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| Real Estate Views and News |
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| Want a fancier-looking room? Try wainscoting By Paul Bianchina One way to really dress up a room and try your hand at some different decorating techniques is to consider wainscoting. There are a number of ways to combine materials to create some very attractive wainscoting effects, and the cost doesn't need to be prohibitive. Traditionally, wainscoting is tongue and groove boards or raised or flat paneling sections that are applied to the lower part of a wall. The wainscoting extends from the top of the baseboard up to a height of usually between 3 and 5 feet off the floor, and is topped off with a horizontal molding. In addition to its decorative appeal, wainscoting had the very practical advantage of protecting the lower portion of the wall from wear and tear. Today, however, wainscoting has taken on a somewhat less specific definition. It can be just about any combination of materials, including paint, wood, wallpaper and even fabric. A wainscoting application consists of three elements: the lower portion of the wall, the upper portion of the wall, and the dividing line between the two. How you mix and match those three elements is up to your individual taste and budget. Splitting Up the Wall One of the first things to decide for any wainscoting project is where the dividing line will be between the two different materials. For a room with an 8-foot-high ceiling, a division of approximately 3 feet on the lower half and 5 feet on the upper half tends to give the best balance. Many Craftsman-style homes used the reverse of that, with about 5 feet of paneling on the lower half, capped with a wider molding that was suitable for shallow storage. For best appearance, the dividing line should not be exactly half way up the wall. To get a better idea of how different proportions will work, tape some newspaper or other material on the wall at a couple of different heights. This will give you a better representation of how the two halves will balance out, and you can adjust them accordingly. Installing Traditional Wainscoting To achieve the look of a board wainscoting, you can install individual narrow, tongue and groove boards; you can install wider boards that are milled on the face to look like two or three narrower boards, which simplifies installation; or you can install 4-foot-wide beaded paneling, which again replicates the look of individual boards but installs faster. With any of these methods, finish off the top of the boards with a horizontal molding such as a wainscot cap or a chair rail. For a paneled look, there are kits available that include a routed base molding, a routed top molding, routed vertical strips, and the panels themselves. The pieces all interlock with one another, and as long as you take some time with the layout to ensure that the panels are balanced to the width of the wall, you can achieve a beautiful, traditional paneled wainscoting in a relatively short time. If you are an avid woodworker, there are specialized router bits that help you cut the individual pieces yourself and save some money. With wood, you have the choice of painting or staining the material to get the look you want. For painting, the boards and paneling are available in medium-density fiberboard (MDF), which paints nicely and is less expensive than solid wood. For stained wainscoting, you can select from pine, fir, oak, cherry, maple and other woods. Wood strips, paneling and moldings can all be found at most home centers and lumberyards, along with all the installation materials you need. Some larger stores also carry the paneling kits, or they can order them for you. You will also find a wide selection of wainscoting paneling kits online. Other Wainscoting Materials In addition to traditional wood, there are lots of other material combinations that will work very well together. You can experiment with different combinations of materials to achieve the exact look that works for your décor. In general, heavier materials such as wood and fabric look best on the lower half of the wall. Also, darker paint colors and darker, more heavily patterned wallpapers look best on the bottom. Your wainscoting choice may be something as simple as two different colors of paint. You can also use a solid paint on one section of the wall, and some type of textured paint effect on the other section. Another easy wainscoting can be achieved with two different wallpapers. Select a lighter paper with a more open pattern for the upper half of the wall, and a darker paper or one with a vertical stripe or heavy pattern for the bottom. You can also combine the two materials by using paint on one section of the wall and wallpaper on the other. With any of these combinations, separate the two sections of wall with a painted or stained wood molding. To really accent the installation, finish everything off with a crown molding as well. |
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| Lender demands PMI despite 50 percent equity By Benny Kass DEAR BENNY: My mother-in-law's mortgage was sold to another lender. The new lender is asking for PMI, which was not required by her previous lender. She has more than 50 percent equity in her home. She really cannot afford the PMI. Does the new lender have this right? What are her options? –Craig DEAR CRAIG: For the benefit of my readers, PMI stands for private mortgage insurance. Typically, when you buy a house and do not put down at least 20 percent of the purchase price, the lender may require PMI. This is insurance that will insure that the lender will be paid in the event of a foreclosure. The buyer has to pay the annual PMI premiums. (To get around this, in the past few years, lenders would make two loans to home buyers: a first trust (mortgage) in the amount of 80 percent of the purchase price and a second trust in the amount of some -- or even all -- of the difference. Of course, nowadays, those kinds of loans -- called "piggyback" -- are getting harder and harder to obtain.) But once your mother-in-law signed the mortgage papers, neither the original lender nor any new lender that has bought the loan documents can change the terms of the loan. The specific answer: Unless there was some language in the loan documents allowing such a change, the new lender cannot ask her to pay the PMI premiums. And even if there is some language allowing changes, if the equity in the house is at least 50 percent, there is no way that this payment can be required. Suggest that your mother-in-law advise the lender that she will not pay any PMI premiums. If the lender persists, complain to the Federal Reserve Board here in Washington, D.C., as well as to your state's attorney general. |
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| Buyer misses home inspection, problems snowball Don't repair defects without first calling inspector By Barry Stone Dear Barry, When I bought my home, I made the mistake of not being present for the home inspection. Instead, I trusted that the inspector did a good job and that everything was OK. After moving in, I began finding things the inspector had missed. Worst of all was moisture and rotted wood at the base of the kitchen cabinets. I tore out the cabinets and spent a lot of money to repair them. What recourse do I have against the home inspector for missing these problems? --Fawn Dear Fawn, Your case against the inspector is weakened if the damaged cabinets are no longer on the property. The basis for a claim depends upon whether the moisture and damaged materials were visible and accessible at the time of the inspection. If the cabinets are gone, so is the evidence. When the problem was discovered, you should have called the home inspector and the pest inspector. Both were responsible for finding that kind of defect. If you've still got the cabinets, you should call the inspectors immediately. Dear Barry, We have standing water in the crawlspace under our house, but the source is a mystery. We checked the water pipes and sewer lines but found no damage or leaks. What can we do? --Benjamin Dear Benjamin, There are two possible sources for the water beneath your house. Either there are plumbing leaks in buried portions of the water lines or waste piping, or there is a problem with groundwater drainage. Water-line leakage can be determined by observing your water meter for a period of 15 minutes while no plumbing fixtures are in use. If the gauge advances, there is a leak. To determine underground waste-line leakage requires the expertise of a qualified plumber. A video inspection of drain lines may be necessary. If no plumbing leaks are found, the water source is most likely faulty ground drainage. For a comprehensive evaluation of site drainage problems, a geotechnical engineer should be consulted. Dear Barry. Before we bought our home, we hired a home inspector and relied on his advice. During the inspection, he told us the seller had mentioned a plumbing problem involving slow drains. But he did not indicate any need for concern or further investigation. Now that we own the home, we've learned that the entire drainpipe system needs replacement. Shouldn't our inspector have red-flagged this problem? --Michael Dear Michael, If the inspector was aware that the waste-line system was slow, it was his responsibility to recommend further evaluation by a licensed plumber. It was also his responsibility to indicate this disclosure in the written inspection report, not simply to "mention" what the seller had said. Failure to report such conditions in writing and to recommend further evaluation by a qualified specialist constitutes professional negligence. However, holding an inspector accountable for something he said but did not declare in writing could be very difficult. |
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| Homeowners, be careful signing divorce papers By Benny Kass DEAR BENNY: I am recently divorced. We had two houses. In the divorce, I got one and he got one. We both signed quitclaim deeds to each other. However, I needed to refinance mine to pay off the bills I accumulated just to get my house back into livable shape. (It was a rental while we were married.) Both houses have mortgage loans: Mine carries a rate of 6 percent and his is at 5.75 percent interest. Needless to say, there is no incentive for him to refinance that favorable loan rate. My ex is not the healthiest man, and my name is still on his loan. I told my lawyer several times through the divorce process that I wanted it stated in the divorce agreement that we both have to refinance. It did not happen. Even though a quitclaim was signed, what is my exposure if something happens to my ex, considering my name is still on the loan? –Becky DEAR BECKY: Why did you sign the divorce papers when they did not require your ex to refinance so that your name will get off of that loan? You might want to explore whether your lawyer did not properly represent you -- although there may be legitimate reasons why that did not happen. Should your ex die, his estate will most likely have to be probated. The most likely outcome will be either that the heirs to the property will assume the mortgage and keep the property, or will arrange to have it sold. Under either scenario, you are protected. However, if your ex stops making the monthly mortgage payments, and goes into default, since your name is still on the loan, the lender has the right to either foreclose on the property -- which will be a blemish on your credit rating -- or sue you for the balance of the note. I assume that when you were married and borrowed the money, you signed a promissory note, which indicated that you were both -- jointly and severally -- obligated to repay the loan. You should immediately contact the other lender and advise them that you no longer own the property. Make sure that you provide them with your current mailing address, so that any notices of default will go to you as well as to your ex. Should that happen, you should immediately retain a lawyer (a different one) who can take all appropriate steps to protect you, including filing suit against your ex. You have a problem that at the present time can be resolved only if your husband refinances. DEAR BENNY: I am a recently divorced woman. After many years of marriage in the same residence, I was decreed full ownership of the family home. However, I had to secure a substantial loan on the home to give to my ex-husband in order for him to move out. Because of my financial situation, I could not secure the loan without keeping him on the loan and on the deed. However, in the divorce settlement there is a quitclaim deed stating that I have five years to refinance the loan and get my ex-husband's