Post by Mike Blank, MBC Building & Remodeling

The EPA rule requires lead-safe work practices in pre-1978 homes, including posting warning signs; using disposable plastic drop cloths; cleaning the work area with HEPA vacuuming and wet washing; and individual certification through a training course. The full rule and brochures for consumers can be downloaded from the EPA’s Web site.

A 2006 NAHB study on lead-safe work practices showed that a home was better off after a remodel than before, as long as the work was performed by trained remodelers who clean the work area with HEPA-equipped vacuums, wet washing and use disposable drop cloths.

Summary of the Rule

1. Training and Certification

As of April 2010, remodeling firms working in pre-1978 homes need to be certified. In addition to firm certification, the company must employ a Certified Renovator. When hiring a remodeler, home owners should verify the firm is certified and employs a Certified Renovator to be sure the work is completed properly.

2. Work Practices

The Certified Renovator has a number of responsibilities. The remodeler must distribute the Renovate Right brochure to the homeowner and ask them to sign the pre-renovation form several days before work begins. They must also post warning signs outside the work area and supervise setting up containment to prevent spreading dust. The rule lists specific containment procedures for both interior and exterior projects. It forbids certain work practices including open flame or torch burning, use of a heat gun that exceeds 1100°F, and high-speed sanding and grinding unless the tool is equipped with a HEPA exhaust control. Once the work is completed, the regulation specifies cleaning and waste disposal procedures. Clean up procedures must be supervised by a Certified Renovator.

3. Verification and Record Keeping

After clean up is complete the Certified Renovator must verify by matching a cleaning cloth with an EPA verification card. If the cloth appears dirtier or darker than the card, the cleaning must be repeated.

A complete file of records on the project must be kept by the certified renovator for three years. These records include, but aren’t limited to: verification of owner/occupant receipt of the Renovate Right pamphlet or attempt to inform, documentation of work practices, Certified Renovator certification, and proof of worker training.

Starting in July 2010, remodeling firms are also required to share with home owners a copy of the records created under the rule within 30 days of completing the renovation.

4. Exemptions

It is important to note that these work practices may be waived under these conditions:

• The home or child occupied facility was built after 1978.
• The repairs are minor, with interior work disturbing less than six sq. ft. or exteriors disturbing less than 20 sq. ft.
• If the house or components test lead free by a Certified Risk Assessor, Lead Inspector, or Certified Renovator.
• The homeowner may also opt out by signing a waiver if there are no children under age six frequently visiting the property, no one in the home is pregnant, or the property is not a child-occupied facility. The EPA is revoking the opt-out waiver as of July 2010. This means all remodeling work conducted in pre-1978 housing must comply with the regulation after this date.

Learn more about EPA’s lead paint rule by visiting www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovation.htm.

Mike Blank, CGR CAPS, President

MBC Building & Remodeling, LLC

cell: (717) 371-5136

1. Building a Compost Bin using Home Depot lumber and a couple of screws
2. Installing a RainBarrel to catch downspout water for garden and pool re-use
3. Organizing a “square foot” garden

Today, let’s talk compost.

Susan & I had a small compost bin I made with some old 2×4s a couple of years ago.  It was a basic design - called a “one-chamber” because that’s all there was.  I’ve really loved not having to put the grass clippings out for 2 years!  Also, everything organic from the kitchen has gone out to the pile daily.  We got a great compost harvest the second spring but this year didn’t go as well.  The pile had gotten too high and was a bear to turn (which is required for the stuff to decompose properly) with the pitchfork.

Solution: Rip the thing out and rebuild.   I built a new compost bin (level two)!  It’s a “two-chamber” design which allows me to turn the piles more effectively by going from one side to the other, and pulling out the finished compost as it happens.  I would have preferred to have done a “three-chamber” so I had a pile for only finished compost, but space did not allow for that.  So far, it has produced a good amount of working compost for our garden.

