Small Business | L'Observateur

City Glass

City Glass Provides 10 Commercial Glazing Services Amid Growing Demand in Anderson and Greenville, SC

Anderson-based glass company provides a full slate of commercial glazing capabilities — from fire-rated and curtain wall systems to storefront and bullet-resistant glazing — for businesses throughout the Upstate, including Anderson and Greenville, SC

Revolution Medicines, Inc.

New England Journal of Medicine Publishes Phase 1/2 Clinical Data on Revolution Medicines’ RASONQUE™ (daraxonrasib) in Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Echo Harbor News

Echo Harbor News Introduces New AI Site to Remove Media Bias

Occam Global LLC

Occam Global Names John Holodnak Chief Executive Officer, William Holodnak Chairman, and Teresa Reti Partner

Supercharged Entertainment

/C O R R E C T I O N -- Supercharged Entertainment/

Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP

Hims &amp; Hers Health (NYSE: HIMS) Faces Securities Class Action After FTC Lawsuit Reveal Drives Stock Sharply Lower -- HBSS

Royal Bank of Canada to redeem NVCC subordinated debentures

Deck It Outlines Footing Considerations as Dry Conditions Persist

BOLTON, MA - September 02, 2026 - PRESSADVANTAGE - 
Deck It, a Massachusetts deck builder specializing in composite and PVC construction, has outlined how a third consecutive year of drought is affecting site assessment and footing installation on residential deck projects. The company said ground conditions encountered during excavation this season have differed from what crews typically find in the region, prompting closer review at the earliest stage of construction.
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs declared Level 3 Critical Drought conditions in the Central and Northeast Regions in March 2026, citing limited groundwater recharge over the winter. According to NOAA data cited by state officials, April 2026 was the driest April statewide since 2010, with rainfall ranging from 1.5 to 3 inches against a typical 4.12 inches. U.S. Drought Monitor data showed approximately 67 percent of Massachusetts under active drought conditions in late July. State drought declarations note that the current drought began in 2024 and has produced declining groundwater across nearly all regions.

For deck construction, the effect appears during the earliest phase of a project rather than in the finished structure. Ground that has been dry for an extended period excavates differently than moist soil, and the water table encountered at footing depth may sit lower than in previous seasons. Both are conditions a crew evaluates on site rather than from a plan drawn in advance.
"When the ground has been dry this long, what we hit at footing depth is not always what the property looked like the last time we worked in that neighborhood," said Patrick Byrne, co-founder of Deck It. "We are checking conditions as we dig rather than assuming, because the same lot can behave differently in a third drought year than it did in a normal one."
Footing depth itself does not change with rainfall. Deck footings in Massachusetts are set below the depth at which soil freezes, a figure driven by winter conditions rather than by summer moisture levels. What extended dry weather affects is the excavation itself, the condition of the surrounding soil, and how the site behaves once moisture returns.
Soil survey data published by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service classifies much of eastern and central Massachusetts as glacial till and sandy loam, materials that carry low shrink-swell potential compared with the expansive clay soils found in other parts of the country. That distinction matters because construction guidance written for clay-heavy regions does not transfer directly to New England conditions. The more relevant local factors are groundwater level, the presence of fill or organic material, and how a particular parcel drains.
Properties with fill, buried organic matter, or previously disturbed ground are more likely to show movement following an extended dry period than properties sitting on undisturbed native soil. Older lots that have been graded, landscaped, or built over multiple times can present conditions that differ substantially from a neighboring property.
"Most of what determines whether a deck stays level over twenty years happens before anyone sees a board," said Jake Zbikowski, co-founder of Deck It. "The footings get buried and forgotten, and they are the one part of a deck that is close to impossible to correct once everything above them exists."
Deck It said site conditions are reviewed during the design phase, before framing begins, alongside deck layout, framing plan and permitting. The company produces a three-dimensional design during that stage, allowing a proposed layout to be reviewed against the actual property before materials are ordered. Permitting is handled by the company on the projects it builds.
Sloped properties introduce a further consideration. On ground that falls away from the house, posts vary in height across the structure and footings carry differing loads, which makes site assessment more consequential than on level ground. Multi-level designs are one response to that condition, allowing a deck to follow existing grade rather than sit on a single elevated platform.
Conditions are also expected to remain relevant into the following seasons. UMass Extension has documented that drought impacts can be delayed until the next season or longer, meaning the effects of consecutive dry years are frequently observed after the drought itself has ended. Ground that has not recharged before winter can respond differently through freeze and thaw cycles than ground entering winter at normal moisture levels.
Deck It said the current conditions do not change the fundamentals of how a deck is built, but they do reinforce the value of assessing each property individually rather than applying a standard approach across a region.
Founded in 2017 and focused exclusively on decking since 2021, Deck It designs and builds custom decks, porches and sunrooms for residential and commercial properties across Central Massachusetts and the MetroWest region, operating from a showroom in Bolton. The company is a TimberTech Platinum Pro and Trex Pro Platinum contractor and a member of the North American Deck and Railing Association. In 2025 the company was named Top Contractor of the Northeast by TimberTech, an award recognizing the volume of TimberTech products installed.


 

###
For more information about Deck It, contact the company here:
Deck It - Bolton
Deck It Marketing
+19785435501
marketing@deckitnow.com
1092 Main St, Bolton, MA 01740, United States

Patton LLC

Patton and alfanar Partner™ to Accelerate Secure Digital Transformation of Saudi Power Infrastructure

Strategic agreement pairs Patton's industrial networking and cybersecurity technology with alfanar's energy-infrastructure expertise to modernize smart-grid and substation operations across Saudi Arabia

EJS Deck and Home Solutions Introduces Drought Deck Guidance

HANSON, MA - September 02, 2026 - PRESSADVANTAGE - 
EJS Deck and Home Solutions has introduced new guidance for homeowners on how extended dry conditions affect outdoor structures, following a drought across Massachusetts that has now persisted through parts of three consecutive years. The guidance covers what changes in a deck during prolonged dry weather, what homeowners can observe themselves, and when a structure warrants professional evaluation.
As of late July, roughly two thirds of Massachusetts was under active drought conditions according to the United States Drought Monitor, with the majority classified as moderate and a smaller portion at severe. The Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs has issued a series of drought declarations since 2024, citing declining groundwater levels, reduced streamflow, and falling pond levels across nearly every region of the state. The Southeast Region, which includes much of the South Shore, was placed at a mild drought level in May.