name off the loan and off the house deed. I will not quality for a loan myself. However, I have a son, a recent college graduate, who has an excellent job and salary, and who is living downstairs and helping to pay the mortgage. Should I go ahead and record the quitclaim deed? My name has been changed. Would the mortgage company be alerted and would they then require the loan to be paid in full? Would I then be forced to sell sooner than the five years? Also, I know my ex-husband's name would still be on the loan. They may make me refinance with my name alone (I would not qualify), but maybe with my son's credit I could qualify, making him part owner with his name on the deed. Could you please clarify the most prudent steps for me to take to keep my home and free myself of the quitclaim deed? –Amy DEAR AMY: I bunched your question with the one above, since the issues are similar. First, federal law does not permit the lender to call your loan just because you changed your name or add your son to title. I suggest the following: Assuming that your son qualifies for a loan, have him buy half of the house. You then will both apply for a new loan, which if approved will pay off the existing loan, and your ex will be out of the picture. DEAR BENNY: My husband and I own a rental property that is paid off. We have been talking about separating, and my husband has said that I can keep the house. How can I get his name off the house and put my name on, or should we just sell it? I would like to continue to rent the property for a while longer because my daughter lives in it. –Virda DEAR VIRDA: I assume that your daughter is paying you rent. If you think that the property will continue to be a good investment, it's quite easy to have the property put exclusively into your name. Your husband just has to prepare a deed -- usually called a "quitclaim deed" -- conveying the property to you. In some states, it may be necessary for the two of you to convey back to you as sole owner. If you are still married, then (depending on state law) you may not have to pay any recordation or transfer tax. The filing fee should be nominal. But that's the easy part. You also have to explore the tax consequences of such a transfer. According to the tax code (section 1041 to be exact), when your husband transfers the house to you there is no taxable gain. Thus, your husband will not have to pay any capital gains tax. However, you should consult your tax advisors to determine if this will trigger any gift-tax consequences. When the house is transferred to you, (unless your husband is a nonresident alien) your husband's tax basis becomes yours. What does this mean? Let's say you initially paid $100,000 for the house. Each of your bases for tax purposes was $50,000. Now, when you become the sole owner of the property, your tax basis will be the full $100,000 (plus any improvements that have been made to the property over the years). So please explore all legal and tax implications before making the transfer. DEAR BENNY: My question is about the two-year residence requirement for tax exemption when selling your main residence. We owned the bare land for years and built a home on it in 2006. We actually moved out of our rental and into the home on Nov. 6, 2006, and by Dec. 31 the home was 99 percent complete. However, the final approval wasn't signed off until March 2007 when the required pool cover was installed. When I read the law, it states "primary residence date," but would that be the date we actually moved in or from date of final sign off by the building department? –Carol DEAR CAROL: Yours is an interesting question that will have lawyers and probably the IRS issuing dozens of opinions, many of which will be contradictory. I don't know the answer. The law says that you have to have owned and lived in the house for two out of the five years before the property is sold. I would argue that the target date would be when you actually moved into the house, namely November 2006. But if you can hold off until March 2009 -- which will be two years after you received the final clear-off from the county -- that would be the safest course to take. DEAR BENNY: I live in Florida and am executor of the will of a friend in New York City who owned a one-half interest in a condo in Ocean City, Md. She wanted to give that interest to my nephew upon her death. How do I go about transferring her interest to him? Do I need an attorney? –Ronald DEAR RONALD: Even if you went through probate in New York, since the deceased owned property in Maryland, you will have to open up what is known as "ancillary" or "foreign" probate in Maryland. It's not too complex, although you may want to retain a local attorney in Ocean City to assist you. Once the Maryland court probate proceeding has been established, you should have no problem issuing a personal representative (executor) deed to your nephew. To avoid any issues of conflict of interest, I assume that the will specifically states that the property interest is to go to your nephew. Benny L. Kass is a practicing attorney in Washington, D.C., and Maryland. No legal relationship is created by this column. |
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| Multiple home inspections pay off By Dian Hymer Buyers often assume that if a house is new there's no need to inspect it. What could possibly be wrong with a brand-new house? You'd be surprised. Following the 1991 firestorm that destroyed thousands of homes in the hills above Oakland, Calif., contractors from around the country moved into the area to take advantage of rebuilding opportunities. The planning department was overwhelmed. Inspectors rushed from one job to another. Problems that showed up mere years after these new homes were completed were often due to faulty installation of windows and doors, improperly flashed decks over finished living areas, and lack of proper ventilation. One elderly homeowner rebuilt her home in Oakland's Upper Rockridge neighborhood after the fire. The house looked great, better than it had looked before the fire. However, it wasn't built as well. When the owner decided to move to a retirement facility, she sold the house. To her surprise, the termite report revealed that the one-story front stair system was severely damaged by wood pests and needed to be replaced at a cost of more than $20,000. The waterproof membrane had not been installed properly; there was no flashing and no ventilation. Water penetrated the stair system. The area under the stairs couldn't dry out. The damp wood frame provided an ideal environment for wood pests to do their damage. Several years after rebuilding, another homeowner discovered that the doors, windows, and terraces hadn't been properly installed. The house exterior, windows, exterior doors, and terrace had to be rebuilt. The homeowner successfully sued the contractor, but it was a time-consuming hassle, and necessitated moving out of the house during the rebuilding process. Many real estate agents provide forms for their clients to read and sign. These include strongly worded advisories to inspect the property thoroughly. Many inspection reports specify what is and is not included n the inspection. For example, wood-destroying pest (also known as "termite") reports usually don't cover mold. Home inspectors often don't inspect spas, irrigation systems or security systems. And they usually don't check the permit record. HOUSE HUNTING TIP: Most buyers don't read reports and contract documents carefully. It is important to do so. This means: Read over every word, including disclaimers. If an inspector or your agent recommends a further inspection, follow through and hire the appropriate professional to check out the system. Check directly with the local planning or zoning department for answers to pertinent questions that might affect your decision to buy a property. A further inspection could yield good news, as home inspectors tend to err on the side of caution to limit their liability. For example, one home inspector who inspected a home in the Oakland Hills reported that the older roof needed to be replaced and recommended consulting a licensed roofing contractor. The roofer said the roof needed repairs but didn't need replacing. In another instance, the buyers' inspector reported that the furnace needed repair to keep hot air from escaping into an area that didn't need heat. The seller recently paid a heating contractor to make repairs to the furnace. The work was still under warranty. There was no repair cost incurred by either the buyers or sellers. Failing to complete a further inspection can have serious consequences. You could have a difficult time getting financial help from the sellers after closing if a further inspection was recommended and you did not have it done. Some buyers don't want to pay the cost of a further inspection, especially if the cost is high. In some cases, the sellers might be willing to share the expense of a further inspection with you. THE CLOSING: Weigh the cost of the further inspection against the possible cost to repair the defect. The cost may be minimal seen in that context. Dian Hymer, a real estate broker with more than 30 years' experience, is a nationally syndicated real estate columnist and author. |
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| Not everyone's keen on fluorescent lights Some say CFLs consume extra energy when turned on By Paul Bianchina Q: I have a question about fluorescent bulbs and power usage. I have been told that fluorescents draw the most power when they are turned on and almost no power to keep on. Therefore, they should be turned on and left on, and should not be turned on and off during the day because it would end up using more power in the process. Is that true? --Richard C., via e-mail. A: A fluorescent light does consume some additional energy when first starting up. This is known as "inrush current," and is equal to about five times what the operating current is. However, with today's rapid-start bulbs, that initial surge only lasts for half of one cycle. Electrical current is 60 cycles per second, so the initial startup surge lasts only for approximately 1/120 of a second. In other words, you would have to turn the lamp off only for a couple of seconds to save the equivalent amount of energy that it takes to turn it on again. With any type of light bulb in your home -- incandescent or the new compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) -- it's best to live with the old rule of thumb of turning off the light whenever you're going to be out of the room for more than just a couple of minutes. Q: We have some stucco houses on our street. A couple of them had dry rot, and they had to remove the siding and some of the wood. We were wondering if there is a way to check to see if our stucco house has dry rot. --Art W., via e-mail. A: There can sometimes be some telltale signs. Since water runs downhill, if moisture has been getting behind the stucco it will often migrate down to the bottom of the wall. On some older stucco houses you may be able to see or feel soft spots at the very bottom of the exterior walls, where they meet or overlap the foundations. Also, examine the stucco carefully for signs of discoloration and cracking, and press on those areas to see if there is any movement in the stucco or if the wall underneath feels soft. You can examine the wood around window and door casings, both inside and outside, for signs of rot or water intrusion, and examine baseboards and flooring around the inside of the exterior walls to look for softness or water stains. Finally, you can check under the house at the exterior walls, looking for the same indicators. You mentioned that a couple of the houses on your street had dry rot problems. I would also suggest that you stop by and chat with neighbors who have had work done and see what occurred with their homes. They can tell you exactly where and how extensive the rot was, and if the homes were all built around the same time and by the same builder, that should also get you a few additional tips on where to search. If you do suspect dry rot or other moisture problems, you can contact a contractor who specializes in insurance-related home repairs. These specialized contractors typically have moisture meters that are capable of detecting moisture inside walls. You can also see if any contractors in your area have thermal imaging cameras, which can "see" inside walls for differences in heat patterns that can indicate moisture problems. Q: I have a microhood that has to be replaced. I'm not a big do-it-yourselfer person, but I'm OK with most straightforward projects. On a scale of 1 to 10, how difficult is it? Can you give me some basic instructions? --Michael T., via e-mail. A: If you are replacing the microhood with one that is the same size and type, with the same venting arrangement, then the replacement should be pretty easy. There could certainly be some variables with your installation, but in general the steps should be as follows: 1. Unplug the old microhood, and remove the tape that seals the vent duct to the transition on top of the hood. 2. Remove any bolts that hold the microhood to the bracket, and slide it out of the bracket (you may need two people for this). 3. Remove the old mounting bracket, unless it's identical to the new bracket. 4. Install the new mounting bracket, slide the new microhood into the bracket, reconnect the vent, and plug the unit in. Complete installation instructions are included with the new hood, and because it just plugs in there is no electrical wiring required. As long as there are no alterations to the vent -- which there shouldn't be if you're using the same make and model -- then on a 1-to-10, simple-to-difficult scale, I would rate the job about a 3. You can always give it a try on your own, then hire someone to complete the project if you end up not feeling comfortable with it. |