I did the  Home Depot thing and picked up some fresh 2×4s (the last ones rotted) and 1×4’s for the side slatting.  I also bought some green-coated chicken wire in 24″x 25 ft (one roll – I already had 25 foot – you’ll need two rolls to build this compost bin design).  I used 2″ deck screws to fasten everything together.

I sunk the posts using a post-hole digger and an iron ”digging stick” with a tamping end to pack the posts in place.  Lots and lots of measuring with a tape measure and level…The screws tightened the whole compost bin up nicely.  Took me an afternoon and a half (with 3 kids in tow).

Right away I noticed how the extra 4 feet really helped separate the materials.  Note the difference between the more recent deposits and the almost-ready compost on the left.  My nagging problem had been the lack of consistent aeration – the stuff stunk! Now with the ability to turn more often without the hassle factor I’ll get better aeration, which means lots of good compost to spread on mama Geoghan’s vegetable garden in the fall and spring!

Look for my next piece – on putting together a rainbarrel using a local Lancaster PA barrel source and easily-available plumbing parts.

By Joe Heidler, JV Heidler Roofing

Right now in our area there are huge problems with ice forming on the eaves of buildings.  I just heard that some of our streets in Lancaster have had their sidewalks closed due to “killsickles”.  These ice monstrosities are formed when the roof warms up from the sun or from heat loss inside the living space.  Then water runs down and cools at the overhangs, or eaves.  The water freezes and forms an ice dam.  This backs up water that may be running down the roof, thus providing potential water leakage and damage to the interior of the building.

We recommend on new installations that an ice and water guard membrane be installed to prevent this backed up water from entering the structure.

It can be very dangerous to remove these hanging ice sickles. They can be extremely heavy and falling from the height of a building can injure or even kill people below.   Some people use heat tapes to prevent the ice dams from forming.  IF it is possible to safely remove snow from the roof edge, be sure to remove it back about 3 feet.  This is very common in Northern areas of the country, but it is rarely an issue here in Lancaster and York.  There are special snow rakes that are used to clean snow from roofs in these Northern areas, but I have never seen one around here.

It is a good idea to prevent people from walking under these areas.  Use caution tape or warning flags to rope the area off.  Safety is our number one concern.  If in doubt, call an expert.  Please, whatever you do, be SAFE!

Read more at Joe’s  Lancaster PA Roofing blog

In an effort to promote employee home ownership as well as encourage employees to walk to work, Lancaster General Hospital offers mortgage insurance and settlement cost assistance (which means closing costs help) in the form of loans up $10,000 (recently upped from $7,000).  There are some stipulations that go with the program:

• The purchase price must be up to $200,000 – not a problem, in fact you can get an incredible large home in the area of Lancaster City for only $160,000 these days.
• Homes can only be 1 or 2 family units, or approved condos.  There’s a map showing the Homebuyer assistance covered area.
• An approved mortgage with all lending criteria met
• The home must be the employee’s primary residence – no rentals, but you could buy a two-unit and live in one and rent the other.
• Lancaster General will forgive the loan at 20% per year up to 5 years of your employment there.
• The homeowner will have to pay Lancaster General Hospital back for the unforgiven portion if they sell the home, convert it to a second home or leave the hospital’s employ.
• The loan funds may only be used for closing cost assistance.
• Of course, the employee must apply for the Settlement Assistance loan through Lancaster General’s lending firm and meet credit guidelines.

There are a few more details as to how to apply for the “Home In The City” homebuyer assistance program which can be read at the LGH website here.  On top of the assitance offered to home buyers, LGH offers a “curb appeal” renovation program with up to $2,500 towards facade upgrades.  I’ll post about facade programs in Lancaster City in a later post.

As a busy realtor working regularly within the coverage area of this program, I would highly recommend it to employees looking to own a home!  It’s a great way to go, especially when you could use the closing costs paid for.  For those moving into the area who plan to work at Lancaster General’s Lancaster City Facility, I would highly recommend that you take a look at the Lancaster City homes for sale within the coverage area before you decide on a home to purchase.  You’ll be surprised at the great neighborhoods and home options available within Lancaster City!