Homeowners in the region generally associate deck movement with winter. Frost heave is the familiar mechanism, and the deep frost line that governs footing depth in Massachusetts reflects it. After several dry years, the more immediate concern for many properties is the opposite condition.
Wood loses moisture in sustained dry weather, and it changes dimension as it does. Boards shrink slightly across their width, which opens gaps that were tight when the deck was built. Surface checking appears as fine splits along the grain, and cupping or warping develops where one face has dried faster than the other. The same process affects framing lumber beneath the surface, and as framing members shrink, the fasteners and connectors holding them can loosen.
"The surface tells you the least," said Josh Steinman, Owner of EJS Deck and Home Solutions. "Composite and PVC do not change with moisture the way wood does, so a deck can look completely sound from above while the wood frame underneath has been moving for two summers."
Ground conditions are widely misunderstood in this market. Much of the published advice on drought and foundations describes soils with high clay content, which shrink substantially as they dry and swell again when moisture returns. Soils across the South Shore are largely coastal-plain sands and glacial till, which behave differently and are far less prone to that cycle. Movement is still possible where fill, silt, or organic material sits beneath a structure, and prolonged dry conditions can expose or undermine shallow footings, but the mechanism is not the shrink-and-swell pattern common in other parts of the country.
The guidance recommends that homeowners walk their deck and look for a small number of observable changes. Gaps between boards that have widened noticeably since the deck was installed indicate moisture loss in the decking. A railing that feels different underhand than it did the previous season suggests movement at a post connection. Stairs that have settled at one side, soft or eroded ground around a post base, or a visible gap where the deck meets the house are all worth noting.
Timing matters when assessing what is found. Wood moves with humidity throughout the season, and some apparent changes settle back after a period of normal conditions. The guidance suggests recording observations rather than acting on them immediately, and paying attention to what has not corrected itself after several weeks.
"Write it down and look again later," Steinman said. "Most of what people notice in August is seasonal. What matters is the thing that is still there in October."
When drought does break, the return of moisture introduces its own movement as soils re-wet and timber takes up water again. Structures that have been carrying loosened connections through a dry period can shift further during that transition, which is why the guidance treats the current period as a useful time for homeowners to establish a baseline.
Where framing damage proves extensive, targeted repair is often not the appropriate remedy. Deterioration at ledger connections, widespread checking through joists, or compromised post-to-footing connections generally call for rebuilding the structure rather than addressing individual components. EJS Deck and Home Solutions builds replacement structures in composite, PVC, and wood, and evaluates existing framing as part of planning any rebuild.
EJS Deck and Home Solutions is a family-owned deck and outdoor living contractor serving the South Shore of Massachusetts from offices in Hanson and Norwell. Founded in 2021 by Josh Steinman, who has worked in construction for more than two decades, the company builds custom decks along with porches, screened porches, pergolas, gazebos, patios, and outdoor kitchens. It is a member of the North American Deck and Railing Association.


 

###
For more information about EJS Deck and Home Solutions, contact the company here:
EJS Deck and Home Solutions
Josh Steinman
+16173626621
josh@ejshomeimprovement.com
1000 Main St #208, Hanson, MA 02341, United States

Hemlock Decks & Porches Details Heat Effects on Composite Decking

WORCESTER, MA - September 02, 2026 - PRESSADVANTAGE - 
Following a July that set overnight temperature records across southern New England, Hemlock Decks & Porches has issued guidance on how sustained heat affects composite and PVC deck boards and on the installation requirements that determine whether a surface accommodates that movement.
The Northeast Regional Climate Center at Cornell University reported that Providence tied its all-time warmest low temperature on record at 80 degrees during July, in a record extending back to 1904, and that the month was the only July on record there with a low of at least 80 degrees. Boston recorded a high of 101 degrees during the same period, and heat index values reached 118 degrees in parts of the region.

Composite and PVC deck boards change dimension with temperature, and manufacturers address that behavior through required gapping at board ends and where boards meet fixed objects. Those requirements are keyed to the temperature at the time of installation rather than to any single day's conditions. Trex publishes butt joint gapping that differs above and below 40 degrees for its composite lines, and specifies a larger clearance where boards meet a solid object such as a wall or post. TimberTech publishes temperature-based butt joint tables in its installation guide for the same reason.
The practical effect is that a board installed on a cold day is already contracted and requires a wider gap to accommodate later expansion, while a board installed during heat is closer to its expanded dimension and requires less. A deck gapped against the manufacturer's table for the installation temperature is built to absorb the full seasonal range. A deck gapped without reference to that table can reach the limits of its tolerance during sustained heat.
"Gapping is not a rule of thumb, it is a table, and the number changes with the temperature on the day the boards go down," said Teddy Labonte, Owner of Hemlock Decks & Porches. "A crew that gaps everything the same way regardless of conditions is guessing, and a hot July is when that guess gets tested."
The extent of movement varies between products. PVC boards, including the TimberTech AZEK line, exhibit greater thermal expansion than wood-plastic composite products, while mineral-based composite boards such as those produced by Deckorators show comparatively little dimensional change with temperature. Board width matters as well, since wider boards move more than narrower ones over the same temperature change. Hemlock Decks & Porches installs Trex, TimberTech by AZEK and Deckorators products, and sets gapping from the installation instructions for the specific product and fastener system rather than from a general figure.
Color also influences the temperature a board reaches. Darker boards absorb more solar radiation and reach higher surface temperatures than lighter boards of the same product under identical exposure.
Fastening method is addressed directly in manufacturer guidance, and the requirement is more specific than a general preference for concealed systems. The TimberTech composite installation guide advises that in areas of high heat build or sunlight, tighter joist spacing of six to eight inches maximum be used along with additional framing, and that top-down fastening rather than concealed fastening be used in those locations. Following the guidance for the product and the exposure is what preserves warranty coverage, since manufacturer warranties are written on the assumption that the installation instructions were followed.
Framing material behaves differently from the decking above it. Wood framing responds primarily to moisture content rather than temperature, and its dimensional change along the length of a joist is comparatively small. Metal framing responds to temperature, with aluminum expanding more than steel over the same increase. The interaction between decking and substructure is therefore not uniform across framing types.
Joist spacing affects performance under heat for reasons beyond fastening. Closer spacing reduces the unsupported span between bearing points, which limits deflection in a board that has warmed, and manufacturers specify tighter spacing for diagonal installations and areas of concentrated heat.
"Most of the calls we get after a heat wave are about boards that were installed tight or fastened the wrong way for the exposure," Labonte said. "The material did what the manufacturer said it would do. The installation did not leave it anywhere to go."
Boards that have shifted out of alignment, gaps that have closed completely, or fasteners that have worked loose can be evaluated against the manufacturer's requirements for that product. Hemlock Decks & Porches provides deck repair, resurfacing and full replacement where board movement has affected alignment, fastening or the connections beneath.


 

###
For more information about Hemlock Decks Porches and Home Additions, contact the company here:
Hemlock Decks Porches and Home Additions
Hemlock Contracting
+17745250509
support@deckfencemarketers.com
24 Everard St, Worcester, MA 01605, United States

Backyard Builders Announces Guidance on Decking Materials and Regional Moisture

LYMAN, SC - September 02, 2026 - PRESSADVANTAGE - 
Decking materials respond differently to sustained moisture, and federal research places the southeastern United States in the highest hazard zone in the continental country for decay of wood exposed above ground. Backyard Builders Decks and Outdoor Living has outlined how those regional conditions factor into material selection for new deck projects.
The USDA Forest Products Laboratory publishes climate index values for estimating decay hazard to wood exposed outdoors above ground, calculated from National Climatic Data Center records for locations across the country. Values below 35 indicate little decay risk, values between 35 and 70 indicate moderate risk, and values above 70 indicate high risk. Regions that combine high rainfall with a mild climate carry the greatest hazard, a description that covers both the Southeast and the Pacific Northwest.

