Jarret Herzog FS Construction Services grain system brands expert

Herzog Profile: Grain System Brands We Service (#2 of 3)

Last month we spent some time focusing on one of our own employees, Jarret Herzog, as we explored the topic of preventative maintenance. Jarret’s almost 20 years as Service Manager at FS Construction Services makes him an ideal resource to discuss servicing grain systems.

This time, we are going to let Jarret talk about the three main manufacturers we work with in the grain systems world.

 

Herzog is Expert in Grain System Brands

 

Sukup

“We have a lot of customers that purchase grain bins and storage systems from us that are the Sukup brand. We work closely with them. They are a family-owned business that is highly dedicated to supporting and delivering the highest quality materials for growers.”

Like Jarret said, we spend a lot of time working with Sukup Manufacturing equipment. They are known for their grain bins, dryers, and grain handling equipment. Their quality and value have made them a popular choice in the counties we most often work in. For that reason, we have become quite comfortable working with Sukup over the years. On the rare occasion we can’t answer a question about Sukup equipment, the close relationship we’ve built over the years makes finding those answers a fast and easy process.

 

Shivvers

“Shivvers is another family-owned company that we work closely with. Their high-quality systems and components make them a great provider of solutions for our customers.”

Shivvers Manufacturing has been a leader in the grain-drying world for 55 years, and it shows. Their excellent counter-flow drying systems are a great value for our customers. Similar to our partners at Sukkup, our close relationship with Shivvers is a tremendous asset to our customers.

 

GSI

“GSI is another manufacturer that we feature. They have solutions for storage, conditioning, and handling.”

While we are generally called upon less to work with GSI, they are still an incredible manufacturer that provides high-quality products. Their grain products cover a wide variety of functions and their global footprint provides unique industry insight.

 

With these three great brands as partners, we know that whatever problem or need our clients face, we will be able to find a solution that fits them. If you are interested in adding or updating a grain system, please let Gateway FS Construction Services know. Give us a call at 866-551-3454, and let our specialists help you find exactly what you are looking for. We look forward to providing you the best customer service experience.

FS Construction Services new roof

Five Signs That You Need a New Roof

Here at FS Construction Services we know that no one really wants a new roof. It may be necessary, it may be long overdue, it may dramatically increase your quality of life, but we get that no one wants to do it. For that reason, it can certainly be tempting to ignore the warning signs that it’s time for an update. However, someone has to be the messenger, so we wanted to provide five different signs that it’s finally time to update that roof.

 

Reasons For Getting a New Roof

 

Leaks

This one is obvious, but needs to be said nonetheless. Some leaks are fixable and not a sign of something worse. But if the roof has taken storm damage, was improperly installed, or the roofing components have simply reached the end of the line, then it’s going to be time for an upgrade. To know for sure, we always recommend a good inspection.

Granules

Most traditional roofs are made of asphalt shingles. Those shingles have embedded asphalt granules to help with fire resistance and UV protection. When a shingle roof is reaching its end, those granules will start to fall off into your gutters or onto the ground below. If you are noticing small granules in your downspouts or on the ground, and you’ve not just had a significant weather event, it is probably time to say goodbye to your old roof.

Damaged Shingles

Speaking of significant weather, intense storms and heavy winds can damage your roof shingles, but if you’re noticing cracked, curled, or missing shingles on your roof, it’s their way of telling you their time is up. Depending on your situation, it may be hard to know for sure if this is the case, but if you suspect your roof is reaching its limit, make sure to have a professional come and inspect it.

Moss and Vegetation

If your roof is starting to look like its own garden, then it’s time. While black algae streaks can appear on roofs midway through their cycle, actual moss and vegetation growth is a sign of an old, ready-to-be-replaced roof.

Discoloration in Attic

If you notice discolored roof decking boards in your attic, it could be a sign that it is no longer performing its job at full capacity. Again, this could be the sign of a fixable problem, but in many cases, it means it’s new-roof time.

 

We are sorry to be the bearer of unwelcome news, but we’ve also got good news. If you have noticed one, or all, of these signs and decided to upgrade, our partnership with Fabral means we can provide you with a beautiful, customizable, new metal roof that can last you up to 50 years. If you might be interested in a roof upgrade, please let Gateway FS Construction Services know. Give us a call at 866-551-3454, and let our specialists help you find exactly what you are looking for. We look forward to providing you the best customer service experience.

FS Construction Services garage door safety

Which Type of Garage Door is the Most Secure?

