The moisture in the brick, however, is a problem. It can destroy the wall by freezing and spalling, and must be eliminated to prevent damage, and further staining. In your case, the moisture is likely due to missing or ineffective waterproofing of the inside of the planter walls. When the soil in your planter is wetted, either by rain, snow, or irrigation, the bricks and mortar absorb moisture and carry salts to the surface.

Here are three possible solutions:

1) Remove all the plants and soil and carefully waterproof the inside of the planter, providing “weep-holes” (openings in the mortar joint) in the bottom courses of brick. The clean and dry brick can then be coated with a waterproofing compound by brush or sprayer, or covered with a membrane such as EPDM or “Ice and Water Shield”. Fill most of the planter with gravel to insure good drainage. Use of a permeable filter (made just for this purpose) against the inside of the brick will also improve drainage

2) Remove enough soil to install separate water-tight containers to contain your plants and the damp soil. I’ve seen them made of copper or galvanized metal. They could also be constructed of wood and lined with a waterproof membrane.

3) Abandon the plants, and cover the planters with a stone cap to shed the water.

Need help? Give us a call and we can help you with all your landscaping needs. That’s what we’re here for! 303-444-0033.

We welcome your comments below. For immediate questions, or to submit a question to Larry for a future FAQ blog, e-mail info@ParrishBuilt.com

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While there is some risk of causing cracks in the slab, the chance to avoid an expensive replacement makes the relatively small cost a good gamble. Look under Mud Jacking Contractors in the Yellow Pages or do a search on Google. A typical small job should run about $300-$500.

We welcome your comments below. For immediate questions, or to submit a question to Larry for a future FAQ blog, e-mail info@ParrishBuilt.com

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How many bottles of rosemary would you find in your spice cabinet or drawer if you looked right now? If you’ve ever purchased an herb or spice you thought you were out of, only to find that you already had two opened containers at home, maybe the problem is lack of organization.

Whether you have a spice cabinet or a drawer, you’ll find the spices you need more quickly if you just file them—you know, alphabetically?  It will save you from moving things around every time you want a spice or herb. When you put the bottle away, just remember to ‘re-file’ it properly. The few seconds it takes to think about the proper place to put it will save many minutes of time retrieving it when you need it again.

Speaking of rosemary, you’ve got to try the Rosemary Red Potatoes recipe. I’ve tried this and it’s really good and most importantly, it’s very easy and quick.  For more great recipes go to: allrecipes.com

Prep Time: 5 Min

Cook Time: 25 Min

Ready In: 30 Min

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 pounds small red potatoes, quartered
• 1 small onion, quartered
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions

In a bowl, combine the potatoes, onion, oil, rosemary, garlic and garlic salt; toss to coat. Transfer to a foil-lined 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 425 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender and browned. Longer for larger potatoes.

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To prevent this in the future, remove your garden hoses in the winter. Consider replacing your sillcocks with ones that will drain the extension tubes even with the hose attached. They cost a little more, but are well worth it.

Assuming that your home’s heat system doesn’t fail, it is the water pipes located in outside walls, or in floors over unheated spaces, such as garages, that are in danger. Bathrooms over a garage are a common source of trouble. If you have an attached garage, keep your garage door closed. Unheated garages can be twenty or more degrees warmer than the outside temperature, and even if you don’t have water pipes over the garage, keeping it closed will keep the adjoining rooms of your home warmer too. Get in the habit of checking that the door is closed before you retire for the evening!

A contractor friend in the Chicago area related a pertinent story just last week. His clients had recently moved into a new home he had built. They had a large contingent of friends and family over for Thanksgiving dinner, and were in the Dining Room about to offer thanks, when their silence was punctuated by the sound of dripping water. Not intending to use their new exercise room for awhile, the new homeowners ignored by friend’s advice and turned off the heat zone that served the room, resulting in a little more holiday excitement than they had bargained for.

If you’re leaving town for the holidays, never turn your furnace off, or set the thermostat below about 55 degrees. Regardless of how well walls are insulated, unless there is a source of heat for the pipes, they can freeze when the temperature of the room drops low enough. Every year I see problems in unused rooms whose heat registers have been shut off, and from vacant homes and commercial buildings whose thermostats have been turned down or off. Arrange to have someone check on your home frequently when you are out of town during the winter.