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| Icicles in attic a red flag By Paul Bianchina Q: This summer we had siding installed around our house and we painted over the ventilation vents (husband's idea). My husband decided to cover the attic vent on top of the roof with a plastic bag because he said it would help seal the house better. I had a weird feeling about this, but I don't know anything about home repairs. Well, now we have a problem with condensation in our attic (that's what I think). He went up there last night and found that there were icicles on the frame. Somehow, I think we cut off all ventilation and now we have this condensation problem that is freezing because of the cold weather. He thinks we have a leak and that we need to replace the shingles. Do I make sense? Is there any advice you can give us? A: You're actually making perfect sense, and while I hate to step into the middle of a marital disagreement, what you are thinking is probably correct. High and low ventilation in an attic is essential for a passive airflow. Cooler air enters the attic through the low vents and moves through and out of the attic through the upper vents. As that air moves it captures moisture in the attic and flushes it to the outside. Ideally, you should have approximately one square foot of ventilation for every 300 square feet of attic, and that should be divided equally between high and low vents (for example, a 1,200-square-foot attic would need 4 total square feet of ventilation, with 2 square feet high and 2 square feet low). By cutting off all the ventilation in the attic, you have now allowed the moisture to accumulate up there. Since it has no where to go, it now can condense on the cold surfaces of the underside of the roof sheathing, and the resulting frost and ice is what you are seeing. The more moisture you put into the attic -- for example, if your bathroom and kitchen fans duct into the attic but not all the way to the outside -- the worse your moisture and condensation problems will become. If the moisture is allowed to remain up there, as the temperatures begin to come up again that frost and ice will turn into liquid water, which will wet the insulation, damage the wood framing, and potentially introduce mold. You need to reintroduce ventilation into the attic as soon as possible. I would clean off the paint on the vents, or simply remove and replace them, then I would definitely remove anything you have put over the vents to seal them off. I would also strongly recommend that you talk with an insurance restoration contractor who has power fans and dehumidification equipment. If you have trapped enough moisture up there that you are seeing icicles, it is probably something that needs to be dried out with more aggressive methods than just the normal passive ventilation. Finally, make sure all of your exhaust fans are vented all the way out of the attic. All that is not to say that you don't have a roof leak as well. But you need to deal with the ventilation and moisture issues first -- once all that is dried out, you can assess if you have a roof leak as well. Q: Are there any general rules of thumb with regard to the partial demolition when adding onto a house? For example, removing an external wall typically costs $X/foot, or removal of a partial roof is $X/square? A: There are different estimating books and software available for general and specialty contractors that attempt to put prices to demolition, but to be quite honest I have always found them to be inaccurate enough when it comes to remodeling that I never was able to utilize them. From wiring to plumbing to the tremendous variety of loads and framing variables present in a home that has to be partially dismantled, there is simply no way to predict and estimate partial demolition costs with any kind of accuracy without seeing the home. About the only thing I can suggest is to talk with a general contractor in your area who specializes in remodeling. If he or she is familiar with your type and age of house and the regional framing methods involved in its original construction, they may be able to give you a rough idea of demolition costs that would at least be in the ballpark. You might also be able to pay the contractor a flat fee or an hourly rate to come out and inspect the actual work you want to have to have done, and provide you with a more accurate cost estimate for the demolition phase of the work. |
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| The art of counteroffers By Dian Hymer Negotiation is back in style. It's not uncommon for buyers and sellers to have many rounds of counteroffering back and forth before they arrive at a contract that is completely agreeable to all involved. When this is accomplished, the contract is ratified. However, there is another important element involved in ratifying a contract. Until a residential purchase contract is completely signed, and the final signed documents are delivered back to the other party or that party's agent, the listing is not sold. Let's say you decide to offer the sellers less than their asking price. They don't accept your offer, but issue a counteroffer. Before you respond to the seller's counteroffer, another buyer makes an offer. If you haven't signed the sellers' final counteroffer and delivered it back to them, they can withdraw their counter and sell the house to someone else. Or they could decide to withdraw the counteroffer to you and issue a new one. This time it could be a multiple counteroffer if the sellers also decide to counter the other buyer's offer. You end up in a multiple-offer competition, which often means paying more or not getting the house at all. You can't rely on verbal negotiations when you're buying or selling real estate. To be binding on the parties involved, real estate contracts and the addenda to them must be written. HOUSE HUNTING TIP: Timing is critical. If the seller issues you a counteroffer you can live with and you want the house, sign the document as soon as possible, even if the seller gives you several days to think about it. During that time, another buyer could make an offer and your counteroffer could be withdrawn. After you sign the counteroffer, make sure that your agent delivers it to the sellers or their agent immediately. Whoever receives the document should sign to acknowledge receipt of the document so that there's no question that the contract is ratified. Then if another buyer wants to make an offer, you won't have to compete or risk losing the house altogether. Once you have a ratified contract in place, the sellers can negotiate with other buyers, but only for backup position subject to the collapse of your contract. Don't let yourself be lulled into thinking that because the housing market is generally slow there's no chance you'll end up in competition. The best listings -- ones in good condition and priced right for the market -- can sell quickly, particularly in areas where the inventory is low. Many buyers have busy work or travel schedules. Often you find the right house to buy at the least opportune time in terms of what else might be going on in your life. Make sure that your home purchase contract states that faxed signatures are binding. This could save you hours of driving in traffic to sign a critical document in time. Sometimes faxes aren't the answer. If you'll be available only by phone or e-mail, consider giving power of attorney -- one specific to buying a house in a certain area -- to someone whom you trust completely. This person should not be your real estate agent. It should be someone who will be available on short notice. Electronic signatures are becoming more popular. But, they haven't become standard in the home-sale business. If a seller who has had no experience with electronic signatures is considering a couple of offers -- one with electronic signatures and one that was signed in person -- he would probably feel more comfortable accepting the latter. THE CLOSING: That is, unless the price on the electronically signed offer is a lot higher. |
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| Is now a good time to downsize? By Dian Hymer Interest rates are low. Prices have come down in many areas. More buyers are deciding it's a good time to buy, even though it may be awhile before the housing market stabilizes. Buyers who have a house to sell face a more complicated situation than they did when they bought their first home. They may not be able to afford to buy a new house before selling the old one. And, it may be more difficult to find a home to buy because many sellers are not selling now due to current market conditions. Despite complications, homeowners who want to trade up in a down market can benefit financially. They may sell their current home for less than it might have sold for a few years ago, but they also could pay a lot to less for the replacement home. Let's say your current home that was worth $500,000 two years ago is now worth $400,000, or 20 percent less. Even though you would sell for $100,000 less today, if you buy a $1 million house that two years ago was worth $1.25 million, or 20 percent more, you come out $150,000 ahead. The math may not be as advantageous if you're downsizing. You may find that you sell at a bigger discount than you would have a few years ago without realizing as large a cash discount on the purchase of the smaller, less expensive house. You also might find that you are in competition with buyers who are either first-timers or trade-down buyers like yourself. Another factor is that, in general, the price per square foot of smaller houses is more than the price per square foot of larger houses in the same area. So you might have to pay more than half the selling price of your house to buy a house that's less than half the size of your house. That is, if you're purchasing the new home in an equally expensive neighborhood. Regardless of this disparity in prices, if housing prices in your area are falling, it would be better to sell now than wait for the market to turn, as your home might sell for even less if you wait. HOUSE HUNTING TIP: There is more to consider than how much profit you might realize in making a scale-down move. The first step is to make a list of all the reasons why you are considering downsizing. Common reasons are that the house is too big; it costs too much time and money to maintain; it's in an inconvenient location; or it's not located close to family. Then make a list of all of the reasons it would make sense to stay in your home. Weigh the pros and cons. The next step is to do a cost comparison to figure out how much it costs to own your present home, including property taxes, home maintenance, utility bills, mortgage payments, insurance premiums, and homeowners association dues, if there are any. Then consider how much it would cost to get your home into prime selling condition. And factor in the costs of sale. Quality of life is hard to quantify monetarily, but is a major factor in most moves. Then, calculate the cost of buying and owning a smaller home. Make certain you consult with your tax adviser to find out about the tax consequences of making the move. Downsizers who are contemplating an out-of-area move should consider renting before buying. It usually takes awhile to learn the neighborhoods and figure out which one is best for you. Even if you're not moving out of the area, it may make sense to rent for a while. THE CLOSING: In low-inventory markets it can take time to find the right home. Dian Hymer, a real estate broker with more than 30 years' experience, is a nationally syndicated real estate columnist. |