For a list of current home offerings within the Lancaster General program area as well as daily updates of new listings, feel free to contact me.  I can review your home needs with you and compare homes that might fit your criteria.

After a month since the much-reported electric rate caps came off of Pennsylvania Power & Light (PPL), surveys reported that only 13% of PPL’s customers had switched to one of the new competitors in the market.  So where are we?

As you probably know, the only change taking place is with the power generation portion of the electric market.  In other words, the transmission of the power to your home/business is still under PPL’s authority and equipment, so you’ll continue to get billed by them for that portion of your monthly bill.  The generation side was under the state-mandated rate caps for the last decade, so the impact of rising costs at the power plant level have been hidden the end user (you).  With the end of the caps you are now at the mercy of changing rates, which in PPL’s case have meant a 30% increase for January.

To ameliorate the issue, PPL offered pay-in plans over the last 2 years which allowed ratepayers to build up a bit of a war chest that would be applied to the overages coming this year.  Nobody I know took that option (for whatever that’s worth).

Now, “Electric Choice” is the buzzword as competitors announce their entry into the market to provide power generation.  The PA Office of Consumer Advocacy is maintaining the official PA list of electric providers and rate plans.  In reviewing the plans, we found that the real savings did not seem to be too compelling over PPL.  where PPL rates may have gone up 30%, even the best of these competing programs offered 10% off, so the net increase would be 20% over your 2009 and earlier bills.  Of the programs currently offered, Dominion Energy appeared to have the best safety (minimal fees) and price combination.  Dominion was also the first to get in the market and mailed a piece to all PPL customers in the fall.  One the major pitfalls of the competitive field is the presence of large early-termination fees (which we all know & love from cell phones, etc) which curb our ability as consumers to change our providers as new and better programs come online.

Either way, if you have electric heat or otherwise depend on PPL for a chunk of your utility usage, you’d better get on with making a decision.  One event coming up this week promises to help answer questions about Lancaster County electric choice – State Representative John Bear put together an open house on the subject:

Rep. John C. Bear (R-Lancaster) will be holding an Electric Choice One-Stop Shop Event from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 4, at the Jewish Community Center at 2120 Oregon Pike, Lancaster to help constituents learn more about the whole new world of electric choice and deregulation, speak directly to the new suppliers of electricity in our area about program offerings, and exercise their option to sign up for the supplier of their choice

You can read the full announcement at Representative Bear’s website.  If you like talking to people rather than studying paperwork then I would highly recommend this event.

If any readers have helpful comments or advice on coping with electric choice please feel free to post here or contact us.  We’ll stay with this story as the spring season approaches…

Eleven more months to go in 2010 – and studies show that as many as three out of five of us will have already broken our New Year resolutions.  That said, maybe your own resolutions need a tweak or two.

Stephen Covey demonstrates in his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, that those who win in life begin with the end in mind.  Said differently, if we want to be successful in life, we need to know what we’re aiming for.  This is the reason why I’m personally such a fan of goals and resolutions, even if we find ourselves not meeting all of them.

When it comes to finances, goals are critical.  Retirement goals, education goals, freedom from debt goals, lifestyle goals – these are what puts a purpose behind our money and our income.  We want our money to accomplish something, right?  And it’s with this mindset that I’d encourage you to consider setting a 2010 financial goal for your home.

This goal is going to be highly individualized for your unique situation.  Maybe you’re just starting out on your own, and you want to save a certain thousand dollars to use as a down payment on your home.  Or maybe you’re outgrowing your first home, and you want to pay down the mortgage to a certain point that you have so much equity to use for your next home.  Or maybe you’re near the end of your mortgage and if you hit it hard enough, you’ll be able to knock it out a few years early.  Or perhaps it’s time to explore that rental property you’ve been contemplating and you want to have the home purchased by the end of the year.

