Snow Removal For Parker

I just read this at www.Parkeronline.org and thought you all might find it informative. Each municipality has a snow management program that is available by visiting their respective websites.

Are you prepared for Snow Season?Snow season will soon be in full swing! It is our goal to provide the best snow service possible within the constraints of personnel and equipment available. Keep in mind that Parker Road/State Highway 83 is maintained and plowed by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), not the Town.

Snow Operations Policy
The Public Works Department has a snow removal priority system in place. However, the time required to clear the roads depends on the snowstorm intensity, duration, wind and the temperature.

Arterial roadways are our top priority and will be cleared first; these are the major roadways that carry the most volume, such as Stroh Road, Hess Road, 20 Mile Road, Cottonwood Drive, Canterberry Parkway, Lincoln Avenue, Jordan Road, Pine Drive, Hilltop Road and Mainstreet.

Collector streets, including Dransfeldt, Riva Ridge, J. Morgan, Nate, Motsenbocker, Bradbury Parkway, Clark Farms Drive, Pine Lane, Apache Plume, Crown Crest Boulevard, Tallman, Omaha and Canterberry Trail, are our second priority. These are streets that provide access to the major arterial roadways. They will be cleared once the major roadways have been plowed.

School bus routes not already plowed under priority two are our third priority and will be plowed when accumulation exceeds three inches. Please note, the Douglas County School District redesigned bus transportation routes for the 2009-10 school year due to budget reductions, including eliminating and/or altering routes in Parker. For more information on the new bus routes, please go to www.dcsdk12.org.

As a result of these changes, the Town will be adjusting the plowing operations to accommodate the revised bus locations. This may mean certain route segments within our snow removal priority system have been modified or deleted completely and new segments added.

Local residential roads and cul-de-sacs that provide traffic flow within subdivisions and access to homes are not plowed unless 10 inches or more snow has fallen, or if major drifting has occurred. Snow depths are determined by the National Weather Service reporting.

You can help the Town do our job faster and more efficiently by being prepared for the snow season and inclement weather by doing the following:

Park your vehicles off of the street when it snows. This keeps your vehicle from being plowed in, protects it from passing vehicles and gives our snow plows more space to maneuver.

Avoid shoveling or blowing snow into the street. When we plow your street, some snow will get back on your driveway and we know this can be frustrating. You can help by shoveling the snow from your driveway into your yard, as any snow you place in the street will probably be pushed back into your driveway by a passing snow plow.

Leave your vehicle at home if possible. Avoid the stress of driving in poor weather conditions. Every car left at home reduces the number of stranded vehicles, which can slow down plowing operations. The fewer vehicles operating, the quicker the streets can be cleared.

Keep children out of the street. Caution your children to avoid playing on snow piled on the road or in cul-de-sacs. Equipment operators may not see children playing due to low visibility or other causes.

Shovel your sidewalks! Don’t forget to shovel all sidewalks on your property line when the snow stops falling. Snow left on walks turns into ice and makes for hazardous walking conditions for your neighbors.

Use caution when driving near snow plows. When driving near a snow plow, slow down and use caution. Give plow drivers plenty of room so they can do their job efficiently and safely.

Prepare your cars and yourselves for winter driving. Proper snow tires – not just “all season” rated tires – are needed. Owning and knowing how to use tire chains is also strongly recommended. Carry a tow rope or chain and a small shovel with you, along with proper footwear, gloves and hats.

By working together, we can get Parker back to normal as soon as possible after a storm. For more information on our snow policy, email the Public Works Department at publicworks@parkeronline.org or call 303.840.9546. Thank you for your assistance and understanding.
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November 2008 Article: Tips from Dave

Gut(ter) Check

For most homeowners, cleaning the gutters is near the bottom of the proverbial to-do list. But keeping your gutters clean can really save you a lot of headaches; overflowing gutters can damage roofs and wreak havoc on your foundation.

Keeping the water flowing properly isn’t as big a deal as you might think. And if you clean your gutters every six months, you’ll save yourself time and money.