Those conditions apply year round rather than seasonally. Warm temperatures and frequent precipitation together create the environment in which decay develops, which means the exposure a deck faces is a function of regional climate rather than of any single wet stretch. Material selection accounts for that sustained condition.
Wood, composite and PVC decking respond to moisture in different ways. Pressure-treated wood absorbs and releases water as humidity and precipitation change through the year, and the boards expand and contract accordingly. Cedar and redwood contain natural oils that resist moisture absorption more effectively than untreated lumber, though prolonged wet exposure still affects them. Denser hardwood species including ipe, tigerwood and cumaru limit moisture penetration through grain structure, and manufacturers of those products publish maintenance schedules distinct from those written for softwoods.
Composite and PVC boards absorb less water than solid wood because of their manufactured composition, and manufacturers publish product-specific gapping and installation requirements that account for the difference. Actual performance varies by formulation, species, installation method and manufacturer specification, which is why material guidance is established per product rather than per category.
"Two decks built with the same boards can perform very differently depending on what the site does with water," said Jason White, owner of Backyard Builders Decks and Outdoor Living. "Shade, airflow underneath and which way the yard drains change the exposure, so material selection has to start with the site rather than with a sample."
Site conditions shape that exposure directly. Properties with limited airflow beneath the deck, heavy tree canopy or northern orientation retain moisture longer than open, south-facing sites. A structure built close to grade holds humidity differently than an elevated one with open space beneath it. Those differences influence board spacing, ventilation and grading alongside the choice of material itself.
Framing materials respond to moisture at different rates as well. Wood, steel, aluminum and composite framing each behave differently under sustained exposure, and framing selection is made to suit both the decking material above it and the drainage conditions of the property. Because framing is concealed once decking is installed, decisions made at that stage are not readily revisited later.
Structural fasteners and connectors sit within the same exposure. Hardware selection is specified alongside framing material rather than treated as a separate consideration, since connection points carry load and remain in contact with treated lumber over the service life of the structure.
Deck design and consultation is the stage at which those variables are assessed. A property assessment establishes how the site handles water, what the orientation and canopy conditions are, and how the intended structure will sit relative to grade. Three-dimensional models and two-dimensional plans are produced before material is ordered, so that the specification reflects site conditions rather than being adjusted during construction.
Maintenance requirements follow from the material selected. Wood decks are cleaned, sealed and stained on a recurring cycle to manage moisture absorption, and the interval depends on exposure as much as on age. Exotic hardwoods follow separate schedules from softwoods and pressure-treated lumber. Composite and PVC surfaces have their own cleaning requirements published by their manufacturers.
Periodic inspection applies across all materials. Early moisture-related wear appears on the surface before it reaches framing and connections, and identifying it at that stage keeps the work within the scope of cleaning, sealing or board replacement rather than structural repair. Existing decks that have gone several seasons without inspection are the ones where surface wear and structural wear are most easily confused.


 

###
For more information about Backyard Builders Decks and Outdoor Living, contact the company here:
Backyard Builders Decks and Outdoor Living
Jason white
+18647401274
jason@backyardbuildersdeck.com
200 Newman Dr, Lyman, SC 29365, United States

Monteverde &amp; Associates PC

$HAREHOLDER ALERT: The M&amp;A Class Action Firm Announces An Investigation of Victory Capital Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: VCTR)

Deck It Details Tree Condition Checks as Drought Enters Third Year

BURLINGTON, MA - September 02, 2026 - PRESSADVANTAGE - 
Deck It, a Massachusetts deck builder specializing in composite and PVC construction, has outlined how tree condition is being weighed during site assessment for new deck projects as the state enters a third consecutive year of drought. The company said the trees standing over and around a proposed deck location have become a more prominent part of the conversation than in normal years.
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs has reported that the current drought began in 2024 and has produced declining groundwater across nearly all regions of the state. In March 2026, the Central and Northeast Regions were declared to be in Level 3 Critical Drought following limited groundwater recharge over the winter. U.S. Drought Monitor data showed approximately 67 percent of Massachusetts under active drought conditions in late July.

The relevance to deck construction is a matter of timing rather than immediacy. According to a UMass Extension fact sheet on long-term drought effects on trees and shrubs, the visible symptoms of drought are only part of the picture, and the more consequential effects often appear well afterward. The publication describes delayed secondary effects including Armillaria root rot, an opportunistic soil fungus that invades roots weakened by stress. In large trees with extensive root systems, symptoms of decline may not appear until half the root system has been killed, which the fact sheet notes can occur several years after the original drought event.
That timeline matters for a structure with a service life measured in decades. A tree that appeared healthy when a deck was built in 2023 may be in a different condition now, and a tree that appears healthy today may be carrying stress that has not yet surfaced.
"When we walk a property, we are looking at what is over the space as much as what is under it," said Patrick Byrne, co-founder of Deck It. "A homeowner is thinking about where the sun hits and where the door comes out. Part of our job is to also look up and note what is standing there and how close it is."
Deck It said the company assesses the deck and the site, not the trees themselves, and refers questions about tree health or condition to a certified arborist. The distinction matters because evaluating whether a specific tree is sound requires training the company does not hold and does not claim.
Where tree condition does affect the company's work is in siting decisions. The position of a deck relative to mature trees influences the layout, the available footprint and how much of the yard remains usable once the structure is in place. Root systems also factor into where footings can reasonably be excavated, since digging within the root zone of a large tree presents complications that a more open portion of a property does not.
Shade is the other consideration, and it cuts both ways. Existing canopy is frequently the reason a particular corner of a yard is comfortable in July, and a design can be planned around it. But that cover is not permanent. Trees grow, are pruned, decline or are removed, and a space that depends entirely on a neighboring tree for afternoon relief is subject to changes outside the property owner's control.
"We have had homeowners tell us the spot they picked is the only shaded part of the yard," said Jake Zbikowski, co-founder of Deck It. "That is worth knowing before the design is finished, because if that shade is coming from one tree, the plan should not assume it will be there in fifteen years."
Existing decks raise a related question. Changes to the surrounding landscape accumulate quietly over time, and a deck built with a particular canopy overhead may now sit under something considerably larger, or under nothing at all. Homeowners evaluating an addition or a change in layout are reassessing the property as it stands rather than as it stood at the time of the original build.
Deck It said site conditions are reviewed during the design phase, before framing begins. The company produces a three-dimensional design during that stage, which allows a proposed layout to be reviewed against the actual property, including existing tree cover and how it falls across the space through the day.
The company added that the current conditions do not change how a deck is built, but they do reinforce the case for evaluating each property on its own terms rather than applying a standard approach across a region.
Founded in 2017 and focused exclusively on decking since 2021, Deck It designs and builds custom decks, porches and sunrooms for residential and commercial properties across Central Massachusetts and the MetroWest region, operating from a showroom in Bolton. Services include new deck construction, deck replacement, framing, railing systems, deck lighting and under-deck drainage. The company is a TimberTech Platinum Pro and Trex Pro Platinum contractor and a member of the North American Deck and Railing Association. In 2025 the company was named Top Contractor of the Northeast by TimberTech, an award recognizing volume of TimberTech products installed.


 