If you have a pipe that freezes every year, try insulating the space between the pipe and the outside wall, and then installing a louvered grille between the pipe and the heated room (be sure not to insulate between the pipe and the heated room). This will allow some heated air to get to the pipe and keep it warm. When insulating, look especially for small holes to the outside that let cold wind blow on the pipe. Some expanding foam caulking will do a nice job of sealing out the breeze.

Learn how to shut off the water supply to your house. If you don’t know where this valve is, find out now, before your furniture is floating. When you find the correct valve, actually close and open it to make sure it will operate. This way, if you have a water emergency, you will be able to minimize the damage by shutting the water off quickly. If you can’t find your shutoff valve, you can use the valve inside the water meter pit. This pit us usually located somewhere in your yard, probably near the sidewalk or street, under an iron cover plate.

If the temperature is forecast to be near or below zero degrees Fahrenheit, try to get heat to the water pipes by leaving sink cabinet doors open, and maybe placing a fan to blow under the sink. This will help keep pipes in outside walls warm enough to avoid freezing. In some cases, it may be necessary to leave the water trickling from the faucet, allowing the relatively warm water to keep the ice at bay. This should be a slow stream, but not just a drip. Be sure to turn on both hot and cold faucets. If you have a single-lever faucet, set it for warm water.

Remove hoses from outside faucets! Even “frost-proof” sillcocks can freeze if water is left in the throat. Removing the hose is your best protection, even if your sillcock is the self-draining kind. If your sillcock freezes, you may not know it until the next time you turn the water on.

Make sure that heat registers are open in all rooms with water in them. If you have forced air heat, leave the door open. This will usually allow for better heat flow into the room.

As an added precaution, consider buying an inexpensive water alarm, (about $15), and locating it under susceptible pipes to give you early warning in case of a leak. These are battery operated, sold at hardware stores, and sound a loud alarm when their sensors get damp.

If your pipes freeze in spite of your best efforts, be careful how you go about thawing them out. NEVER use a torch. According to Cathy Sorter, Assistant Fire Marshal with the Boulder Fire Department, fires are started in Boulder every year by people being careless with heat sources while thawing frozen pipes.

If you can tell that the frozen pipe is split, shut off the water and call your plumber. You may have to be patient—if your pipe froze, you are not alone. Chances are your plumber has received dozens of calls.

If the pipe appears undamaged, the safest way to thaw it is to use a hair dryer or space heater blowing on or near the frozen section UNDER CONSTANT SUPERVISION. Open the related faucet or valve while thawing the pipe, and leave it open until the water runs at full flow—the running water will help thaw the pipes. Remember to review the location of your main shutoff valve BEFORE you thaw the pipes, because when they thaw out, the water might not come out where you want it to!

Remember the old saying about an ounce of prevention, and be prepared. Here’s hoping you have water this Winter only when you want it!

View Larry’s YouTube tutorial on frozen pipes:

“Larry on the Level”- How to Winterize Your Home & Prevent Frozen Pipes

(You must have the updated version of Adobe Flash to play video)

We welcome your comments below. For immediate questions, or to submit a question to Larry for a future FAQ blog, e-mail info@ParrishBuilt.com

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• By Annette Parrish- Vice President

• Who wouldn’t want a beautiful closet like the ”After”  pictured here—large, bright, and ultra organized?  Even the most beautiful closet should be extremely efficient and functional or it will soon become a large, bright, disorganized mess. 

•  As we’re heading into summer, now is the perfect time to take a critical look at what works, what doesn’t work, and to figure out where to store all those fall and winter clothes you won’t be needing for awhile!  You can transform your crowded, disorganized closet into a dream closet by following these simple guidelines for organization, and implementing a few key changes. First, let’s identify the problem before we discuss a solution.

•  The common problems with most closets are:

• Wasted space—usually found up near the ceiling, along the floor under hanging clothes, and in corners or at ends that are partially covered by a standard five foot door frame.

• High shelves—not easy to reach and difficult for stacking clothes without standing on a stool.

