Boston Home Improvement Blog

When you want to DIY

2008-05-09T13:10:00.000-04:00

Now, HomeStars is about reading, writing, and sharing reviews of home improvement contractors and retailers, and benefiting from the collective experiences of your neighbors when making a decision to hire.

But sometimes you want to do it yourself, or DIY. And sometimes you don't know what you're doing. Take my recent kitchen sink story.

My family had just moved from western Massachusetts to metroWest Boston. We sold our house in this crazy market, and the run-up to the closing meant fixing all those little problems we’d just lived with for years. The day before our house closing, we realized we needed to replace the kitchen faucet. Eighteen hours before the 10am closing, my husband climbed under the sink for a “routine” faucet removal. Five tools, four sets of knuckle skin, two trips to hardware stores, one call to my dad in Colorado, and two stripped restraining nuts later, we realized we couldn’t DIY and needed a plumber—fast!

We used HomeStars (of course!) to find a good plumber. Perhaps if I'd known about The Handy Guys and their podcast series, I'd have been better equipped to handle our plumbing issues, or other DIY crises.

The Handy Guys, Brian and Paul, join forces every week for a half-hour podcast that addresses topics ranging from lawn mower maintenance to Toilets 101. Each podcast is easy to download and comes with a long, descriptive post about the podcast itself, if you're looking for a detailed synopsis of the program before downloading.

When you're looking for DIY advice, check them out. When you're looking for a professional contractor, go to HomeStars.com

Boston Blogs Worth Reading

2008-05-02T15:50:00.003-04:00

This Damn House

You've heard of This Old House, of course, but what about This Damn House? Read the long, slow story of a metroWest mother working to renovate her Natick house in preparation to sell it and move into Mosaic Commons Cohousing. Not only does Mrs. TDH nail the experience of home renovation beautifully (no pun intended), she chronicles those unexpected home renos-within-the-expected-reno that are "fun" to discover, like drywall rot in the bathroom that turns a simple project into a complete bathroom overhaul.

She even shows real before pictures, the kind that make me sigh with relief that other people with kids have houses that look like mine. Well, "before" anyway.

This is Framingham

Even if you don't live in Framingham, or view it as one long, sad stretch of mini-mall on Route 9, This is Framingham is worth a read. Written by a Framingham native with deep roots and interest in the town, she highlights little-known restaurants, local shops, local arts and culture events, and writes in a way that is compelling and makes you want to venture into downtown Framingham for a reason other than the library, and makes Framingham worth considering when househunting.

Boston Gal's Open Wallet

She's single. She owns a home in Boston and rents out a basement. She bought a condo for $25K and rents it out. She just passed $500K in net worth. She writes about Boston. She grows tomatoes indoors upside down. She just bought solar panels for her house. What more could you want? Read her.

Boston Herald's Green World

Yeah, yeah, it's an "establishment" blog run by the mainstream media. Doesn't make it any less compelling or interesting. Read up on everything green, from recycling to CO2 widgets and more.

Anyone have suggestions for other interesting blogs? Cool neighborhoods someone is chronicling? A renovation project underway that is blogged and deserves some more readership? Leave your link in the comments.

Here comes the sun: solar devices and shops in Massachusetts

2008-04-30T22:30:00.004-04:00

Every so often, when I fly, I read those catalogs in the seat-back from cover to cover. You know the catalogs. They have the $15,000 battery-powered Rolls Royce for kids, the $800 ionic foot bath, and the $2,500 mini refrigerator complete with Patriots logo and a robot that pours a vat of Gatorade on you when the team wins.

Sometimes, though, those catalogs have handy devices, such as a cell phone battery charger that runs from a small solar cell, or solar-powered landscaping lights, or even solar-powered fans that attach to a hat for cooling.

In our household, we keep a hand-crank emergency radio/flashlight/alarm that runs entirely on the enthusiasm of a single six-year-old boy. May is Home Improvement Month in the United States, and energy costs are skyrocketing, so a short tour through solar devices is on my mind.

The Central New England Solar Store in Auburn (just outside of Worcester) offers a great selection of these catalog items, for less than SkyMall prices. Solar-powered radios, flashlights, and lanterns are ideal for camping, but also act as great back-ups during emergencies.

You can step up a bit and get solar attic fans from the Alternative Energy Store in Hudson, MA. These solar-powered fans, at about $340, help to reduce cooling costs in the summer, as attics can heat up to over 120 degrees. Need a generator? Try a solar one, for around $300. Take a look at their free webinar on preparing for alternative energy as well.

Both stores are easily accessible from Boston and carry everything from batteries to sun ovens. Yes, sun ovens. They're not just for Girl Scout camping anymore.

Think a solar-powered oven that weighs 21 lbs. and is the size of a briefcase is a bit much? How about a solar-powered trash compactor?