Here at FS Construction Services we often talk about the benefits of a new garage door. Those benefits include the peace of mind that comes with a well-functioning door and the ease of use that comes with being able to open and close your door anytime, anywhere straight from your phone. One of the benefits we don’t always talk about though is security. So we thought we would take a look at which type of garage doors provide the most security because garage door safety is key.

 

Consider Garage Door Safety

 

Sectional Garage Doors

Sectional garage doors are primarily known for their security and durability, making them the most common choice in commercial applications. These doors use steel tracks and hardware, but also close with no gaps, decreasing the likelihood of forced entry.

Steel Garage Doors

As you can guess from the name, steel garage doors are strong, weather-resistant doors that can come in a variety of styles and looks. These doors run smoothly and can come with features like pinch-resistant panels.

Insulated Garage Doors

If your garage is attached to your house or you simply want further protection for what’s stored inside, you may want to consider an insulated garage door. Not only does the insulation increase thermal efficiency and improve energy use, the steel layers around the insulation also provide soundproofing and further durability.

 

With the right garage door not only can you count on dependable usage and a variety of conveniences, you can also rest easy knowing that your garage door will keep out the things you don’t want inside your garage. If you are you in the market for a new garage door or a garage door opener, please let Gateway FS Construction Services know. Give us a call at 866-551-3454, and let our specialists help you find exactly what you are looking for. We look forward to providing you the best customer service experience.

FS Construction Services Jarret Herzog preventative maintenance

Jarret Herzog Profile and Preventative Maintenance Series #1 of 3

We work hard to ensure that the name FS Construction Services means something to those who hear it. Our ultimate goal is to make our name synonymous with hard work, quality, and great customer service. However, what truly makes FS Construction Services special are the individual employees who make up our team. Our collective expertise, experience, and skill is made strong by the wonderful employees who do this work day in and day out.

 

Preventative Maintenance Specialist

 

So we thought we would take some time to highlight our employees, explore what makes them such a great addition to our team, and give you an idea of how they might be able to help you. First up is our longtime Service Manager Jarret Herzog. Jarret is going to help us cover the topic of preventative maintenance this month.

During the almost 20 years Jarret has been Service Manager at FS Construction Services he has gained a reputation for being a quiet, modest, and knowledgeable man. Those who have the pleasure of working with him quickly learn that he is trustworthy and straightforward. Jarret’s experience really began when he was a child, growing up on a farm and learning how to work on agricultural equipment firsthand. He spent three years in the Navy on the USS O’Bannon then returned home and got an Ag degree from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.

Since he stepped into his Service Manager role with us Jarret has been the go-to for service needs for our grain systems customers as well as our employees who serve them. “When I have maintenance issues or questions, I know I can trust Jarrett. He is always helpful, friendly and knows my operation.” stated long-time customer Wes Kuergeleis.

Some of Jarret’s top preventative maintenance tips are:

  1. Rodent control. Check wire insulation for rodent damage. Mice can eat wires right up to the motor housing. To control mice, consider mouse bait or even getting cats on the farm.
  2. If drying system heaters won’t light or burn, check to make sure no safety breakers have been tripped.
  3. Check sweeps for wear and also check center verticals and chain couplers.
  4. Inspect fans, heaters, safety circuits, bearings, and transfer augers.
  5. Schedule a professional preventative maintenance service call well in advance of harvest.

Many customers have their own “checklist” that they run down prior to harvest however, your best bet to ensure your grain storage and handling equipment is in peek working order is to have a professional come and perform a thorough inspection. Pre-harvest is always the best time to schedule these.

Next month, we will continue our preventative maintenance series and cover information about the brands that we work with.

If you have any questions you’d like to ask Jarret or any of our other experts, please let Gateway FS Construction Services know. Give us a call at 866-551-3454, and let our specialists help you find exactly what you are looking for. We look forward to providing you the best customer service experience.

Gateway FS Construction Services choosing a grain dryer

Choosing the Right Grain Dryer

The ability to properly dry grain is one of the most crucial aspects of the agricultural process. There’s no point in taking the time and money to plant and harvest seed if that grain is just going to spoil after the fact. While grain is able to dry naturally, the ability to mechanically dry grain greatly speeds up the process. So as you can imagine, choosing the right grain dryer for your particular application is a matter of high importance. So we thought it would be a good idea to cover some of the different types of grain dryers as you consider which one might be best for you.

 

Premier Selection of Grain Dryers

 

In-Bin Dryers

In-bin dryers are great for those who don’t need significant capacity but would still like a high quality dryer that is also reliable and economical. Depending on the size of the bin and fan/heater combination, these bins can dry up to 500 bushels per hour.

