Month: September 2009

Energy info coming in your mail, online

Doug Lowe, left, and Scott Elliff show off insulation added to an attic panel in a public building at Forest Lakes.

Remember the Buy Fresh, Buy Local guides that have shown up in area mailboxes the last few years? This fall, the Piedmont Environmental Council, which produces those guides, will launch another wide-reaching campaign, this one targeting energy efficiency for homeowners. It’ll be called Energy Smart Solutions.

Look for a paper guide in your mailbox soon, and keep your eye on energy smartsolutions.org. That’s where producers will post a series of three-minute how-to videos on topics like weatherstripping and wrapping water heaters. Scott Elliff, who’s coordinating the campaign, explains that rather than expensive upgrades like new appliances or solar panels, “I wanted to position this toward low-cost, good-payback things you can do.”

Elliff tagged Doug Lowe from Artisan Construction to demonstrate these tasks on camera in the public buildings at Forest Lakes, where Elliff is on the board of directors of the community association. He hopes those facilities will also host an open house so that local residents can come and see what inexpensive efficiency looks like in person.

Stay tuned for more from the—shall we say—energetic folks at PEC.—Erika Howsare

Harvest away!

For all you locavores in the hood: It’s harvest time, folks! The third annual Heritage Harvest Festival at Monticello will be held Saturday, September 12, on Montalto from 10am to 4pm.

The celebration will feature free samples of locally grown produce (more vendors this year than ever—yum!), informative workshops on sustainable gardening and talks by knowledgeable gardening authorities. For early birds, the festivities will kick off with a seed swap from 8am to 10am for locals to share gardening knowledge and, well, their seeds. Coffee and breakfast will be provided by local vendors.

“It really brings the community together,” says Kate Collier, co-owner of Feast!, a festival sponsor. “It’s fun, educational and great for networking, too. It really shows that our citizenry is speaking loudly and it strongly believes that localizing will make us and our economy stronger.”

Adrienne Young is a songwriter and producer of the local organization Backyard Revolution (backyardrevolution.com), which will be part of this festival for the first time. “The citizens of this Commonwealth are extremely attuned to the power of individual choice in thought and action and how these choices affect our world locally and globally,” she says.

The festival is free of charge, but there is a $5 parking fee. For a complete list of events, check out heritageharvestfestival.com.—Caroline Edgeton

Where’s the glass go?

When we place our glass in its designated recycling bin, we want to believe we’re doing a good deed. However, we’ve heard rumors that glass is being thrown into landfills rather than recycled.

According to Bruce J. Edmonds, Rivanna Solid Waste Authority’s recycling operations manager, a tough market for glass since 1995 does not mean the material’s getting wasted.

“[RSWA] has been in the forefront of finding alternative ways to reuse glass,” says Edmonds. “If we really wanted to place leftover glass in a landfill, we would have to spend $66 per ton to place it there…Why would we landfill something we accept for free?”

Michael Freitas, chief of Public Works for Albemarle County, concedes that “It’s a very volatile market,” but explains that “I think where people are getting confused about landfilling glass is that the glass is getting reused in the landfills, not actually placed in the landfills.”

Edmonds states that at Rivanna’s McIntire facility plenty of glass has been reused for road pavement, road gravel base, backfill and aggregate for filling drains. “In the past five years, Rivanna has been able to save $20,000 we didn’t have to buy in gravel,” says Edmonds.

Convinced yet? Mark Brownlee, Rivanna’s Ivy site manager, informed C-VILLE that in the year ending in June 2009, Rivanna recycled 894.86 tons of glass for road base material, 85 tons of which was used for the Moore’s Creek sewer upgrade. So keep saving those bottles and jars, folks.—C.E.

Solars and cents

If you have a solar panel system installed in your home, you’re probably aware of the Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC) program that goes along with it. If not, let us draw your attention to SREC—yet another benefit of solar power.

According to New Jersey’s Board of Public Utilities, an SREC is a clean energy credit that you can earn when you produce 1,000 kilowatt-hours, or one megawatt per hour, annually with a solar panel system. Why should you care? Because you can then sell the SREC.

Unfortunately, Virginia doesn’t have an SREC market; however, SRECs issued to homeowners here can be sold in participating states: New Jersey, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio and California, to name a few.

Potential earnings from SRECs essentially depend on the size of your system.

“The average size of a thermal system is 4,000 kilowatt-hours,” says Paul Risberg, president of local solar company Altenergy Incorporated. “This type of system would produce, according to a current SREC’s worth, about $1,100 per year. Because we have five-year contracts with our customers, over that course they would earn $5,500 by selling their SRECs.”

Risberg also says that, at the moment, one SREC is currently worth $100-$400; however, the market fluctuates. Contact a local service provider like Altenergy (293-3763) for further information about this program.—C.E.

Greenwashing we can get behind

An inherited and ultra-inefficient clothes washer nearing its death was the inspiration for this month’s topic: tips for a green laundry room makeover! At 400 loads of laundry a year per family (more for us messy outdoor-types, like my two favorite sons), conservation is Betty’s call to action.