The City of Boston has jumped on the solar bandwagon, with solar-powered trash compactors:

They need emptying only once or twice a day, not the 15 or more sanitation worker visits required by some downtown trash cans. They don't spill. They smell less. And, they hold some 150 gallons of trash, about five times more than a standard city receptacle.

Developed by a Jamaica Plain inventor, they are powered by photoelectric panels, which supply power to motor-driven compactors inside. Workers extract neat, 40-pound trash bricks instead of trying to manhandle the messy contents of an overflowing can.

So you can charge your cell phone, light your way through at night, cool your home, have a back-up generator, cook dinner, and have a backup generators, all with solar devices.

Too bad there isn't a solar device to guarantee a Super Bowl win. :)

Solar Water Heating workshop in Hudson, MA

2008-04-25T15:34:00.003-04:00

The sun is here in New England and appears not to be a tourist but an actual spring/summer resident (finally!), so it's the perfect time to talk about using the sun to our advantage.

One of the easiest ways to use solar energy to your advantage is to install a solar hot water system. The basics: water is piped to your roof, the sun heats it, and the water is piped back down into the house to the location where hot water is needed (shower, washing machine, etc.).

It's obviously more complex, so to learn more, check out the Alternative Energy Store's Solar Water Heating workshop in Hudson, MA on April 26-27, 2008 ($400 fee).

With heating costs soaring upwards, now is the time to invest in solar thermal! This two-day workshop provides a great foundation for not only those just looking to learn more about solar water heating systems but also for contractors interested in expanding into system service and installation.

The course is currently full, but you can request to be placed on a waiting list by calling 877-878-4060 , or sign up for the September 27-28, 2008 workshop instead.

Learn more about other solar workshop offerings here.

Looking for a solar hot water setup? Try Solar Wave Energy in Charlestown or Solar Design Associates in Harvard, MA.

40b in Massachusetts: income-based, affordable housing

2008-04-21T18:54:00.002-04:00

It's spring, and the "for sale" signs are as prevelant as the dandelions and children frolicking on the lawns. Real Estate is on everyone's mind (and not just the foreclosure vulture deathwatch--"How far past peak are we? Have we bottomed out? Buy now? Buy later? Bury twelve St. Joseph statues over the spetic tank?") but there is one option that many low-to-moderate income state residents might consider on the path to homeownership.

"40b" is a shorthand term for town zoning requirements for affordable housing. When a developer wishes to put in new housing in a town, the developer must meet with zoning boards to negotiate myriad issues related to new development. Many Boston-area and suburban towns have zoning laws that can be restrictive when it comes to new housing; in towns where less than 10% of housing stock is "affordable" (affordable to persons making less than 80% of the median income in the town), zoning boards have less discretion in restricting growth, as the town must meet the 10% rule according to 40b:

The goal of Chapter 40B is to encourage the production of affordable housing in all cities and towns throughout the Commonwealth. The standard is for communities to provide a minimum of 10% of their housing inventory as affordable. A total of 47 cities and towns have now met that standard. For those communities that still fall below that threshold, a 40B development can be proposed (communities above the 10% threshold can still accept 40B development proposals at their choice).

In new developments, 20-25% of units must meet "affordable housing" standards, and a lottery system is put in place for interested homeowners. Income qualifications for prospective homeowners require that the family not make more than 80% of the median income in the town or city, and the house or unit, when purchased, is then discounted according to income.

If you are looking for 40b housing, some current developments with open units and homes include:

Mosaic Commons cohousing and Camelot Cohousing in Berlin
Resales under 40b (units purchased by 40b participants and now for sale to 40b participants)
New construction under 40b

Discounts on sewer and water bills for seniors in Framingham and other towns

2008-04-18T10:43:00.002-04:00

A quick trip to the local Framingham library didn't just yield some good books, a fun time for my kids, and some great (free!) DVD rentals, but I also discovered The Table and The Bulletin Board.

The Table and The Bulletin Board are filled with notices of local workshops, local resources and social services, and every tax form you could possibly need. Buried in The Bulletin Board was a lovely notice about water and sewer bill abatements (a 25% discount off your bill!) for senior citizens who own homes in Framingham:

a) Applicants must be age 65 or older. Applicants must provide proof of age at the time of application, such as a valid driver’s license or copy of a birth certificate. Applicants whose information is on file from previous years will not be required to provide information again.

b) Owner-occupied, one, two, and three-family residences (as long as the owner lives in the residence and meets criteria for eligibility, the entire residence is eligible). Applicants must provide proof of residency at the time of application, such as a valid driver’s license or current utility bill. Proof of Ownership must be submitted. A copy of the tax bill with the owner’s name(s) must be provided. If the property is in a trust, a copy of the trust must be submitted. The owner(s) applying for the discount must be listed on the trust to be considered eligible.

c) The applicant’s adjusted gross income cannot exceed the following limits:

i. $45,000 for a single person
ii. $56,000 for a head of household, or
iii. $67,000 for taxpayers married filing jointly

Applicants must submit proof of income.

