Hiring a Roofer
One of the most important aspects of a home is the roof and whether a home owner is purchasing a new home that needs a new roof or a current home owner needs a repair it is best to hire a professional roofer. The house may need to be updated perhaps to help sell it or increase the value.
If a homeowner works with a qualified roofer then the roof could last for 15 to 20 years. Hiring a roofer that is professional is the best place to start. Ask around to find out if any friends, neighbors, co-workers or family to find out if they have a recommendation. Searching the phone book and the internet are also good ways to find a list of roofers. Even the newspaper has advisements for roofers. Quality work is one aspect sought when looking to hire a roofer. Getting the job done in a reasonable time and for a fair price is also important.
Regular exposure to extreme weather such as rain, sun, snow and wind can lead to cracks and fissures which are often ignored. The constant neglect can prove to be a bad decision, but hiring a professional roofing company to maintain and repair the roof can be worthwhile. With periodic maintenance, roof safety and longevity can be ensured.
The roof on a house is important, but it can be overlooked. Maintenance is important to help keep it in good condition longer. A homeowner could get up on the roof every year to make sure there are no issues, such as loose shingles and missing nails or anything else. The other option is calling and hiring a professional roofer to do the job. They have the tools and expertise to handle the job from minor repairs and checking to a complete reroof for a home.
Anything can cause a homeowner to hire a roofer. When it comes to needing repairs or reroofing it could be the result of age and normal abuse or it might be related to weather issues including high winds. Homeowners need to keep in mind even a small crack or lost nail can lead to a leak, which could cause damage. Water can lead to mold that could really be a problem for the entire house if it is left unrepaired. This would mean an even more costly repair. This is why even routine maintenance is vital to keeping a roof healthy.
When searching for the right roofer it is gathering a list and questions your options. This includes calling and asking a few questions. They may have questions to find out if they are registered and if they have a license. You will want to consider a roofer with insurance as well. If there are needs for repairs or that is an option rather than a complete repair.
Look online or in your phone directory. There are numerous roofing specialists advertising their services and offering discounts. Get free quotes from different service providers
, to ensure that you get the best available rates.
Cleaning Tips – How to Keep your House Clean over the Summer Time
Summer is officially here and that means, kids running around the house, barbecues and house parties and with that action keeping the house clean at all time it is not an easy task.
So to aid you with this never ending job we put together some cleaning to help you keep you house sparkling ready for the next party.
Cleaning Windows
Each summer, you should clean your outside windows and screens.
Always use a broom to remove spider webs and dirt before using water. Be careful of possible bee, wasp, or hornet nests.
Driveway and Deck Cleaning
The start of summer is a great time to do these once-a-year cleaning jobs. Our first tip is to not use a power washer! They are very dangerous to you, and can destroy your deck and driveway.
For outdoor decks, you can use a diluted mixture of TSP or deck cleaner, and then use a push broom or stiff brush to scrub the deck clean. Be sure to rinse well.
Grease stains can be treated with kitty litter or dry cement left to absorb the stain and then swept away.
Floor Cleaning Tips
Without a doubt the floor is the part of the house that suffers the most during the summer holidays, kids running in and out of the house with their shoes and trainers on, drinks that are spilled all over the house not to mention the barbecue salve all over the kitchen and patio floor.
Here are some tips on how to easily clean all types of floor:
- Ceramic tiling: Don’t use harsh abrasive cleaners that might scratch the tiles. Instead use a damp-mop on the ceramic tiles with an all-purpose cleaner. Then dry the floor with a soft cloth to avoid streaks.
- Vinyl floors: To wash this type of floor, use an all-purpose cleaning solution. Test any cleaner in a corner before using it on the entire floor.
- Wood floors: The most effective way of cleaning a wooden floor applying a liquid wood-floor cleaner with a dry wax applicator on a small area at a time. Let it soak for a few minutes, and wipe up the excess. When the floor is dry, buff with a floor polisher.
- Carpet Cleaning: The simplest way to keep your carpets clean is to vacuum regularly. But for an effective deep clean it is best to have your carpet steam cleaned.
Luggage Cleaning
Summer time also means summer holidays so it is time to get the old luggage out and clean it before stuffing them with your brand new summer clothes.
Firstly, clean the outside with a diluted mild cleanser (leather should be cleaned with a commercial leather cleaner).
If the inside has developed a musty smell, clean it with a vinegar-water solution. Then let it air dry for several days.