When purchasing:
The good news is new washer technology can yield up to 40 percent energy savings. Start shopping by checking out the Energy Star website (energstar.gov) and look for labels with higher MEF (Modified Energy Factor), which means higher efficiency, and low WF (Water Factor). Front loaders initially cost more, but clearly win in terms of water and energy efficiency. Conventional clothes washers use about 40 gallons of water for a complete cycle; large capacity, resource-efficient models use less than 25 gallons; smaller models use less than 10. Pick one with plenty of water level options and faster spin speed.

Dryers unfortunately don’t have Energy Star labels, but a moisture sensor is the important feature here. Take your old washers and dryers to Cycle Systems (formerly Coiners) for recycling.

When using:
You’ve heard the basics: full loads, cold water (remember: a hot water wash with warm rinse costs 5 to 10 times more than a cold wash and rinse), and biodegradable detergent. Clear your dryer lint filter after each cycle and avoid non-biodegradable fabric softeners (I use Nellie’s Dryer Balls). Drying several loads in a row will take advantage of residual heat. Of course line-drying is uber-green.

An easy tip we shouldn’t forget: Wearing clothes more than once before washing extends their longevity. Check the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy’s site, acee.org, for more information.—Better World Betty

Sign of the times

In today’s buyer’s market, it’s not uncommon for some sellers to be saddled with two monthly mortgage payments—one on the house they live in, and one on the house they’re trying to unload…a predicament few people can afford for long.

For these sellers, listing the latter as a rent-to-own is an attractive option. This type of transaction can benefit a certain type of buyer, too.

Similar to a car lease, a rent-to-own (or, what is known in real estate parlance as a lease-option or a lease-purchase; more about that in a minute) works like this: Interested buyers pay what are called rent premiums—an amount slightly higher than the usual rent, with a portion of that money going toward an eventual down payment. (For example, if the monthly rent premium is $1,300, $500 of that might go toward the down payment.) At the end of a set period—usually around three years—buyers have the option to buy the house, using their accrued rent premiums as a down payment. (In this case, that’s $18,000.)

Additionally, renters have to pay a one-time option fee, a set amount usually in the four digits—let’s say, $5,000—that is also used toward the down payment, bringing the total down payment to $23,000.

If, however, the buyer decides not to purchase, they forfeit the option fee and all the rent premiums to the seller…which translates to a tidy source of income for the seller in an otherwise dismal seller’s market.

So why aren’t there more rent-to-own listings in Charlottesville’s housing market? (A cursory search on the Charlottesville MLS pulled up only five such listings.) ReMax associate broker Charles A. McDonald says that precisely because it’s a buyer’s market, there is no reason for buyers to lock themselves into long-term commitments when there’s “so much other inventory to choose from.” For Sale signs abound.

In fact, McDonald says rent-to-own deals make sense primarily for a specific kind of buyer: those who have less-than-prefect credit scores and/or no money for a down payment.
 
A closer look at the ins and outs of such deals for both buyers and sellers:

• The purchase price is locked-in from the very beginning, so if at the end of three years, housing prices have skyrocketed, the seller still gets to pay the lower, agreed-upon price (same goes if prices collapse). Related to this, the seller is contractually prohibited from selling to another buyer should a better offer come along.

• Because buyers stand to forfeit their down payment should they decide not to buy, they should be fairly confident this is a house they want. But this works both ways: If the buyer discovers the house has serious problems (faulty foundation and wiring, asbestos, etc.), the lost fees pale in comparison to the exorbitant repair costs they could encounter as owners.

• Another hurdle for buyers: They cannot be late making payments or they lose their entire rent credit—the amount that goes toward the down payment—that month. If this becomes a habit, it could mean thousands of dollars lost per year. The flip side, of course, is easy money for sellers.

• Unlike normal renters, rent-to-owners are responsible for all repairs on a home even when they’re still technically renting it. Think of it as homeownership in training.

• Understand the terms: Most real estate professionals call rent-to-owns lease-options or sometimes lease-purchase deals. Even though the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, there is technically a difference. A lease-option means just that: The buyer has the option to the buy the house. A lease-purchase means they’re contractually obligated to…an easily missed but critical difference.

When we first bought the house, we went for full protection, as above. As the months went on, though, we got slightly more lax about it.

Close shaves

“Safety first,” is what we always repeat to each other, my husband and I, as we set up circular-saw cuts and position ladders and don safety goggles. Even worse than discovering termites in the timbers, or a secret crawlspace plumbing leak, would be to sacrifice a body part to the renovation cause. So we try to stay vigilant.

There are two problems, though. Number one, underneath a hardworking exterior, we are lazy. It’s not fun to put on goggles and ear protection every single time we use the saw, so—I’m sorry to say—we don’t always do it. Instead, while my husband makes a cut, I often stick my fingers in my ears and look the other way. And the last time I donned a dust mask, the ink was still drying on our mortgage papers.

Number two, surprises happen. I was surprised the time I looked behind me and noticed I’d very nearly fallen backward into the stairwell leading down from our attic. (A project that’s still on our list: Install railings.)

My husband was equally surprised the day he drilled right into the main electrical service line where it runs underneath the bedroom floor. He knew it was there and had carefully measured to make sure he’d miss it, but something went wrong. Fortunately, although we both saw an impressive flash of light, he didn’t get shocked.

