Spring Forward

Daylight savings begins March 11th and it’s time again to move your clocks forward one hour.  You’ve heard that every six months when you "spring forward", it’s a good time to change the batteries in your smoke or carbon monoxide detectors, schedule an exterminator to spray for unwanted pests, flip your mattresses and repair any leaks around your house.  But did you also know that computer experts recommend changing your passwords to critical computer and online areas twice a year as well?

Changing your passwords to log on to your computer or access critical stored information gets you in the habit of having a different one every so often. At the same time, it reduces the chance that someone else will be able to "break in" to your computer files or online information. Experts caution though that you shouldn’t "sequence" your passwords to make them easier to remember. If someone gets hold of an old password of yours, "green03," and it doesn’t work, it won’t take long for your average computer hacker to guess the new password is "green04" or "green05."

It’s a good idea to have different passwords for different things. This can be hard to do in practice because there are so many things needing passwords. Experts say having a couple different passwords can be helpful. Use one for less important things like your log on to the New York Times online or an Internet message board, and another, more complex one for more important things like your online banking or the place you store sensitive business documents on your hard drive.

Try to vary your passwords by using things that aren’t easy to guess or find out as your Social Security number, your birthday, or child’s name. Another good idea, experts say, is including both letters and numerals in passwords. A good way to do this is to substitute numbers that look most like the vowels for a, e, i and o. "A" can be "4", "E" can be "3", "I" can be "1" and "O" can be "0". A password for an "agent" might be "4g3nt." These letter/number combinations are harder to guess but also, harder for a hacker to remember if they somehow are able to see them very briefly.

Whatever you do to make it easy for you to remember your passwords but hard for others to guess, consider changing your passwords when you change your clocks, detector batteries and replace any broken sprinkler heads. You may be very glad you did

12 Important Questions to Ask a Contractor's References    

First go to the Contractors State License Board http://www.cslb.ca.gov/   Under “Consumers” click “Hire a Contractor” you will find lots of good information there but the first thing to do is click “ Check a License or Home Improvement Salesperson (HIS) registration. Enter the name or License number of the Contractor and it will tell you if the License is in their name, if the license is in good standing, if they have insurance or are bonded and the history of complaints. If this information checks out you are ready to contact the references provided.                                                                                                                                                                            

One of the most important elements of screening a contractor is speaking with the references provided. This is your project and the results can be good or bad depending on the amount of effort you want to put in. Here is a sampling of questions to get you started:

· What type of work did they do for you?

· Was this the first time they worked for you?

· Were you satisfied with their work?

· Did they communicate well with you? Before starting and during the project?

· Were they neat? Did they clean up on a daily basis? And after the job was completed?

· Was the job started and completed on time? If not, why not?

· Were they on time for appointments?

· Did they call you if they were going to be late for a scheduled appointment?

· Did you have any problems with their work? Did they address any problems in a timely manner? And resolve the issue to your satisfaction?

· Do you feel their pricing was fair?

· Would you use them again?

· Would you refer them to others?

All of these questions are important to get answered. Even if you think they don’t apply to you, ask them anyway to get a better feel for who you will be working with.

 Let the homeowner do most of the talking, listen carefully for signs of being unsure of an answer. If you get negative responses to some questions be sure to ask the contractor about them if you are seriously considering hiring that contractor. After you have spoken to all of the references go over your notes to find the pros and cons of each contractor. This will help make your decision of who to hire much easier.

Rain gutters on your home can easily become clogged with leaves and debris. That's why it's important to inspect and clean them twice a year; usually in the fall and again in the spring. Loosen dirt that has blown into the gutters and scrub with a stiff brush. You can then flush the gutters with a steady stream of water from your garden hose to clear any material that may be clogging the downspouts.

Another way to prevent clogs is to install a mesh screen or leaf-catching system. Make sure that you purchase a type that can be easily removed when it's time to clean.

You may want to adjust the slope of your rain gutters from time to time. Run water through them, and if you find they drain slowly, reposition them so they slope toward the downspouts at a rate of 1/4 inch for every 10 feet.

Be sure that your downspouts expel water away from your home. If necessary, add downspout extenders that carry the water away. Also consider concrete or plastic splashblocks that are slightly sloped and extend away at least 4 feet from the home.

Also check your downspouts for rust, flaking, or peeling paint & leaks. Make sure they are affixed tightly against the fascia boards of your home's exterior. Check the fascia boards themselves fro dry rot or other damage, and, if need be, replace them with lumber treated with wood preservative to prevent water damage. You can finish them to match existing boards.

Fall is not the time to neglect your garden! Here are a few tips we wanted to pass along to you which will help you ensure a beautiful, healthy yard. 