Read more at the Town of Framingham's website. You will find a printable application form at the bottom of that page, or you can find paper copies of the application at your local library or town office.

Framingham isn't the only town in Massachusetts to offer such a program; call your local town or city hall to learn about similar programs in your town.

Homeowners insurance, mold, and Massachusetts

2008-04-15T12:05:00.002-04:00

How's the mold coverage on your homeowner's insurance policy? Environmental mold in homes comes from various sources, such as a water leak, poor drainage around the foundation, gutter problems, and so forth. The water seeps in to wood, sheetrock, carpets and padding, and other porous surfaces, and mold grows. And grows.

It's caused a Connecticut library to throw away 20,000 books. Forced a Milton, Vermont elementary school to close for a year. It's even an issue for home stagers, who work to help homeowners stage their homes for sale.

So back to that homeowner's policy:

Massachusetts is one of 46 states as of October 2006 that have adopted an insurance industry standard to limit mold coverage from homeowners insurance policies, according to the Insurance Information Institute in New York.

The limitation allows insurers to exclude coverage for losses caused by mold and wet and/or dry rot unless the condition results from a "covered peril," the institute says.

For example, the costs of cleaning up mold caused by water from a burst pipe or roof damage are "covered peril" under your insurance policy. Mold caused by excessive humidity, leaks, condensation or flooding is a maintenance issue for property owners to cover on their own, according to the institute.

Massachusetts gets hit with high winter precipitation, has a wet thaw in the spring, and by July and August is a mold spore's dream: humid, humid, and more humid. In one family's case,

In Natick, Gary Zinck and family are now asking The Hanover Insurance Group of Worcester for $300,000 to demolish their mold-infested home on Appleton Drive and start fresh. The insurance company wants to give them $127,000 to clean up the existing home.

With homeowner's insurance excluding coverage for many mold situations, what can you do if you discover mold under your bathroom sheet rock, eating up a corner of your basement family room, or surrounding the insulation in an attached garage?

1. Check your insurance policy immediately. Was the mold caused by a burst pipe? Roof damage? Other non-maintenance issue?

2. Take pictures. LOTS of pictures, especially pictures of the source of the water that may have led to mold conditions.

3. Call your insurance company and ask for an inspection or a claims specialist to examine the issue.

4. Call a mold removal specialist. Do not attempt to remove large amounts of invasive mold from your home. Severe respiratory and systemic health issues can result from improper mold removal.

To prevent mold from establishing a stronghold in your home, check mold-prone areas such as bathrooms, kitchen sinks (and cupboards beneath), and basements frequently. Remove any water or condensation. Run dehumidifiers or place moisture-absorbing gel packs in damp closets or areas.

In addition, check house ventilation. Whole house fans can help to reduce mold-prone conditions and can reduce cooling bills in the summer. Consider running fans from the basement to outside. If you have a basement bulkhead, be certain it's dry after rains. Read more on mold prevention in The Mold Survival Guide.

Homemade household cleaning products

2008-04-10T22:06:00.002-04:00

A number of years ago, I learned that common chemicals in household items such as air fresheners, most detergents, most cleaning products, pest sprays, and outdoor fertilizers and weed killers caused some health problems for a family member. The Household Products Database from the National Institutes of Health can tell you more about the ingredients in your household products.

A good friend shared the amazing book Better Basics for the Home with me. The book opened my eyes to the many ways we could make our own common household cleaning products, using older techniques used by generations past, and newer techniques that are simply cheaper, healthier, and better for the environment.

I haven't given up everything commercial. I still can't get dishes clean in the dishwasher without using more mainstream products (the eco-friendly versions don't cut it), and we use name-brand laundry detergents, but the scent- and dye-free versions now.

If you look in my cabinets you might find a cinnamon perimeter (wards off sugar ants), I have scrubbed my bathtub with lemons and salt to get rid of soap scum (it works!), and I use this recipe that I created from trial and error to use as a general household cleaner.

12 oz. COLD water (warm water will make the soap foam too much)
2-3 oz. white vinegar
10-12 drops of Tea Tree oil or Lavender oil
1 tbsp. Murphy's Oil Soap

Combine in a spray bottle, shake, and use! Lavender smells MUCH better than tea tree oil, but tea tree oil has antibacterial AND antifungal properties, so if mold-fighting is a concern, tea tree oil is better.

I use an old stain remover spray bottle (rinsed very carefully and labeled "Cleaning Solution" on it). My kids can help clean and I don't need to worry about their touching the harsh chemicals.

House cleaning companies are turning toward green products more and more, as customers ask for them. If you use housecleaning services - or are in the market for such services - check out the listings here. For Green Products and Services, go here for more information.

