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Color and How it Affects You

Carly Mayer

Posted by Carly Mayer on Jun 28, 2010

Sherrie Glogosh, interior designer and owner of Renewable Interiors in Boulder, explains that it’s not just the color that is important, but choosing a low VOC paint is absolutely necessary for a healthy home

Ah, summer! Probably one of the most stunning aspects of this time of year (besides the fact that it has finally stopped snowing) is the spectacular bursts of colors! They lift our spirits and they give us a renewed energy. Sometimes that energy is channeled into redoing our “nests.” As we go from room to room, we have the tendency to re-arrange things, take a new look at what we like and what we are really tired of. Then we think: “What can I afford to do to make some changes…especially a change that would make a huge difference?” The obvious is to change the color of a room. Color is so powerful that it can actually alter emotions. When we get dressed each morning, color is always a consideration, and oftentimes based upon how we feel. If we have high energy and a positive attitude that morning, then we tend towards brighter-happier colors to match our moods. If, on the other hand, we are worried or have lower energy, we might tend to the deeper or duller colors.

So how does this help decide a new color for your walls & ceilings? First of all, depending upon which room it is, choose a color that you love! This may require taking a poll with other family members to make certain that no one strongly dislikes that color. Here’s how color works: All color comes off the primaries: red, green, blue and yellow. These colors are then “browned or grayed down” with other additions of color to create what we in design call sophisticated colors. They are easy on the eyes, take a long time to tire of and are the easiest to accessorize.

A smart way to decide color is to purchase sample paint sizes. When you choose your colors, buy the paint samples (usually around $5.00 each), some large pieces of poster-board and then paint your samples! Poster-board is a wonderful size to actually tell what that color looks like. Also, you can move it around the room and see what it looks like in sunlight, in lamp-light and in the night-time hours. Color changes and it is good to see what it looks like in all lights. And guess what? If you don’t like the color, you will only be out a few dollars instead of hundreds!

Now, once you have picked a color, the most important aspect of your choice of paint is a healthy choice! Remember that you spent all fall and winter making your home as air-tight and as energy-efficient as possible. Now you are considering painting five surfaces, which is most of the area. If you use a paint that is toxic, because of your wonderful weather-proofing, your indoor air quality can now be up to 5x times more toxic than ever before! Think about that.

The reality is that the majority of paints available to the consumer contain VOC’s. VOC’s are volatile organic compounds, and that “new paint” smell that wafts up your nose and is absorbed by your skin, contains very harmful chemicals that can also off-gas weeks after you paint. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the health effects of these organic compounds include “Eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches, loss of coordination, nausea; damage to liver, kidney, and central nervous system. Some organics can cause cancer in animals; some are suspected or known to cause cancer in humans.” As you can imagine, children are particularly at risk for absorbing these poisons. So even if you have plenty of ventilation while you are painting, when you close the doors and windows later, the off-gassing is concentrated and is extremely toxic.

The great news is that there are alternative choices and excellent ones! Now, most manufacturers have paint offerings that are 0-VOC or low VOC. Make sure that when you buy these paints that you inquire about the tints they are using. Certain tints add the VOC’s back into the paint when they mix the colors. In many deeper colors, when they mix that formula, it changes a 0 or low VOC paint to a high VOC paint! Always ask that when you choose the color.

Yes, these new paints do cost a bit more, but know that if you look at the over-all cost difference for the amount of paint you are buying, it is truly worth the health benefits of what you are getting! If you are careful about your food being “clean”, why wouldn’t you want to apply that to what you breathe in a room each day? Besides, the head-aches, stomach issues, burning eyes and sometimes skin-rashes are not just “symptoms” from the paints loaded with VOCs. These chemicals can cause serious health issues down the road when you are living in those spaces day after day.

So be bold, make a dramatic change to your rooms and make sure you are protecting the health of you and your family along the way.

