Oh No, We’re Not Go’in There Again, Are We?

We find ourselves going into springtime and looking forward to warm sunny days and all the outdoor activities that go along with the spring and summer time of year. But wait a minute…maybe we ought to reflect on what kind of winter we just experienced. Depending on which agency you talk/listen to, our snow pack in the Sierra’s is at 50% to 60% of average and the reservoirs are far from full. Granted we could still receive some more precipitation before the ‘wet’ season comes to an end, but we need snow a lot more than rain and the weather ‘guru’s’ are calling for a fairly dry spring weather pattern. So what does all of this have to do with homes, inspections or what ever? Well, quite a bit actually. Many of us have yards with plants that we’ve worked hard planting, growing and nuturing, some maybe for years that add to the esthetics and value of our homes. Others of us may have vegetable gardens and/or fruit trees that we have been laboring over and nurturing for food. These gardens, trees, bushes and vegetables all need water all summer long if they are to grow, produce and thrive. Last summer, thanks to a controversial mandate by the State Water Board that the lake level at Pinecrest Lake must be maintained at an elevation at or above 5608’ until after Labor Day, those of us that are supplied water by T.U.D. (Tuolumne Utilities District) were forced into Phase 3 Water Restrictions in order for the State Water Board to agree to a one time lake level reduction below the 5608’ level. T.U.D. and P.G. & E. (Pacific, Gas & Electric) had to apply for the variance because T.U.D. would probably run out of water to serve the community without the variance. Unfortunately, we appear very possibly to be headed down the very same path again this year. So the question than becomes, what possibly can you do to help alleviate this problem of lack of adequate water and it’s increased cost to your pocket book and treasured plants/trees in your yard? Mulching and smart irrigation methods are the answer. You probably should have started earlier during winter with the mulching ‘program’, but late is better than never. If you weed and mulch around your trees and bushes you will provide a layer of organic material that will help keep the earth around and at your plantings much cooler and help hold the water that you do apply to keep the soil moist longer. The organic material also provides cover and nutrients to all the beneficial microorganisms in the soil that help ‘feed’ your trees and bushes. The mulch, if applied to a proper thickness will also smother out weeds that would compete for the water/moisture that is available. Just make sure that you don’t let the mulch accumulate around the base of the plants or trees as it can ‘suffocate’ them, believe it or not. There are probably many other things that you could do, but with spring here and summer just around the corner, the most logical and beneficial thing to look at would be just exactly what your watering/irrigation method actually will be that will be effective and not be cost prohibitive. If you haven’t already, seriously look into installing drip watering systems to water your yard plantings. A drip system, if properly installed, can save a bunch of water over hand watering or sprinklers, and it will save you a bunch of money at the same time. Now, get out in the yard and ‘get after it’!

The “silent killer”

Just when you thought that your home was the safe, secure and a rejuvenating place that you want be…I guess I’m on a roll about things that can show up in our homes that can really cause us harm, and, we very well may have no idea they are present! Last month I discussed radon and its adverse health issues. This month I thought we ought discuss a substance, a gas, which has been aptly referred to as the “silent killer” – carbon monoxide. The reason carbon monoxide got such a dubious moniker is that you can’t see it, you can’t smell it or taste it. This time of year (winter) is when we many times will hear about people, sometimes whole families that have been sickened and/or died due to carbon monoxide poisoning. This occurs because it’s cold outside and the house gets closed up as tight as possible to keep the heat in, and then a gas/petroleum burning appliance or system is put to use to either make heat, electricity or light, and, that appliance or system is either damaged, defective or used improperly or in an improper location. The reason gas fired furnaces and water heaters have specifically designed and constructed exhaust flue pipes that are routed carefully up through the walls, ceilings and finally out the roof is to safely carry off the byproducts of the combustion process that is occurring in the furnace or water heater as the appliances do their work of making heat. Carbon monoxide is part of those combustion byproducts and is one of the main reasons for the vent flue pipes existence. But, when a person drags a small gasoline burning generator into the house to make electricity because the power has been interrupted, or cook a meal on a charcoal barbecue in the house, there is no provision for safely venting the combustion byproducts to the exterior of the home so that the inhabitants don’t breathe them in. That’s when the disasters occur, as most people never know what got them, unless they are lucky enough to wake up in a hospital because someone was able to find them in time and safe them. One source of carbon monoxide poisoning that occurs far too often is that the heat exchanger of a gas fired furnace will fail (the metal walls will crack or corrode through), which allows the combustion byproducts to escape out of the heat exchanger and mix in with the air of the house that is being conditioned (heated). Because this happens slowly (usually) over time, and because the inhabitants of the home can’t detect the carbon monoxide, they begin getting chronically ill for what appears to be no reason. So, I guess we can all agree that this is a serious issue, but what can we do about it to avoid such a disaster? First, and foremost, buy and install a carbon monoxide detector in your home at the appropriate location – make sure to follow the instructions. They are inexpensive, easy to install, and, you may need more than one to be safe. Oh, by the way, in California it is the law now that every house is to have a carbon monoxide detector installed in them. Second, never, ever run an un-vented or improperly vented gas/petroleum burning appliance in your home! Third, have any gas fired appliances present in your home inspected and serviced by a qualified technician, with the best time being just before the winter heating season. The exhaust flue vent pipes/systems should be part of this inspection in case they have corroded through or become blocked or disconnected. Fourth, make sure that your door from the interior of the house to the garage has a self-closing hinge arrangement installed and that the appropriate seals are in place around the door to seal it closed into the jamb opening. Of course, you should never let you vehicle idle to warm up, but especially in a closed garage. I hope that this gives you a starting point to start checking out your home and its’ equipment to make sure that you and your family are living in a safe, sound and healthy home.