###
For more information about Deck It , contact the company here:
Deck It - Burlington
Deck It Marketing
+19789714455
marketing@deckitnow.com
1500 District Ave, Burlington, MA 01803, United States
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "LocalBusiness",
  "@id": "https://deckitnow.com/#organization-burlington",
  "name": "Deck It",
  "alternateName": "Deck It of Massachusetts",
  "description": "Deck It is a Burlington, Massachusetts office of the custom deck builder serving residential and commercial clients across Middlesex County and Greater Boston. Founded in 2017, Deck It is a Trex Pro Platinum and TimberTech Platinum Pro certified installer, recognized as TimberTech Top Contractor in the Northeast for 2025.",
  "url": "https://deckitnow.com",
  "logo": "https://deckitnow.com/wp-content/uploads/Deckitnow-logo.svg",
  "image": "https://deckitnow.com/wp-content/uploads/Deck-at-Night-Featuring-Railings-with-Lights-3-1440x1080.webp",
  "telephone": "+1-978-264-8434",
  "priceRange": "$$$",
  "foundingDate": "2017",
  "founder": [
    {
      "@type": "Person",
      "name": "Jake Zbikowski",
      "jobTitle": "Co-Founder"
    },
    {
      "@type": "Person",
      "name": "Patrick Byrne",
      "jobTitle": "Co-Founder"
    }
  ],
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "1500 District Ave",
    "addressLocality": "Burlington",
    "addressRegion": "MA",
    "postalCode": "01803",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  },
  "geo": {
    "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
    "latitude": "42.5028478",
    "longitude": "-71.2241392"
  },
  "areaServed": [
    {
      "@type": "AdministrativeArea",
      "name": "Middlesex County, Massachusetts"
    },
    {
      "@type": "Place",
      "name": "Greater Boston"
    },
    {
      "@type": "Place",
      "name": "North Shore Massachusetts"
    }
  ],
  "hasOfferCatalog": {
    "@type": "OfferCatalog",
    "name": "Deck It Services",
    "itemListElement": [
      {
        "@type": "Offer",
        "itemOffered": {
          "@type": "Service",
          "name": "Custom Deck Design and Installation",
          "description": "Custom composite, PVC, wood, and aluminum-framed deck design and construction for residential and commercial properties."
        }
      },
      {
        "@type": "Offer",
        "itemOffered": {
          "@type": "Service",
          "name": "Deck Repair and Replacement",
          "description": "Repair and full replacement of existing decks, addressing structural issues, board replacement, and railing repair."
        }
      },
      {
        "@type": "Offer",
        "itemOffered": {
          "@type": "Service",
          "name": "Custom Railing Systems",
          "description": "Composite, aluminum, and cable railing systems designed and installed to meet local building code."
        }
      },
      {
        "@type": "Offer",
        "itemOffered": {
          "@type": "Service",
          "name": "Deck Lighting Installation",
          "description": "Integrated deck lighting including post cap, stair, recessed, and rail lighting, planned during the 3D design phase."
        }
      },
      {
        "@type": "Offer",
        "itemOffered": {
          "@type": "Service",
          "name": "Under-Deck Drainage Systems",
          "description": "Installation of Trex RainEscape and TimberTech DrySpace systems to create dry, usable space below raised decks."
        }
      },
      {
        "@type": "Offer",
        "itemOffered": {
          "@type": "Service",
          "name": "Commercial Decking",
          "description": "Custom deck construction for hospitality, office, and public-use commercial properties."
        }
      }
    ]
  },
  "hasCredential": [
    {
      "@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential",
      "name": "Trex Pro Platinum Installer",
      "credentialCategory": "Manufacturer Certification",
      "recognizedBy": {
        "@type": "Organization",
        "name": "Trex Company, Inc.",
        "url": "https://www.trex.com"
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential",
      "name": "TimberTech Platinum Pro Installer",
      "credentialCategory": "Manufacturer Certification",
      "recognizedBy": {
        "@type": "Organization",
        "name": "TimberTech by AZEK",
        "url": "https://www.timbertech.com"
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential",
      "name": "Massachusetts Home Improvement Contractor License",
      "credentialCategory": "Government License",
      "identifier": "188513",
      "recognizedBy": {
        "@type": "GovernmentOrganization",
        "name": "Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation"
      }
    }
  ],
  "award": "TimberTech Top Contractor in the Northeast 2025",
  "knowsAbout": [
    "Custom deck design",
    "Composite decking",
    "PVC decking",
    "Trex installation",
    "TimberTech installation",
    "Deck framing",
    "Deck permitting in Massachusetts",
    "Multi-level deck construction",
    "Commercial deck construction"
  ],
  "openingHoursSpecification": {
    "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
    "dayOfWeek": ["Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday", "Saturday", "Sunday"],
    "opens": "00:00",
    "closes": "23:59"
  },
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.facebook.com/deckitnow",
    "https://www.linkedin.com/company/deck-it-now/",
    "https://www.instagram.com/deck_it2/",
    "https://www.youtube.com/@Deck_It2",
    "https://x.com/Deck_It2",
    "https://www.tiktok.com/@deckit2",
    "https://www.threads.com/@deck_it2",
    "https://ph.pinterest.com/deck_it/",
    "https://www.quora.com/profile/Deck-It-1",
    "https://www.reddit.com/user/deck_it/",
    "https://patch.com/massachusetts/bolton-ma/business/listing/539026/deck-it",
    "https://www.tripadvisor.com/Profile/deck_it23"
  ]
}

The Rosen Law Firm PA

PFSI Investor News: If You Have Suffered Losses in PennyMac Financial Services, Inc. (NYSE: PFSI), You Are Encouraged to Contact The Rosen Law Firm About Your Rights

CCOI DEADLINE NOTICE: ROSEN, A GLOBAL AND LEADING LAW FIRM, Encourages Cogent Communications Holdings, Inc. Investors with Losses in Excess of $100K to Secure Counsel Before Important Deadline in Securities Class Action - CCOI

WJC Decks and Remodeling Details Shade Design After Summer Heat Wave

ANDOVER, MN - September 02, 2026 - PRESSADVANTAGE - 
WJC Decks and Remodeling has issued design guidance on shade planning for residential outdoor living spaces, following a July heat stretch that left many Minnesota decks and patios unusable through the middle of the day.
The guidance follows a mid-July period in which parts of Minnesota recorded ten consecutive days at or above 90 degrees, according to National Weather Service data, contributing to flash drought conditions across much of the state. During that stretch, outdoor spaces without overhead structures went largely unused between late morning and early evening, compressing usable hours into a narrow window at either end of the day.

The company, based in Andover, notes that whether an outdoor space remains usable in those conditions is largely settled before construction begins. Sun exposure across the property, the orientation of the house, and the way a household intends to use the space determine where shade is needed and what form it should take. Those decisions are difficult to revisit once framing is complete.
"Shade is a framing decision, not a furniture decision," said Phil Haluptzok, Owner of WJC Decks and Remodeling. "Once the posts are set, the options narrow considerably. Walking the yard at different times of day before anything is drawn tends to change where people want the structure to sit."
Pergolas remain the most common approach. Attached pergolas extend from the house over a deck or patio and draw on the existing structure for support. Freestanding versions cover open yard areas away from the home, which allows the structure to be positioned according to where shade is actually needed rather than where the house happens to sit. Classic designs filter light through spaced rafters, meaning the degree of coverage is settled at the time of construction. Fixed louvered systems, including Struxure, angle slats to block more direct sunlight while allowing air to continue moving through the structure.
Covered decks and covered porches provide fuller overhead protection from both sun and rain. That additional coverage can extend the use of a space beyond the summer months into spring and autumn, when conditions in the region become less predictable and shelter from rain matters as much as shelter from sun. Screened porches, three-season rooms, and sunrooms enclose the area further, adding protection from insects and wind alongside shade, with each option offering a different balance between enclosure and openness.
At ground level, covered patios serve a comparable function for spaces built directly on grade. Privacy screens positioned along a perimeter address a related problem, since low-angle light from the east and west arrives beneath overhead structures and is not resolved by a roof or a pergola alone. Screens placed along the sides of a deck or patio reduce that side light during the hours when the sun sits closest to the horizon.
Orientation is frequently the deciding factor in how well any of these structures perform. A structure placed to shelter a west-facing yard through the afternoon sits differently than one intended to cover a space used primarily in the morning. The same footprint can produce noticeably different results depending on where it lands relative to the house and which direction the space opens toward. Mature trees, neighbouring rooflines, and the height of the deck itself all shift the calculation further.
The company incorporates that assessment into its on-site consultation, which covers measurements, the homeowner's intended use of the space, and a realistic scope and timeline before design work begins. Design follows, with permit acquisition, foundation preparation, construction, and a final inspection completing the process. Considering shade at the consultation stage rather than after construction allows the structure to be sized and positioned alongside the deck or patio layout, instead of being fitted to a footprint that was settled without it.
Material and structure choices also interact with the surrounding site. A pergola that sits well on a level lot may need different foundation support on a sloped one, and the same shade structure can require a different approach depending on ground conditions across the property. Those factors are typically identified during the site visit rather than at the point of construction.
WJC Decks and Remodeling is a family-owned deck and outdoor living contractor founded in 2016, serving Andover and the surrounding north metro. The company designs and builds composite and PVC decks along with porches, pergolas, patios, privacy screens, and other outdoor structures, with all work handled by its own crews from consultation through final walkthrough.


