spruce up your landscape by adding a garden blooming of colorful, beautiful flowers and shrubs.

If you’re looking to sell your home, count on Century21! We are committed to fast, professional, and courteous personal service to help you understand and feel at ease throughout the home selling process. Our trained and certified agents specialize in the Rhode Island real estate market and are prepared to sell your home to the right buyer for the best price.
https://www.platinumc21.com/

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