After your holiday and before putting the luggage away for storage, toss a fabric softener dryer sheet into the closed bag, especially if you don’t use the luggage often to keep it fresh.
Carmel and Fishers chambers of commerce merge
The Carmel and Fishers Chambers of Commerce have joined to become OneZone, an organization
that reaches across municipal boundaries - the way business does - to deliver more impact and more opportunities more efficiently.
Carmel and Fishers chambers of commerce merge
Recognizing that commerce doesn’t stop at municipal borders, the boards of directors and members of the Carmel and Fishers Chambers of Commerce voted in February, 2015 to merge. The new organization, formed to more efficiently and better promote the business interests of our members, is called OneZone.
The name OneZone describes the unity we see for the future: multiple communities, but one place to do business. With 1,200 members, OneZone is a stronger voice, a significant presence and a business advocate in an ever-changing workplace.
Value to business
With OneZone, businesses get an organization that offers the advantages of two organizations for the cost of one membership. As one organization, we offer more marketing opportunities, more exposure, more networking connections, more educational programs and more impact on business legislation locally, regionally and statewide.
Common Area: Branching Out
Trees are valuable assets to any community, and caring for them is an important responsibility.
Trees provide visual interest and curb appeal, cooling shade for homes during the summer and a wind barrier throughout the year. Their root systems prevent soil erosion, and their leaves clean the air by converting nitrous oxide, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and ground-level ozone into oxygen. Healthy trees are also habitats for birds and other animals, whereas dead or diseased trees attract parasites and fungi.
Since trees require proper pruning, fertilizing, and pest and disease control to remain healthy, a qualified tree-care professional can determine what association staff and volunteers can do themselves and what tasks should be performed by an arborist. The following steps can help identify an appropriate tree-care professional:
- Require proof of insurance, especially if the tree-care company will be pruning large or old-growth trees.
- Look for a company that has a certified arborist on staff. Certified arborists are trained to identify disease and pest infestation, as well as structural problems.
- Consider a tree-care company that is a member of the National Association of Arborists, the American Nurseryman Association, or the International Society of Arboriculture.
- Include in your contract that you expect the company or companies that you are considering to use the correct equipment and tools, like ropes and pulleys, when climbing trees.
- Expect free estimates when work is needed.
Even after you’ve identified a tree-care company to perform specific functions in a community, continue to educate yourself about how to care for trees-and encourage association leaders to do likewise. The Internet, local library or county extension office are excellent resources.
Originally published in the May/June 2014 digital edition of the Community Manager.
I Love My HOA, Legal Basis, The Rule of Law
By Phillip Toomey, founder of www.ILoveMyHOA.com
If you want to love your HOA, then work with the Legal Basis of an HOA or Community Association, not against it. HOA’s and/or Community Associations are patterned after the most successful government organization of all time. HOA’s are patterned after a Representative Republic.
“We have grown accustomed to hearing that we are a democracy; such was never the intent. The form of government entrusted to us by our Founders was a republic, not a democracy.1 Our Founders had an opportunity to establish a democracy in America and chose not to. In fact, the Founders made clear that we were not, and were never to become, a democracy:” David Barton
A community association has three defining characteristics 1) Membership in the HOA is mandatory and automatic for all owners. 2) Certain documents bind all owners of the HOA. 3 Required annual assessments are levied on every owner to operate and maintain the HOA. A community association derives its legal obligations from several sources 1) The declaration, 2) the CC&R’s, or master deed, 3) The By-Laws and Resolutions of the HOA.
The purpose of the HOA is to provide a governing authority, and for business, and to enhance the community association of the owners. By having a central authority to administer, maintain, and enhance the living premises. Through this system of property rights, binding covenants and restrictions, and rules and regulations, the community and HOA are enhanced by living together in a orderly manor.
An HOA derives its legal obligations from several sources: Federal, State, and Local statutes, Regulations, Case law, Legal documents unique to the Community Association often called CC&R’s (Creeds Covenants and Restrictions). All this “Legal Stuff”, binds the association and its owners.
“Our Constitution places the ownership of private property at the very heart of our system of liberty…. The result of this business culture has been a prosperity that’s unmatched in human history…. Our greatest asset has been our system of social organization, a system that for generations has encouraged constant innovation, individual initiative and the efficient allocation of resources.”
Love Where You Live
March is Disability Awareness Month in Indiana. This year’s theme is “Love Where You Live,” a reminder that communities thrive when we all take an active part. And, like many things in life, thriving communities are a work in progress.