    According to www.hgtv.com, you can tell if a gutter needs cleaning by looking up at the gutter’s top, outside rim. If it is discolored, there’s a buildup and water is not flowing as it should.

To clean the gutters, use a ladder. Make sure to be safe and cautious around power lines. If you feel unsafe or uncomfortable, hire a professional.

There are several ways to clean gutters. One is to simply put on a pair of gloves and dig the debris out by hand and rinse it with your hose. Or you can use barbeque tongs or make a scoop by cutting a plastic, two-liter soda bottle.

To dispose of the debris, hang a bucket on the ladder with a bungee cord or lay a tarp on the ground to catch the falling debris. When you’re done, just roll up the tarp and empty it into the trash.

November 2008 Article: Tips from Dave

To Do List for Winter Preparation.

By now most of you have winterized your sprinkler system, or if you haven’t, consider this a friendly and urgent reminder to do so. Also don’t forget to have your lawn aerated and treated. The aeration is important and really has benefit if you do it in combination with a good winterizing product and good watering for a few days. The winter treatment is designed to prevent bugs and mites during the winter and weed growth in the spring. The watering gets the treatment to soak in and it also works with the aeration to loosen up the soil. If you have already winterized your sprinkler system but forgot to apply a winterizing product to your grass it is not too late. You can pick up the proper product and any landscape outlet and use a portable sprinkler to water the grass for a few days while we are still seeing temps in the 50 and 60 degree range. The portable sprinkler will come in handy all winter long anyway as you should water your grass occasionally especially when we get long dry spells. Also a must is regular watering of your trees through the winter. I purchased a tree gator from Tagawa’s a couple of years ago and use it every winter to water my trees once a week. It holds about 25 gallons and all you do is place it at the base of a tree and fill it. It slowly drains for a deep watering and all you do is rotate it between trees. Winter time can also be very hard on your driveway and garage floor. The magnesium chloride being used to keep our streets from getting icy is very bad for concrete. The snow on your car melts and the magnesium chloride sits on your driveway or on your garage floor and damages it. I expect you have seen relatively new driveways with an unusual amount of pitting. This can be from the mag chloride or heavy use of salt to remove snow and ice. Frequently washing your car and rinsing your garage floor to remove the build up can help prevent problems. Of course sealing the concrete is the best way to protect it.

October 2008 Article: Tips from Dave

What is a Green Home?
A green home is designed, built, renovated, or improved in ways that make it more ecological and efficient with natural resources. While many newer homes are built with the green products and processes, even a fractionally green home is doing its part to reduce impact on the environment, promote the health of those who live there, and use energy and water more efficiently.

Benefits for Homeowners
While some people go all out in building green in order to lessen their home’s “footprint” on the environment, most consumers want to upgrade their homes to experience green benefits like these:

• Have more control over future maintenance costs,
• Lower, manage, and better predict monthly expenses,
• Enjoy health benefits, including lower emissions and better air quality
• Improve their home’s resale value and marketability.

Pick One Project … or Two
Even for homes where it doesn’t make sense to remodel, homeowners can still enjoy economic and health benefits by implementing one or more green improvements as they are able:

 

• Tankless water heaters heat water only on demand.
• Low-E windows have a thin layer of metal that helps keeps the hot side of the window hot and the cool side cool, thereby saving energy on heating and cooling bills. When purchasing windows, pay attention to the U-factor, which measures the rate of heat transfer, and also the SHGC rating, which measures how well a window blocks unwanted heat gain. Low-E windows are well worth the price, since homes can lose up to 25% of their heat through the windows. Properly installed low-E windows can reduce energy loss by 30–50%.
• Storm door installation provides extra protection against inclement weather and can increase energy efficiency by up to 45%.

 

• Paints and materials that contain low- or no-VOC (Volative Organic Components) cut down on landfill pollutants as well as help keep indoor air clean.
• Spray foam insulation increases to 100 times its initial volume and therefore better fills in air gaps than fiberglass insulation. It’s also non-toxic and has a lifetime guarantee. Energy savings: Up to 50%.
• Landscape responsibly. Xeriscaping with native and drought-resistant plants helps conserve water. Strategic planting of trees and careful maintenance of existing mature trees can help reduce energy costs by shading a house.  