Garage organizing

2008-04-08T18:06:00.004-04:00

We have Professional Organizers. There are entire stores devoted to organization; check out The Container Store in Framingham/Natick on Route 9 sometime. IKEA is an organizer's (cheap) dream, while custom shelves and closets abound from companies that specialize in providing creative ways to manage your stuff.

As George Carlin says:

That's all your house is: a place to keep your stuff. If you didn't have so much stuff, you wouldn't need a house. You could just walk around all the time.

A house is just a pile of stuff with a cover on it. You can see that when you're taking off in an airplane. You look down, you see everybody's got a little pile of stuff. All the little piles of stuff.

So let's talk about your "garage stuff" today. Today we have a guest blogger, Rick Scully from NuvoGarage. He's going to talk about how to organize the stuff in your garage. Many homes in the greater Boston/New England area either don't have a garage, or they have an old-fashioned carriage stall that has been converted into a car-holding garage.

But how many of you actually pahk your cah in the gahrage? Is the Yankee-inspired clutter so great that your kids are lucky to squeeze a plasma car or a bike in there? Or, if you have a conventional garage, do you get maximum use out of it? Read on and learn more...

"My garage is a mess. I’d like to tidy it up but I just don’t know where or how to get started"
Rick Scully, President, NuvoGarage Inc.

Ah …this is a problem that faces many home owners as they begin to think about the annual spring cleanup. It’s a perfect time then, for a brief discussion about how to take control of your garage space and make it a safe, practical, tidy and clean environment in which to store and organize the many things required to maintain your home and garden.

The most difficult task is one that actually requires no “physical” effort. It’s a “mental” exercise, because you need to decide what you longer need or use. Be ruthless here and avoid the trap that “I may use or need this someday”. Try following these rules:

If it can’t be used, or has no value, toss it.
If you no longer need it, or plan to use it, give it away or sell it.
If you need it and use it, keep it.

Try and get everything off of the floor and on to the walls or ceiling;

Organize by season, purpose and occasion;

Think about how frequently, or when, you use things.

Next year at this time, or perhaps even sooner at the next typical time to clean up (Thanksgiving), think of how much time you’ll be able to dedicate to doing something else. Your garage will have been organized and you’ll have less clutter as you’ll find that once your things have a place, you’ll return them to their space after you use them. Hmmm…more time and less clutter. And, you’ll feel better about your garage, maybe even “garage proud”.

NuvoGarage Inc. is a privately owned full service firm based in Ontario that specializes in interior garage design and organization. We take care of all of the required work from removal of junk, hazardous chemicals and reusable items, to custom design and transformation of your garage.

To find a garage organizer in the Boston area, please look here.

How's the mold in your basement?

2008-04-03T22:45:00.002-04:00

It's springtime, and the snow has melted (supposedly...let's see if we don't get one last snowstorm). Most homes in Boston have basements (or your home may BE a basement if you're in a basement-level condo or apartment), and as winter melting and spring rains set in, it's time to think about mold.

If you have any amount of water in your basement, from cracks in the floor that allow water to seep up, to water that comes in through poorly-sealed windows, then you may have a mold and mildew problem. Indoor mold is a serious health issue:

What are the possible health effects?

* Hypersensitiity reactions: asthma, allergic rhinitis, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis
* Airway and conjunctival irritations
* Acute toxicity syndromes
* Infections: wound infections, thrush, systemic infections, and skin infections
* Nonspecific symptoms, such as eye irritation, coughing (both productive and non-productive), sore throat, headache, and difficulty concentrating

I mispoke in an earlier post, for my partner reminded me that we've had THREE floods in our homes. The two previously mentioned, and a third that was caused by me, when I "fixed" the washing machine by connecting a hose to, well, nothing. It turns out what I thought was a hose connection was just a grommet. I have a humanities degree, so that's my excuse.

The end result was a flooded basement utility room and water that seeped a good 10-12 feet into the carpeted basement family room.

In spite of our quick actions to clean up the water, rent a carpet cleaner, and fix the damage, mold set into the carpet. The mold in the padding was extensive, and we had to have the 2-year-old carpet (the perfect shade! matched to the painted walls!) removed, the floor bleached and sealed, and anti-mold padding placed under the laminate flooring we chose as a replacement.

Keep a close eye on baseboards, touch the floors frequently to feel for dampness, and if you need a mold removal specialist, look here and here. For mold testing services, check out our listings here.

New EPA standards for lead paint removal; grants and loans for Boston and Massachusetts

2008-03-31T18:01:00.007-04:00

What's in your window sill?

New lead paint rules have been issued by the Environmental Protection Agency concerning proper procedures for removing lead paint in the U.S.

Gulliford said the EPA's new standards for renovations are estimated to protect 1.4 million children, once the requirements are in full effect with an average additional cost of $35 per renovation project.