What do you think of when you think about accessible communities? Those parking spaces close to the door at the mall? Automatic door openers? The Braille buttons on the ATM?
In the years since the Americans With Disabilities Act became law, great strides have been made in making public places and spaces more accessible. Restroom stalls, doorways and entries, ramps, crosswalks, curb cuts, walkways-all are now designed to make the community more accessible to people with mobility limitations, limited vision or other disabilities. To love your community, you have to be able to participate in it.
We’ve made great strides, but there is still more work to be done. There are still many places that are not easily accessible.
Which is how I found out about WheelMap.
WheelMap is a free app for iPhone or Android that maps the accessibility of places and spaces in communities all over the world. The app came from a simple idea, a young man in Germany was trying to meet his friends for dinner, but had trouble finding a place that would provide entry for his wheelchair. Since 2010, more than half a million people have used WheelMap to locate and rate places and spaces worldwide in 22 languages-including places here in Indianapolis.
The app provides a way for users to rate the accessibility of public space using a simple scale of green (easily accessible), yellow (partial) or red (not accessible). If you’ve ever used GoogleMap, Yelp! or NearMe, you will find WheelMap has a familiar look and feel. You can use the app to find accessible services and locations, rate the spots and even upload photos.
So here is my Disability Awareness Month challenge to you. Take a few minutes to download the free app and go explore Central Indiana. Visit some of your favorite spaces and help expand the accessibility map for our community.
And then, you will have helped even more of us love where we live.
About Wheelmap
Wheelmap is based on the free world map OpenStreetMap. OpenStreetMap (OSM) is a collaborative project to create a free editable map of the world. All crowdsourced OpenStreetMap data is published under the Open Database License (ODbL) from Open Data Commons (ODC). The OpenStreetMap site is supported by the OpenStreetMap Foundation, a non-profit organization registered in England. - See more at: http://wheelmap.org/en/faqs/#sthash.ThRlT3M7.dpuf
http://www.cicoa.org/media-center/conversations-cicoa-blog/2015/03/17/82-love-where-you-live.html
BAGI: Permits are up - starting the year off on a high note
Reminder: If you have not submitted your BAGI dues, please do so as soon as possible. If you have questions, contact Rosemary at [email protected]
January building permit reports indicate that in the Greater Indianapolis Nine-County area, Single-Family Building Permits increased 6 percent compared to 2014 numbers. In January 2015, there were 318 new home permits issued compared to 300 in 2014. Additionally, according to the National Association of Home Builders, all segments of the market—single-family homes, condominiums and multifamily rental—registered increases compared to the same quarter a year ago. The single-family index increased six points to a level of 54, which is the highest fourth-quarter reading since the inception of the index in 2008 and the 13th consecutive quarter of year over year improvements.
“An overall improving economy in Central Indiana is a result of the stronger housing market,” says Steve Lains, CEO of the Builders Association of Greater Indianapolis. “Residential construction is an often overlooked component of a region’s overall economic growth and health. Historical trends prove that the strength of an area’s overall economy is predicated on the strength and diversity of its housing market,” says Lains.
How homeowners are killing their own loan modifications
Homeowners don’t need to be contributing to their own demise and potential foreclosure. But most homeowners are killing their own chances for a loan modification right from the start because they don’t understand the full impact of the financial form.
Someone once said that a single death is a tragedy, a million deaths is a statistic. The same could be said for foreclosures, and you don’t want to be a tragedy or a statistic. Projections for this year are as high as 2.4 million homes that will be lost to foreclosure. This is horrible and mind numbing. If these numbers are right, then at 2.5 people per household, foreclosures will affect 6 million people this year alone!
And here is a loan modification tragedy. Homeowners are doing something totally wrong - they don’t know it, and it is killing their chances before they even begin. Then the lenders take over from there, throwing up absurd roadblocks, losing documents, giving conflicting feedback — apparently going out of their way to make this process as difficult as possible. How else to explain, according to one source, that lenders with “high success rates” are approving not more than 5% of loan modifications?
There’s not a whole lot a homeowner can do to control the bank’s behavior, but they can do something to avoid being a tragic contributor to their own demise.
Things go so horribly wrong for homeowners because they are told to complete a document called the financial form. Homeowners have absolutely no idea whether the numbers they are presenting to their lender are helping or hurting their chances for approval. It is easy to understand why this happens.