In business school one learns about setting SMART goals.  Be Specific with the 2010 home goal.  Set a certain dollar or percentage amount that is Measurable.  Be realistic and make the goal Attainable.  Envision the accomplishment of this goal and be sure it’s Rewarding to you in its fulfillment.  And set a specific date you want to achieve this goal to make it a Timely one.

Determine your end result – and put it in writing.  Print multiple copies and go to Staples and get them laminated.  Hang them everywhere.  For me personally, I have my 2010 goals hung in my car, in my office, as my bookmark, and in the shower.  “Out of sight out of mind” the saying goes – so keep your 2010 home goal in front of you.

We’ve got 11 months to the end of year – let’s try to be the minority and achieve what we set before ourselves.

Discover this classy split-level nestled in historic East Petersburg, just a few miles north of Lancaster City. Located in Hempfield Schools within walking distance of downtown shops and parks, this home is also a short drive from Roots Market for farm fresh food every Tuesday!

Lots of windows draw the light into the living spaces, and an open floorplan make getting around easy. In addition, one of the four nice-sized bedrooms is located on the entry level with a half bath. Downstairs, a large family room has good natural light and a real bonus – a built-in workbench for the hobbyist or crafter in the family!

A beautiful lot complements the home and offers many entertainment options. A nice wood deck has built-in seating to clear space normally occupied by chairs. The yard itself is long and has several discreet areas for private gatherings away from the house. A small garden is joined by a shed to hold puttering tools…everything is well cared-for and neat.

The owner is a certified home energy auditor and has made this home very energy-efficient through improved insulation, sealing and many other small touches that assure the lowest-possible fuel bills.

Come see this great home in person, and find out why East Petersburg is a premiere Lancaster County PA place to live!

See more at http://www.6475Lemon.com

102 Oak Knoll Circle, Millersville PA 17551

Discover Elegant Condominium Living In the Heart of Lancaster County…

This is a wonderful home nestled in a convenient Millersville condominium community – only minutes from downtown Lancaster and Columbia Avenue. Three nice bedrooms and 2 full baths make this one of the larger floorplans in the Oak Knoll condominium community, and this second floor unit boasts a peaceful balcony overlooking well-manicured and wooded grounds. An elegant fireplace resides in the living room, waiting to be gathered around… The eat-in kitchen includes a custom wooden banquet seating arrangement for four. In fact all the appliances are newer and included with this wonderful home. The master suite includes a walk-in closet and nice bath. The detached 1-Car garage is oversized and located within a few steps from the home’s entry. Great groundswork and no maintenance mark this sought-after address strategically located between Lancaster and Millersville.

See more at http://www.102OakKnoll.com

802 North Duke Street, Lancaster PA 17602

The Mary Reynolds Mansion is a truly awesome Lancaster City home. One of the largest lots in the area, these grounds offer spaces to entertain like no other. An elegant pergola graces the side yard between the main house and the carriage house, and several large covered patios surround the home. Inside, a majestic solarium with glass ceiling valued at over $200,000 complements the classic Georgian revival architecture. Nine bedrooms, 4 baths and hardwood floors are just the beginning…call for an appointment.

See more at http://www.802NorthDuke.com

If you haven’t been out to Lancaster Central Park (so named for it’s strategic location in the county) you’re missing a true treat.  Covering over 540 acres along the famed Conestoga River, Lancaster Central Park boasts some wonderful wooded landscape and community features such as six pavilions for public use, the county pool (which receives some 40,000 visitors a year), a professionally-designed skateboarding park, camping area and much more.  Enjoy the woodland trails along the river in any season.

There are several very nice playgorunds for kids to enjoy, and trails connect them to make a fun bike/play tour for the slightly older kids.

A particularly interesting feature of Lancaster Central Park is the Shuts Environmntal Library, which housings over 3,000 volumes and focuses on wildlife, survival, gardening and other ecological topics.  It’s part of the Lancaster County Library system so your library card works there, too.  The Garden of Five Senses is also unique and is a popular destination for weddings.  I always enjoy cruising through this area when I’m in the park.