He said the rule won't go into effect until 2010 to give contractors time to comply.

Contractors will have to be certified. "A renovator failing to comply could potentially have their certification revoked or face a standard Toxic Substances Control Act penalty of $25,000 a day," said EPA spokesman Timothy Lyons.

Lead as an additive in the house has a history stretching back to the Roman Empire. Used in cups, coins, pitchers, metal weapons, and even cosmetic face powders, lead's presence in plumbing (the word "plumbing" comes from the word "plumbum," the Roman word for lead) has been blamed by some historians on the Empire's downfall. Symptoms of lead poisoning can include cognitive delays, hyperactivity, neurological impairment, and poor coordination, among others.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s in Europe and North America, lead was used in teething powders, indoor plumbing, and common surface coatings such as paints and varnishes. Before 1920, however, many European countries began to ban lead in indoor paints. In the United States, anti-lead crusades began in the 1930s, though lead in indoor paints was not officially banned until 1978.

While the number of children with high lead levels and lead poisoning has dropped significantly since 1978, hundreds of thousands of children still have lead levels that exceed established safety levels.

My older son has high lead levels and is part of the "hundreds of thousands." We read these statistics and the numbers go in and out of our heads until the moment a doctor pulls out a lab sheet and your child is now part of the statistic.

In many cases of high lead levels in children, no obvious culprit can be found; lead is common in older homes, and there are recorded cases of children being exposed to high lead levels simply from taking baths in tubs with lead in the ceramic. Note: yet another surface to test with a lead testing kit if your bathtub is from the 1970s or earlier.

Simple lead test kits can be found at any hardware store for testing various surfaces; deleading a house is a serious undertaking and requires a well-trained specialist. Read one parent's account of her family home's deleading here.

The new EPA procedures will require all lead removal experts to undergo retraining to learn the updated methods.

The City of Boston and the state of Massachusetts both have grant and 0% interest loan programs to help with deleading; learn more at Grants and Loans for Deleading.

Free admission: Residential Design and Construction show, April 2 and 3

2008-03-28T13:16:00.003-04:00

The Residential Design and Construction show, with more than 240 exhibitors and two days of specialized workshops, is in Boston at the Seaport World Trade Center on Wednesday, 4/2/08 and Thursday, 4/3/08:

What Sets RDC Apart from a Home Show ?

RDC is your chance to experience the residential design and construction industry from an insider’s perspective. Come to RDC to meet architects and interior designers and to view hundreds of exhibits featuring new products, new technologies and both traditional and cutting-edge design.

The Exhibit Hall is FREE and open to the public on Wednesday from 4pm-8pm and Thursday from 4pm-7pm. Exhibitors will demonstrate new products, processes, and features. And it's in our backyard! Learn more: Residential Design and Construction

Used tools = low prices, and perhaps cash

2008-03-26T18:01:00.003-04:00

It's springtime, and the tool itch kicks in for the home improvement enthusiast. But if you need a band saw and don't want to drop big bucks, where do you go?

There's the classified section of the newspaper, eBay, and Craig's List, and then there's The Tool Shed in Worcester.

You can get used tools at reasonable prices and you can unload your own used tools for cash on the spot. Be careful, though--you'll probably turn right around and spend it on a "new to you" tool. Between the Building Materials Resource Center in Roxbury Crossing and The Tool Shed in Worcester, you can reduce, reuse, recycle and renovate - for less.

Check out The Tool Shed at: The Tool Shed

Free window and screen repair clinic at the Building Materials Resource Center

2008-03-20T17:35:00.002-04:00

You can't do better than free: the Building Materials Resource Center is offering a free window and screen repair clinic on Saturday, April 5, from 9am-10am. Bring in your broken window or screen and learn repair techniques.

Actually, you can do better than free: free, and supporting a good cause, while repairing an item that might otherwise have gone into a landfill.

The Building Materials Resource Center is a non-profit organization that accepts donations of recycled building materials, then sells those materials to low and moderate-income individuals and non-profits. To learn more, click here: Building Materials Resource Center.

Grants in Boston to pay for exterior paint for your home

2008-03-20T00:34:00.002-04:00

The City of Boston will help homeowners and condo owners with painting and exterior improvement costs:

PaintWorks Plus offers:

* Cash rebates of up to $1,000*
* 1% APR loans of up to $10,000 from Citizens Bank to match your investment
* Free home improvement workshops with the North Bennet Street School
* Discount prices on materials from local hardware stores Step-by-step guidance throughout your project

What can I do to my house?

Exterior painting and/or repairs which are visible from a public way, including but not limited to:

* Shingle and clapboard repairs, fencing, rebuilding of front porches and/or stairs
* Masonry work, including foundations, retaining walls, driveways and walkways
* Repairs to chimneys, garages, roofs, gutters, windows, and shutters
* Debris removal, and much more

Who qualifies for the subsidized-paint program?