The lender gives the homeowner a blank financial form that asks for raw data. The lender does not explain how they will use this data or how critically important this is. They act as if they are worried about giving away trade secrets, or something. A lender once told me on the phone that they couldn’t possibly tell me because then they would be “telling the homeowner how to fill out the form.” Isn’t that a novel idea? Actually help the homeowner get a loan modification! So the homeowner blindly fills out the financial form in good faith and total ignorance as to the consequences.
Here’s the truth loan about modification financial forms. If you don’t get your numbers right, there’s no point in doing anything else. Either you get your financials right - or get denied, and start staring down the pain of foreclosure. It’s that simple.
Lenders contribute to this destructive force by regularly encouraging homeowners to give financial information off the top of their head over the phone. They generate a sense of urgency and an impression that they need these numbers now. Never, never do this! Do you really want your lender to make their decision about you keeping your home, based on the numbers you blurted out while driving your kids to soccer practice?
Spend time going over your numbers carefully, and if you don’t understand the consequences of the numbers you are presenting to your lender then get some help. Spring for an hour with an accountant. Talk with a good loan modification specialist or attorney (a good one — not someone who calls you out of the blue sounding more interested in getting $2000 from you). Offer to pay them a fair price for an hour of their time, explaining that you want someone to look over your financials before you submit them to your lender.
Give your financial form the careful thought it deserves. Your numbers have to tell a convincing story that supports you getting a loan modification with lower payments. Make sure you understand your numbers’ “story” before you call your lender. Use this general guideline: your numbers should show that you can afford to make a mortgage payment, just not the one your lender is currently requiring of you. Hold on to that “truth” and you will have just vastly increased your chances for success.
Do You Have a Plan for Managing Your Risk?
by David Rice
How does your facility manage its risk? Do you have a plan? More to the point, do you have a Risk Management Plan (RMP) in place at your facility? Should you have an RMP at your facility? Do you even know what an RMP is or who is required to have one? If not then it may be time to take stock of what substances are in your facility’s processes and determine if you are applicable to RMP requirements. Chemical safety has become an increasingly popular topic over the last several years, led by the implementation of the Global Harmonization Standard in March 2012 and highlighted by incidents at Geismar, Louisiana; West, Texas; Memphis, Tennessee; Richmond, California and other events where chemical safety was compromised and lives were permanently impacted. So the question is how are you managing the risks associated with the chemicals at your facility?
Risk Management Plans came into existence when the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, and particularly Section 112r, were passed by Congress. These amendments provided regulations and guidance for the prevention of accidental chemical releases at facilities using substances that pose “the greatest risk of harm from an accidental release.” (The list of regulated substances can be found at http://www.epa.gov/emergencies/content/rmp/index.htm) For those facilities that possess certain flammable and toxic substances the requirement for the development and implementation of a Risk Management Plan was born. By the end of 2008, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) had received RMPs from about 14,000 facilities.
Facilities that manufacture, use, store, or otherwise handle more than a threshold quantity of a listed regulated substances in a process, must develop and implement an RMP for all covered processes. The US EPA defines a “process” as any activity, involving the regulated substance, including the usage, storage, manufacturing, handling, or onsite movement of the substance, or any combination of these activities. RMP applicable processes does not include off-site transportation of the regulated materials, however, containers used for the storage not incident to transportation and transportation containers connected to equipment at a stationary source are considered part of the stationary source, and are potentially applicable to coverage under the regulation.
RMP regulations requires applicable facilities to conduct a hazard assessment to identify and determine the potential effects of an accidental release; review the accidental release history of the facility’s covered process for the previous five (5) years; conduct an evaluation of the worst-case and alternative accidental release scenarios; develop and implement an accident prevention program that addresses process safety precautions and maintenance, monitoring, and employee training; and develop and implement an emergency response program which includes procedures for informing the public and response agencies should an accident occur.
Once a facility has determined that it does possess a substance at or above the threshold quantity then it must determine which Program Level the process falls into. Under RMP regulations there are three potential Program Levels which a process may be applicable to, and each Program Level has its own specific requirements for managing the potential for a release.
- Program Level 1 - processes are processes that would not affect the public in the event of a worst-case release scenario and where there have not been any accidents with specific off-site consequences with the previous five (5) years.
- Program Level 2 - processes are those processes that do not qualify for either Program Level 1 or 3, however, they are are required to develop an accident prevention program, and have in place additional procedures for hazard assessments, process management, and emergency response.