• Retrofitting radiant heat can be pricey, but the savings in energy costs mean it will eventually pay for itself. Radiant heat is often more comfortable than forced air, and better for people with allergies. Additionally, people don’t get cold feet and therefore tend to keep the thermostat a degree or so lower as well.
• Programmable thermostats allow homeowners to automatically reduce heating and cooling during times when it is not needed as much. Energy savings: As much as 5–20% off a monthly energy bill if the heat is turned down 5 degrees at night and 10 degrees during the day when no one is home.
• Ceiling fans may provide enough cooling for some rooms and can reduce the need for air conditioning.
• Caulking windows and doors is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to improve energy efficiency in a home— in fact, it will usually pay for itself in energy savings within a year.
• Replace exterior wood doors with insulated metal or fiberglass doors. Wood is not a good insulator, and fiberglass doors now give the appearance of wood while insulating 5 times better.
• Choose LED lighting. LED stands for “light emitting diodes,” which are small devices resembling a computer chip sandwiched between thin layers of plastic or glass. When charged with electricity, the diode emits lights. Benefits of LED lighting: It has no hazardous chemicals like other lighting options. The price over its lifetime (good quality bulbs can last more than 50,000 hours) make it an economical alternative to standard light bulbs. LED lights generate very little heat and 80-90% of electrical power goes  directly to generating light, compared to incandescent bulbs where only 5-10% of the energy is used to create light (the rest creates heat). Finally, LED’s give more light with less glare, a plus for an aging population.
• Low-flow showerheads and toilets help homeowners conserve water.
• Solar orientation is one area homeowners can’t change about their existing home, but a passive solar retrofit means adding solar features to an existing house. For example, the location of sunrooms should be true solar south for greatest heat gain.
• Smart irrigation technology may be the biggest change in lawn care since the automated sprinkler system. Evapotranspiration (ET) controllers automatically adjust watering based on the weather and typically pay for themselves in water savings after about two years.

 

Please keep in mind that this is only a partial list of many projects that can increase

the value of a home, as well as improve comfort and reduce energy costs. For more

information on these and other green recommendations, visit: • www.nahbgreen.org
• energystar.gov • www.usgbc.org

September 2008 Article: Tips from Dave

In some climates, whole house ventilation using a whole house fan can substitute for the use of an air conditioner most of the year. Whole house fans combined with ceiling fans and room fans can  provide enough air flow to make the interior of a home very comfortable, even in hot weather. These fans work by pulling in air from open windows and exhausting it through the attic and roof. This provides good attic ventilation in addition to whole house ventilation. Whole house fans are sized in cubic feet per minute (cfm) of ventilating power. If you’re considering the purchase of a whole house fan, you can compute the size you’ll need at the U.S. Department of Energy website. One drawback of this approach is cooling is the noise generated by a whole house fan. In many cases, rubber or felt gaskets can dampen the noise.

If you’re considering the purchase of a new air conditioning unit, products with EPA’s Energy Star label can save homeowners 10% to 40% on their heating and cooling bills every year.

When it comes to the heating an cooling components in your heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system, performing semi-annual inspections makes good sense.

Indoor and outdoor coils need to be cleaned as the weather gets warmer. A dirty coil will reduce the system’s ability to cool a home and causes the system to run longer, costing homeowners more energy dollars and decreasing the life of the equipment. A homeowner or an HVAC professional can clean and adjust blower components to provide proper system airflow. Proper airflow over the indoor coil is necessary for efficient equipment operation and reliability.

Also on the check list should be routine monitoring of the refrigerant charge. The charge can be adjusted to meet manufacturer specifications. Too much or too little refrigerant charge can damage the compressor, reducing the life of the equipment and increasing costs. It’s estimated that more than sixty percent of central air conditioners are incorrectly charged during installation.