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| Four letters to know for smooth home finishes By Paul Bianchina In the alphabet soup of construction terminology, HVLP is one acronym that you may not be familiar with. However, if you're looking for a simple way to apply a wide variety of finishes to a wide variety of surfaces, they're four letters you might want to get to know a little better. HVLP stands for high velocity, low pressure, and the new generation of HVLP sprayers offer one of the easiest, most effective methods for spraying paints, stains, sealers and other finishes. Conventional air-powered paint sprayers utilize an air compressor to generate the air they use for spraying. In the process of compressing air, moisture builds up in the compressor tank which is then introduced into the air stream, and consequently into the finish being applied. They also apply finishes at a relatively high air pressure, which makes for additional overspray and wasting of materials. With HVLP, a specialized air turbine is used to move the air, which is delivered to the spray gun through a relatively large diameter hose. No air storage tank is utilized and the air is not compressed, so moisture is not a problem. Also, the air turbine generates air that is not only dry but also warm. The warm air may help marginally with the drying time of the finish, particularly on days when spraying conditions are not ideal, and after cleaning the spray gun, the warm air can be helpful for drying the components of the spray gun itself. HVLP turbines produce a high volume of air – anywhere from 50 to 100 cubic feet per minute (CFM) – at a very low delivery pressure of only four to seven pounds per square inch (PSI). This combination of high air velocity and low pressure is the opposite of conventional compressed air spray outfits, which deliver a lower volume of air at much higher pressure. The result – and one of the primary advantages of the HVLP sprayer – is much less overspray and a much higher percentage of the finish material actually reaching the surface you're spraying. Some manufacturers estimate that overspray is reduced by as much as 85 percent. HVLP sprayers are excellent for applying paint, stain and other finishes on cabinets, machinery, woodworking projects, furniture, and much more, as well as interior wall and trim painting. They are not intended for continuous use, however, so don't plan on painting the outside of your house with it. While there are now HVLP spray guns on the market designed for use with conventional air compressors – known as conversion guns – true HVLP sprayers consist of three separate components that all work together. These include the turbine; the HVLP spray gun, which looks similar to a conventional spray gun but has a different internal design; and a flexible, large-diameter hose that connects the two. Heavy-duty dedicated HVLP sprayer rigs cost around $700 and up, so until fairly recently this form of spraying was confined primarily to professional shops. However, there are now medium-duty HVLP spray outfits on the market designed with the homeowner in mind, with attractive price tags and equally attractive performance. For example, Campbell Hausfeld has introduced their HV2000 series, which includes everything you need for HVLP spraying with great results, at a price tag that is under $200! The complete HV2000 outfit weighs in at only 15 pounds, and is designed as a complete and convenient spray package. The turbine has a round well that holds the spray gun when not in use, the electrical cord and 15-foot hose wrap around the turbine housing, and there is a built-in carrying handle that makes it a breeze to transport the sprayer from project to project. Tools, strainers, and complete gun and turbine instructions are included as well. Effective spraying with an HVLP is a combination of proper material thinning, proper airflow and proper application technique. The HV2000 instruction manual offers clear instructions on each, and it takes only a short amount of experimenting to get very good results. And since the finishing material is contained completely within the gun during spraying operations, cleanup is surprisingly quick and easy as well. The HV2000 and other Campbell Hausfeld HVLP spray kits are available at many home centers and paint stores, or check the Web at www.chpower.com (Campbell Hausfeld's site) or www.amazon.com/toolcrib. |
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| Nothing seems to fix low shower pressure By Paul Bianchina Q: I have a shower in my master bath that has had low pressure since we built the home five years ago. I've taken the head off and the pressure is still weak. All the other water sources in the house have very good pressure. A friend mentioned that the cartridge could be the culprit. Does that sound right? Is it hard to replace? I'm pretty handy and have fixed a bunch of stuff in previous homes. A: If you have good pressure everywhere else, then I would agree with your friend that the cartridge is probably the problem. Since it's been doing this since the house was new, it probably has a small piece of dirt, solder or other debris in it. Changing the cartridge is not difficult, although the exact procedure will vary between faucets and manufacturers. First, shut off the water supply. Since it's unlikely that you would have individual shutoffs for the shower alone, you'll need to shut off the main supply to the entire house. To remove the old cartridge, pop the plastic cap off the center of the handle to access the screw underneath. Remove the screw, and remove the handle. Behind that is a trim plate -- remove the screws and remove the plate. That should give you access to the cartridge, with will be held in place with screws or a threaded ring. Take the old cartridge to any retailer of plumbing supplies, and they can fix you up with a new one. Complete reinstallation instructions will be included with the new unit. Incidentally, you can also buy repair parts to rebuild the existing cartridge, but I would recommend spending a little extra and simply replacing the entire cartridge unit. Before installing the new cartridge, I would recommend flushing the valve to be sure you've removed all the debris inside. With the cartridge still out, have someone slowly turn the water back on. Don't turn it all the way back on, because that will generate quite a stream. Watch the water as it comes back on, and you should see a strong, steady flow begin. Assuming it does, have your helper shut the water right back off again, then proceed with the cartridge replacement. If the cartridge replacement doesn't fix the problem, then you could have some type of obstruction in the water lines leading to the shower. In that case, I would recommend having a good plumber come and take a look -- if possible, use the same person who plumbed the house originally, since they'll know right where to look. How do I get that old epoxy paint off? Q: I hired a contractor to put an epoxy on my garage floor. When the epoxy was being installed the contractor asked if I wanted it to end at the point the garage door hits the concrete or run to the end of the concrete slab, which extends about 4 inches beyond the point the garage door touches down. I opted to have the epoxy extend beyond the door. The problem now is that the 4 inches of epoxy outside the door has discolored (yellowed) and now looks poor. My question is -- is there a way to remove the 4 inches of epoxy? Thanks for any help; I really enjoy your column. A: One of the great things about epoxy paint is that it's virtually a permanent coating. In a situation like yours, however, that's also its drawback -- it's very tough to remove. Epoxy garage-floor coatings are also not suitable for exterior use, so I'm a little surprised that the contractor even suggested painting it in an area that's exposed to the elements. Since we're not talking about a large area, my suggestion would be to sand the epoxy off. Use a pad sander or orbital sander with 60- or 80-grit paper, and use a strip of wood or other material to create a straight line that you can sand up to where you want the paint to stop. Be sure to wear both eye protection and a respirator while sanding. After sanding and cleaning the strip of concrete that will extend beyond the garage door, you can apply an exterior concrete sealer to it that will both protect the concrete and enhance its appearance. I also would suggest that you consider installing a vinyl garage-door sill strip on the concrete where the door meets the floor. This will create a visual break between the inside and outside, as well as providing you with some additional wind and water protection at the bottom of the door. Garage door sills are available at many home centers, as well as through garage-door dealers. They're easy to install -- simply cut the material to length and glue it in place. Complete instructions will be included with the sill strip. |
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| Choosing the right weather stripping By Paul Bianchina Air infiltration -- the movement of outside air into and out of your home -- can account for a significant amount of heat loss, and the resulting air currents can make a home feel uncomfortably drafty. When it comes to air infiltration some of the most common culprits are exterior doors, so a few weekend hours devoted to some new weather stripping can have some pretty dramatic results. Selecting the right weather stripping The type of weather stripping to use depends somewhat on the type of door and frame you have, and also on how much time and effort you want to devote to the task. The easiest and least expensive is foam, but, while it's better than nothing, foam doesn't form a tight, uniform seal and is also easily damaged. Foam weather stripping comes in rolls of different widths and thicknesses, and is self-adhesive. It is applied to the inside edge of the door stop -- the wood strips mounted on the door frame that the door closes against -- and is designed to form a seal when the door closes against it. Select a foam that is the same width as the thickness of the door stop -- typically 1/2 inch -- and that is thick enough to close the gap between the door and the stop. Simply cut the foam to length with a pair of scissors, peel off the backing paper, and press it firmly against the door stop. A better choice is a compression weather stripping, which also fits between the door and the door stop to seal off air leaks, but has the advantage of being easier to adjust and considerably more durable. One type of compression weather stripping is a semi-rigid, high-density foam strip that mounts into a slot in the door stop. Most new doors now come with this type of weather stripping, and if you need to replace an existing piece on one of your doors, installation is simply a matter of cutting the replacement material to length and tucking the flange on the weather stripping into the slot on the door stop. If your door does not currently have this type of weather stripping, adding it would necessitate removing the door stops, cutting a slot along one edge, then reinstalling them. Almost as effective -- and easier to install -- is vinyl bulb weather stripping. Vinyl bulb weather stripping has a tough, hollow strip of vinyl set in a rigid piece of aluminum, and a complete weather stripping kit contains two long pieces for sides of the door, one short piece for the top, and all the necessary screws or nails for installation. To install, cut the short piece to fit between the door stops. Close the door, place the weather stripping on the face of the door stop so that the vinyl bulb is slightly compressed against the face of the door, and nail it in place. Then simply repeat the process with the two side pieces. To complete any door weather stripping operation, don't forget the gap between the bottom of the door and the wood or metal door sill. The simplest way to close this off is to use a door sweep, which is a flat aluminum strip with a piece of vinyl weather stripping in one edge -- simply screw the strip to the outer face of the door so that the vinyl makes contact with the sill and covers the gap. More effective, however, is the door bottom, which is an L- or U-shaped aluminum strip with a curved vinyl insert on the bottom. The metal fits over the very bottom of the door, and is adjusted up or down so that the vinyl forms a complete seal against the sill. Installation may require removing the door and cutting a little bit off the bottom to accommodate the thickness of the metal and vinyl. All of these types of weather stripping are available at home centers, lumber yards, hardware stores and discount stores, and typically come with complete installation instructions and all of the necessary hardware for fast and easy installation. |
