Gaining peace of mind and enjoying your time at Deep Creek Lake …

Renovation : Remodeling : Property Management: Landscaping and more

DCL HomeWorks is a member of the Maryland Home Improvement Commission: (MHIC) #: 95329

DCL HomeWorks is also a member of the Maryland Home Builders Registry: (MHBR) #: 5418

DCL HomeWorks is a satellite member of the National Association of the Re-modeling Industry (NARI) Organization #: 12630192

DCL HomeWorks is a registered porch.com pro

      

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DCL HomeWorks has only one mission: to make Deep Creek Lake a second home paradise for home owners. The lake area has been a reprieve from stressful city life for generations and here at HomeWorks, we want to ensure you maximize every minute of your time at the lake. We want to make DCL more than just a part-time home or vacation destination but a place that truly holds a special place in your heart.

Over the past 14 years, we have compiled a network of licensed, insured and experienced contractors to manage, fix and renovate any issue a lake home can present. As your single point of contact for any property/home related concern, we want to make sure that caring for or expanding your DCL home is painless, fun and unforgettable.

When you reach Sidling Hill (coming from DC or Baltimore) or turn onto 1-79 (coming from Pittsburgh) your mind should slip into a state of relaxation, improved by the certainty of knowing your home has been professionally cared for.

If you’re ready to make Deep Creek Lake more than just a getaway, contact DCL HomeWorks today.

Deep Creek Lake in Western Maryland:

Deep Creek Lake is Maryland’s largest inland body of water. Like all Maryland lakes, it is man made. Composed of 3,900 acres of water and 69 miles of shoreline, the lake is the perfect retreat for boating, water skiing and swimming. In the summer months the lake’s water temperature reaches the mid-seventies and a variety of native freshwater fish make it perfect for anglers. During the winter months the lake freezes solid offering ice fishermen an exciting getaway. The ancient sport of ice-boating is still practiced on the lake, with both winter and summer adventure sports being popular.

The surrounding area offers a variety of state parks. Deep Creek Lake state park offers hiking, swimming, mountain biking and breath taking views. Swallow Falls State Park boasts Maryland’s largest waterfall. Herrington Manor state park, Big Run state forest and New Germany state park are all a stone’s throw away from the lake area.

Wisp Resort is located in McHenry, Maryland offering skiing in the winter along with a variety of summer activities. ASCI (Adventure Sports Center International) is nearby and serves as one of the world’s only artificial white water rivers.

   

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Office: (301) 533.0111

Email: dclhomeworks@gmail.com

Some resources we follow and recommend to home owners:

• Modern Home Builder
• Builder Online
• Professional Builder
• Builder and Developer
• Custom Builder
• This Old House
• Popular Mechanics
• Family Handyman
• National Association of the Re-modeling Industry

Certifications:

Green Home Institute: Sustainable Hardwood Contractor

Hanleywood University: Propane/solar water heating contractor, renewable propane solutions contractor, solar/propane hybrid energy solutions contractor, exterior design for remodeling contractors

Covid-19 and your home at Deep Creek Lake

The last few months have been challenging, to say the least. As the pandemic moves to a new stage, many vacation home owners are wondering what this means for their second home. DCL HomeWorks is still operating at normal capacity and didn’t close due to essential status and the fact we provide essential services for homeowners.

We still offer the same range of services we did pre-pandemic and have taken steps to ensure that your family is safe if you decide to renovate, improve, or repair your existing Deep Creek Lake home. DCL HomeWorks is certified in the CDC Covid Cleaning system, allowing us to ensure that if we enter your home we erase any trace of viral particles. This allows us to offer our services with the same peace of mind that existed before the pandemic. We also follow all local, state, and national guidelines and treat your home with the same caution and care as required for a public space.

If you want to make changes to your home and property at Deep Creek Lake, but have concerns about Covid-19 – feel free to call us so that we can ensure your experience is comfortable and worry free.

Preventing dreaded wood boring pests

Mariam Ellman, a senior scientist with the Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC) says, “People have a knee jerk reaction, when first spotting an [insect] pest. Often, they reach for the poison, without considering the fallout.” Since the end of World War II, common household insecticides have grown into a one billion dollar plus annual business. There are poisons on the market to control everything from ants, to bees, all the way down to termites. Though, in recent years, we’ve learned that not only are insecticides dangerous for a home’s occupants, (the average American has 43 different poisons in their bloodstream, according to NRDC) they often aren’t as effective as previously thought. 

The most efficient home, ever.

In 2010, Builder magazine set-out to design and build, the home for the new economy. They recognized that economic changes within the U.S., had led to disinterest in McMansions and monstrous homes, that were both expensive to build, and to maintain. They also realized that the building industry was undergoing a shift toward green, energy efficient designs, along with environmentally friendly building. Both people building their first home, on up to those building a vacation getaway, were interested in smaller, versatile spaces. These were homes where each room maximized multiple potentials, and could be easily changed and repurposed.

Indoor air quality

Often air quality is overlooked, as long as the temperature and humidity of indoor air remains comfortable and consistent. The reality is that indoor air quality is complex, and it varies from location to location, and even home to home. Within a home, a host of complex systems are available to ensure air quality is safe, and within acceptable parameters. Air quality changes with the seasons, as humidity drops in winter months, and pollen increases in spring, summer and fall.