A check of the condensate drain in the central air conditioner is important, because if the drain is plugged, the subsequent water damage can affect the interior of the home, as well as breed bacteria and mold.

Air filters also need to be cleaned or changed, and can usually be done by homeowners. Filters can be found in the duct system or the air conditioning unit itself. A dirty filter will cause energy costs to be greater than they should be.

Ceiling fans throughout the home can help reduce cooling and heating costs. In the summer, use the ceiling fan int he counter-clockwise direction. The airflow produced creates a wind-chill effect, making it “feel” cooler in the room. In the winter, reverse the direction of the motor to clockwise and decrease the speed of the ceiling fan to a low setting. This produces a gentle updraft, forcing the warmer air near the ceiling down into the room.

Ducts are an integral part of a central air conditioning system, and they work to circulate heated or cooled air evenly to every room in a house. Poorly performing ducts can leak conditioned air and reduce a system’s efficiency by as much as twenty percent, by causing it to work harder to keep a home at a comfortable temperature.

Finally, a programmable thermostat is recommended for individuals and families who are away from home during certain periods of time throughout the week. Temperatures are adjusted by the termostat to allow for temperature fluctuations, yet keep the home at a comfortable temperature when occupants are home. To increase energy savings, it’s important for homeowners to set the thermostat at energy-saving temperatures for long periods of time, such as during the day when no one is home. These thermostats come with four pre-programmed temperature settings for typical weekday and weekend patterns.

August 2008 Article: Hints from Dave

Question: Can I use a pressure washer to clean the aluminum siding on my house?

Answer: You can use a pressure or power washer to clean aluminum, wood or vinyl siding but if done incorrectly, you can damage your home, landscaping or worse, yourself!

If you use too much water pressure or spray at too steep of an upward angle, water can be forced behind the siding where it can cause water damage and mildew. Too much pressure can crack the siding, knock it loose, or completely leave unsightly wand marks on the siding as well.

Allowing cleaning solutions to dry on the house or using the wrong type of cleaner can cause streaks on the siding. If handled improperly, chemical cleaners can also damage your property and cause severe injury to you or others. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions and be sure to wear proper protective gear like gloves, safety glasses, and a respirator.

Using a pressure washer from a ladder is very dangerous and should be left to a professional. Serious injury and even death can occur. Pulling the trigger of teh spray gun almost always causes the wand to kick back and could easily knock you off the ladder.

The main thing to remember when using a pressure washer is that they typically deliver between 800 and 2500 pounds of pressure per square inch (psi). People have removed the paint finish from their vehicle, accidentally removed pieces of siding, cracked windows and caused bodily harm to themselves or others. The key is to start out at a good distance away from the object you’re washing, then work your way closer until you get the desired effect. Also, start with wider spray nozzles or settings and move to smaller ones only when you need more power. Smaller nozzles and settings mean more pressure, so it’s better to play it safe and start bigger before working your way down.

July 2008 Article: A Letter from Dave

Lawn Tips

Tis the season for green lawns; or so we all hope. Here are some tips I picked up from a local landscape company about keeping your grass green. Watering is of course crucial, but how much and when is the question I always had. It takes 30 minutes to put down ½ inch of water and according to the folks with whom I spoke; it takes about 2 to 3 inches per week to keep your lawn green during the hottest spells. The suggested schedule I got was 10 minutes each zone three times on each of my watering days. The idea being is by watering 10 minutes at a time you will not over saturate the ground and waste the water by creating runoff. So he suggested watering in a cycle at 4 am and one at 5 am and finally one at 6 am. First check your water supplier’s rules for days and times you may use your sprinklers. Oh, I was also told watering late at night or too early in the morning can allow the water to set on the grass too long and promote mold.

Then there is the mowing tips; set your lawn mower to mow at a height of 2 to 2 ½ inches; usually the highest or 2^nd highest setting on your mower. Do not mow in the heat of the day and do not allow your grass to get too tall. If your grass gets too tall and you have to do a heavy cut it will stress the grass and it will look bad for a week or so. Lastly here it is something about which I had no idea; you should sharpen your mower blade every 4 hours of use! I always thought once a season was enough but I was wrong.