I won’t tempt fate by making a declaration about our lack of injuries thus far. Safety first, yes—which means both vigilance and luck.—Spackled Egg

One-of-a-kind welcome

It’s that time of year again: new pencils, new books, and a welcoming doormat to usher in chilly guests. This month’s project leaves you with just that, only completely personalized. Paint on your favorite shapes, your initial (as we did), or even your house number for a more contemporary twist. You could paint your rug freehand, but if you’re squeamish about that, you can use a stencil as we did.—Caite White

Materials: Sisal rug (found at any home improvement store), stencil, stencil brushes, masking tape, acrylic paint, spray fabric protector.
 
1. Tape down the stencil in the desired position.

2. Load up the stencil brush with paint and pound the open spots in the stencil with the brush. (In other words, don’t use it as you would a normal paintbrush. You want to pounce rather than drag.)

3. Let dry and repeat if necessary.

4. In a ventilated area, after the rug has dried thoroughly, spray it with the fabric protector.

5. Let dry. Enjoy!

 

Finding your level

The most bizarre iPhone app, I think, is the virtual spirit level. Call me “old school,” but I’d rather rely on an actual tool to hang stuff—one that I can drop from a ladder and splatter in paint with impunity.

It might be made of modern plastics these days, but the spirit level has been around for centuries.

The spirit level was invented in the 17th century and is still being used in much the same form by carpenters today. It’s a straight piece of wood or metal with a flat side on the bottom and a glass tube that’s filled with a clear liquid with low viscosity—typically, ethanol. A small air bubble settles precisely in the middle of two marks on the tube when the level is level.

You should use a level for framing projects and to ensure that all doors, windows and artwork you hang are flat on the horizontal and straight on the vertical planes. You could get more high-tech and use a laser level, which projects a beam of light to indicate level and plumb. With more technology, however, comes more instructions and more opportunities for user error (on my laser level’s second use, I broke off the pin that mounts the thing to drywall). If you’re a D.I.Y.-er like me, you just don’t have time for extra nonsense.—Katherine Ludwig

Andrea Copeland puts it best herself: “You can turn on the TV every day and see me doing something different.” The host of three ongoing shows on Charlottesville Public Access Television (Channel 13), she has a platform to talk about all kinds of things that interest her—from local nonprofits (on “Inside Nonprofits”) to breast cancer survivors (on “Speaking with Andrea”) to racism and classism (on “Breaking the Chains”).

“I’m not bound to doing depressing things,” she says. “I think we get enough of that. We can talk about serious issues, but I like to end it on a high note.”

She herself is on a high note at the moment, having just founded a TV production company called Positive Channels. Three years ago, though, when she moved into her apartment off Commonwealth Drive, she was going through what she calls “a rough time in my life.” She was just back from New Jersey, where she’d been trying to pursue a broadcasting career. It hadn’t worked out, and around the time she decided to come home to Charlottesville, where she was born and raised, her paternal grandfather died.

It was a sad time for Copeland and her close-knit family. But when her relatives urged her to take the furniture from her grandparents’ Esmont house, it became much more than a lucky break for someone in the process of apartment-hunting. It became a way to knit the past together with the present. Now, her living and dining rooms are a living (and comfortable) link to the home where she’d visited her grandparents as a child.

“To see how everything worked out, in the midst of all that pain and sadness, much good came of it,” she says.—Erika Howsare

“Everything from the china cabinet, the dining room set, the sofa, the coffee table and these two chairs belonged to my grandparents. When I came back from New Jersey, I had no furniture. I was temporarily living with my parents and got a second job to buy furniture. Then my grandfather died in March 2006. We were trying to settle the estate, and everybody else [in the family] already had everything. [My cousins said,] ‘Take this furniture.’

“At the time, it really didn’t have meaning to me until we put it in place. It’s nice to be able to come into my home and know that this was my family. My dad is so happy to keep it in the family.

“The china cabinet is near and dear to my heart because everything in it was my grandparents’ (china and glassware). I would go to their house [as a kid] and see [these dishes], but just never paid attention to them. As I’m cleaning everything and putting it away, my mind is constantly on my grandparents. I particularly love the hummingbird goblets. At Christmastime I change it all to Christmas dishes. It weighs a ton; my father said, ‘It’s staying there until you move!’

“I do remember sitting at the table. I was telling my dad, I want to get some furniture polish to cover this up [worn places on the tops of the dining room chairs]. He said no, it adds meaning. And it does. To know they sat at the table for years; [to think of] the years they pulled these chairs out. They had this table since 1980-something. They were very good at taking care of their furniture.

“Grandpa used to sit in the wingback chair, and my grandmother would sit in the rocker. I can remember exactly where it was in their house; [the wingback] sat beside the organ. I sit there all the time with [my cat] Curly behind my head, because I like to look out the window.

“That Afghan is one my grandmother knitted. To sit on her couch and wrap up in the Afghan, they’re here with me. When I’m in this room, to sit here when I’m working on producing the shows, everywhere I move it’s a reminder of my grandparents.”