Starting January 1, 2012, residential and commercial property sales in all of Placer County must participate in Section 303 of Rule 225, Wood Burning Appliances, Sale or Transfer of Real Property. 

Section 303 prohibits the sale of real property with a non-EPA Phase II Certified free-standing woodstove.  Non-compliant freestanding woodstoves do not have to be replaced or removed, but must be made permanently inoperable. Fireplaces, inserts, gas stoves, pellet stoves and dedicated cook stoves are exempt. 

For more information on this mandatory measure, visit our website.  

Take a moment and Google “Chickadee Ridge, Tahoe.”  It is at the top of Mt. Rose Highway.  My recommendation is to park on the south side of the highway.  If you don’t have your own set of snowshoes, my guess is your neighbor probably does (not an excuse!)   A fanny pack is probably all you will need for hydration and a snack.  Dress warm and have some layers.  See you up there!   Kevin http://www.KevinSellsReno.com

Sellers should be receiving a copy of the form when they list their property so that the form can then be provided to the buyer.  The form can be waived if agreed upon by both the buyer and the seller.

The Truckee Donner Public Utility District (TDPUD), in collaboration with Western Nevada Supply, is now offering a toilet exchange program. With the Water-efficient Toilet Exchange Program, TDPUD District customers can exchange their old, higher-use toilets for low-flush toilets for free!

Here’s how it works:
* Remove your old toilet and take it to Western Nevada Supply:
o Located at 10990 Industrial Way, Unit A in Truckee
o Days/Hours:  Monday thru Friday, 6:00 am to 5:00 pm.
* They will dispose of the old toilet(s) and give you free 1.6 gallon per flush toilets in exchange.
* Rules & Limitations:
o You must be a TDPUD water customer and your home or business must have been built prior to 1992 in order to qualify.
o Western Nevada Supply will verify that your old toilet used greater than 1.6 gallons per flush.
o There are two low-flush toilet options available for direct exchange, or you may apply a $100 per toilet credit towards the purchase of an “upgrade”.
o You must present a copy of your current TDPUD water bill at the time of the exchange.

NOTE: There is a combined limit of three toilets per household or business for any one or all of the toilet programs.

For more information about the TDPUD, call 530-587-3896 or visit www.tdpud.org.

NEED HELP EXCHANGING YOUR TOILETS?  We can help!

Call us at Dickson Realty (530-587-7444) and we can put you in touch with a contractor that will assist you with the removal, exchange, and installation of the new toilets.

• Crushed or buried chimneys and vents (furnaces, water heaters, wall heaters, fireplaces).This can cause a backup of exhaust into the structure and result in carbon monoxide poisoning. Every year, people die from this problem – a tragic, and completely avoidable scenario. If you can’t personally dig out your vents and inspect your chimney cap, hire someone — the cost will be worth it! Make sure the direct vents on the sides of your house are above the snow level also–these can easily be encapsulated and cause havoc. One year, more than 20 people were sent to the hospital when these vents backed up at a commercial lodge here at Tahoe.

• Leaking gas lines or gas meters due to an overload of snow. Houses can blow up during the winter from compromised gas piping or meters that leak. Make sure you have an approved shed over your meter and dig out your gas meter and propane tank if you have one.If you smell any gas odor, call 911 and vacate the area.

• Dropped power lines. The heavy snow can pull down the electrical power lines and riser to your house. High winds can also blow trees through power lines. Live power lines on the ground are a definite hazard. Always assume they are charged and keep people away from them. Call 911 and report the hazard. Don’t assume someone else has already called the hazard in – better too many calls of a dangerous situation, than too few.

• Frozen pipes. While not necessarily a “hazard,” when the pipes thaw, it can sure wreak havoc with your property, especially if you aren’t there to catch it early and turn the water off. If you leave your house for any length of time (i.e. second homeowners), turn off your water. Make sure you know where your water main shut-off valve is located, and ensure it works — old ones don’t always shut off entirely and water can continue to flow. Keep some heat on in your house if you don’t turn off your water and remember, not all heaters work when the power is off. 

