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Pillar To Post: EPA Renovators, Remodelers and Painters Rule
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In 1992 Congress enacted the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act (Title X of Public Law 102-550) to limit exposure of humans, especially children, to lead based paint hazards. Section 1018 of Title X regulates disclosure of lead-based paint in sales and lease transactions involving pre-1978 residential properties.
On April 22, 2008, EPA issued a rule requiring the use of lead-safe practices and other actions aimed at preventing lead poisoning. Under the rule, beginning in April 2010, contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978 must be certified and must follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination. This would impose increased regulatory burdens and costs on property managers and Realtors with property management responsibilities.
How does this affect you as a Realtor®?
Pursuant to Section 1018, you are required to:
(1) Obtain information from a seller regarding the known existence of lead-based paint in a home; and
(2) Provide information regarding the hazards of lead-based paint in the home.
Failure to comply with this rule could result in warnings and monetary fines.
What is the position of NAR's on the issue?:
NAR opposes mandatory testing for lead-based paint tied to the transaction process and supports property condition disclosure and education. These are adequately covered under the provisions of Section 1018 as stated above.
Additional Resources:
The realtor.com website has an interesting collection of FAQ's on the issue presented as a series of short videos. These can be accessed by clicking on the link below:
http://www.realtor.org/government_affairs/lead_paint_realtors_faq
The main page for information on the NAR website is:
http://www.realtor.org/leadpaint
Please contact your local Pillar To Post office for additional information on the hazards associated with lead based paint.
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Thomas Recke ASHI, EDI
Lead Paint Testing and
Residential & Commercial Building Inspections, EIFS/Stucco Inspections, EDR Environmental Reports, Water Quality Testing, IAQ/Mold Testing
thomas.recke@pillartopost.com www.pillartopost.com/aurora
(303) 337-6713

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Post Tip:
Unlocked or improperly locked doors and windows are responsible for nearly half of all home break-ins, according to the Home Safety Council. You can upgrade your locking system by adding a surface-mount, rim-mount or vertical deadbolt lock. Better yet, choose a door with a multi-point locking system that engages the door frame at three points instead of just one.
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NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs
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Washington, DC 20207
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 8, 2010 Release # 10-104
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Firm's Recall Hotline: (866) 696-7602 CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772 CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908
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Home Improvement Books Recalled by Oxmoor House Due to Faulty Wiring Instructions; Shock or Fire Hazard to Consumers
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. Name of Product: Home Improvement Books Units: About 951,000 Publisher: Oxmoor House, Inc., of Birmingham, Ala. Hazard: The books contain errors in the technical diagrams and wiring instructions that could lead consumers to incorrectly install or repair electrical wiring, posing an electrical shock or fire hazard to consumers. Incidents/Injuries: None reported. Description: The recall involves nine home improvement books, as listed below:
Title
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ISBN
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Publication Date
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AmeriSpec Home Repair Handbook
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978-0-376-00180-1
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January 2006
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Lowe’s Complete Home Improvement and Repair
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978-0-376-00922-7 978-0-376-01098-8
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September 2005 December 1999
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Lowe’s Complete Home Wiring
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978-0-376-00928-9
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May 2008
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Sunset Basic Home Repairs
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978-0-376-01581-5 978-0-376-01025-4
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February 1995 January 1975
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Sunset Complete Home Wiring
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978-0-376-01594-5
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December 1999
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Sunset Complete Patio Book
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978-0-376-01411-5 978-0-376-01397-2 978-0-376-01399-6
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January 2006 January 1998 April 1990
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Sunset Home Repair Handbook
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978-0-376-01258-6 978-0-376-01256-2
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October 1998 February 1985
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Sunset Water Gardens
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978-0-376-03849-4
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January 2004
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Sunset You Can Build - Wiring
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978-0-376-01596-9
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January 2009
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Sold at: Home improvement stores and bookstores nationwide from January 1975 through December 2009 for between $13 and $35. Printed in: United States Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using these books and contact Oxmoor House for a full refund. Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Oxmoor House toll-free at (866) 696-7602 anytime, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.sunsetrecall.com
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In today’s real estate market, sellers need additional advice on
how to cost-effectively prepare their homes in order to sell quickly. With an
abundance of homes on the market, waiting several months to sell a home could
leave many recession-plagued sellers in financial distress.