 

###
For more information about WJC Decks and Remodeling, contact the company here:
WJC Decks and Remodeling
Phil Haluptzok
+16129771197
wjcremodeling@gmail.com
7JF8+3G Andover, Minnesota, USA

Deck It Details Shade Planning After Repeated Summer Heat Waves

FRAMINGHAM, MA - September 02, 2026 - PRESSADVANTAGE - 
Deck It, a Massachusetts deck builder specializing in composite and PVC construction, has outlined how shade planning and site orientation are being weighed earlier in outdoor living design following a summer of repeated heat waves across the state. The company said homeowners are raising questions during the design phase about how a proposed space will perform during the hottest hours of the day, rather than after construction is complete.
Boston recorded back-to-back days of triple-digit temperatures in early July. NBC10 Boston reported that back-to-back 100-degree days had occurred only three times previously in the city's recorded history, in 1911, 1919 and 1944. According to the National Weather Service, the July 2 high broke the daily record of 98 degrees set in 1963.

The heat was not confined to a single stretch. WBUR reported in mid-July that the season had become the hottest meteorological summer in Boston's recorded history to that point, and that the city had already reached its typical annual total of roughly 12 days at or above 90 degrees. The National Weather Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention placed much of southern New England under major to extreme heat risk during the early July period, when heat index values across Middlesex, Worcester and Norfolk counties ranged from 105 to 112 degrees.
A second heat wave followed roughly two weeks later, with forecast highs near 97 degrees. By definition in New England, a heat wave requires three consecutive days at or above 90 degrees, and the region cleared that threshold more than once during the season.
For outdoor living design, conditions of that kind change which questions come up first. Because the sun tracks westward across the sky through the course of the day, a deck on the western side of a house takes direct exposure during the late afternoon and evening, while an eastern exposure receives its direct sun in the morning. Deck It said that difference is significant because the late afternoon and evening are the hours most households actually use an outdoor space.
"Orientation is not a detail people bring up on their own, but it decides whether the space gets used," said Jake Zbikowski, co-founder of Deck It. "A homeowner can put real money into a deck and then find they sit on it twice a month because it is in full sun exactly when they want to be outside."
Shade in a deck project is a structural decision rather than a decorative one. A screened porch or a roofed structure carries weight that an open deck does not, including the roof assembly itself and, in New England, seasonal snow load. Deck It said that unless a deck was originally framed with that additional load accounted for, adding cover later typically requires structural work below the surface rather than an addition built on top of the existing frame.
Deck It said the design phase is where those decisions are made. The company produces a three-dimensional design during that stage, allowing a proposed layout to be reviewed against the actual property, including how the house, existing tree cover and neighboring structures fall across the space at different hours.
"We would rather have the conversation about sun and shade before anything is framed," said Patrick Byrne, co-founder of Deck It. "Once the frame is up, the options narrow considerably, and the fix becomes more work than doing it correctly the first time."
Multi-level layouts offer another approach. Separating a deck into levels can place a dining area under cover while leaving an open section for the parts of the day when sun is welcome. Privacy screens, typically installed to interrupt a sightline from a neighboring property, also cast shade depending on placement and orientation, and can serve both functions when positioned during design.
Screened porches and sunrooms extend the same reasoning. A screened structure trades some light and openness for shelter from sun, rain and insects, which affects how many hours of the day and how many weeks of the year the space stays comfortable. A sunroom, enclosed in glass rather than screen, changes the calculation again and functions across more of the year.
Existing tree canopy is a further variable. Mature trees provide shade that a design can be planned around, but that cover shifts as trees grow, are pruned or are removed, and a space that depends entirely on a neighboring tree for afternoon relief is subject to changes outside the property owner's control.
Existing decks present a related question. Homeowners considering an addition or a change in layout may find that the reconfiguration alters which sections receive direct exposure, and that a space which worked at one size performs differently once expanded or divided.
Timing also factors in. Projects intended for use during the following summer are generally planned well ahead of the season, since design, permitting and construction each occupy their own portion of the schedule before a finished space is available.
Deck It said the heat has also prompted questions about decking surfaces, though the company noted that surface temperature varies by product line, color and exposure, and that manufacturer documentation remains the appropriate reference for any specific comparison.
Founded in 2017 and focused exclusively on decking since 2021, Deck It designs and builds custom decks, porches and sunrooms for residential and commercial properties across Central Massachusetts and the MetroWest region, operating from a showroom in Bolton. The company is a TimberTech Platinum Pro and Trex Pro Platinum contractor and a member of the North American Deck and Railing Association. In 2025 the company was named Top Contractor of the Northeast by TimberTech, an award recognizing volume of TimberTech products installed.


 