• Slippery roads. If you have old bald tires, or worn out, studded tires, get some new treads, or use your chains. 4WD drive is not a panacea – you still must drive defensively and slowly enough to deal with any situation that might arise. Black ice is a deadly hazard on our roads and very hard to see, so drive assuming it is there and you won’t be taken by surprise.

• The mounds of snow can bury your address — and if you need help, authorities can’t help you if they can’t find you. Please make sure your house numbers aren’t buried and are easily visible from behind the tall berms of snow.  And if you do have to call 911, please let the dispatcher know which fire district you’re in — it will help immensely!

Adhering to these easy tips can make your winter season much more enjoyable and allow you more free time to be out in it having fun!

As of 11/3, Washoe County is only a couple hundred pledges behind Volusia County, Florida in a national competition to conserve energy. Please help us win the competition by signing the pledge and getting your friends and neighbors to sign up by November 30th. Our goal is to capture the $5,000 first place prize to make energy conservation improvements.
We have less than thirty days to go and only 350 more pledges to win! If you haven’t taken the conservation pledge please visit www.greencounties.org/changetheworld.
Also, send this message to your friends, special interest groups, and families. Other than the prize of $5,000, we will receive national recognition and the satisfaction of beating Florida!

Thank you all for your support!

Not always the happy sound welcomed by all.  Residents of Verdi, Mogul, and West Truckee Meadows met at their Citizens Advisory Board Meeting (CAB) in September to find out how the train horn is controlled.  Some residents had voiced enough concern in the past that the CAB invited representatives from the Federal Railroad Administration, FRA, and the Union Pacific Railroad, UPR, to attend the meeting to discuss the issue.  The frequency and duration of the train horns is the issue.  This meeting allowed an interaction with homeowners and the railroad. As always, the issue is not simple.  Safety is the first concern of the railroad.  The horn must be sounded at all crossings and if the engineer sees anything he considers a hazard. An almost two hour discussion was held with all parties. New liaisons were formed, and connections were established.  There are continuing issues with the establishment of a quiet zone in the area. To review the minutes of this meeting check the county website http://www.washoecounty.us/comdev/boards_commissions/cab/cab_index.htm

Awareness of the CAB meeting agenda is always useful.  This link will keep you up- dated.

The Altos 10-City Composite Price Index increased by 1.1 percent during both March and the first quarter of 2009. Prices of properties listed for-sale increased in 18 of 26 major markets, according to the Real-Time Housing Market Report, jointly published by Altos Research and market analysis consultancy Real IQ.
 
Asking prices fell at the fastest rate during March in Salt Lake City, followed closely by Las Vegas – down 4.0% and 3.9% respectively. Listing prices of single-family homes rose at the fastest rate in San Francisco-up 3.8% in March.  Prices in seven markets-New York, Boston, Houston, Los Angeles, San Diego, Miami and Charlotte-are now showing three months of sequential listing price increases.

The colourful (and biodegradeable) trashbags come in numerous colours, such as pink with white polka dots, blue with silver polka dots, glow in the dark, etc.  In an effort to draw attention to people and their trashy habit, the artist asked residents and businesses to sponsor their block by buying the trashbags for $10 each ($20 if you opted for the limited edition pink with gold polka dot bags) and decorate their block with piles of colourful garbage bags.

Over in Tokyo, Rabbit-kun aims to inspire a more responsible attitude toward waste by providing a cute and stylish way for people to carry their trash home after a day outdoors. Whether it’s a picnic in the park, a hike in the mountains, or a day at the beach — or any place without public trash cans — Rabbit-kun is charming enough that you might actually enjoy carting your garbage all the way home.