- Program Level 3 - processes are those processes that are not applicable to Program Level 1 or 2 and is either applicable to OSHA’s Process Safety Management (PSM) standards or is classified in one of ten specified North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) codes. If a facility’s process is applicable to Program Level 3 then the OSHA PSM standard will serve as the covered process’s accident prevention program, however you more advanced hazard assessment, process management, and emergency response procedures will need to be developed and implemented.
Once you have determined that you are applicable to an RMP Program Level, what are the next steps? The first step is to conduct and document a worst-case and alternative release analysis. Next, document your facility’s five-year accident release history. Then, develop and implement an accident release management system that is appropriate for the process and your facility. At that point, if you are a Program Level 2 or 3 facility you will need to develop and implement an accident prevention, process maintenance, and employee training programs for the process. You are now ready to prepare and submit your RMP to the US EPA via the RMP*eSubmit program through the Central Data Exchange (CDX) online system. The RMP is a nine section document that must be reviewed, updated, and resubmitted to US EPA every five years, or whenever there is a qualifying change to the facility, process or program.
As you can see there is a lot to wrap your hands around when it comes to managing chemical risk at your facility. Please join August Mack on January 21, 2015 for our webinar presentation, “Do You Have a Plan for Managing Your Risk?” where we will delve further into what you need to know as it relates to the RMP regulations and requirements.
WINTER DRIVING SAFETY TIPS
INDOT wants you and your family to stay safe on the roads this winter. By following these tips and advice, you’ll be ready for winter driving. And don’t forget: Ice and Snow, Take it Slow!
Be Prepared!
Knowledge: Before leaving home, find out about the driving conditions. Safe drivers know the weather, and their limits. If the weather is bad remember, Ice and Snow, Take it Slow, or just don’t go.- Clear: Remove any snow on your vehicle’s windows, lights, brake lights and signals. Make sure you can see and be seen.
- Inspect: Check your vehicle’s tires, wiper blades, fluids, lights, belts and hoses. A breakdown is bad on a good day and dangerous on a bad-weather day.
- Time: Leave plenty of time to reach your destination safely. It’s not worth putting yourself and others in a dangerous situation just to be on time.
Caution: Slippery When Wet!
When driving in winter weather, watch out! Mother Nature has some tricks up her sleeve in the winter. Here are some to be on the look out for:
- First Snow or Ice: Drivers often aren’t prepared for winter driving and forget to take it slow. Remember to drive well below the posted speed limit and leave plenty of room between cars.
- Black Ice: Roads that seem dry may actually be slippery – and dangerous. Take it slow when approaching intersections, off-ramps, bridges or shady areas – all are hot spots for black ice. Remember, Ice and Snow, Take it Slow.
- Limited Visibility: Stay attentive and reduce speed. Know what’s going on around you.
- Four-Wheel Drive: On snow and ice, go slowly, no matter what type of vehicle you drive. Even if you have an SUV with four-wheel drive you may not be able to stop any faster, or maintain control any better, once you lose traction. Four-wheel drive may get you going faster, but it won’t help you stop sooner.
Staying Safe Around Snowplows
In the winter, INDOT snowplow drivers are out on the roads to keep them clear of snow and ice and keep you safe. Here’s what you need to know about driving around snowplows:
- Distance: Give snowplows room to work. The plows are wide and can cross the centerline or shoulder. Don’t tailgate and try not to pass. If you must pass, take extreme caution and beware of the snow cloud.
- Speed: Snowplows travel below the posted speed limit. Be patient. Allow plenty of time to slow down. Remember, Ice and Snow, Take it Slow.
- Vision: A snowplow operator’s field of vision is restricted. You may see them, but they don’t always see you. Keep your distance and watch for sudden stops or turns.
Proceed with Caution!
- Speed: The faster you’re going, the longer it will take to stop. When accelerating on snow or ice, take it slow to avoid slipping or sliding. Ice and Snow, Take it Slow.
- Distance: Give yourself space. It takes extra time and extra distance to bring your car to a stop on slick and snowy roads. Leave extra room between you and the vehicle in front of you.
- Brake: Brake early, brake slowly, brake correctly and never slam on the brakes. If you have anti-lock brakes, press the pedal down firmly and hold it. If you don’t have anti-lock brakes, gently pump the pedal. Either way, give yourself plenty of room to stop.
- Control: When driving on ice and snow, do not use cruise control and avoid abrupt steering maneuvers. When merging into traffic, take it slow. Sudden movements can cause your vehicle to slide.
- Vision: Be aware of what’s going on well ahead of you. Actions by other vehicles will alert you to problems more quickly, and give you that split-second of extra time to react safely.