###
For more information about Deck It, contact the company here:
Deck It - Framingham
Deck It Marketing
+19789337290
marketing@deckitnow.com
945 Concord St, Framingham, MA 01701, United States
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "LocalBusiness",
  "@id": "https://deckitnow.com/#organization-framingham",
  "name": "Deck It",
  "alternateName": "Deck It of Massachusetts",
  "description": "Deck It is a Framingham, Massachusetts office of the custom deck builder serving residential and commercial clients across Central Massachusetts and the MetroWest region. Founded in 2017, Deck It is a Trex Pro Platinum and TimberTech Platinum Pro certified installer, recognized as TimberTech Top Contractor in the Northeast for 2025.",
  "url": "https://deckitnow.com",
  "logo": "https://deckitnow.com/wp-content/uploads/Deckitnow-logo.svg",
  "image": "https://deckitnow.com/wp-content/uploads/Deck-at-Night-Featuring-Railings-with-Lights-3-1440x1080.webp",
  "telephone": "+1-978-264-8050",
  "priceRange": "$$$",
  "foundingDate": "2017",
  "founder": [
    {
      "@type": "Person",
      "name": "Jake Zbikowski",
      "jobTitle": "Co-Founder"
    },
    {
      "@type": "Person",
      "name": "Patrick Byrne",
      "jobTitle": "Co-Founder"
    }
  ],
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "945 Concord St",
    "addressLocality": "Framingham",
    "addressRegion": "MA",
    "postalCode": "01701",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  },
  "geo": {
    "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
    "latitude": "42.2793183",
    "longitude": "-71.4161604"
  },
  "areaServed": [
    {
      "@type": "AdministrativeArea",
      "name": "Middlesex County, Massachusetts"
    },
    {
      "@type": "AdministrativeArea",
      "name": "Worcester County, Massachusetts"
    },
    {
      "@type": "Place",
      "name": "MetroWest Massachusetts"
    }
  ],
  "hasOfferCatalog": {
    "@type": "OfferCatalog",
    "name": "Deck It Services",
    "itemListElement": [
      {
        "@type": "Offer",
        "itemOffered": {
          "@type": "Service",
          "name": "Custom Deck Design and Installation",
          "description": "Custom composite, PVC, wood, and aluminum-framed deck design and construction for residential and commercial properties."
        }
      },
      {
        "@type": "Offer",
        "itemOffered": {
          "@type": "Service",
          "name": "Deck Repair and Replacement",
          "description": "Repair and full replacement of existing decks, addressing structural issues, board replacement, and railing repair."
        }
      },
      {
        "@type": "Offer",
        "itemOffered": {
          "@type": "Service",
          "name": "Custom Railing Systems",
          "description": "Composite, aluminum, and cable railing systems designed and installed to meet local building code."
        }
      },
      {
        "@type": "Offer",
        "itemOffered": {
          "@type": "Service",
          "name": "Deck Lighting Installation",
          "description": "Integrated deck lighting including post cap, stair, recessed, and rail lighting, planned during the 3D design phase."
        }
      },
      {
        "@type": "Offer",
        "itemOffered": {
          "@type": "Service",
          "name": "Under-Deck Drainage Systems",
          "description": "Installation of Trex RainEscape and TimberTech DrySpace systems to create dry, usable space below raised decks."
        }
      },
      {
        "@type": "Offer",
        "itemOffered": {
          "@type": "Service",
          "name": "Commercial Decking",
          "description": "Custom deck construction for hospitality, office, and public-use commercial properties."
        }
      }
    ]
  },
  "hasCredential": [
    {
      "@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential",
      "name": "Trex Pro Platinum Installer",
      "credentialCategory": "Manufacturer Certification",
      "recognizedBy": {
        "@type": "Organization",
        "name": "Trex Company, Inc.",
        "url": "https://www.trex.com"
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential",
      "name": "TimberTech Platinum Pro Installer",
      "credentialCategory": "Manufacturer Certification",
      "recognizedBy": {
        "@type": "Organization",
        "name": "TimberTech by AZEK",
        "url": "https://www.timbertech.com"
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential",
      "name": "Massachusetts Home Improvement Contractor License",
      "credentialCategory": "Government License",
      "identifier": "188513",
      "recognizedBy": {
        "@type": "GovernmentOrganization",
        "name": "Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation"
      }
    }
  ],
  "award": "TimberTech Top Contractor in the Northeast 2025",
  "knowsAbout": [
    "Custom deck design",
    "Composite decking",
    "PVC decking",
    "Trex installation",
    "TimberTech installation",
    "Deck framing",
    "Deck permitting in Massachusetts",
    "Multi-level deck construction",
    "Commercial deck construction"
  ],
  "openingHoursSpecification": {
    "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
    "dayOfWeek": ["Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday", "Saturday", "Sunday"],
    "opens": "00:00",
    "closes": "23:59"
  },
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.facebook.com/deckitnow",
    "https://www.linkedin.com/company/deck-it-now/",
    "https://www.instagram.com/deck_it2/",
    "https://www.youtube.com/@Deck_It2",
    "https://x.com/Deck_It2",
    "https://www.tiktok.com/@deckit2",
    "https://www.threads.com/@deck_it2",
    "https://ph.pinterest.com/deck_it/",
    "https://www.quora.com/profile/Deck-It-1",
    "https://www.reddit.com/user/deck_it/",
    "https://patch.com/massachusetts/bolton-ma/business/listing/539026/deck-it",
    "https://www.tripadvisor.com/Profile/deck_it23"
  ]
}

Cedarbrook Deck & Patio Addresses Drought Impact on Footing Stability

MT AIRY, MD - September 02, 2026 - PRESSADVANTAGE - 
Cedarbrook Deck & Patio is advising Maryland homeowners to watch for signs of ground movement beneath decks, porches and patios following months of drought across the state. The company, which builds outdoor living structures in central Maryland, reports that seasonal soil movement is among the more common causes of changes homeowners notice in structures that were built correctly and have performed well for years.
The U.S. Drought Monitor recorded roughly 71 percent of Maryland in drought as of mid-July 2026, with severe conditions across the central portion of the state. Federal drought impact reporting for the period covering mid-June through mid-July documented agricultural effects in Frederick County, one of the two counties that meet at Mount Airy. Conditions across the Mid-Atlantic ran warmer than normal through the spring, and dry weather persisted into the summer months.

Prolonged dry weather draws moisture out of the ground. Clay-heavy Piedmont soils, common across the Frederick and Carroll County area, lose volume as they dry. That volume change can transfer into the footings and posts carrying an outdoor structure, and the effect is gradual enough that it usually goes unnoticed while it is happening.
Recovery is rarely uniform. When rainfall returns, soil takes on moisture at different rates depending on drainage, slope, shade, and what sits above it. A yard can absorb water quickly in one corner and slowly in another, and ground that has been through a full dry cycle does not always return to precisely where it started.
Homeowners typically notice the result before they notice the cause. A gate that no longer latches cleanly, a railing slightly out of plumb, a patio joint that has opened, or a section of decking that has developed a low spot are all worth a closer look after a dry season. So is a set of stairs that feels different underfoot than it did in the spring.
"People assume something has gone wrong with the deck itself," said Mike Arneson Jr., Owner and President of Cedarbrook Deck & Patio. "Often the deck is doing exactly what it was built to do, and the ground underneath it has changed. That is a different problem with a different answer, and it is worth knowing which one is in front of you before spending money on the wrong fix."
Arneson holds a deck evaluation and inspection certification through the North American Deck and Railing Association, a credential covering the assessment of existing structures rather than new construction alone.
The foundation method plays into how a structure responds to seasonal ground movement. Cedarbrook builds on helical piers, Diamond Piers and traditional concrete footings, and the selection depends on conditions at the individual site rather than on a standard approach applied everywhere. Slope, drainage, depth to rock and the composition of the soil itself all factor into that decision at the design stage.
Ground conditions in the Piedmont region can vary considerably across short distances. A single property can contain more than one soil type, and the difference between two lots on the same street is often greater than homeowners expect.
"Two houses a few doors apart can sit on noticeably different ground," Arneson said. "That is not unusual here. It is the reason a method that works well on one site is not automatically the right call on the next one, and it is why the site assessment matters more than most people realize."
The company suggests that homeowners with structures more than a few years old walk the perimeter after an extended dry stretch. Gaps that have opened at the base of posts, changes in how doors and gates operate, settling visible at the bottom of stairs, and separation where a patio meets a walkway are all straightforward to spot without special equipment.
Timing carries some weight as well. Ground that has been through a dry summer heads into the autumn and winter months, when moisture returns and temperatures cycle above and below freezing. Movement that began during a drought does not necessarily stop when the rain does, which is one reason late summer is a practical point in the year to take stock of an existing structure.
Publicly available data can help homeowners understand their own property. The United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service publishes soil survey information by address through its Web Soil Survey, including drainage characteristics and shrink-swell potential for specific soil series. The service is free and covers the Mount Airy area in detail.


Cedarbrook Deck & Patio is a family-owned design and build firm founded in 2006, serving homeowners in Frederick, Carroll, Howard, Montgomery and Washington counties in central Maryland. The company designs and builds decks, porches, patios and related outdoor living structures.