•  Planting: Fall is a great time. The soil is still warm and moist. Coupled with cooling air and you have happy plants.
• Mulch your falling leaves into garden soil or start a compost pile.
• Cover your plants with mulch, compost, woodchips, and bark can all be used to give your plants a layer of nutrients & protection for winter.
• Divide your perrenials. You should do this at least every 3 years to keep your perennials healthy & productive.
• Before the rains come fill in erosion in your yard, fertilize & reseed.
• Care for your trees: remove dead or detached branches, trim tree limbs that are close to power lines or your roof, look for rotting or disdease. Call a professional tree service if you notice problems.
• Prune trees & shrubs to encourage healthy spring growth.
• Clean & store tools, toys, and outdoor furniture. Dip tools into a mixture of sand & motor oil before storing. This cleans & lubricates them.
• Store propane tanks outside & cover with plastic or tarp.
• Uproot dead potted annuals in your garden.
• Make sure any and all surface water on your property drains away from your home.

For more tips visit these web sites:

www.yardcare.com

Here are some home maintenance and safety tips for homeowners as we enter the fall season:

• Check all window & door locks for proper operation
• Check your home for water leaks
• Review your fire escape plan with your family
• Make sure you have working nightlights at the top and bottom of stairways (indoor & out)
• Have a heating professional check your heating system (you should do this once a year)
• Protect your home from frozen pipes
• Replace your furnace filter
• Run all your gas-powered lawn equipment until the fuel is gone
• Test any emergency generator you may have
• Have a certified chimney sweep check and clean your flues and fireplace dampers
• Remove any bird's nests from chimney flues or outdooe electrical fixtures
• Test and clean smoke detectors & carbon monoxide alarms
• Ensure caulking around doors & windows is adequate to reduce heating/cooling loss
• Ensure caulking around bathroom fixtures is adequate to prevent water leakage

 

What is an allowance in a home improvement project?

Allowances are guideline budget numbers which indicate how much you can spend on certain items. These items are generally finishes such as tile, doors, moldings, knobs and hardware, fixtures, or floor coverings. They are items that, at the time of bidding and contract, homeowners have usually not yet decided upon.

The allowance is not a fixed price, but a reliable ball park number which is determined by the homeowner's budget, taste, and needs. Generally, as long as you do not exceed this estimated number, you will not increase your overall project cost.

Allowances can include many items, so you should be very specific in your contract about what the items are. The allowance for items should include sales tax and delivery charges as well.

When deciding upon your allowance numbers, your contractor can help guide you, but you should do your research so that you have a good sense of what items cost. Pricing items online and in show rooms prior to writing in your allowance numbers will be helpful. Of course, your contractor will also have a sense of cost and should ask you lots of questions to determine what level of finish work you can choose and still keep you within your budget.

Allowances give you flexibility and time to select finish items that you like. But be careful, they can add up. And since these are the cosmetic items, which are fun to select, you could get carried away. Remember, it's ultimately the homeowner's responsibility to be familiar with the cost of items for which you make allowances.

Your contractor is there to guide you so be sure you ask lots of questions and keep an open line of communication. This will keep your project on time, on budget, and as stress-free as possible.

Did you know that you  can check for water leaks using your home water meter? All water meters have either a triangle leak detection hand on the meter face or a sweep hand which can be used to indicate the flow of tiny amounts of water.

Locate your water meter. Carefully remove the meter box lid using a screwdriver or appropriate tool. Visually examine the area around the meter to ensure your safety (be especially cautious of spider nests). A cap covers the face of the meter; lift the cap so you can see it.

Check for leaks by turning off all known water uses inside and outside your home. This includes ice makers, automatic pool fillers, and evaporative coolers. When all water sources are turned off, the triangle (low flow indicator), should not move. If using the sweep hand, mark with a pencil the location of the sweep hand on the rim of the meter. Wait a moment to see if the sweep hand has moved. If it has, or if the triangle continues to move, there is water flowing somewhere on your property.

If this is the case try tunring off the house shut-off valve (usually located where the waterline enters the house). If the low flow indicator or sweep hand is still moving, there is water flowing outside the home. If the low flow indicator or sweep hand stops moving with the house valve off, then water was flowing/leaking inside the house.

We hope this is helpful!  

What does a Structural Engineer do?

When preliminary design work is finished,  and the size and shape of the home is set,  the structural engineer gets to work. They tabulate the vertical loads of building materials, occupants, and contents of the structure, and then they select the appropriate sizes and strengths of the building's supporting members. The path of vertical loads is traced (roof, floor, columns, footings), to the supporting soil. They establish and design the limits which prevent the wall finishes and ceilings from cracking. The structural engineer also works with geotechnical engineers to limit the settling of a structure over time.

While it's critical to measure and assess vertical loads, a structure's lateral load is important as well.  Using applicable building codes, the structural engineer matches forces with resisting elements from the peak of the roof to the bottom of the sturture's footings. Walls are checked to assure that they support both the load from the floors above and gusts from severe winds and storms. Structures are bolted form their foundations to resist the lateral sliding forces of earthquakes.   Through careful calculations, a structure becomes a logical mathematical proof where all forces cancel.

The structural engineer is responsible for translating his or her calculations into construction drawings for use by the contractor. Plan views of the individual building levels are then developed. Details of the various connections are created and cited on the plans. Specifications for the structural materials and required inspections are added to complete the work. No variations that affect the building's performance escapes the scrutiny of the structural engineer.