For example, in October 2008 the median existing home price was
the lowest since March 2004 at $183,200. This means that a home owner who lived
in his home for 4-1/2 years is seeing the value of the home as the same or less
as when the home was bought (CNNMoney.com, November 2008).
The good news is that although some homes may need extensive
upgrades or renovations, many may only require simple changes. For a limited
cost, or no cost at all, home sellers can fix their homes to appear more
appealing to prospective buyers.
Here are some quick, and inexpensive, fixes to sell a home more
quickly:
·
Focus
on outdoor aesthetics. Cut back overgrown shrubs and plants. Hose down a dusty
dirty house. Sweep the driveway, sidewalk and any stairs. Cost: $00.00
·
Eliminate odors. Before showing the house, open windows to let fresh air in; use
air fresheners or baking soda to rid odors; sprinkle baking soda on the carpet
and leave it for at least 10 minutes to make carpets smell clean. Cost:
approximately $15.
·
Wash
windows. Purchase a window cleaning product to avoid professional costs. Clean
windows make a home look well-kept and outdoor views more crisp. Cost:
approximately $25.
In addition, consider scheduling a prelisting home inspection, an
inspection conducted prior to putting the home on the market. These early
inspections aid homeowners in identifying problem areas that can be easily
repaired. For example, existing electrical, heating, or plumbing systems may
need to be upgraded, or mold growth in a basement may require professional
advice on how to eliminate dampness.
The home inspector
can also suggest additional work to be done and what could be postponed. And,
remember, a home inspector is an objective third party consultant who does not
stand to profit from work suggested. A good assessment of the current state of a
home and its systems will allow for more accurate planning and estimating, as
homeowners prepare a home to sell.
Pretty cool windows short cut keys:
CTRL and A Selects all the items in the active window. CTRL and C Copies the item or items to the Clipboard and can be pasted using CTRL and V. CTRL and F Displays the Find all files dialog box. CTRL and G Displays the Go to folder dialog box. CTRL and N Displays the New dialog box. CTRL and O Displays the Open dialog box. CTRL and P Displays the Print dialog box. CTRL and S Displays the Save dialog box. CTRL and V Pastes the copied item or items from the Clipboard. CTRL and X Cuts the item or items selected to the Clipboard. CTRL and Z Undoes the last action. CTRL and F4 Closes the active document window. CTRL while dragging an item Copy the selected item CTRL+SHIFT with arrow keys Highlight a block of text CTRL+F4 Close the active document CTRL+ESC Display the Start menu CTRL and F6 Opens the next document window in the active application. ALT+ENTER View the properties for the selected item ALT+F4 Close the active item, or quit the active program ALT+SPACEBAR Open the shortcut menu for the active window ALT+TAB Switch between the open items ALT+ESC Cycle through items in the order that they had been opened F1 key Gives help on the active window or selected item. F2 key Rename the selected item F3 key Search for a file or a folder F4 key Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer F5 key Update the active window F6 key Cycle through the screen elements in a window or on the desktop F10 key Activate the menu bar in the active program Windows Logo Display or hide the Start menu Windows Logo+PAUSE Display the System Properties dialog box Windows Logo+D Display the desktop Windows Logo+M Minimize all of the windows Windows Logo+SHIFT+M Restore the minimized windows Windows Logo+E Open My Computer Windows Logo+F Search for a file or a folder CTRL+Windows Logo+F Search for computers Windows Logo+F1 Display Windows Help Windows Logo+ L Lock the keyboard Windows Logo+R Open the Run dialog box Windows Logo+U Open Utility Manager TAB Move forward through the options SHIFT+TAB Move backward through the options CTRL+TAB Move forward through the tabs CTRL+SHIFT+TAB Move backward through the tabs ALT+Underlined letter Perform the corresponding command or select the corresponding option ENTER Perform the command for the active option or button SPACEBAR Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box F1 key Display Help F4 key Display the items in the active list Arrow keys Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons BACKSPACE Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box END Display the bottom of the active window HOME Display the top of the active window NUM LOCK+Asterisk sign (*) Display all of the subfolders that are under the selected folder NUM LOCK+Plus sign (+) Display the contents of the selected folder NUM LOCK+Minus sign (-) Collapse the selected folder LEFT ARROW Collapse the current selection if it is expanded, or select the parent folder RIGHT ARROW Display the current selection if it is collapsed, or select the first subfolder
Pillar to Post Aurora is proud to offer the
local real estate community EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finish System) and
traditional stucco inspections. Our inspections adhere to the very
stringent EDI (Exterior Design Institute
http://www.exterior-design-inst.com/) and MoistureFree Warranty Corporation
(http://www.moisturewarranty.com/homeowners/homeowners.htm)
Inspection Protocol.
