Mar

25

Clean + Green: Earth Hour

Filed Under Clean and Green | Leave a Comment

As a business, HB Building + Design is committed to being socially responsible in every way, from our recommendations for products, to our office systems.  We encourage use of repurposed or environmentally friendly products to every client, for every job we do. Today we request that you, our clients, followers and fans, sign up for Earth Hour…just click right here!

We reuse and recycle everything we can in the office, and on the job site, we are especially careful with our waste materials, and dispose of old, used materials according to the guidelines for a wide variety of waste products: fluorescent bulbs, old treated or painted wood, glass, metal, etc. Everything is sorted and brought to the dump or recycle facility.

In our office, we email and do as much work on line as possible. In April, we will be switching providers for our payroll outsourcing, primarily in order to be able to access and input information on line, doing away with pounds of paperwork we receive from our current provider.  We recycle all our office waste, including ink cartridges, use recycled paper for printing non-essential drafts, etc., and offer recyled products, WaterSense certified plumbing, and maintain our Green Remodeling certification for our builders. 

This week, we are putting out a request for all our clients to participate in the 1-hour lights out Earth Hour initiative. On Earth Hour hundreds of millions of people around the world will come together to call for action on climate change by doing something quite simple — turning off their lights for one hour. The movement symbolizes that by working together, each of us can make a positive impact in this fight, protecting our future and that of future generations.

Click the link below to indicate your commitment to our Earth, and sign up to make a stand for our future! 

Click Me Up!

Mar

2

Home Maintenance Tip: Check Your Deck!

Filed Under Contractor's Corner, Home Safety Tips | Leave a Comment

One great advantage of living in the Bay Area is our climate, another is that almost anywhere you live, you can find a view – of the hills, the Bay, the Ocean. That makes one of the most popular home additions a beautiful Deck. Those of you with decks more than 10 years old probably have them built from redwood and untreated doug fir. Beautiful to look at, but time consuming to maintain.

The plague of redwood decks is dry rot. Wood that experiences warm summer days and soggy wet winters is put in an ideal condition for dry rot to develop. It is important to learn ways to prevent dry rot from developing because not only will it save your deck, it will also save you time and money.

Dry rot is decay from fungi that causes wood to become brittle and crumble to powder. It develops from a mixture of wetness, heat and air. Dry rot can develop within four to six months and it’s not so easy to detect. Once infected, the wood and deck lose structural integrity. Left undetected it will spread and cause more damage. Detecting and replacing damaged wood is critical as soon as you find it – if you don’t it will eventually eat away at the entire deck, and even attract bugs, like termites, making the problem worse. P2201183

Fast detection is the key. Here is how you can check your own deck for dry rot.

1.  Look for wood discoloration.

2. Insert a screwdriver, awl or icepick and punch into the wood to see if it is still solid.

3. If the wood is soft and spongy, you can also check to feel if there is any dampness.

4. If there is any dampness, you probably have a problem to be fixed.

5. Check for termites. The dry rot begins first in damp parts of the house, and keeps on going once it starts to the other parts of the house.2WijelathDeck+Firewall

Prevent Dry Rot On Your Deck

  • Identify the real source of the problem before replacing anything.
  • Check garden sprinklers, planters, and hoses to ensure they aren’t causing a pervasive drip or wet area on the deck.
  • Check for any areas where the wood is touching the ground. This is a great place for termite infestation to begin.
  • If you suspect dry rot, call HB Building + Design to repair or rebuild your deck! We have years of experience in correcting dry rot problems from the bottom up, saving you time, money and more problems later on!  Decks, decking and deck repair is one of our specialties. Just look at the Before and After of Desmond and Marina!