Radon What To Who?

January was designated as “National Radon Action Month” by the Environmental Protection Agency (E. P. A.) in an attempt to raise the awareness and general understanding of radon and its’ dangers. As we ‘slide’ through and out of February, I’m a little behind on the awareness program, but I guess late is better than never. So, just what is radon and the ‘big deal’ about it so much so that the E. P. A. would proclaim a month for the public to become aware of radon, learn about it and do something about its presents? Well, for starters, radon is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas that results from the natural decay of uranium found in most soils. The problem with radon is that it is not detectable through normal means and requires testing for its’ presents. The good news is that the test kits are actually inexpensive (around $20) and can be found at many home improvement stores, or by going to the California Department of Health Services website ( www.cdph.ca.gov/Health-Info/environhealth/Pages/RadoninCalifornia.aspx ). The E.P.A. reports the Surgeon General of the United States as saying that radon is responsible for thousands of deaths annually, and it’s been purported that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer following smoking. So radon is a big deal! The way we come into harmful contact with radon is actually in our homes. Radon moves up through the soil and into our homes through cracks in the foundation walls, gaps/cracks in floors and gaps around pipes. Radon is measured in Pico curies per liter (pCi/L). The average radon concentration outdoors is 0.4 pCi/L and indoors is about 1.3 pCi/L. If you have indoors radon levels of 4 pCi/L or higher, you should perform a second short-term test to verify the first test. If the test results still show a 4 pCi/L level or higher, the E. P. A. recommends that you take action to reduce radon down to acceptable levels as soon as possible. Radon can also exist in well water, which can pose a hazard when drinking the water or breathing in the radon when showering. Supposedly one in fifteen American homes contain high levels of radon according to the E. P. A. If, after testing your home you find that you do have elevated levels of radon present, you should hire a licensed radon mitigation Contractor to make the necessary alterations and ‘fixes’ to safely carry the radon gas out of your home with out you coming in contact with it. Typical fixes include ventilating crawl spaces (area under the floor of the home) or the area under basement or concrete slab floors. Sealing the gaps and cracks in floors and the gaps between the foundation and the home. Many times suction type fans and stack tubing is employed to draw the radon out from under concrete slab floors and carry it up out and above the living area of the home where it can dissipate harmlessly. So, spend a few bucks and take a couple of minutes to buy the test kit and use it to check and make sure you and your family are safe in your castle.

Home Buying/Selling Rhetoric

Happy New Year! You’re probably tired of hearing that and all but ‘through’ with the holiday thing, however, here we are several days into the new 2013 year with all sorts of financial and otherwise turmoil going on with our State and Federal governments. But, life goes on and maybe you have some plans in the works that includes moving and purchasing a new, or at least a new to you home. Your timing to purchase probably couldn’t be better seeing that there is a pretty fair amount of homes on the market for sale and the prices are exceptionally reasonable, plus interest rates on home loans are the lowest I’ve ever seen. If you are like many people today you’ll probably start the whole process by doing a little dreaming and begin cruising various realtor and other web sites looking at what homes/properties are out there in the area you plan to move to, and to get a feel for prices and what will fit into your budget. But, this is exactly where I want to throw up the first caution flag. What you see and read on those web sites concerning the properties up for sale may well not be what they actually are ‘in real person’. Seriously, the Internet has transformed the process of buying or selling a home in wonderful ways, but it has also increased the opportunities for mischief. With digital color pictures, videos, interactive photos and floor plans, and even some homes with their own YouTube sites, it’s easier now than ever to get you ‘drooling’ over all the amenities like gourmet kitchens with Viking ranges, sparkling pools and dazzling landscaped yards with lush green lawns. The problem is, that an, well let’s call it ‘overly enthusiastic’, seller or realtor can easily Photoshop photos and edit videos to make a house and its neighborhood seem far more attractive than they actually are. Some sellers have been known to post kitchens and gardens that you won’t actually find in the actual property. Videos get color-corrected so that grass, flowers and trees look fresh and alive. A house may appear to be freshly painted, but the picture was actually taken five years ago. I think that you get the idea…use the Internet information, but don’t get to excited and in love with the property until you’ve actually taken the time to go and see it in person. The financials concerning the property that may have caught your eye is another area that you have to be particularly careful and do some extra ‘foot work’, especially if you are inclined to visit sites like Zillow, CyberHomes or Realtor.com. These sites can have vastly different valuations, and I can’t give you an answer why, but they do many times. So, the best bet is to get out of the virtual world and into the real world. The only way to get an accurate property valuation is to hire an Appraiser, which I don’t really recommend as their fee is $350+ and the bank will want one of their own (that you will be charged for) to make the loan, so if you are considering buying a home, consult a realtor that has ‘worked’ the area for years if not decades as they will know the realistic values of the particular neighborhoods. If you are selling a home, consider inviting several realtors to walk through your home and analyze its value based on recent comparable sales. I could go on and on with warnings and examples of pit falls, but the bottom line as far as I’m concerned is to use the Internet up to a point, but then do your own legwork and check everything out for yourself and use a realtor you have vetted and trust explicitly.