EIFS (aka synthetic stucco) can be an
outstanding exterior cladding system IF it is installed correctly and the
manufacture's specifications are followed exactly. Many problems with EIFS
begin when general contractors and installers aren't familiar with the system,
its components, or the methods used to properly apply the exterior cladding.
When installed properly, home owners typically report a 25%-40% reduction in
their energy bills due to the higher insulation value of their walls. The method
by which synthetic stucco reduces heat loss/gain is 2 fold. Primarily, it's
insulation prevents heat penetration through walls, and secondarily, acts as an
air barrier -- preventing air flow and therefore heat transfer. This means that
less heat is lost during the cold season, and less heat penetrates into your
home during the warm season -- a double benefit for those living in Colorado!
Looking at a typical annual heating/cooling bill of around $2,500.00 and a
minimum of 25% reduction, the average home owner can expect to get back $625.00
every year.

1. Insulation board.
2. An adhesive and/or mechanical attachment of the insulation board to a
substrate.
3. Glass fiber reinforcing mesh.
4. Basecoat on the face of the insulation board.
5. A textured protective finish coat.
Within the
EIFS community there are two primary synthetic stucco systems:
1)
A drainage system is
an exterior insulation and finish system with the above elements combined with a
means by which water, that has entered the assembly, is allowed to exit the wall
cavity.
2) The typical barrier type EIFS installation includes the substrate,
polystyrene foam board fastened or glued to the substrate, fiberglass
reinforcement mesh, base coat (usually 1/16 to 1/4 inches thick and then a
finish coast.
I would
love to work with you and your clients - if you have any questions or comments,
please feel free to contact me through this site or email at
thomas.recke@pillartopost.com
Thank you
for your time!
Pillar To Post welcomes your comments and concerns. You can contact us: Click Here |
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POWER UP YOUR MOTIVATION At times we all find it difficult to go on. There are times in our lives when we really want to call it "quits" because we just can't see any good results from all the hard work we've done. CLICK HERE FOR MORE >> |
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BEWARE OF KITCHEN HAZARDS Preparing a meal in your own kitchen hardly seems dangerous - but statistics show it can be. CLICK HERE FOR MORE >> |
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LINEN CLOSET BLISS Is your linen closet a jumble of sheets, towels and pillowcases? Here's how to turn your closet from cluttered to calm and make it hold even more. CLICK HERE FOR MORE >> |
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LET THE LIGHT SHINE IN Shorter days during the winter months mean longer nights. Spending more time indoors and in the dark makes it easy to fall into the 'winter blues.' CLICK HERE FOR MORE >> |
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ATTIC INSULATION During the winter, attic insulation prevents heat within the house from escaping through the ceiling and into the unheated attic space. CLICK HERE FOR MORE >> |
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HIDDEN EMAIL MESSAGES Do you feel no email is complete without a smiley face, or do you prefer bold, direct statements? These kinds of choices reveal more than you know. CLICK HERE FOR MORE >> |
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A FRAGRANT COLORFUL FIRE 1. Soak some pine cones. To create bright yellow flames, pour 1/2 gallon of hot water into a deep glass or plastic bowl. CLICK HERE FOR MORE >> |
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TYPES OF ATTIC VENTILATION
-
Soffit Vents are on the underside of the eave either as grills or the preferred continuous type. Soffit vents are used in conjunction with roof, gable or ridge vents.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE >> |
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Serving home buyers, home sellers, homeowners and real estate professionals across North America. |
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Why Pillar To Post? Pillar To Post ® is North America's leading home inspection company. We are committed to quality in the service we provide to real estate professionals, home buyers and sellers. Our training, reporting and professionalism are second to none in the industry.
We Work With You Our goal is to enable you to have confidence in the home decision and transaction process. The inspection provides an excellent opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge about the home. During the inspection, we will point out and discuss areas of concern regarding the property. We then provide a detailed, unbiased report with all this information.
