Concrete Sidewalk

Like many older homes, our older office needed some sewer work. To access the sewer we had to remove and replace some sidewalk. To make the patch blend in with the existing sidewalk, Chris used a "green" technique. Coke was poured on the new sidewalk. The Coke "ate" the top few milimeters off of the new concrete to give it a worn look. (You can also use root beer.) If you are in the area stop by and see Chris' stamped concrete work around our building and check out our "aged" sidewalk.

Check out your contractor!

When you are considering hiring a contractor to do a large or small job, protect yourself and check them out. The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries as made it very easy to check out contractors. From the home page HiringaContractor.Lni.wa.gov, you can find out many things about your contractor. All you need is their name, owner's name or license number. Make sure they are currently licensed and registered with L&I. Check to make sure they pay workman's compensation insurance premiums. If they do not pay, you may be held liable if they are injured while working in your home. You can also see if there are any outstanding judgements against the contractor. Insurance and bond information will also be posted. Don't forget to click on the link to the Department of Revenue to make sure the contractor pays taxes. If the contractor is not paying taxes you may be held liable for all tax obligations related to your job, even if you have paid taxes to your contractor. This sounds like a lot to check but it only takes a few minutes and may save you money and heartache later.
If you want to find out more about your contractor, ask for a list of previous clients with jobs similar to yours. Don't be afraid to ask for a list of suppliers too. Suppliers can be a great reference about the contractor's employees and business. If the contractor has a job in progress, visit the site. Check out the cleanliness and security on the site. Most contractors will have subcontractors working in your home. Ask what they require of their subs. Do they have insurance, warranty and etiquette requirements for their subs?
If you would like further information on checking out a contractor, contact the Master Builder's Association in your area or the Department of Labor and Industries.

Washington Appliance Rebate

The Washington Department of Commerce has begun an Energy Star state appliance rebate program funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The rebate period began on March 15th, 2010 and is not retroactive. The program will end when the funds run out so now is the time to make an appliance purchase. Rebates are offered on clothes washers and refrigerators that were purchased from a retailer in Washington State. The clothes washers must be Energy Star models with a Modified Energy Factor of at least 2.46 and a Water Factor of not more than 4.0. The rebate amount for a washer is $100. The rebate amount for a refrigerator is $75.00. Refrigerators must be Energy Star qualified and have a volume greater than 9 cubic feet. You must also show proof that the refrigerator being replaced has been recycled. Tacoma Power will pick up your old, working, refrigerator, recycle it and will pay you $30! When you call to schedule a pick up you can request a free Home Energy Kit which includes two energy saving light bulbs, a low flow shower head and a kitchen faucet aerator. Just call 1-877-577-0510 to schedule your pick up.

Home Energy Audits

Duke and Dan preformed a whole house energy audit on a home built in the early 1900's. The photo shows Dan running a manometer (pressure and flow gage) just inside of our blower door. The blower door and manometer measure the amount of air infiltration. This test will provide the cumulative size of all the holes, cracks and crevices that leak air. All of the windows and doors are closed before the test. The blower door is installed in the front door of the home. This test takes about an hour. Duke walked through the home to search for specific areas that were leaking. He found some unlikely culprits of energy leaking, such as can lights and soffits that were not properly sealed. Our infrared camera was also used to find areas that are leaking or not properly insulated.
Duke also set up a calibration to monitor the "ghost" energy used in the home. This test will find out just how much energy those computers, security systems, clocks and audio video equipment use while they are sitting unused.
Dan and Duke checked the hot water tank, insulation conditions, duct work conditions, caulking around the windows and doors, furnace filter and other random items that may affect the efficiency of the home.
After all of the data is compiled, Duke will provide the homeowner a detailed report including the amount of leaking air and suggestions on how increase the home's energy efficiency.
Preforming an Energy Audit on your home is a smart way to plan what maintenance projects and products will provide the most energy savings for your home. Right now there are many energy tax benefits on home repair to take advantage of, including 30% of the cost of windows, doors and water heater. There may be local rebates available too.

Historic Tacoma with Dr. Swope

On February 11th Stacy Harris attended the Design Professionals Council meeting at the Knights of the Pythias Lodge in Tacoma. The space is truly an architectural wonder hidden in Tacoma. Dr. Caroline Swope was the guest speaker.
Dr. Swope spoke about styles of historic architecture in Tacoma; Victorian, Colonial Revival, Craftsman and Tudor Revival. Her lecture was illustrated by many historic and current photos of homes in the Tacoma and Seattle areas. Dr. Swope emphasised when remodeling a home, keep with the home's original style. She stated renovations and updates will not look right if you try to add Craftsman detailing to a Victorian home. An easy way to make sure you are staying true to your home's origin, look for historical photos at the library and look at the homes in your neighborhood.

Duke speaks to the Building Science class at Clover Park.

Today Duke York spoke to the Building Science class at Clover Park Technical College. The students were interested in the application of built green building processes and built green products in a remodeling application. Duke spoke about remodeling being client driven projects versus a new home builder who chooses green for the marketing aspect of selling the final product. Certifications were also discussed. Since this is a growing and changing field Duke suggested looking into the LEED certification program, because it is currently the largest program available.

Duke serves on the Clover Park Steering Committee for the Construction Program. Duke is also a founding and current member of Tacoma - Pierce County Built Green program.

Certified First Aid and CPR Training

York Production staff took a certified first aid and CPR training class last Monday morning. Every two years we have Scott Kelly with conduct an on site class to keep our employees certified. This year we were joined by two members of the production crew from Wren and Willow, a fellow MBA member. The Pink Crew had meatball sandwiches and fresh cookies ready when class was over.