Single and Two Fan Dryers

Single and two fan dryers are able to dry up to between 200 and 730 bushels per hour, increasing your drying capacity and while also automating the operation. They also install easily, often using existing storage but also able to utilize new storage.

Stackable Series Dryers

These types of dryers are typically used for larger operations needing to dry a lot of grain in a short timeframe. With capacities reaching up to 2,500 bushels per hour, stackable series dryers usually are able to fit into small areas and are automated to include high speed handling features.

Tower Dryers

While tower dryers are the most expensive style of dryer, they are also capable of drying the most amount of grain. Tower dryers can dry up to 10,000 bushels per hour.

 

The great thing about grain dryers is the high variety of customizability that can be provided. If you are interested in any kind of grain system, please let Gateway FS Construction Services know. Give us a call at 866-551-3454, and let our specialists help you find exactly what you are looking for. We look forward to providing you the best customer service experience.

FS Construction Services roofing material

How to Pick the Best Roofing Material

So it’s time to get a new roof. Maybe some unfortunate weather event has made this necessary or maybe it’s simply been the unforgiving passage of time. Whether you have been kicking this decision down the road for a while or have decided that it’s simply time, you now have a very important question to ask yourself: what kind of roof should I get? To best answer this question we have to look at three main features of every roofing material.

 

Three Key Considerations With Roofing Material

 

Look

It may be easy to think that a roof is just a roof and as long as it’s keeping out rain and UV rays it doesn’t matter. And maybe this is true of you, but it’s worth considering that different roofing materials have very different looks and curb appeals. Cedar shake roofs and slate roofs are premium-style roofs that may fit certain types of houses better than others. Metal roofs come in a wide range of colors and styles and can be customized to each application. A traditional shingle roof is the most common roofing material. It won’t stand out, which depending on who you are, may be a selling point.

Budget

This will likely be your first point of consideration. Roofing prices will obviously vary on a number of factors, but generally traditional shingle roofs are the most inexpensive. Metal roofs, cedar roofs, and slate roofs will all price out higher.

Durability

However, if you consider cost over time, then the upfront cost of a shingle roof might be less, but the long-term cost can be significantly higher. Asphalt shingles tend to have a lifespan of around 25 years, cedar roofs around 30 years, metal roofs around 50 years, and slate roofs around 75 years.

 

If you have found yourself in the position of needing a new roof, we hope you are able to look at the situation as an opportunity instead of a nuisance and make a decision that won’t just work for you tomorrow, but for many, many tomorrows to come. We proudly install metal roofs for commercial, agricultural, and residential buildings, so if you have any questions, please let Gateway FS Construction Services know. Give us a call at 866-551-3454, and let our specialists help you find exactly what you are looking for. We look forward to providing you the best customer service experience.

FS Construction Services grain system multi-generational farm

Project Profile: Multi-Generational Farm Grain System

At FS Construction Services we have enjoyed serving our community and many of our surrounding communities for over 40 years. One of the best aspects of working with so many in the agricultural world is that we get to spend so much time with generations of farmers and families that have passed their land, their knowledge, and their resources on down through the years, including this grain system.

 

Grain Hopper Bin Added to Grain System

 

So it was a great joy to have the opportunity to work with a multi-generational farm last summer when they were in need of some additional grain drying equipment. Nathan Koester and his team constructed an 18’ diameter, 5-ring tall Sukup hopper bin with a capacity of 4,900 bushels. This bin will act as a surge tank in front of a pre-existing drying bin to help keep the drying bin at a constant depth of grain and promote all-around faster drying. Additionally, we installed a fan on the bin for after-season storage as well as an easily accessible level indicator so our clients can check when the bin is close to capacity without having to actually enter the bin.

With this project completed in June, our clients were able to have everything in place for the upcoming harvest, helping ensure another year of production and another year of learning and training from one generation to another.

If you are in the market for any kind of new grain system, whether it is grain drying, grain storage, or grain handling, we can help you get the equipment you need to successfully get the job done. Our team of experts have decades of experience and will be happy to work with you on finding the right tools. If you have any questions at all, please let Gateway FS Construction Services know. Give us a call at 866-551-3454, and let our specialists help you find exactly what you are looking for. We look forward to providing you the best customer service experience.

FS Construction Services paint services painting surface prep

Avoiding A Painting Disaster: Surface Prep Done Right

Although a fresh of coat of paint is one of the fastest ways to make something look brand new, a poorly applied fresh coat of paint is one of the fastest ways to be disappointed. Lots of things can go wrong during the painting process and any one of them can ruin your hard work.  Effective surface prep can help avoid ruining your effort.