The right roofing material.

For most of us the roof is an afterthought — at least until it starts to leak. Then we realize how critical that surface of our house’s exterior really is. Yet, as well as keeping the house dry, the roof contributes greatly to the look of the house, so when building a new house, adding on, or re-roofing, it may pay to consider the options. Right now there are more options in the marketplace than ever, so choosing one is tough. At HomeWorks, we often complete multiple roofing projects per year and sometimes use different products on each one. The choices range from asphalt shingles to wood shakes and clay tiles, from steel panels to rubber lookalike slate. The most important trend to note, however, is that as with home-construction materials in general, there is an increasing move towards engineered roofing materials. This change is being driven by a few different factors. One is simply the high cost of wood. The second is that in many cases, codes now mandate the use of fireproof construction materials. And third, people understandably want to build with materials that not only look good but also are very long-lived. 

Knowing the weather in DCL

Due to elevation (roughly 2,600 ft.) Deep Creek Lake’s weather is notoriously hard to predict. Many of our clients are always looking for accurate, real-time weather data about the area. This information is used to plan visits and decide what activities to take part in, while visiting Deep Creek Lake. In order to offer our clients (and the general public) the best on the ground weather data, HomeWorks recently installed a Bloomsky weather station at our office. Our office is located within the Lake Residential area, and using our location the Bloomsky can calculate current data, and predict the future forecast based on recorded trends, and up to the minutes changes in pressure, temperature, humidity and ultraviolet light penetration. 

Everything you need to know about whole home, automatic generators

A power outage that lasts a few hours is often nothing more than an inconvenience, requiring some flashlights and a little patience. But when a major storm knocks out electricity for days, life without a generator can become real bleak, real fast. Food spoils, mold grows, and basements prone to flooding are robbed of their working sump pump and begin to take on water. Extended power outages in the winter can be even more dangerous. Plummeting temperatures and a home without heat can be a deadly combination, especially to the oldest and youngest residents in the home. In these situations, a backup power solution can literally be a lifesaver.

4 steps to making your home smarter

You’re getting ready to leave your house to run errands. As you walk down the hall, the lights automatically dim. The fan whirling slowly above your head comes to a stop, and a camera notices you approaching the door and begins arming your alarm. As you leave the house, the door locks behind you and the lights dim, eventually turning off. That night, as it approaches 10:00 p.m., your mattress pad starts cooling down to 70 degrees, because it knows that soon you’ll be going to sleep. When you’re away, a camera within your home updates you via iPhone anytime there is motion in the house. It won’t bother you if it’s just your wife, kids or family dog moving around, since it uses facial recognition software to remember them. This level of automated living is available today, all part of the growing list of consumer products that fall under the “smart home” category. Ranging from thermostats that automatically adjust a home’s temperature based on outdoor conditions, or allow users to log in remotely and make manual changes, on up to security systems that recognize a home’s occupants and make on the fly decisions about when to arm and disarm a system, or to notify police and rescue. Future apps the use the Apple watch’s ability to measure heart rate have been considered, capable of alerting your alarm system in the event your heart rate goes way outside normal parameters. In the event of a heart attack, your home could automatically notify rescue personnel the minute your watch realizes something is wrong.

Setting out to create a smart home can be daunting. There are a myriad of products, from light bulbs to air conditioners. One thing that all smart home products have in common is that they use your home’s wi-fi internet to communicate with each other and you. By accessing the internet they have a direct line of communication, right up to your personal smart phone. So where to start when setting up a smart home, and what considerations can greatly affect how a smart home functions? 

Rebuilding your home, after catastrophic water damage …

Planning For Rebuilding –
Adding Energy Efficiency

Building Shell Issues

Rebuilding a flooded house can be very expensive, so it is important to understand which items you must replace, which items you can salvage, and seek help managing and planning for the multitude of contractors needed to put your home back together.

First, you need to estimate your building construction and technical skills and determine what type of contractors you will need. This is where a service such as ours, can manage the entire renovation effort for you, organizing and aiding the entire scope of repairs.

Second, you need to collect information on the extent of damage, how you would like to rebuild, and your financial resources. Rebuilding is an opportunity for homeowners not only to rebuild, but to upgrade their houses in the process. 

Why water clean-up is important.

During winter around Deep Creek Lake, ice damming is a common problem that allows water to infiltrate the home. In winter, pipes can burst, flooding the home and any number of potential scenarios can lead to water infiltration. In the event that a large quantity of water unexpectedly enters your home, water clean-up is an important process that can effect the long-term quality of life your home can provide. For many reasons, it’s best left to professionals.

Water cleanup is one of the most important aspects of water damage in your home that you must deal with after a fire or flood. If you fail to address water cleanup immediately, mold and mildew can begin growing in your home within 24 hours of a flood or fire, and this can further damage your home and result in serious health issues for you and your family. When dealing with water cleanup, you should always contact a professional restoration company to handle the cleaning, repair, and restoration process for you, as this ensures the safety of you, your family, and your home. To fully understand why water cleanup is so important after a fire or flood, it can be helpful to know the extent of the damage water can cause to your home.