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| What makes food “organic”? By Charly Papp Organic food is hot and with good reason—current research shows that it does indeed live up to the hype. Recent studies at UC Davis and the Danish Institute for Agricultural Research have detected higher levels of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals in organically farmed foods than in their conventionally produced counterparts. While this news makes their often-higher price tag easier to swallow, navigating the organic options at Whole Foods can be anything but simple. Here, a run-down of the terms so you’re ready to face the aisles: Organic – farmed without the use of chemical pesticides, fertilizers, sewage sludge, and—in the case of livestock—antibiotics and growth hormones. While the jury’s still out on whether these things are actually harmful to your health, it sure makes non-organic foods a lot less appetizing. When the term is used on packaged food labels, it ensures that at least 95 percent of the ingredients are USDA-approved organic. Those labeled made with organic ingredients must contain at least 70 percent organic components. For more information on USDA’s certification system, visit their website: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams.fetchTemplateData.do?template=TemplateA&navID=NationalOrganicProgram&leftNav=NationalOrganicProgram&page=NOPNationalOrganicProgramHome&acct=AMSPW. Conventional – foods not otherwise distinguished as organic. These foods may or may not be farmed with the use of chemicals, antibiotics, and hormones. Natural – a distinction used for foods that have been minimally processed and contain no preservatives. However, the definition is not a legal one, so watch out for imposters. And remember—just because a food is natural doesn’t necessarily mean it’s healthy. Super-premium ice cream that is made with all-natural ingredients still packs a whopping 240 percent of your daily saturated fat intake per pint! Sustainable Agriculture – farming that favors more natural practices to harvest a crop, which in turn creates a system wherein food can be produced indefinitely. Transitional – food produced by a farmer that is transitioning from conventional to organic—a process that takes at least three chemical-free years to certify. Fair Trade – farmed by workers who receive a living wage and work under safe conditions. To learn more about fair trade, visit the International Federation for Alternative Trade’s website: www.ifat.org. Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rbST or rBGH) – a genetically engineered hormone given to cows to boost milk production. Many claim that consumption of this hormone—which is banned in Canada and Europe—contributes to elevated cancer risk, though clinical studies have yielded somewhat conflicting results. Genetically-Modified Foods (GMOs) – crops that have been scientifically manipulated to enhance some trait, be it longevity or nutrition. Critics attest that their use is altering our environment in a host of unhealthful ways and add that their effect on humans is not yet known. For a fair look at the issue, see http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview.php You can safely assume that a food labeled “organic” is certified so—the fine for false claims can reach upwards of $10,000—but beware of the greenwash that is lending its ghoulish hue to many a not-so-virtuous product. Due to the monumental success of organic foods, many manufactures are jumping onto the green bandwagon if for nothing else than packaging, favoring designs that present a more wholesome image to the consumer. This means you’ll see more earth-toned exteriors, rustic fonts, fruits and vegetables figuring prominently… don’t be fooled. Look for key words like organic or no GMOs and check the ingredients and nutrition facts for the stats. Though the range of organic products is ever evolving and expanding, with a little bit of knowledge, you and your family can grow with the trend—without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. |
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| Some plumbing materials shouldn't be mixed By Paul Bianchina If you're doing any remodeling or repair work on the plumbing system of an older home, it's a pretty safe bet that you'll encounter the need to transition from an older type of pipe to a one of today's newer materials. It might be a transition from threaded galvanized water pipes to copper pipes, or from old cast-iron sewer lines to today's ABS. Luckily for all of us, these transitions are common enough that there are a number of fittings on the market that make dissimilar pipe connections quick, easy and safe. The fittings are readily available in home centers, hardware stores and plumbing supply retailers. COPPER PIPE TO THREADED STEEL PIPE If you've browsed through the plumbing section at the home center, you no doubt noticed that there are threaded copper pipe fittings that you can solder right onto the end of the pipe, and they will screw directly onto older threaded galvanized water lines. So what's the problem? The problem is that the zinc used for galvanizing the threaded water pipes doesn't get along very well with the copper. If you make a direct connection, these two materials will interact in a chemical reaction that will corrode the joint and eventually cause it to start leaking. To safely connect copper and galvanized steel, you have two options. Since brass doesn't react with either the copper or the zinc, one method is to make sure you have a threaded female end on both the copper and the steel pipes, and then connect the two by simply inserting a short threaded brass nipple between them. The second method is to use a special transition fitting called a dielectric union. The dielectric union has a threaded steel female fitting on one end, which is threaded onto the steel pipe. The other end has a female copper slip (non-threaded) fitting, which is soldered onto the copper pipe. The two halves of the joint are then connected using a lock nut and two insulating washers that prevent the copper half from contacting the steel half. The fittings cost under $10, and not only is the transition easier to accomplish, but it also leaves you with a joint in the line that can be disassembled later if you need to perform other work on the lines. PLASTIC PIPE TO COPPER OR STEEL PIPE Making the connection between plastic pipes such as ABS or PVC and metal pipes such as copper or galvanized steel is very straightforward. The chemicals used in the manufacture of any of these pipes do not react with one another, so you don't have the corrosion factor to worry about. The connection between plastic and metal is simply a matter of choosing a threaded fitting of the proper size and configuration to make the transition. Remember that copper pipe will need to have a threaded male or female fitting soldered onto the end first. For example, suppose you're installing a new sink and you want to use a one and one-half-inch ABS trap connected to the two-inch female-threaded steel pipe that's currently in the wall. Plastic pipe fittings are available as either threaded (both male and female threads are available) or slip (non-threaded for making glue joints). First, select a two-inch ABS fitting with a male thread on one end and a female slip joint on the other, and screw the fitting into the existing steel pipe. Glue a two-inch male x one and one-half-inch female transition fitting into that, then glue in your one and one-half-inch trap. When making plastic-to-metal transitions, wrap the threads with Teflon tape to help seal the joint and also to make it easier to assemble. Don't use pipe dope on these connections, as it can deteriorate the plastic. Also, two windings of tape will be sufficient to make the seal -- more layers can stress the joint and actually cause it to leak. PLASTIC PIPE TO CAST-IRON PIPE Transition fittings are also commonly available to adapt ABS pipe to cast iron. Called a band clamp, the fitting is simply a thick rubber tube with a screw clamp on each end. To use the fitting, slip one end over the outside of the cast-iron pipe and the other end over the plastic pipe, then use a screwdriver to tighten down the clamps on either end. These are just a few examples of the hundreds of transition fittings that are available. Simply determine the type and size of the pipes you're trying to connect, and your dealer can help you select the best type of fitting for the job. |
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| Want to conserve water but still have a lawn? Go native. By Padma Nagappan Before the advent of lawnmowers, there was a time when lawns were meant only for the wealthy, since they could afford to hire a crew of workers to manually cut and maintain their sprawling gardens with scythes. The rest of the folks used what land they had to grow vegetables, medicinal herbs, and flowers in cottage gardens. Today, grassy lawns are ubiquitous in front and back yards across America and a trademark of modern housing developments. Given that southern California is experiencing a prolonged drought and parts of the north have water supply problems, it may be time for home owners to sit up and question whether the resources spent on maintaining their lawns are justified. Utility officials estimate that up to 70 per cent of the average residential water bill is derived from outdoor use. What are the alternatives? Artificial turf companies peddle their products as the ideal no maintenance, green solution to replace thirsty, patchy lawns. Water agencies down south even offer rebates for consumers who replace lawns with turf. But there is concern about the lead content in the turf, and is the subject of an ongoing debate. A better alternative would be to go native, choosing grasses and plants that are drought tolerant and indigenous to California. David Fross, the founder of Native Son Wholesale Nursery in Arroyo Grande, has stocked native grasses for years, but until recently there were no takers. Now, with gardeners wanting to conserve water, it is a challenge to keep these varieties in stock. “What complicates things is that California has microclimates that vary from coastal to inland locations, so irrigation requirements for the same plants would vary depending on where you live,” says Fross, whose latest book, Reimagining California Lawns (Cachuma Press), will be published in 2010. One issue with native plants is that in adapting to our Mediterranean climate, they go dormant in the summer, which is when most folks want to enjoy their gardens. For moderate to heavy traffic, Fross recommends sedges such as the slender field sedge, which is compact, stays green all summer, needs about half the water of a traditional grass, and monthly mowing. Other options include blue gama grass, California meadow sedge and blue sedge. Korean velvet grass is not native but is slow growing, dormant in winter, and can be left unmowed for a natural, clumping look. Buffalograss UC verde is native to the west, forms a dense turf of bright green blades, and stays greener longer than other sedges. For moderate traffic, meadows that combine perennials with grasses and sedges into carpets are a good option, Fross says. He suggests yarrow varieties (Achillea species) that are water thrifty, can be mowed, and sprout small flowers. Other choices are deer grass and checkerblooms. The Corsican mint is a good candidate for light traffic areas and between stepping stones. If you prefer ground cover, create carpets or tapestries using bee’s bliss sage. Gravel and rock gardens with accent plants and succulents such as agave, manzanita, and buckwheat are yet another alternative. Except for the meadow, all of these options are relatively low maintenance but will require care during their first season. To kill your patchy grass without chemicals, tamp down sheets of black plastic and it will die in eight to twelve weeks, suggests Fross. Conversion costs range from $10 to $50 per square-foot, depending on what you choose and who does the work. The popular belief that native plants are woody and gray is incorrect, he says, explaining that they offer a wonderful, rich palette of options and are versatile, being able to adapt to locations on valleys and banks, sun or shade, median strips and meadows. There are 5,000-plus native choices that can serve every function that the generic plants from garden stores offer, he explained, suggesting alternatives for popular ornamental plants. If you like hibiscus for instance, a great native plant equivalent would be the abutilon palmeri, local to San Diego, which has luminous, golden flowers and felted, gray leaves. Another iconic California native is the Ceanothus, with blue spring flowers. To find out where to purchase native plants, visit www.nativeson.com for a list of retail nurseries and www.bewaterwise.com for plant suggestions. Padma Nagappan is a San Diego based business writer who focuses on sustainability. |