###
For more information about Cedarbrook Deck & Patio, contact the company here:
Cedarbrook Deck & Patio
Cedarbrook Deck & Patio
+13019018890
office@cedarbrookinc.com
2303 Back Acre Cir, Mt Airy, MD 21771, United States
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@graph": [
    {
      "@type": ["LocalBusiness", "HomeAndConstructionBusiness"],
      "@id": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/#business",
      "name": "Cedarbrook Deck  Patio",
      "legalName": "Cedarbrook Deck  Patio Inc",
      "alternateName": "Cedarbrook Outdoor Design/Build",
      "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/",
      "logo": {
        "@type": "ImageObject",
        "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/wp-content/uploads/CedarBrookLogo.png",
        "width": "300",
        "height": "100"
      },
      "image": [
        "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Porch-Wolf-Amberwood-Decking-Bronze-Keylink-Railing-Ceiling-Fans-Recessed-and-Sky-Lights-scaled-1.webp",
        "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Porch-with-Fan-Wolf-Amberwood-Decking-Keylink-Bronze-Railing-scaled-1.webp",
        "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/wp-content/uploads/Porch-Addition-with-Wolf-Sandcastle-Decking-scaled-1.webp"
      ],
      "telephone": "+1-301-703-8728",
      "email": "info@cedarbrookinc.com",
      "contactPoint": {
        "@type": "ContactPoint",
        "telephone": "+1-301-703-8728",
        "contactType": "customer service",
        "areaServed": "US",
        "availableLanguage": ["English"]
      },
      "foundingDate": "2006-02-01",
      "foundingLocation": {
        "@type": "Place",
        "name": "Mt Airy, MD"
      },
      "founder": {
        "@type": "Person",
        "name": "Mike Arneson Jr.",
        "jobTitle": "Owner"
      },
      "description": "Cedarbrook Deck  Patio (Cedarbrook Outdoor Design/Build) is a family-owned custom deck, porch, and outdoor living design/build firm in Mt Airy, MD. Founded in 2006 by Mike Arneson Jr., who brings 30 years of industry experience, the company has completed over 1,500 projects across Carroll, Frederick, Howard, Montgomery, and Washington counties.",
      "knowsAbout": [
        "Residential Decking",
        "Commercial Decking",
        "Deck Design  Consultation",
        "Deck Installation",
        "Deck Framing",
        "Deck Repair",
        "3D Design and Rendering",
        "Wood Decking",
        "Composite Decking",
        "PVC Decking",
        "Bamboo Deck",
        "UnderDeck Systems",
        "Deck Railing",
        "Deck Lighting",
        "Porch Installation",
        "Sunrooms",
        "Covered Porches",
        "Screened In Porches",
        "Porch Enclosure",
        "Pergola",
        "Cabanas",
        "Carports",
        "Patio Builder",
        "Privacy Screen Installation",
        "Outdoor Kitchens",
        "Outdoor Bar",
        "Outdoor Firepits and Fireplace"
      ],
      "knowsLanguage": ["English"],
      "address": {
        "@type": "PostalAddress",
        "streetAddress": "2303 Back Acre Cir",
        "addressLocality": "Mt Airy",
        "addressRegion": "MD",
        "postalCode": "21771",
        "addressCountry": {
          "@type": "Country",
          "name": "US"
        }
      },
      "geo": {
        "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
        "latitude": 39.3628604,
        "longitude": -77.1357388
      },
      "hasMap": "https://maps.app.goo.gl/Za3Ch2k2ZSKNf7328",
      "areaServed": [
        {
          "@type": "City",
          "name": "Mt Airy, MD",
          "containedInPlace": {
            "@type": "AdministrativeArea",
            "name": "Carroll County, MD"
          }
        }
      ],
      "openingHoursSpecification": [
        {
          "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
          "dayOfWeek": ["Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday"],
          "opens": "00:00",
          "closes": "23:59"
        },
        {
          "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
          "dayOfWeek": ["Saturday"],
          "opens": "00:00",
          "closes": "23:59"
        },
        {
          "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
          "dayOfWeek": ["Sunday"],
          "opens": "00:00",
          "closes": "23:59"
        }
      ],
      "priceRange": "$$",
      "currenciesAccepted": "USD",
      "paymentAccepted": ["Cash", "Check", "Credit Card", "Debit Card", "Financing"],
      "hasCredential": [
        {
          "@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential",
          "credentialCategory": "license",
          "name": "MHIC",
          "identifier": "131359"
        },
        {
          "@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential",
          "credentialCategory": "certification",
          "name": "TimberTech Platinum Pro Contractor"
        },
        {
          "@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential",
          "credentialCategory": "certification",
          "name": "NADRA Deck Evaluation  Inspection Certified"
        }
      ],
      "award": [
        "2023 YellaWood Deck Specialist of the Year",
        "Remodeling Magazine Big50 - Class of 2019"
      ],
      "sameAs": [
        "https://www.yelp.com/biz/cedarbrook-outdoor-design-build-mt-airy",
        "https://www.bbb.org/us/md/mount-airy/profile/deck-builder/cedarbrook-deck-patio-inc-0011-90269788",
        "https://www.houzz.com/pro/cedarbrookdesign/cedarbrook-outdoor-design-build",
        "https://www.angi.com/companylist/us/md/mount-airy/cedarbrook-outdoor-designbuild-reviews-410595.htm",
        "https://nextdoor.com/page/cedarbrook-deck-and-patio-inc-mount-airy-md"
      ],
      "hasOfferCatalog": {
        "@type": "OfferCatalog",
        "name": "Decking and Outdoor Living Services",
        "itemListElement": [
          {
            "@type": "OfferCatalog",
            "name": "Deck Services",
            "itemListElement": [
              {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "Residential Decking", "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/mt-airy/residential-decking/", "areaServed": {"@type": "City", "name": "Mt Airy, MD"}}},
              {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "Commercial Decking", "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/mt-airy/commercial-decking/"}},
              {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "Deck Design  Consultation", "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/mt-airy/deck-design-consultation/"}},
              {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "Deck Installation", "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/mt-airy/deck-installation/"}},
              {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "Deck Framing", "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/mt-airy/deck-framing/"}},
              {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "Deck Repair", "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/mt-airy/deck-repair/"}},
              {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "3D Design and Rendering", "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/mt-airy/3d-design-and-rendering/"}},
              {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "Wood Decking", "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/mt-airy/wood-decking/"}},
              {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "Composite Decking", "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/mt-airy/composite-decking/"}},
              {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "PVC Decking", "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/mt-airy/pvc-decking/"}},
              {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "Bamboo Deck", "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/mt-airy/bamboo-deck/"}},
              {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "UnderDeck Systems", "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/mt-airy/underdeck-systems/"}},
              {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "Deck Railing", "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/mt-airy/deck-railing/"}},
              {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "Deck Lighting", "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/mt-airy/deck-lighting/"}}
            ]
          },
          {
            "@type": "OfferCatalog",
            "name": "Outdoor Living Services",
            "itemListElement": [
              {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "Sunrooms", "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/mt-airy/sunrooms/"}},
              {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "Porch Installation", "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/mt-airy/porch-installation/"}},
              {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "Covered Porches", "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/mt-airy/covered-porches/"}},
              {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "Screened In Porches", "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/mt-airy/screened-in-porches/"}},
              {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "Porch Enclosure", "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/mt-airy/porch-enclosure/"}},
              {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "Pergola", "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/mt-airy/pergola/"}},
              {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "Cabanas", "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/mt-airy/cabanas/"}},
              {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "Carports", "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/mt-airy/carports/"}},
              {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "Patio Builder", "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/mt-airy/patio-builder/"}},
              {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "Privacy Screen Installation", "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/mt-airy/privacy-screen-installation/"}},
              {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "Outdoor Kitchens", "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/mt-airy/outdoor-kitchens/"}},
              {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "Outdoor Bar", "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/services/outdoor-bar/"}},
              {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "Outdoor Firepits and Fireplace", "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/services/outdoor-firepits-and-fireplace/"}}
            ]
          }
        ]
      },
      "makesOffer": [
        {
          "@type": "Offer",
          "name": "Free Estimate",
          "description": "Free, no-obligation estimate for all decking and outdoor living projects",
          "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/contact-us/"
        },
        {
          "@type": "Offer",
          "name": "Financing Available",
          "description": "Financing options available",
          "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/financing/"
        }
      ],
      "brand": [
        {"@type": "Brand", "name": "Fiberon"},
        {"@type": "Brand", "name": "TimberTech by Azek"},
        {"@type": "Brand", "name": "Barrette Outdoor Living"},
        {"@type": "Brand", "name": "Duralife"},
        {"@type": "Brand", "name": "Deckorators"},
        {"@type": "Brand", "name": "MoistureShield"},
        {"@type": "Brand", "name": "ProWood"},
        {"@type": "Brand", "name": "Wolf Home Products"},
        {"@type": "Brand", "name": "StruXure"},
        {"@type": "Brand", "name": "SCREENEZE"},
        {"@type": "Brand", "name": "EZ-Screen Porch Windows"},
        {"@type": "Brand", "name": "Fortress Building Products"},
        {"@type": "Brand", "name": "Westbury Aluminum Railing"},
        {"@type": "Brand", "name": "Universal Screens"},
        {"@type": "Brand", "name": "Keylink"},
        {"@type": "Brand", "name": "Hideaway"},
        {"@type": "Brand", "name": "Dekor"},
        {"@type": "Brand", "name": "IG Railing"},
        {"@type": "Brand", "name": "YellaWood"},
        {"@type": "Brand", "name": "Equinox"},
        {"@type": "Brand", "name": "Liferoom"},
        {"@type": "Brand", "name": "Owens Corning Lumber"},
        {"@type": "Brand", "name": "Placid Point"},
        {"@type": "Brand", "name": "LMT"},
        {"@type": "Brand", "name": "Ultra Max"},
        {"@type": "Brand", "name": "RDI Railing"}
      ],
      "publishingPrinciples": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/about-us/",
      "ownershipFundingInfo": "Privately owned",
      "isAccessibleForFree": false,
      "potentialAction": [
        {
          "@type": "ReserveAction",
          "name": "Request a Free Estimate",
          "target": {
            "@type": "EntryPoint",
            "urlTemplate": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/contact-us/",
            "actionPlatform": [
              "http://schema.org/DesktopWebPlatform",
              "http://schema.org/MobileWebPlatform"
            ]
          }
        },
        {
          "@type": "CommunicateAction",
          "name": "Call Us",
          "target": {
            "@type": "EntryPoint",
            "urlTemplate": "tel:+1-301-703-8728"
          }
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "@type": "WebSite",
      "@id": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/#website",
      "url": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/",
      "name": "Cedarbrook Deck  Patio",
      "alternateName": "Cedarbrook Outdoor Design/Build",
      "description": "Family-owned custom deck, porch, and outdoor living design/build firm in Mt Airy, MD.",
      "publisher": {"@id": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/#business"},
      "inLanguage": "en-US",
      "potentialAction": {
        "@type": "SearchAction",
        "target": {
          "@type": "EntryPoint",
          "urlTemplate": "https://www.cedarbrookinc.com/?s={search_term_string}"
        },
        "query-input": "required name=search_term_string"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Deck and Patio TuneUp Updates Material Guidance for Humid Conditions