Another bag, which features a life-sized illustration (by Lily Franky) of trash-loving Oscar the Grouch, was designed in collaboration with Sesame Street as part of an environmental awareness campaign for children. For now, these bags are being distributed free of charge at select outdoor events, as well as to volunteer cleanup groups and schools.

To buy your own “any color you like” bags, go to the artists site at http://anycoloryoulike.biz/arp/.

Here are some more sources for bags, not pink, but biodegrable!

http://www.ecoproducts.com/Home/home_bio…

http://www.kokogm.com/Green_Market/Biode…

http://www.biodegradablestore.com/pp/bag…

http://www.greenhome.com/products/housek…

http://www.groworganic.com/item_GP310_Bi…

http://www.fiorijanitorial.com/c-44-bags…

1. Use reusable shopping bags. I know they have a few varieties at Trader Joes, including an insulated one. Keep them in my car and remember to carry them with me into the grocery stores.

2. Cut back on the driving – walk or bike more, consolidate trips and errands so that you can drive less, and investigate telecommuting and public transportation opportunities – even carpooling or taking public transportation one day a week can make a difference. I carpooled this last summer for a while from Carson to Reno, it saved a lot on gas (and that was when it was over $4) and I made some new friends!

3. Drive smarter to help reduce the amount of fuel that you use when you do drive. Proper maintenance on your car can make driving safe, use less fuel, and make your car last longer. So I guess that means cleaning my trunk which is full to the brim with boxes of books.

4. Replace old appliances with more energy efficient ones, including Energy Star certified appliances. OK, this one is not necessarily budget friendly, but it’s on the to-do list!

5. Buy locally grown and organic produce – look for local farmer’s markets and stands, organic sections in your grocery store, locally grown produce signs and labels, and natural food and coop stores in your area. You’ll eat healthier plus you’ll benefit your local economy with food choices from local growers.

6. Recycle – learn about local recycling programs. You can find local recycling centers in the United States at  Earth911.com. Most neighborhoods in the Reno/Carson/Tahoe area offer recycling with your Waste Management.

7. Donate unused and reusable items to your local thrift shops or other places that can use them. Give others the chance to use those clothes that no longer fit you, those toys your children no longer play with, those strollers and cribs that you no longer need, those books that you’ve read and won’t look at again, and many other items around your house that you may have stored away and won’t use again. Yikes, I guess I have to attack my garage.

8. Get informed about, and use recycled paper products for your home and for your office. Dickson has committed to using only recycled paper products in all of its offices.

9. Use green and non-toxic cleaners for your house, your clothes, and your car.

10. Learn about and participate in community conservation and cleanup projects. Check out your city sites: Reno, Sparks, Carson City, South Lake, North Lake, Truckee.

11. Adopt a park or outdoor place to keep clean.

12. Start a garden, even if its just growing your own herbs for your apartment, and learn how to compost. Find out if you city has a community garden.

13. Insulate your home hot water heater - save money and energy.

14. Fix leaky water fixtures and investigate low flow toilets and showerheads.

15. Replace water system filters your home as recommended. The water pressure in your home will be stronger, and the water you drink will be safer.

16. Replace light bulbs with more energy efficient and longer lasting bulbs such as compact fluorescent light bulbs or LED light bulbs. And learn how to properly dispose of them.

17. Stop receiving junk mail using a free service like Catalog Choice, and paid services such as Green Dimes or 41pounds.org.

18. Use less water. You can do things like take shorter showers, turn off the faucet when brushing your teeth, and watch how much water you use when washing dishes, but you might want to measure your water footprint first. And read this CNN article on Measuring your Water Footprint to learn why this is so important.

19. Conduct a home energy audit

20. Calculate your Carbon footprint. 

21. Unplug or use power strips that can be turned off for appliances and electronic devices such as computers, chargers, printers, televisions, cable set top boxes, microwave ovens, and coffee makers, to avoid energy vampires.

22. Learn about local, regional, national, and global environmental issues, and participate through donations, advocacy, volunteer efforts, and employment.

Any others that you would suggest?