• Lack of organization—shelves are linear so items are not grouped together effectively.

• Rod Height- Single height rod is usually too short for formal-length dresses and has wasted space under shorter clothing.

• Solutions Include:

• Removing standard five foot doors and the framing around it to enlarge the opening and replacing with custom, built-in units. Custom isn’t as pricey as most people think.
• If you have room, install pull-down rods to utilize the space close to the ceiling.
• Placing the items you use most frequently at eye level and those seldom-used items either up high or nearer the floor
• Built-in shelving to accommodate more folded clothes and enclosed compartments to keep items from getting dusty
• Labeled shelves or drawers for pajamas, t-shirts, undergarments, etc.
• Placing rods at different levels for shorter items like jackets, shirts, & skirts; and for longer items such as dresses, formal-wear, and other long-hanging items.
• Providing a tip-out bin for laundry and dry cleaning items.
• Enclosed cubbies or shelves to keep luggage, purses, shoes & boots dust free.
• Installing a slide-out rack for scarves and belts
• Adjustable shelves for flexibility
• Built-in ironing board for larger closets

• As you can see, if you make a few simple changes you can easily see everything you own, allowing you to put outfits together quickly and avoid the frustration of ‘losing’ things in your closet.  You could almost get ready in the dark!  Having an organized, custom closet lets you take good care of your clothing while preventing additional stress in your life.  Getting dressed in the morning shouldn’t be stressful!

• We always welcome your comments, questions and suggestions. Please feel free to post in the “Comments Box” below.

Before, this closet was too cramped and not efficient. After the Parrish remodel, it is bright and efficient with pull out drawers and custom shelving, ensuring it stays that way!

This ceiling fan helps cool a child's bedroom with vaulted ceilings, where the top bunk usually feels warm

• Colorado’s climate is just about perfect isn’t it? And it doesn’t get any better than Springtime in the Rockies. The Robins are back, flowers are poking their heads out, and the Colorado Rockies are playing ball again. Life is sweet. The sun feels so good, it’s easy to forget we will soon be complaining about the heat!

• Summers are so pleasant here, in fact, that most homes don’t have air conditioning—at least the older ones. But then most cars didn’t have air conditioning in the 1950’s either. Would you order a new car today without it?

• If you find yourself “Sweatin’ To The Oldies” this summer while just sitting and listening to the radio, here are some ideas for chilling out at home:

• Extra insulation can yield dramatic improvement. Attics are usually easy to add insulation to, while walls can be trickier, but not impossible. If you don’t want to disturb your vaulted ceiling, consider adding rigid insulation on top of the roof, just under the shingles when you re-roof.

• Deciduous trees planted in strategic locations can provide enough shade to make a real difference. They’ll lose their leaves just in time to give you the southern sun when you can appreciate it.

• Cross-ventilation works well on days with a breeze. Adding an operable window or two, or perhaps a venting skylight, can exhaust the heat without raising your electric bill.

• Windows aren’t what they used to be—they’re much better. High-tech window glazing can keep the heat out while letting the view in. If you can’t change the glass, heat-reflective films can be applied to your existing glass. Various window shades can also keep your home cooler. The idea is to reflect the sun back where it came from. Shutters, awnings, and blinds are all efficient. Attic fans with the proper number of vents will exhaust the intense heat that is trying to radiate into the house through the ceilings. Usually installed with automatic thermostats, they are efficient, inexpensive, and effective.

• Whole-house fans, usually mounted in the ceiling of the uppermost floor, will bring in outside air, distribute it throughout the house, and exhaust it out through the attic. Since our evenings are usually cool, these fans work well at cooling the house after the sun goes down, but they are noisy. The path of cool air through the house is determined by which windows you open. These fans are usually multi-speed and controlled by a timer. Be sure to open plenty of windows and doors, or you risk down-drafting gas appliances and their dangerous exhaust!

• Ceiling fans can be helpful by providing enough of a breeze to let your body’s own evaporative cooler work. Similar to rolling down your car windows to keep cool, relief is seldom adequate in July.