I bring my two boys down for a long afternoon of riding our bikes through the trails and hills, stopping to talk about the wildlife we see and the Conestoga River.  The other visitors are very friendly and we’ll sometimes stop to chat.  It’s surreal that such a quiet, peaceful place can be so close to the center of downtown Lancaster.  Take some time to visit Lancaster Central Park on your next day out – you’ll be glad you did.

Named after a nearby rock ford once used to cross the nearby Conestoga River, this 1794 home was built by General Edward Hand and remains remarkably unchanged architecturally even today.

Edward Hand emigrated to Lancaster in 1774 after resigning from the British Army in the colonies. His formal training was in medicine, and he hoped to practice in his new home town.  However, he enlisted in the Continental Army in 1775 and led troops in several key battles early in the Revolutionary War.  He became adjutant-General to George Washington in 1781.  Returning to Lancaster after the war, Hand became active in politics and served in Congress and State Assembly.  He was also elected Burgess of Lancaster.  He moved into his newly-built home at his Rock Ford farm (which had been owned as a tenant farm for 25 years prior) in 1794 and died there in 1802.

Threatened at one point with demolition, the mansion was saved in 1958 with the creation of the Rock Ford Foundation.  The under-renovation home was opened to the public in 1960 and continues to this day.  It is a key example of early American Georgian architecture in Pennsylvania and harkens the visitor back to the early days of gentry country life.

Tours are available – call 717-392-7223 for more information and times. For directions click here.  While you’re in Lancaster Central Park take some extra time to check out the great amenities and nature it has to offer.  Enjoy your walk through history at the Rock Ford Plantation in Lancaster, PA.

You may not realize this, but Lancaster PA was a hub of activity during the Civil War.  Many local volunteers served in Union regiments and the city itself hosted numerous troop-and-fund-raising activities for the duration of the conflict.  The Fulton Opera House, for example, served as an armory and temporary headquarters for a locally-raised army unit, and a room upstairs was used by the ladies to sew uniforms and other clothing needs.  The Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge was a focal point during the Gettysburg campaign when Jubal Early’s confederates almost took the bridge a threatened to invade Lancaster – but that’s as far as they got because the bridge was burned.

One local story was that of Major General John Fulton Reynolds (like the middle name? – named after Robert Fulton of local fame perhaps).  Reynolds was born right in downtown Lancaster in 1820 and went into West Point after being nominated by James Buchanan of Lancaster (future 15th President).  He was a career officer who served in the Mexican-American war, as did many of the officers later to lead armies against each other in the Civil War.

Reynolds served the US Army in various conflicts in the far west leading up to the Civil War.  At the outreak of the war he was promoted to Brigadier General and served gallantly with the Army of the Potomac, rising to command the entire First Corps of the army.  Just prior to the Gettysburg campaign in June 1863, President Abraham Lincoln offered him command of the army itself.  Reynolds refused unless he could have a free hand in running the army, without political entanglements that were rife at that time.  Lincoln could not agree to his terms, and the command opportunity passed from Reynolds (ah, what could have happened had he accepted?).

At Gettysburg a few short weeks later, Reynolds was the first Union Corps commander to ride onto the developing battlefield on the first day (July 1, 1863).  He rallied disorganized Union troops who had succeeded in holding the larger Confederate force at bay, but were beginning to lose ground.  Reynolds no doubt saw the tactical situation in a glance and was ready to fight, but was shot from his horse and killed instantly.  His soldiers held long enough to force a second day of battle at Gettysburg, where the tide turned against the south.

Reynolds’ body was returned to Lancaster where he is buried today.  There are 3 monuments of John F. Reynolds  at the Gettysburg National Military Park.  He is truly a Lancaster native who made a national impact in his life.

For more Information about Lancaster, PA and it’s role in the American Civil War check out Ron Young’s Excellent website here.