WILMINGTON, NC - September 02, 2026 - PRESSADVANTAGE - 
Deck and Patio TuneUp has updated the guidance it provides to property owners on decking material selection, citing NOAA's August 6, 2026 hurricane season outlook revision and the extended humid period it implies for the southeastern North Carolina coast. The licensed North Carolina general contractor says exposure duration, rather than rainfall volume, is the condition that most often separates materials that perform locally from those that do not.
NOAA raised the probability of a below-normal Atlantic hurricane season from 55 percent to 75 percent in its August update, attributing the revision to a very strong El Niño pattern expected to persist through the fall. NOAA's Climate Prediction Center places the probability of that pattern continuing through the December 2026 to February 2027 period at 96 percent, and El Niño is historically associated with wetter cool-season conditions across the Southeast. NOAA states that the outlook is a general guide to overall seasonal activity and is not a landfall forecast.

For outdoor structures, the practical consequence is a longer period of elevated moisture rather than a shorter period of severe weather. That distinction matters at the point of material selection, because materials respond differently to sustained exposure than they do to intermittent exposure.
The underlying mechanism is documented in published technical literature. The USDA Forest Products Laboratory reports that wood decay fungi become active once wood moisture content remains sustained above a threshold level, which means the duration of wetting governs deterioration more than the quantity of water involved. A surface that dries fully between wetting events behaves differently from one that does not, even when both receive identical rainfall.
The American Wood Protection Association use category system reflects the same principle in how it classifies exposure. Above-ground applications and ground-contact applications are specified separately, with different preservative retention levels required for each, because the two positions differ in how long a member stays wet and how readily it dries afterward.
"The material that suits a property is decided by the conditions at that property, not by what looks right in a sample," said Mark Pacheco, Co-Owner of Deck and Patio TuneUp. "Two houses on the same street can present different exposures, and that changes the specification."
Site conditions vary considerably across the region. The Natural Resources Conservation Service publishes drainage classifications for individual soil series through its Web Soil Survey, and soils across southeastern North Carolina range from excessively drained sands to poorly drained flats, sometimes within a single subdivision. Drainage class affects how long the ground beneath a structure holds water after rainfall, which in turn affects the moisture environment surrounding the framing above it.
Elevation, airflow and sun exposure produce further variation within a single property. A section of deck with restricted air movement beneath it holds moisture longer than an exposed section receiving the same rainfall, and a shaded portion of a structure dries more slowly than a portion in direct sun. Those differences occur across distances measured in feet rather than miles.
Material categories differ in composition, and those differences determine how each responds to moisture. Pressure-treated lumber and dense tropical hardwoods are both wood but differ in density and grain structure. Composite decking combines wood fiber with polymer. PVC decking contains no wood content. The performance characteristics of any specific product are documented in that manufacturer's published technical data and, where applicable, in evaluation reports issued by ICC Evaluation Service, which assesses products against defined criteria including moisture behavior.
Deck and Patio TuneUp install composite, PVC, pressure-treated wood and hardwood decking, and select among them according to the exposure conditions present at each site rather than applying a single default specification across every project.
The same reasoning applies below the walking surface, where conditions differ from those above it. Ground-level areas beneath a deck experience slower air movement and later drying than the exposed surface, and framing occupies that zone continuously rather than seasonally. Under decking systems channel water away from the framing beneath an elevated deck, reducing the duration of moisture contact on the structural members below while creating dry usable space at ground level.
Deck and Patio TuneUp evaluates existing structures through its deck repair and assessment work, distinguishing surface weathering from structural change rather than treating the two as a single condition. A structure can show substantial surface wear while remaining sound, or present an acceptable surface while its supporting members have begun to deteriorate. Separating those two conditions determines the scope of any work that follows.
Deck and Patio TuneUp is a licensed North Carolina general contractor that designs and builds custom decks, porches, pergolas and outdoor living structures for residential and commercial properties throughout southeastern North Carolina. The company was founded in 2013 and provides 3D design, permit acquisition and dedicated project management across the projects it builds.


 

###
For more information about Deck and Patio TuneUp, contact the company here:
Deck and Patio TuneUp - Hampstead
Mark Pacheco
+19106657511
markapacheco@gmail.com
311 Judges Rd #1c, Wilmington, NC 28405, United States