Proper Surface Prep Saves Work Later

First, let’s talk about peeling paint. Peeling paint can be sanded and scraped, but if you’re painting an outdoor surface, peeling paint tends to be a problem that takes more than just a little scraping. Instead, let a power washer do the removal for you. At the right pressure and the right distance, a power washer will remove peeling paint without damaging the surface underneath. After the old paint has been removed, apply a clear building sealer to fill cracks and glue down blistered areas. A sealer can act like a primer, so when it’s dried, it can be safely painted over.

Another potential problem is painting after wallpaper removal. Removing wallpaper can be a chore, and it can cause damage to drywall that makes painting after a tricky process. Luckily, there’s a solution. Rather than painting over the damaged drywall and hoping for the best, applying a problem sealer coating can lock down the torn drywall or other unstable surfaces like crumbling textures by creating a hard, moisture-resistant foundation that won’t bubble. Damaged drywall should be clean, dry, and free of buildup or leftover wallpaper adhesive before applying the sealer. After the sealer has been applied, the wall can be painted.

Painting is always simple in theory and nuanced in practice. If you have any questions about painting or need someone to tackle a difficult or timely job, please let Gateway FS Construction Services know. Give us a call at 866-551-3454, and let our specialists help you find exactly what you are looking for. We look forward to providing you the best customer service experience.

FS Construction Services Metal Roofing Most Efficient

What is the Most Efficient Roofing Material?

Of all the parts of your house, your roof bears the brunt of the harshest weather throughout the year. Whether it’s unfiltered sunlight, cold winds, hard rain or hail, your roof is going to take a beating at some point. And while it is absolutely true that cost, durability, and longevity are important factors when considering a new roof, there is another factor that may be more easily overlooked: efficiency. Different roofing materials have different energy efficiency properties, and the degree to which your roof is efficient can impact the degree to which your entire home is efficient.

 

Is Metal the Most Efficient Roofing?

 

Metal Roofs

Metal roofs are known for their incredible longevity and ease of maintenance. However, they are also one of the most energy-efficient roofing materials available. Because of metal’s high reflectivity, during the hottest months of the year, a metal roof will actually reflect heat away from your home, requiring less cooling and reducing your energy costs.

Tile Roofs

Tile roofs also claim a long lifespan and provide efficiency. On a tile roof, airflow is easily able to circulate under the tiles, increasing their insulative properties and keeping out hot air during the summer and cold air during the winter.

Asphalt Shingles Roofs

By far the most cost-effective solution, asphalt shingle roofs also don’t carry the same long lifespan of metal or tile roofs. While a traditional shingle roof is not as energy efficient as its competitors, there are more efficient varieties that are designed to better reduce heat absorption and provide greater protection against wind and rain.

 

With any roofing choice, you will have to consider the pros and cons and weigh that against the cost and how long you want to go before having to think through this purchase again. If you have any questions about installing a metal roof, please let Gateway FS Construction Services know. Give us a call at 866-551-3454, and let our specialists help you find exactly what you are looking for. We look forward to providing you the best customer service experience.

FS Construction Services Additional Grain Storage

Project Profile: Additional Grain Storage for Returning Customer

As a consumer, one of the more stressful tasks can be finding the right place to do the job you need. Whether it’s an auto shop, an electrician, or just a new restaurant that you hope is good, we all want to make sure we can get the product we want, at a price that works, from a place we trust, including additional grain storage.

 

6,950 Bushels of Additional Grain Storage Before Harvest

 

And at FS Construction Services, we understand that value. And while we are grateful for all of our clients, there is a special feeling that comes when a first-time client becomes a return client. This was the case late last year when a customer who had been brand new in the year 2021 came back again with some additional storage needs.

Nathan Koester and his team were able to provide this new structure just in time for harvest to really pick up. They installed a 21’ Sukup hopper bin to function as a wet tank right next to a continuous flow dryer. This 5-ring tall bin has a capacity of 6,950 bushels. Additionally, our team added a fan for aeration during the drying season and to help with storage when moving into the winter season. We also installed a dual-use twin hopper gate, one going to the dryer and one for load out when the dryer isn’t needed. All in all, we had our return client up and running and ready to take on the thick of the season.

If you are in need of grain drying, grain storage, or grain handling equipment, whether you are a returning customer or have never contacted us before, please let Gateway FS Construction Services know. Give us a call at 866-551-3454, and let our specialists help you find exactly what you are looking for. We look forward to providing you the best customer service experience.