Who Can Participate?

* Owner-occupants of 1 to 4 unit residential properties in the City of Boston (Limit: one rebate per property address)
* Condominium associations of up to four units where all owners meet guidelines
* Individuals with a maximum annual gross income of up to $68,400, or up to $99,100 for a household of two or more persons

How do you apply?

For more information and an application, view our application packet, or call 617-635-0600.

The program offers $250 as a rebate for every $1,000 you spend, up to a total rebate of $1,000. In addition, participating stores offer discounts and home improvement workshops.

Check out our listings for paint and exterior professionals in Boston. It's the perfect time to make plans for late spring/early summer. Book paint contractors now before their schedules fill up.

Pharmaceuticals found in U.S. drinking water. What about Boston?

2008-03-17T17:27:00.004-04:00

According to the Associated Press:

An array of pharmaceuticals - including antibiotics, anticonvulsants, mood stabilizers, and sex hormones - have been found in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans, an Associated Press investigation found.

'We recognize it is a growing concern, and we're taking it very seriously,' said Benjamin Grumbles, assistant administrator for water at the federal EPA.

The concentrations of these pharmaceuticals are tiny, measured in quantities of parts per billion or trillion, far below the levels of a medical dose. And utilities insist that their water is safe.

Boston is one of 34 major metropolitan centers that have not been tested for the presence of these pharmaceuticals. Municipal water professionals across the country have issued statements concerning the safety of public water supplies.

Learn more about having your home water supply tested here.

According to the AP and many water specialists, reverse osmosis systems are the only water treatment process that can eliminate the trace pharmaceuticals from home water supplies; you can find information on water filtration and purification specialists here.

Boston the third "greenest" city in the U.S.

2008-03-16T15:06:00.003-04:00

According to Popular Science Magazine, Boston is the third greenest city in the United States, edged out only by Portland, OR and San Francisco. Massachusetts has some strong residential tax credits for alternative energy, which helps Boston's rankings.

How the Rankings Work:

We used raw data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Geographic Society’s Green Guide, which collected survey data and government statistics for American cities of over 100,000 people in more than 30 categories, including air quality, electricity use and transportation habits. We then compiled these statistics into four broad categories, each scored out of either 5 or 10 possible points. The sum of these four scores determines a city’s place in the rankings. Our categories are:

Electricity (E; 10 points): Cities score points for drawing their energy from renewable sources such as wind, solar, biomass and hydroelectric power, as well as for offering incentives for residents to invest in their own power sources, like roof-mounted solar panels.

Transportation (T; 10 points): High scores go to cities whose commuters take public transportation or carpool. Air quality also plays a role.

Green living (G; 5 points): Cities earn points for the number of buildings certified by the U.S. Green Building Council, as well as for devoting area to green space, such as public parks and nature preserves.

Recycling and green perspective (R; 5 points): This measures how comprehensive a city’s recycling program is (if the city collects old electronics, for example) and how important its citizens consider environmental issues.

How did Boston do?

3. Boston, Mass. 22.7

Electricity: 5.7 Transportation: 8.7 Green Living: 3.4 Recycling/Perspective: 4.9

CASE STUDY: Grass Power
Boston has preliminary plans for a plant that would turn 50,000 tons of fall color into power and fertilizer. The facility would first separate yard clippings into grass and leaves. Anaerobic bacteria feeding on the grass would make enough methane to power at least 1.5 megawatts’ worth of generators, while heat and agitation would hasten the breakdown of leaves and twigs into compost.

It's fitting to congratulate Boston for being so green as the city celebrates the 108th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in South Boston today.

p.s. In addition to state tax credits, federal alternative energy tax credits can shave 30% (up to $2,000) off the cost of a residential solar set-up as well.

Free legal aid in Boston for homeowners facing foreclosure

2008-03-14T10:54:00.002-04:00

Boston and the suburbs are all about housing news these days. We're past peak, but how far past peak? Sudbury homes are selling at higher prices than last year while the median sales price in Framingham dropped 6.8% last quarter. Have prices bottomed out? How about foreclosures? Are there many in your neighborhood?

Foreclosures in the northern part of the Boston area tripled in 2007, from 361 in 2006 to 1,007.

According to the Boston Globe:

Hardest hit are cities such as Chelsea, Haverhill, and Lynn, where the foreclosure crisis threatens the stability of old neighborhoods. Foreclosures of two- and three-family homes soared 202 percent, to 353 homes in 2007 from 117 in 2006, the data show. Foreclosures of condominiums, the source of new housing growth in cities, increased 192 percent, to 216 units, from 74 the prior year. Foreclosures on single-family homes rose 177 percent, to 471, from 170 in 2006, according to the data.