• Evaporative or “swamp” coolers work very well (on most days) in our dry climate. Usually mounted on the roof, they can sometimes be located on the ground or even in an attic with special venting and water containment provisions. If you have an attic, the cool air can usually be ducted to the ceiling of several rooms to distribute the “’breeze” throughout the house. Similar to a whole-house fan, you can control the path of the breeze by the windows you open.

• If you have forced-air heat, the ductwork is already in place for refrigerated air conditioning with the addition of an “A-coil” and a condenser unit. Since air conditioning requires air of a higher velocity than heating, you may need to add a new multi-speed blower. It is also a good idea to add return-air registers near the ceiling for best efficiency. A condenser unit with fan will be located outside, as far as fifty or more feet from your furnace. Since condensers can be noisy, you’ll want to locate it where the noise will be the least problem.

• If you don’t have the ductwork, or only need to cool one room, there are some very good through-wall air conditioning units now on the market. They have a small condenser outdoors, and a refrigerated blower unit which mounts to the outside wall. Inside the room, a louvered grille mounted high on an outside wall distributes the cool air. Installation only requires a single small hole through the wall, and the unit is controlled by a small wireless remote, complete with thermostat. While somewhat expensive, this air conditioner can be the perfect solution for cooling a single room or area.

• If you’re undecided about which techniques to implement, remember that they can be used in combination. Try the most energy efficient and passive ideas first. If you still need more relief, you can add others as the budget allows. Remember, also, to start on your project now. If you wait until July to call an air conditioning contractor, it will be too late for this season.

• We always welcome your comments, questions and suggestions. Please feel free to post in the “Comments Box” below.

• They’re leaky, they’re ugly and they’re hard to open. Yep, they’re a triple-pain. Consider replacing them.

• Few features of a house are more important than its windows. Windows make an architectural statement, but also provide light, ventilation and comfort; and significantly impact energy efficiency. Unfortunately, homes built before 1994 often have windows that don’t perform any of these functions very well.

• New windows improve comfort, reduce utility bills, are more convenient to operate and clean, and improve the appearance of your home. Even if you plan to sell in a few years, you can still benefit from replacing inferior windows. Quality windows definitely help with resale.

• Look for a label from the NFRC (National Fenestration Rating Council) which uses U-Factors to measure the total performance of a window—glass, frame, weather-stripping, etc. Low U-Factor, better performance, lower energy bills. This also assures that the Energy Star 2010 standards are met, a requirement for the current Federal Energy Efficiency Tax Credits.

• Bear in mind that the cost of labor for installation is the same regardless of the quality of the window, so it doesn’t make sense to skimp on the windows. For instance, vinyl windows are considered a bargain, but they don’t perform well with our altitude; fiberglass however, performs very well here and exhibits great longevity, at least two times that of vinyl, at a very small price difference.

• When shopping for a window supplier, make sure you are dealing with someone who provides good comparative info and no high pressure; if they are willing to give you what you need to make an informed decision, as a knowledgeable buyer, you are in good hands.

• Windows can be replaced year-round. Even in whole-house replacements, windows are usually replaced one at a time, open to the weather for about an hour. This enables replacement in all but the most inclement weather. An entire house replacement takes about 7-10 days to complete.

• A good installer is the most overlooked aspect of a quality window. If poorly or improperly installed, you not only lose all the benefits of replacing windows, you experience damage to your home.

Some window options:

1.  There are sources for historically accurate replacement windows
2. Cladding of the window’s exterior surface. In many colors, claddings offer the thermal and aesthetic advantages of wooden frames, but with a durable low-maintenance exterior.
3. If you’ll be painting, any credible supplier can pre-prime the wood – inside, outside, or both. The factory priming saves money and time, while giving a quality base coat for your finish.
4. Styles? Many! Single, double, or triple-hung, casement, awning, sliding, tilt-turn varieties—both fixed and operable. There are single light, true divided light, simulated divided light or removable grilles. There is circle-top, trapezoidal, oval, round, or custom shape. For dimensional interest use bay or bow windows.

• There are Federal Tax credits available through 2010. There is also ClimateSmart Loan money available here in Boulder County for the foreseeable future. Replacing your windows will build equity in your home, and significantly increase your comfort while decreasing your energy cost. Afterwards, you’ll wonder why you waited so long!