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| Building permits are nothing to fear By Paul Bianchina "Do I really need a building permit?" It's one of the most common questions that a homeowner will ask when contemplating a construction project, typically hoping that the answer they'll get back is "no." People seem to have an unreasonable fear of building permits and the entire inspection process, and since many of your projects actually will require a permit, it might be helpful to look at some common questions that often arise. Why are there building codes and building permits? Quite simply, building codes -- which include codes on structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and other components of your home -- are in place to help ensure your safety. The codes set a number of uniform standards for the construction industry to follow, and all are intended to help builders, homeowners, and the community have safe and secure buildings. Building permits are essentially your community's legal permission to proceed with the project, as well as your agreement to do the work in compliance with current codes. I'm not a contractor. Why do I have to get a permit for my own home? Once again, it's to ensure your safety. Even the most well-meaning homeowner can make mistakes when working on a home-improvement project, and those mistakes can put you and your family at risk. By having a qualified, independent person inspect the work, those mistakes can be corrected before a dangerous situation can develop. If I get a permit, am I still allowed to do the work myself? Absolutely! You can perform any construction work on a home that you own, providing you are not building or remodeling the home with the specific intention of selling it in the next six months. Having a building permit simply ensures that any work done on the house, by you or others, meets the current building codes. When do I need a permit? The only way to get an exact answer to this is to check with your local building department. However, in general you will need a permit if you expand or structurally alter your home or any of its wiring, plumbing, or mechanical systems. When don't I need a permit? Many redecorating and repair jobs do not require a building permit. This includes replacing cabinets; replacing floor covering; painting and decorating; replacing roofing; replacing windows if you are not altering the size of the openings; replacing siding if you are not also making structural alterations; replacing plumbing fixtures if you are not altering the plumbing system; and replacing light fixtures and appliances if you are not altering or replacing wiring. Where do I get a building permit? Permits are issued through your local building department, which you can find in the phone book. It may also be listed as "Community Development." Is there a fee for obtaining a permit? Yes. The fees vary, and are based on the size of the project, the number of inspections that will be required, the impact on the overall community, and a variety of other factors. What will I need in order to get the permit? That depends on the nature of the permit. For example, a permit to install a wood stove might simply require the name and model number of the stove, while a permit for a room addition will require a complete set of plans and other information. Your best bet is to simply call or stop in at your local building department, explain your project, and go from there. What happens if I'm doing some work without a permit, and I get caught? The first thing that will happen is that the building department will request that you temporarily stop work on the project until you have obtained the necessary permits. Once you have the permits, an inspector will inspect the project and see what you've done up to that point. If the work has been done correctly, the inspector will allow the project to proceed. If the inspector finds errors with the work, those errors will need to be repaired and reinspected. Are there other reasons to get a permit? Other than the fact that you are legally required to have one in many instances, there are several other very good reasons to get a building permit. First and foremost, the permit process ensures your safety and the safety of your neighbors and your community. You also have a legal responsibility to disclose work that's been done on your house to potential buyers, and today's buyers are very savvy about building permits -- if you didn't obtain the proper permits along the way, you may at minimum lose your sale, and could even face very costly liability issues. Your homeowners insurance company also requires that work be done with a permit, and if your home is damaged and it's discovered that work has been done without the necessary permits, the insurance company may deny coverage for the loss. |
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| Carbon Offsets: What Are They? By Amy Westervelt The carbon economy is about to boom in the United States, particularly in California where state law will soon be forcing companies to track and pay for their carbon emissions. Pinpointing exactly what carbon credits and offsets are is difficult even for scientists on the frontlines of the emergent carbon economy, never mind lay people who are just beginning to hear about them. A Definition In a nutshell, carbon offsets represent the carbon removed from the atmosphere by a particular activity. Offset projects can range from simply planting trees to funding biodiesel plants, and can be purchased through a variety of brokers such as TerraPass, Native Energy, or Climate Trust, which work to connect consumers and companies with these projects. Such companies and organizations help you to calculate your carbon footprint—the amount of carbon your life and activities generate—and then sell you enough offsets to, theoretically at least, even out the balance. The Carbon Challenge The problem is that offsets are not always the carbon pay off they're cracked up to be. Even if you purchase something simple, like a tree planted on a distant prairie, it's not going to immediately remove the carbon that you just created. Trees take quite a while to grow, after all. Furthermore, it's often very difficult for consumers to tell to what their offsets are attached. In fact, they can be attached to nothing at all. If, for example, you buy offsets from a company that then invests your money it into a biodiesel plant, but something happens and that plant either never gets built, or is shut down, then your offsets don't equate to the reduction in carbon emissions for which you paid. Currently the carbon offset market in the United States is what is known as a "voluntary market," because companies are not yet required to curtail or pay for their carbon emissions. Because of this, offsets are virtually unregulated, which makes it difficult for consumers to know exactly what they're buying. When Assembly Bill 32 creates an official carbon trading scheme in California, companies will need to prove that the carbon credits they buy relate to real carbon emission reductions, which will create what is called a "compliance market" in the state. Finding Quality Offsets Fortunately, some companies already are working to address this problem by posting their portfolios online, enabling customers to see what sorts of projects their offsets are funding. TerraPass and EcoSecurities both recently did this, giving consumers access to photos, research, and reports related to their offset projects. Third-party watchdog sites like Carbon Concierge, which recently released a detailed report ranking the top offset providers, also are helping consumers to find quality carbon offsets. The top five providers on the list were (in order of ranking): Native Energy, Climate Trust, e-Blue Horizons, Sustainable Travel International, and TerraPass. If you're in the market for offsets, first try to reduce your carbon emissions as much as possible. When your carbon footprint is as small as you can get it, these five providers are a great place to start looking for quality offsets to help, well, offset the rest. |
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| Top home-buying mistakes revealed By Dian_Hymer The first rule of inspecting a home you want to buy is to stay intimately involved in the process, and to leave no stone unturned. If you're busy or traveling during the time period, you have to complete your due diligence investigations by enlisting the aid of a friend you trust to stand in on your behalf -- someone who will keep you well informed as inspections proceed. Buyers want to be sure they get a good deal on the home they buy. This is especially so if they're buying in a soft market. Whether a property is a good deal depends on its condition, its location and the price paid. Most buyers don't take the inspection process far enough. They hire a home inspector to do a general home inspection to make sure that all systems are in working order and that there aren't any serious defects that might affect their decision to buy or not. For some buyers, this constitutes their due diligence inspection of the property. But, in many cases, simply having a home inspection done is not enough to ensure that you don't end up regretting you bought the property. Most home inspectors recommend further inspections. Some buyers take these admonitions seriously and some don't. A recommendation that is often overlooked is to research the permit history. If you don't check the permit history, you could find out later, when you want to take out a permit for a renovation, that there are expired permits for work that never received a final approval from the city inspector. You might be required to reinstate the expired permits and finish the job to the building department's satisfaction before you can take out a permit for a new project. This could be expensive, take time, and at the least, be a hassle. Another item buyers ignore is the cost of routine home maintenance. Some homes cost more to maintain than others. Well-maintained homes will be easier to maintain because you'll have little deferred maintenance to repair. Ask the sellers for information about how much they pay per year for tree trimming, painting, and servicing house systems such as the roof, furnace and drainage systems. Also ask how much the utility bills run in an average winter and summer month. All of this will factor into the cost of owning the home. Buyers usually focus on the price they'll pay upfront for a house. How much it will cost them over time should also be factored into the total cost of home ownership. HOUSE HUNTING TIP: Buyers tend to pay more attention to the condition of the home they're buying than they do to finding out all they need to know about the area in which they'll be living. The home you buy is not a good value if you find out a year later that the neighborhood is declining. Make sure you find out if homeowners are moving in or out of the area. If you see a lot of remodeling going on in a neighborhood, this is a good sign that the homeowners plan to stay put. Another good sign is if there are few listings and the ones that come on the market sell quickly. This indicates a high demand for the neighborhood. You'll also want to find out about crime in the neighborhood, and whether or not there is development planned in the area that might have a positive or negative impact on the neighborhood. And check into the general state of the local economy. THE CLOSING: Are businesses hiring new employees or issuing pink slips? |