Boston has announced a new program to provide free legal aid to residents facing foreclosure:

The city's Department of Neighborhood Development will refer homeowners threatened with foreclosure and tenants facing eviction to attorneys with the Boston Real Estate Bar Association. The attorneys, who have agreed to work pro bono to help city residents whose incomes are 80 percent of the median income or lower, will help them sue lenders, refinance their loans, file bankruptcy, or take other legal action.

You can call the Department of Neighborhood Development at (617)635-3880.

40-50% of property tax appeals are successful

2008-03-12T14:58:00.002-04:00

Let's talk about property taxes. Every few years, property taxes go up; if you coasted through a few years without being reassessed, you know the pain of seeing your assessment jump 20-30% (or more) at once, and the property tax bill as well.

Few people know that there are 7 basic ways to trim the property tax bill in Massachusetts towns and cities. According to the City of Boston, the following can qualify for "personal exemptions":

1. Surviving spouse (widow/widower), minor child of a deceased parent, elderly - clause 17d
2. Blind - clause 37A
3. Veteran - clause 22
4. Elderly - clause 41C
5. Hardship - clause 18
6. Tax Deferral - clause 41A

The personal exemption request can be filed with the city, and if approved, lightens your property tax bill. For more information on these exemptions, visit: Personal Property Tax Exemptions.

Many towns outside of Boston offer similar exemptions; contact your Town Clerk for more information.

7. Incorrect assessment. Housing prices are falling (as we hear repeatedly in the news), and while a home that was assessed at $400,000 in 2005 might be worth 10% less, property taxes could be based on an outdated, inflated value. What can Boston-area homeowners do?

File an appeal. According to the City of Boston, there are four reasons why property owners file for abatements:

1. Overvaluation - the assessed value is considered too high.

2. Disproportionate assessment - (pertains to entire property classes, not any individual unit or development)

3. Improper classification - for example, a property is classified as commercial when it is actually residential.

4. Statutory exemption - the property qualifies for exemption from taxation based on its ownership and use.

For information for the City of Boston on abatements, please click here: Property Tax Abatement Procedures.

For your specific town or city, contact the clerk's office and ask about "real estate property tax abatement procedures". You may need to spend some money to file an appeal; an appraisal by an independent house appraiser (see here for a list of active appraisers in the Boston area) may help to determine current market value vs. past value if your reason for appeal is an incorrect assessment amount.

Most basic town and city appeals for abatement do not require legal assistance; the process is designed to be used by the average person. However, should complications arise, it's best to consult an attorney to better understand the law.

If a request for property tax abatement is unsuccessful, your next recourse is the Appellate Tax Board, which handles property tax appeals beyond the town level. For more information, call the Appellate Tax Board at 617-727-3100.

Low cost upholstering at your local Boston...prison?

2008-03-10T22:48:00.002-04:00

The first time I drove past MCI-Concord shortly after moving to Mass, I asked a friend, "Why does the telephone company need barbed wire around it?"

MCI, I quickly learned, stands for Massachusetts Correctional Institute. What does prison have to do with home improvement and home-related issues?

As Gail Friedman notes, in her Boston Globe article chronicling her desire to fix a gifted, broken chair:

Fabric Place in Woburn estimated the job at $640 (including $60 in new springing); Calico Corners in Acton wanted $775 (including $75 worth of tacks). And those were without fabric.

Enter Masscor, Massachusetts Correctional Industries:

Before bringing in a chair, a customer must send a photo and dimensions to Masscor, which then provides an estimate. My estimate: $226, plus tax. I picked up fabric at a half-price sale for about $10 a yard. (Masscor had told me to bring 5 yards, but I brought 8 because Fabric Place had estimated the job would take 8½. Masscor returned more than 4 yards of unused fabric.)

So for less than half the cost, a newly-repaired, reupholstered chair. In order to use the service, according to Masscor (Massachusetts Correctional Industries), to request an estimate for your furniture:

Send photos and measurements of each piece you want reupholstered. Please include a front view, back view, and side view. Be sure to include a telephone number where you can be contacted. Send this information to:

MassCor
P.O. Box 188
Norfolk, MA 02056
ATTN: Reupholstery

Or e-mail this information to caayers@doc.state.ma.us

If you accept the estimate, you then make arrangements to deliver the item to Masscor's offices in Norfolk (not at the prison).

Sleep sofas, recliners, and leather furniture are off the list of acceptable items, and reupholstery jobs can take longer than the typical tradeperson's work.

We have had two items reupholstered, neither through Masscor; read my review here. Our Morris chair has held up well (I'm sitting in it right now).

Masscor's programs help to give prison inmates marketable skills, skills that can help them as they transition out of prison life and into society. Masscor has two showrooms open to the public, at MCI-Norfolk and MCI-Shirley, open 9-5 Monday through Friday.

With prices like $5.25 for a 3-piece towel set, or $47.50 for a dozen fitted full sheets, it might be worth a visit.