• Click here for more energy-saving blog topics.

• We always welcome your comments, questions and suggestions. Please feel free to post in the “Comments Box” below.

• The sounds of Spring — birds, lawnmowers, sump pumps. Flooded basements: a rite of Spring. With a little planning, however, you can minimize the likelihood of hauling soggy carpet out to dry.

• Most flooded basements/crawlspaces are caused by surface water ponding near the foundation, soaking into the fill dirt, leaking in through the joint between floor slab and foundation wall. Backfill can settle over time to trap water. Window wells fill up, leak in around windows—or soak the ground and seep in at floor level.

• If surface water is your source, the solution is to keep it well away from your foundation through proper grading of soil. If it is expansive soil, moisture can cause it to swell, possibly causing serious damage.

• The ground near foundations should slope away from the house at least six inches in the first ten feet. Sometimes houses were built too low to the ground for proper drainage, difficult and expensive to correct. If your lot doesn’t allow for proper drainage, get the water to pond far from your house. (Do not grade your yard to drain into your neighbor’s basement!)

• Most houses should also have a perimeter drain system installed, draining safely to a sump pit with a pump or, drain by gravity to a low discharge point. Some houses have drains and pits, but no pump. It is a good idea to install redundant pumps, one set a few inches higher than the other. The extra pump can serve as a backup, or can double the pumping capacity in severe flooding.

• An ounce of prevention…

1. Verify the pump is operating: pour water in pit – does pump function and discharge to the outside, well away from the house? It is illegal to discharge ground water into the sewer system. Remember—if you wait until your basement is flooding, it is too late. Hundreds of other people will have already bought, rented, and borrowed every pump in the county!
2. Landscaping near the foundation should not require irrigation. Irrigation will saturate the soils, so they can absorb no more. Foundation perimeters are a good place for xeriscape.
3. Turf, sidewalks, or edging should not dam surface water near the foundation.
4. Clean your gutters. Clogged downspouts make gutters overflow, dumping water against foundations. Downspouts should discharge well away from the foundation, perhaps requiring extensions or underground drainage pipes.
5. Buy the inexpensive devices that sound an alarm when wet. Similar to smoke detectors (battery operated) place them in areas prone to flooding. Early warning can save you trouble. If out of town during “rainy season,” arrange for a check on your basement. Early detection can be critical.
6. Homeowner’s insurance does not cover all flooding. If a hailstone breaks your window, allowing water in, you’re probably covered. If you forgot to clean your gutters, and water seeps in around your basement window, you’re not.

• If your best efforts fail, a few things you can do to minimize damage:

1. Furniture legs up on blocks, or on aluminum foil/ plastic patches, prevents them from absorbing water or rusting.
2. Remove wet carpet as soon as possible.
3. Rent special fans designed to blow air under carpet loosened around the edges.
4. If dry weather, open windows/doors, use fans to get air moving.
5. Rent dehumidifiers to dry things out quickly.
6. Water vacuums are helpful for floors.

• I hope this article didn’t dampen your spirits. Happy Spring!

• We always welcome your comments, questions and suggestions. Please feel free to post in the “Comments Box” below.

Geotechnical (soils) engineers typically recommend a minimum ten percent slope for at least ten feet away from a foundation to provide adequate drainage (12” in ten feet). Due to settling of the backfill near the house, and dams caused by landscaping and sidewalks, few homes retain this drainage over the years.
If possible, restore proper drainage near the house by adding and compacting clay soil near the foundation. Remove, or cut channels in and landscape items that result in damming near the foundation. Also, clean the gutters and downspouts to minimize the possibility of gutters overflowing during rainstorms, and extend downspouts to discharge well away from the foundation. Remove any plant materials that require watering, and adjust sprinkler heads so that they don’t water near the house.

If the source of water is from a rising water table, if may be possible to catch the water before entry with a submersible sump pump in a sump pit under the basement floor. A large enough pump can locally lower the water table, preventing the water from entering the home. Be sure to discharge the pump effluent in the yard, well away from the foundation. It is illegal to discharge ground water into the sanitary sewer system.