Sherrie Glogosh has over 35 years experience in interior design. From Los Angeles to Atlanta and now here in Boulder, Sherrie brings her expertise and enthusiasm to every project. Now, she combines her passion for sustainablity and wellness with her love for interior design. Whether it's as simple as a color consultation or as complex as a whole home renovation, Sherrie is the person to call. Learn more:

Renewable Interiors

sherrie@renewableinteriors.com

303.593.2829

10 Property Open House Tour: Rural/Horse Properties April 24th/25th

Carly Mayer

Posted by Carly Mayer on Apr 24, 2010

11840 Wasatch Road, Longmont
35 Acres just 7 miles to Downtown Longmont
Saturday and Sunday 12pm-3pm
For Photos and Details, visit: bit.ly/9ZYuUh

14771 Creekside Lane, Longmont
Sunday 11 am-2pm
For Photos and Details, visit: bit.ly/bAYZrM

13624 N 87th Street, Longmont
Saturday 11am-3pm
For Photos and Details, visit: bit.ly/bE4oVR

10115 65th, Longmont
Sunday 1pm-3pm
For Photos and Details, visit: bit.ly/dnjsGS

12134 Jasper Road, Erie
Saturday and Sunday 11am-3pm
For Photos and Details, visit: bit.ly/blmPQ0

3962 Longhorn Drive, Lafayette
Saturday and Sunday 12pm-3pm
For Photos and Details, visit:bit.ly/c0Qwma

3854 View Point Way, Lafayette
Saturday and Sunday 11am-3pm
For Photos and Details, visit: bit.ly/aOtsjF

3868 N 109th Street, Lafayette
Saturday 11am-3pm
For Photos and Details, visit: bit.ly/ciUFt8

12400 Arapahoe Road, Lafayette
Saturday 1pm-3pm
For Photos and Details, visit: bit.ly/bVdBXC

11089 Dobbins Run, Lafayette
Sunday 1pm-3pm
4 beds/2 baths, 1 acre
Too New for Photos

Great Interview w/ Broomfield's own Botanical Interests seed Company

Carly Mayer

Posted by Carly Mayer on Apr 14, 2010

The fabulous folks at the locally and family owned seed company, Botanical Interests, gives you the tips, tools and techniques to ensure a magnificent garden right in your own backyard

I am sure for many of us the idea of growing our own vegetables seems like a brilliant idea every spring. The thought of going out into our backyards and grabbing some fresh lettuce and tomatoes for our salad seems like a revolutionary idea. Then, undoubtedly, the reality of inexperience gets a hold of us and our visions of a bountiful garden are marred by our lack of knowledge about how to do it and how to get started. Come July, we are back at the grocery store buying veggies that are flown in from states and countries, near and far.

But not this spring! This is 2010 and it is our year to turn that piece of useless sod into a veggie patch that our neighbors can fawn over. To help us accomplish that, I sat down with the folks at Broomfield’s Botanical Interests. The owners, Curtis and Judy, met while waiting to interview for the same horticultural job and soon found they shared a boundless enthusiasm for gardening. Botanical Interests began out of their mutual passion and personal desire for better quality seed and more informational tools to help and inspire gardeners.

Created in 1995, the company now offers over 500 varieties of untreated, non-GMO flower, herb, and vegetable seeds, including a wide selection of certified organics.

So grab a highlighter, people, because even if you think you can’t grow a garden, here are the tools and insights so you CAN!

Carly Mayer: As with a house, I am sure the success of a garden is based on its foundation. In this case, the earth. What do we need to do to turn the dirt in our backyard into the most optimal growing medium for an organic garden? How deep should it be?
Botanical Interests: In many areas of Colorado, the soil is heavy clay and is too dense for the roots of many types of garden plants. The clay can be amended by working in compost and improved over several seasons, but you may always have a drainage issue. The easiest way to start a garden is to build a raised bed 4"-6" tall. (You can use pre-fabricated kits or untreated wood.) Fill it with compost, and you will have a garden that is ready to plant.

CM: When planning out a garden for the home, roughly how big do we need? Is it our entire backyard or just a 10x10 space? And where should we put it? In direct southern sun?
BI: You don't need a lot of room to get started. Starting a garden can be as simple as putting a tomato plant in a 5-gallon container or building a 3' x 3' raised bed. Most vegetables and herbs will need 6-10 hours of sunlight to grow, so place your garden in a south or west facing area where trees or buildings do not create a lot of shade.