Thomas A. Recke
Aurora, Centennial, Byers, Foxfield, Bennett and Strasburg
Residential & Commercial Building Inspections, EIFS/Stucco Inspections, Radon Gas Testing, Mold & Indoor Air Quality Testing, EDR Neighborhood Enviromnental Reports, Water Quality Testing, and last but not least we also provide Pre-Listing Inspections
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Pillar To Post welcomes your comments and concerns. You can contact us: Click Here
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THE LAW OF ATTRACTION
Have you ever wondered why some people seem to "get lucky" and attract all the success and good things they want and others seem to have the worst luck bumping up against obstacle after obstacle?
CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>
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DUST-FREE FANS
Want to guarantee dust-free breezes through your house? Clean all your fans the expert way and cut down on allergy symptoms.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>
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WELCOME FALL
These easy, affordable touches will cozy up your home for the cooler days and longer nights ahead.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>
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SECURE YOUR HOME FOR LESS
You don’t have to break the bank to make your home more secure. There are low-cost tricks that can give you high security.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>
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60 AMP ELECTRICAL SERVICE
Many insurance companies across North America now consider homes with 60 amp services to be unsafe and inadequate.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>
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NEW USES FOR ALUMINIUM FOIL
Protect your doorknobs. Painting? Wrap foil around doorknobs to prevent splatter – its much easier than tape!
CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>
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WARNING SIGNS OF UNSAFE ALUMINUM WIRING
- unusually warm or warped outlets and switch cover plates
- smoke or sparks coming from receptacles and switches
CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>
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Serving the home buyer, home seller, homeowner and real estate professionals across Colorado.
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Why Pillar To Post?
Pillar To Post ® is North America's leading home inspection company. We are committed to quality in the service we provide to real estate professionals, home buyers and sellers. Our training, reporting and professionalism are second to none in the industry.
We Work With You
Our goal is to enable you to have confidence in the home decision and transaction process. The inspection provides an excellent opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge about the home. During the inspection, we will point out and discuss areas of concern regarding the property. We then provide a detailed, unbiased report with all this information.
Thomas A. Recke - (303)
337-6713
http://www.pillartopost.com/aurora - thomas.recke@pillartopost.com
ASHI Certified Residential
& Commercial Building Inspections
Fully Insured with both
E&O and General Liability Insurance
EDI Certified
EIFS/Stucco Inspector
Full line of Indoor Air
Quality, Mold, Radon, and Water testing
EDR Environmental
Reports & Home Energy Surveys too!
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THINGS YOU NEVER KNEW YOUR
CELL PHONE COULD DO
There are a few things that can
be done in times of grave emergencies. Your mobile phone can actually be a life
saver or an emergency tool for survival. Check out the things that you can do
with it:
1.
Emergency
The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112. If you find yourself out of
the coverage area of your mobile; network and there is an emergency, dial 112,
and the mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency
number for you. Interestingly, this number, 112, can be dialed even if the
keypad is locked. Try it out.
2. Have you locked your keys in the
car?
Does your car have remote keyless entry? This may come in handy someday. If you
lock your keys in the car, and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home
on their cell phone from your cell phone. Hold your cell phone about a foot from
your car door and have the person at your home press the unlock button, holding
it near the mobile phone on their end. Your car will unlock. Saves someone from
having to drive your keys to you. Distance is no object. You could be hundreds
of miles away, but if you can reach someone who has the other "remote" for your
car, you can unlock the doors (or the trunk).
Editor's Note: It works fine! We tried it out, and it unlocked our car over a
cell phone!"
3. Hidden Battery Power
Imagine your cell battery is very low. To activate, press the keys *3370#
Your cell will restart with this reserve, and the instrument will show a 50%
increase in battery. This reserve will get charged when you charge your cell the
next time.
4. How to disable a STOLEN mobile
phone?
To check your Mobile phone's serial number, key in the following digits on your
phone: *#06#
A 15 digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your
handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. If your phone gets stolen,
you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be
able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card, your phone
will be totally useless.
You probably won't get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole
it can't use/sell it either. If everybody does this, there would be no point in
people stealing mobile phones.
5. Free Information Calls
Cell phone companies are charging us $1.00 to $1.75 or more for 411 information
calls when they don't have to.
Most of us do not carry a telephone directory in our vehicle, which makes this
situation even more of a problem. When you need to use the 411 information
option, simply dial: (800) FREE 411, or (800) 373-3411 without incurring any
charge at all. Program this into your cell phone now.
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Thomas Recke, ACI
Aurora,
CO
More about me
Pillar To Post
Address: PO Box 470757, Aurora, CO, 80047
Office Phone: (303) 337-6713
Cell Phone: (720) 325-6535
Email Me
Links
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