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| Will shopping multiple lenders hurt credit? By Dian Hymer It's not uncommon for home buyers to talk with several mortgage brokers or lenders to compare loan products and interest rates. One buyer who shopped around was scolded by a mortgage broker when he found out she was talking to more than one broker. He told her that she was ruining her credit score by allowing multiple credit inquiries. Too many credit inquiries can negatively affect your credit score, but you can control the damage. And, credit inquires make up a relatively small part of your credit score. For example, the FICO credit score from Fair Isaac Corp. that is widely used by mortgage companies for qualifying borrowers uses five types of information to calculate a credit score. Each type counts as a percentage of the total credit score. They are: payment history (35 percent); amounts owed (30 percent); length of credit history (15 percent); new credit (10 percent); and types of credit in use (10 percent). Credit inquiries fall into the "new credit" category, which accounts for less than 10 percent of your credit score. Only voluntary inquiries are taken into account, such as the inquiries made at your request when you shop loan rates. Loan agents usually need to know your credit score before they can quote you an interest rate. The FICO credit-scoring model ignores all mortgage inquiries made within the last 30 days, so they will have no impact on your credit score. An older version of the scoring formula uses a 14-day time span. A newer version uses 45 days. The lender decides which version of the scoring model it wants to use. There's no need to panic if you don't line up your mortgage in 30 days. The scoring formula looks for mortgage inquiries older than 30 days. It counts all the mortgage inquiries within a certain period, which varies depending on the scoring model used, as one inquiry. For some borrowers, one inquiry might not affect their credit score at all. If it did, it should be less than five points off your score. Let's say you talked to four lenders during a week in September. You authorized each to check your credit. Then you postponed buying until November, when you shopped rates again within 30 days prior to closing the sale. The most recent credit inquiries wouldn't affect your credit score. The four that were made in September would count as one inquiry. HOUSE HUNTING TIP: There’s a wide range of rates being quoted. This is a time when it could pay off to shop carefully for the best rate and mortgage product to suit your needs. For example, one mortgage broker quoted 6.75 percent on a conforming loan (to $417,000) for a 5-year, interest-only, adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) with no points. (One point -- a loan origination fee -- is equal to 1 percent of the mortgage amount). Another broker offered a 5-year ARM that is fixed for the first five years at 5 7/8 percent with no points. And, this rate was available for loan amounts up to $650,000. Nonconforming jumbo financing for mortgage amounts over $1 million is still high -- in the 8 to 9 percent range. Some buyers are achieving a lower blended rate by combining a conforming jumbo (to $729,750) with a second loan. Borrowers who have good credit and an established banking relationship with a lender might be able to arrange a preferential rate. Before you authorize a credit check, find out what kinds of mortgage products a lender offers and provide a brief summary of your financial situation. Try to focus your rate shopping within a 30-day time period. THE CLOSING: Don't authorize a credit check until you've narrowed your search down to likely prospects. |
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| How to divvy up mortgage-interest tax deduction Couple seeks fair way to reward each one's share of loan payments By Benny L. Kass DEAR BENNY: I purchased a townhome in January 2005 with a very low, interest-only loan, and have been paying approximately 20 percent extra towards the principal each month. My fiancée moved in about 15 months ago and has been paying $600 a month. The monthly interest-only payment is $1,600. Recently we decided to double the monthly payment in addition to paying an extra $10,000 towards the principle to lower the interest portion of the monthly payment. My fiancée has asked about taking advantage of the interest deduction on her tax returns. What is the best way (if any) for us to divide fairly the interest towards our yearly tax returns? I am thinking about giving her a quitclaim deed with her name on it in addition to mine. Is that a viable option? –Chuck DEAR CHUCK: Even if your fiancée is put on title, since she is not named on the mortgage document (also called deed of trust), she will not be able to legally claim any deductions. According to the IRS, "to be deductible, the interest you pay must be on a loan secured by your main home or a second home." The word "secured" means that the mortgage was recorded among the land records in the county where your house is located. So, the only way that she will be able to claim any deductions is to put her name on title and refinance your existing loan. That may not be a bad idea, depending on whether your favorable interest-only loan will someday become an adjustable loan with much higher monthly mortgage payments. Too many people who obtained interest-only loans are now waking up to learn that their favorable loan will not last forever. And while I do not want to get involved in your domestic situation, if you decide to put your fiancée on title before you get married, I strongly recommend that you enter into a form of "partnership agreement." This agreement would include provisions on what to do with the property should you decide to break up, what happens if one of you is not able to pay his or her share of the house expenses, and how to divide the proceeds should you decide to sell the house. DEAR BENNY: I put my home (paid for) into a limited liability company (LLC) on the advice of an attorney for asset protection. I have since been told by other lawyers that doing so provides no protection. How do I transfer it back into my name, and do I need an attorney to do so? –David DEAR DAVID: I would be curious to learn why these other attorneys claim that the limited liability company does not provide you with protection. One of the primary reasons that LLCs became so popular in recent years is to provide protection. Oversimplified, most state statutes authorizing the creation of an LLC specifically state that the member (or members) of that organization have no personal liability should there be claims against the LLC. In order to hold the member responsible, lawyers have to "pierce the corporate veil," and that is not always easy. If you keep separate books for the LLC, do not commingle your personal funds with those of the LLC, and always sign documents by adding the word "member" after your name; you should be personally protected. One problem that does arise is when two or more properties are put into the same LLC. Both properties are now subject to any liability associated with either of the properties. My recommendation: If you own more than one investment property, put them into separate LLCs. I suggest that you get another opinion from a real estate attorney. But if you do want to transfer the property back into your name, it would be a simple deed from the LLC to yourself. However, there may be steep recordation and transfer taxes imposed by your state, and there may also be tax consequences. You do need a tax advisor to guide you before taking any further action. DEAR BENNY: I have a current 1-year-old mortgage with a balance of about $197,000 at 6.5 percent fixed for 30 years. I desperately need about $60,000 for repair/remodeling! Is it a good idea to refinance at 6.375 percent fixed for 30 years, or what else might you suggest? –Adrian DEAR ADRIAN: You did not tell me if you have enough equity in your house to pull out another $60,000. If you do, then I would think it's a no-brainer to refinance at the lower interest rate. Your alternatives will most likely cost you more money. For example, if there is equity in your home, you can take out a home equity loan, but the interest rate will probably be higher. You may find some local or state government program that will lend you low-interest money if you are doing some environmentally sound improvements. You may also be able to take out a straight bank loan, but if it is not secured (i.e., recorded among land records) you will not be able to deduct the interest you pay. I suggest that you contact three or four mortgage lenders and see what they have to offer. My guess is that the refinance would make the most sense. However, you must also "do the numbers" to determine what closing (escrow) costs you will have to pay for that refinance. Homeowners do not always understand that a refinance -- for all practical purposes -- is treated as a brand-new loan, and you will have to pay all associated costs -- such as appraisal, underwriting, loan preparation, lender's title insurance, and settlement (or escrow) fees. DEAR BENNY: I've a question that I hope you can answer: Who owns the strip of land between the sidewalk and the street? Can the residential property owner prevent you from letting your dog do his business on that strip of land (provided you comply with the ordinance to clean up after the dog)? –Robert DEAR ROBERT: That's a great question and I don't have an answer. In my area (District of Columbia) that strip of land is owned by the city. You would have to check with your local authorities to confirm ownership. When you bought your house, you may have obtained a survey. If so, the survey will give you guidance on where your property lines are. If the property in question is owned by the local government, my guess would be that the property owner cannot stop you from letting your dog "do his business." But putting legality aside, why do you want to do this if a neighbor objects? Put yourself in your neighbor's shoes. Clearly, you would object if someone did that to you. DEAR BENNY: My neighbors have a large, old tree that is just feet from my garage, and whose roots have caused the concrete floor of the garage to crack and become uneven. Lately, however, it has gotten so bad that dirt is pushed up through the cracks and needs to be shoveled out every few months. The garage is almost to the point of being unusable and dangerous. I want to ask the neighbors to remove the tree but I am certain that they will ignore my request. Do they have any legal responsibility for the damage their tree is causing? –Carrie DEAR CARRIE: Tree law differs from state to state. In some states, the so-called "Massachusetts rule" applies, which basically means that your only remedy is to trim any overhanging branches and cut the tree roots on your side of the property line. Other states have adopted the "Hawaii rule," which states "while it may be an inconvenience for the neighbor if the trees cast shade, or drop leaves, flowers or fruit, this is not actionable at law." However, "when they cause actual harm or pose an imminent danger of actual harm to adjoining property," the neighbor may require the tree owner to pay for the damage and cut back the endangering branches or roots. And if this is not done within a reasonable period of time, the neighbor "may cause the cutback to be done at the tree owner's expense." The law is evolving. Recently, the Virginia Court of Appeals reviewed the issue, and adopted the Hawaii rule. Their reason was simple: We are no longer an agricultural society but an urban one, and the Hawaii rule is more suitable for today's homeowners. I would find out from your attorney what law applies in your case, but in any event, I would not hesitate to ask your neighbors to inspect the damage their tree is causing and request that it be removed. |
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| Tech playing key role in real estate deals By Dian Hymer Invariably, buyers or sellers are faced with important decisions at the most inconvenient times. They may be on vacation or on a business trip. Even if you're in town, you may be tied up in meetings and unable to take time to drive to your real estate agent's office. There are ways to deal with this that will minimize the hassle and enable you to respond in a timely fashion. Timing is essential in the home-sale business. If sellers have to wait too long for a response, their enthusiasm might wane. Buyers, on the other hand, could find themselves bidding against another buyer if they make an offer on a hot new listing and can't respond to a counteroffer in time. Often negotiations are handled verbally when buyers or sellers can't be present to sign a purchase contract or counteroffer. But oral agreements to buy and sell real estate are not binding. That's why it's important to have a procedure in place that enables you to sign any pertinent documents as soon as possible, no matter where you happen to be. If you're leaving town, let your agent know the dates you'll be gone and how best to reach you. HOUSE HUNTING TIP: Many homes are bought and sold using a combination of phone, e-mail and fax. Recently, electronic signatures have become popular. In order to use an electronic signature, you need to sign up with a company that is equipped to provide e-signatures on documents. Use your search engine to find an online provider, or ask your real estate agent, attorney or closing agent for a recommendation. Then, your agent can send you documents; you sign with your e-signature and e-mail the documents back. Most lenders won't start processing the buyers' loan until they have a signed purchase contract. However, they will start the process if the contract is signed with e-signatures. They are likely to require that you add wet signatures to the contract before closing. The buyers or sellers might also request this. A downside to e-signatures is that anyone who has access to your computer might hit your designated e-signature key on your keyboard. Keep this information confidential. Faxed signatures are binding as long as this verbiage is included in the purchase agreement. Documents can be faxed or scanned and then e-mailed to you. You print the documents, sign them and fax them back to your agent. If you won't be staying at a hotel that provides business services, find a company like FedEx Office, or the UPS Store that can fax or scan and e-mail the signed documents back to your agent. Otherwise, ask a friend or real estate agent in the area if you can use his or her fax machine. Another possibility is to grant power of attorney to someone you trust who can sign documents for you in your absence. The power of attorney should be specific to your home purchase or sale. If someone is going to sign documents that will be notarized and recorded at closing, make sure that the power of attorney document will be acceptable to the buyers' lender and to the title company. It's not a good idea to give power of attorney to your real estate agent. Sellers who hold title to the home they're selling in a living trust won't be able to use a power of attorney unless the trust documents specifically provide for this. Some sellers who know they will be out of the country when closing occurs arrange to sign documents early. Overnight mail can be used if necessary. THE CLOSING: However, any documents that need to be notarized in a foreign country must be signed at an American consulate. Dian Hymer, a real estate broker with more than 30 years' experience, is a nationally syndicated real estate columnist and author. |