Is your basement flooded right now?

2008-03-08T15:21:00.004-05:00

Anyone else need an ark?

Boston averages about 42 inches of rain and 41 inches of snow per year.

But does all the rain have to fall right now?

We've experienced two basement floods while living in the area: in 1998 and 2001. In 1998 we were living in a basement apartment in East Cambridge. We went out in the driving rain for a lovely trip to the Burlington Mall. Came home to a dark apartment and as we walked down the cement stairs to the living room, we confronted about 3" of water in the 400 square foot room.

And no dog. Where was the dog?

Our landlord had gone into the basement to do laundry and discovered the flood. He entered our apartment to find the poor dog whimpering and hopping from the couch to the coffee table. The awesome landlord took our poor dog upstairs to his apartment for safety.

After the apartment was drained, the basement needed to be cleaned and sanitized, carpet removed and new installed, and our poor dog was afraid of even small puddles for a while.

The second flood was simpler, and involved our home purchase in Leominster, MA: read about it here.

See basement restoration companies if you're facing water in the basement right now: http://www.homestars.com/ma/boston/basement-renovation

In the meantime, a few Boston flooding tips:

1. Keep an eye out on the news or on Weather.com for flood watches and warnings.

2. Clear the sewer drain in front of your house or apartment. Leaves build up and cover the drains, and that water can back up and cause building damage if your home is close to the street.

3. Check your basement frequently. Even if you hear the sump pump running, it might not catch all the water, so don't rely on sound. Perform a visual check.

4. Elevate anything that is on the floor in your basement to prevent loss.

5. Here's a timely movie to rent this weekend.

Fireplaces and contingency plans

2008-03-05T11:39:00.003-05:00

Got a light?

We have a small wood stove in our house. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, more than 10 million wood stoves are used in the United States. We use ours as back up in case our power goes out, and most older New England homes have a wood stove in them for the same reason. Anyone who lived through the BLIZZARD OF '78 (caps required when discussing the BLIZZARD OF '78, along with a wise nod) knows how important that wood stove or fireplace was.

A few weeks ago we received a town robocall warning us of a snow emergency. Off to Whole Foods we went, to stock up on basic food and overpriced produce. We found a box of Java Logs at the store's entrance. Coffee? Burn coffee grounds in the fireplace? Was this just over-priced tripe ($17.99 for a box of 6 small logs for 12 burn hours, $23.99 for a box of 6 large logs for 18 burn hours)?

According to the manufacturer:

Java-Logs produce significantly fewer emissions than firewood:

8x Less Creosote (Safer for Chimney & Clean Burning)
Source: OMNI Consulting Services, Inc.

5x Cleaner Particulate Matter (Less Air Pollution)
Less Carbon Monoxide (Less Air Pollution)

If you've had to hire a chimney sweep to clean your chimney, you know that the less creosote, the better. So we fired up the Java Log and prepared for the house to smell like Simon's.

No coffee odor. The log burned clear and clean. Very little ash, and easy.

We're converts. The Java logs aren't as cheap as wood (especially free wood), but in a pinch they'll do.

So the big question: if you live in the Boston area and you don't have a wood stove or fireplace as a backup heat source, what do you use? Or where will you go if you lose heat during a storm like the BLIZZARD OF '78?

Answer in the comments.

p.s. Yes, that is a strawberry-flavored marshmallow on the stick. Yes, it tastes as disgusting as it sounds.

It's 61 degrees in Boston today

2008-03-04T11:57:00.005-05:00

It's 61 degrees in Boston today, and 53 here in metroWest Boston, as you can see. Yes, we actually own and display that clock/thermometer, thanks to my brother-in-law, whose toddler is getting an electronic drum set from us next year.

This has nothing to do with home improvement, home-related retailers, DIY Gone Wrong, or anything connected to the HomeStars community.

I just enjoy saying that it's 61 degrees on March 4 in the Boston area. How often can you say that?

It's almost enough to make you think about landscaping, isn't it? There are still a good six inches of snow on the ground here in metroWest Boston, but the steady drip of melting snow from the roof makes me think about whether my gutters are clean, what flowers to plant, and whether we should have found a set of cheap airline tickets and flown down to Ft. Myers to watch Red Sox spring training after all.

For this first post of the Boston Home Improvement Blog on HomeStars, let me ask you to do four things:

1. Register at http://www.homestars.com and write a review of a Boston-area business. You don't want New York to have more reviews than Boston, do you...?

2. While you're at it, Tell a Friend about HomeStars. Grow your neighborhood. Our current Boston users tend to cluster in the South End and metroWest Boston.

3. Bookmark this page (or subscribe via RSS).

4. Check back every day. You never know what you might find. What does coffee have to do with fireplaces? Are you a "Rotten Neighbor"? How walkable is your neighborhood?

Come back and learn more.