CM: OK, now we have the garden in its right place with the right soil. What would you consider the ten easiest veggies for Coloradoans with black thumbs to grow?
BI: Here are some recommended easy seed crops for Colorado gardeners and when to plant. (Though Denver's average last frost date is May 10th, keep an eye on the forecast.)

Cool season crops (can handle cool temps, frost):
Peas (sow outdoors in March or April)
Spinach (sow outdoors in March or April)
Green Onions (sow outdoors in March or April)
Swiss Chard (sow outdoors in mid April)
Lettuce (sow outdoors in mid April)
Kale (sow outdoors in early May)

Warm season crop (cannot handle cool temps, frost):
Peppers (start indoors in March, transplant mid to late May)
Tomatoes (start indoors in April, transplant mid to late May)
Summer Squash (sow outdoors in late May)
Beans (sow outdoors in late May)

CM: Would you recommend a particular resource/book where we can go to get this information?
BI: All Botanical Interests seed packets have planting instructions on the back of the packet and extra information inside to help you have success with each variety. You can find out more about each of the over 500 varieties we offer on our website at www.botanicalinterests.com. We now also offer a mail order catalog and an Iphone APP with details about each variety.

CM: Let’s say I am a voracious salad eater, for example. Do you grow lettuces at different times throughout the summer so you can continue to have lettuce ready for harvest?
BI: Lettuce is a 'cool season' vegetable. It grows best in the cool weather of spring and fall and tends to 'bolt' (send up a seed stalk and turn bitter) when temperatures are 90 degrees or higher. However, you can get your salad fix in midsummer with these tips:
When lettuce seed is too hot, it won't germinate. Start indoors and transplant or shade the outdoor planting area to cool the soil. In warm weather, pick young leaves frequently. Don't try to get full heads. Try some creative alternatives in your salads: amaranth leaves, mustard, parsley, radish leaves, kale, New Zealand spinach, sorrel, calendula or nasturtium petals, chives, or cucumbers.

CM: Number one biggest mistake in gardening…
BI: Forgetting to water. Seeds won't germinate if they dry out, and mature plants may need watered more than once a day during the driest, hottest part of summer. Mulching plants well with dried grass clippings or hay can help to conserve moisture.

CM: You provide organic seed? Why is that important?
BI: Buying organic seed helps support farmers who farm their land without pesticides or herbicides. It also supports the greater philosophy of stewardship of the earth and the environment. Ideally, all varieties could be offered as certified organic seed. Unfortunately, there are a limited number of farmers growing a limited number of things organically. Whether you start with organic or conventional seed, the most important thing is how you grow it in your garden.

CM: Top 3 most important things you can do to have a bountiful garden…
BI:
•    Start with good soil.
•    Give new plantings a little TLC (water daily and always follow thinning instructions).
•    Have fun and don't be afraid to try new plants. How will know if you can grow monster zucchini, have towers dripping with tomatoes in September, or grow fantastic bouquets of flowers if you don't try?

Download their I Phone App NOW for more tips about how to grow specific plants.

OR visit their website and purchase seeds directly. NOW is absolutely the right time of year toget started!

The Beauty of What You Say: How powerful, positve words can create a more beautiful, radiant you

Carly Mayer

Posted by Carly Mayer on Feb 17, 2010

We all know that words are powerful things. When put together, they can lead a group of people, motivate the masses, inspire and teach. On the other hand, words also have the power to create hatred, spread negativity and fuel the flames of acrimony. As we speak them, our words are seeds, which plant into people’s minds and grow an image in their head of who we are. They are the window into our thoughts, beliefs, emotions and sometimes, insecurities.

Have you ever met someone who just drains your energy just by listening to them? They complain, talk negatively about other people and seem utterly incapable of playing a positive role in their own lives. Everyone knows someone like this, but most likely we avoid spending time with them. Conversely, we have all met people who within the first few minutes of talking with them seem to radiate positivity and in doing so, have incredible magnetism. They seem to be honestly grateful, genuinely curious and positive about their environment. These types of people you want to be around. They have an energy and enthusiasm about life and when you are with them, you are also influenced to see life that way. Think about every successful motivational speaker today. They are powerful because we are drawn to their mindset, to their ability to be driven, motivated and positive.