Fertilizing is next, in the spring I use a crab grass preventer early in the spring, a weed and feed in the late spring and an insect preventer in summer, a fertilizer in early fall and a winterization product late in the fall. In the fall I also cut my grass a little lower to prevent it from lying over and dying in the winter. Winter watering is also critical to keep mites and other problems away.

That is all I know about lawn care. I hope it helps. Have a great month and as always I appreciate your trust, your business and your referrals.

June 2008 Article: A Letter from Dave

I was at a local landscape store during Mother’s Day weekend. What a busy place; rightfully so in my personal and professional opinion. Improving your landscaping pays so many dividends. Of course it has a huge impact on resale value. It also makes your property so much more enjoyable for you. Over the years I have come to rely on local landscape designers that work at the various nurseries to help Diane and I plan out our improvements. We have found that it pays to draw up a diagram of our home, including marking what parts face what direction and which get full or partial sun etc. Their plant recommendations have worked very well. We also found that it is very worthwhile to spend a little more and get larger plants. It makes the landscape around your house much fuller and really makes a stand out difference with a new home. It puts you years ahead so that you can enjoy the beauty while you live there as opposed to the landscaping just coming into maturity about the time you sell.

Lastly, it was really a great having so many of you join me and my family for some fun at our house last month. Unfortunately the weather messed with the plan but even though we had to switch the day we still had a great turnout and a lot of fun. Thanks to Dave & Zack at Colorado Mortgage Solutions for sponsoring the barbeque and Brent Layton at Dicks Sports for sponsoring the golf lesson.

May 2008 Article: Spring Cleaning

Spring is here, which means it’s time to organize, de-clutter, clean and toss out. Use these hints, courtesy of HGTV, to help jump start your spring cleaning.  

Before the Scrubbing

• Remove any clutter around the house.
• Tackle the junk drawer. Throw out old pens and markers, broken rubber bands and paper clips, old candy, and any random scraps of paper.
• Donate books you don’t wish to keep and clothes that you don’t wear. Many churches, schools, libraries, shelters and hospitals accept such donations.
• Put everything that you can’t quite part with in a box. After six months, throw away or donate any of the items you haven’t used.
• Clean out your medicine cabinet, dumping any prescriptions, lotions, makeup or other products that have expired.
• Pitch old magazines. Keep a binder for your favorite articles or recipes.
• Deep Down Clean
• Vacuum your mattress and wash your mattress pad in hot water.
• Rub shaving cream into dirty upholstery and vacuum once it’s dry.
• Run drapes through the air-fluff cycle in the dryer, along with a wet cloth to attract dust, for 15 minutes.
• Rub screens on both sides with kerosene, then wash them clean with soap and water. 
• Use a dry sponge to clean lamp shades, upholstery, computer screens, suede and leather.
• Make sure to clean the coils underneath the refrigerator and the screen in your stove’s exhaust hood.

May 2008 Article: Safeguard Against Flooding

With springtime comes the potential for storms and heavy rain. While you can’t control the weather, you can protect your home from flooding.

First, make sure gutters are free of leaves and dirt, and secure them tightly to your home. Poor roof drainage is the number one cause of basement leaks, and clogged gutters can create further problems by causing water to run off too close to the home’s foundation where it can seep through the walls.

Check the downspouts, which should dump water at least three to four feet from your home’s perimeter. If the downspouts are too close to the house, adding extensions can help drain the water properly. The general rule of thumb is to have one downspout for every 600 feet to 800 feet of roofing.

Watch the grading around your home. Beyond the first four feet of the home’s perimeter, the ground should slope about six inches. To improve the grading, use clean fill dirt rather than top soil, which holds more water and can seep into the foundation.

Gardens also retain water, so if your garden is planted next to your home, allow some room for water to escape. Use rocks as a border and trim heavy growths of shrubbery to allow more sunlight to dry the ground more quickly. Also make sure the gutter doesn’t run directly onto the garden.