| Early mortgage payoff protocol By Benny Kass DEAR BENNY: I am going to pay off my 30-year mortgage at the end of this year, which is 10 years early. When I contacted the mortgage company to ask for a payoff amount, the representative said there would be some fees included. Someone else told me that there should be no fees and to refuse to pay them. What should I expect when paying off my mortgage? Should I also get the original deed? --Jay DEAR JAY: Permit me to explain the mortgage process. When you first obtained your mortgage (also called a deed of trust) 20 years ago, among a large number of papers involved, you signed a promissory note and a mortgage (or deed of trust). The note is the IOU -- "I promise to pay the lender 'X' dollars, at 'Y' interest rate, due in full in 30 years." Your lender wanted security, just in case you were unable to make the necessary payments. So you also signed a document entitled a deed of trust, which was recorded among the land records in your county or state. Some states still use mortgages, but the majority of loans are secured by deeds of trust. The deed of trust basically states that you deed the property in trust to a trustee appointed by your lender. If you are in default -- and depending on the foreclosure laws in your state -- the trustees have the right to sell your property at a foreclosure sale. You are not in default, and now want to pay off your mortgage. Since it was recorded on the land records, it must now be released. Typically, the appropriate recorder of deeds will charge a fee for recording -- usually nominal, ranging from $35 to $100. And someone -- usually the lender when you are not selling the property -- has to prepare the appropriate release document. Lenders typically charge a small fee to prepare and send you the payoff amount. So, the answer to your question is that there will be some fees associated with the payoff of your loan. Ask the lender to provide you with the specific charges. But more importantly, the loan is not paid off in full until the lender actually receives the money. If you are told that you will owe "X" amount on a certain date, your check must be there on that date or additional interest will accrue. Lenders will provide you with a "per diem" amount -- which means that you have to add the daily interest charge to make sure you are really paying off your loan. If you are dealing with a legitimate lender, I recommend sending them three to five days' additional interest -- just to make sure that you have paid off the loan. The lender will calculate what is actually owed and should send you back any overage. You asked about getting the deed back. You should have received that when you first bought the house. You want the lender to send you (1) the original promissory note, marked "paid and canceled," and (2) the original deed of trust (or mortgage document), again marked "paid and canceled." And don't forget to advise your insurance company and your real estate taxing authority that you no longer have a mortgage and that all future communication should go directly to you. Benny L. Kass is a practicing attorney in Washington, D.C., and Maryland. No legal relationship is created by this column. |
| Staging could land sellers in trouble By Dian Hymer Fixing your house up for sale is highly recommended in the current market if you hope to sell within a reasonable period of time and for an acceptable price. Today's buyers want turnkey houses that they can move right into without having much work. In addition to repairing defects that might turn a buyer off, your house should be clean, tidy and look attractive. From a marketing point of view, most homes contain too much furniture and knickknacks that make it difficult for buyers to appreciate what the place has to offer. If your home is too personalized with your own belongings, buyers might have difficulty envisioning living there. To enhance appeal, many sellers hire a stager, which is a decorator who specializes in presenting homes for sale. Stagers help rearrange furniture and artwork. They also recommend work that needs to be done, such as painting; suggest what should be removed; and bring in furniture, house plants and accessories. The point of all this is to generate enthusiasm for your home. Real estate agents prefer to show homes that look great. The more showings your home receives, the higher the likelihood it will sell. Turning your home into a showcase makes good sense. Just make sure you don't cross the line between fix-up and concealment. Seller disclosure laws vary from state to state. However, the trend over the last decade or so has been to disclose material defects. Sellers often fear that if they tell all about their homes, it will keep it from selling. Or if the house does sell, the price will be low. This is usually an overreaction. Buyers prefer to know about defects before they buy a home, not after. Put yourself in the buyers' shoes: Would you rather know before or after closing that the basement floods in heavy rainstorms? If you receive advance notice, you can research remedies and find out how much it would cost to keep the basement dry. This could result in a buyer asking the seller for a credit or modification in the price. The seller can decide whether to grant a concession. However, sellers who paint the basement walls and floor to conceal signs that there was water in the basement could be in for big trouble. One seller finished a basement room with Sheetrock walls and a carpeted floor and staged it as a den. The first time it rained after the buyers moved in, the den was so water damaged that it had to be torn out. The buyers sued the sellers and won. HOUSE HUNTING TIP: It's a good idea to make a list of all the defects you are covering or correcting before you do the fix-up work. Taking before pictures is not a bad idea. Then make sure the prospective buyers have the opportunity to review your list before they make an offer. This way, the buyers have a good idea of the property condition before the seller accepts your offer. Sellers often wonder what they should disclose. Generally, if you're wondering whether you should disclose something, it's probably something you should disclose. For instance, if your house sits on clay soil, cracks may develop on the interior walls as the soil expands and contracts during the wet and dry seasons. You might decide to paint the walls before selling the house so that it shows nicely. If so, you should also disclose that stucco cracks appear from time to time and that you recently painted the interior. THE CLOSING: Consult with your real estate agent or attorney if you have any questions regarding what should be disclosed. Dian Hymer, a real estate broker with more than 30 years' experience, is a nationally syndicated real estate columnist and author of "House Hunting: The Take-Along Workbook for Home Buyers" and "Starting Out, The Complete Home Buyer's Guide." |
| Winterizing your chimney By Paul Bianchina As winter approaches, one of the things to look forward to is the cozy heat and intimate glow that can come only from a wood fire. But burning wood can create some definite safety hazards if you don't keep up with regular fireplace and wood-stove maintenance. The real culprits are soot and creosote. Creosote is a thick, oily material that results from the distillation of wood smoke, which then solidifies as it cools. Soot is basically particles of partially burnt material, which builds up in masonry chimneys and metal flue pipes alike, as well as in the flue cap. The build-up of soot and solidified creosote will eventually clog the interior of the flue or chimney, creating a very serious fire hazard. If the temperature in the flue reaches a high enough level, the creosote will ignite, causing a flue or chimney fire. The fire can break through any weakened masonry or loose flue pipe joints, and from there enter the house or the attic. Sparks and flames can also easily get outside of the flue cap, where they can ignite wood roofing materials as well as dry leaves or needles on the roof or on the ground around the house. The solution is regular chimney cleaning. You can do this yourself by simply removing the flue cap and cleaning the interior of the flue or the chimney with a wire or nylon brush made for this purpose. The loose soot is quickly knocked down into the fireplace, and the stiff bristles of the brush will remove the creosote buildup. In addition to the cleaning, you want to do a thorough inspection of your fireplace or woodstove, as well as all its components. Check that the flue cap is solidly in place, and that the spark arrestor screen is in place and undamaged. Check the masonry and grout for cracks or other damage. Examine the joints between the flue pipe sections to see if any are loose or are showing evidence of smoke leakage. Check all the flashings between the chimney or flue and the roofing. Also, go ahead and remove any buildups of leaves or needles off the roof, and trim back any dangerous overhanging branches. If you have airtight doors on your fireplace or woodstove, be sure to examine those as well. Check the condition of any glass and gaskets, and replace anything that is damaged or shows signs of leakage. If you're not partial to being up on the roof, you might consider hiring a professional chimney cleaner, known as a chimney sweep. Chimney sweeps are licensed contractors who not only clean your chimney, they are also knowledgeable about checking the entire system and making any necessary repairs. Check with local fireplace shops for recommendations of a qualified chimney sweep, and also verify his or her contractor's license and insurance with your state contractor's board. To minimize creosote buildup between cleanings, you need to burn dry wood and a hot fire. When you burn wet wood, part of the heat energy from the fire goes toward evaporating moisture contained in the log. You get a cooler fire, less heat in the room, and an increase in unburned particulates. It's also time to get out of the habit of trying to damp the fire way down to make it last all night. Slow burning fires that are partially deprived of oxygen produce considerably more smoke that is both cooler and contains more soot -- a bad combination for any flue, since the soot buildup occurs much faster and the cooler temperatures allow the creosote a much greater chance to solidify inside the pipe rather than burn off. The heavy increase in smoke is also extremely bad for air-quality levels, which is prompting some communities to allow wood burning only on certain days, or to eliminate it altogether. Plan on doing a complete examination of your fireplace or wood stove once a year, before the start of the burning season. Cleaning is dependent on how hot your fires are and how much soot and creosote buildup there is; if you burn a hot fire, cleaning every other year is usually sufficient. |
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