Now the negative person would look at the positive person and think the uplifting demeanor was false or insincere. How could a person really be that happy? Yet the reality is, as an individual, we have the ability every minute of every day to control our thoughts and our interpretation of our environment. We can choose to bathe in negativity, or we can acknowledge the adversity and move on. When we think positively, when we focus on what is good in our lives, when we choose to better our thoughts, it transmutes into our words that we speak. When you verbalize your positive thoughts, not only do you reinforce in your own mind those positive things, but you create an environment that people can be comfortable in, that people want to be in. So folks, “Be nice. Be cool. Be happy. Every day. Forever,” and you will begin to notice how the right attitude can attract the right things and people into your lives, while radiating a more beautiful, attractive you.

"Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means you have decided to look beyond the imperfections"

Why Do I Need a Mortgage Pre-Approval and What Is It?

Carly Mayer

Posted by Carly Mayer on Feb 6, 2010

While it's true that mortgage lenders are tightening their purse strings, home loans are still out there and readily available to those who qualify. Yet, the only way you will know if you qualify is to talk to a lender and seek a mortgage pre-approval. Now, for many people talking to a lender is on par with talking to a telemarketer during dinner time with your family. It’s dreaded and something to be avoided. But when buying a home, this process is a critical step that should ideally be accomplished before you ever start looking at homes.

It’s important to note that a mortgage pre-approval is not just for first time home buyers. For folks that are thinking about selling their home and buying a new one, you need to talk to a mortgage professional so they can ensure that you will qualify for your new home. There would be nothing worse than selling your home and then realizing that home you wanted was out of your reach.

A mortgage pre-approval is going to help you:
•    confirm your eligibility for a home loan
•    establish a price range
•    give you confidence in the home buying process
•    reassure home sellers of your ability to secure a loan

Your loan application information will be the basis for your mortgage pre-approval. Lenders will also weigh heavily three credit reports and income verification. Before you shop for a mortgage pre-approval, review your own credit history. Determine what you can comfortably afford to pay for housing including taxes and insurance.
Before you visit a lender, or fill out a loan application, you may want to check your credit report for potential problems. Your credit score will help determine whether or not you get a loan, the terms of the loan and the interest rate you will pay. Federal law entitles you to one free credit report in a 12-month period from each major credit reporting agency. Get a free report at www.annualcreditreport.com. Check the report for errors and resolve errors before you apply for a loan. You can also call the three major nationwide consumer credit reporting companies for your free report:

•    Equifax: 1-877-576-5734; www.equifax.com
•    Experian: 1-888-397-3742; www.experian.com
•    TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; www.transunion.com

Mortgage Pre-approval vs. Mortgage Pre-Qualification
A mortgage pre-approval is not the same as a mortgage pre-qualification. Many people confuse the two terms. A mortgage pre-qualification is the first step to getting a mortgage pre-approval. During the mortgage pre-qualification process, a mortgage lender will evaluate your financial status based on information you give over the telephone or internet. It does not usually require an application fee or require you to substantiate income and expense claims. The lender will determine how much you are likely to be able to afford for housing. Hey people, it is important to be completely honest with your lender and yourself during this process. Be truthful about the amount of debt that you have, your current income and every financial liability that you might be paying on a monthly basis

A mortgage pre-approval is more formal. It will require fees including an application fee and a credit report fee. You will be asked to provide documents to verify employment or other forms of income. The mortgage lender working on the mortgage pre-approval will pull your credit reports and review your credit history. Mortgage pre-approval is a better guarantee of your eligibility than a mortgage pre-qualification.

Remember…
Most professional real estate agents will not start working with a buyer until the buyer has spoken to and at least, been pre-qualified with a lender. Not only does this not waste anyone’s time, but it also ensures that when you are ready to make an offer, there is a letter in place stating that you are capable of purchasing the home. This is a powerful bargaining chip and certainly an integral part of a seller’s decision making process when evaluating the merits of your offer.

If you are thinking about getting involved with real estate, take the time to sit down with a lender. They can counsel you on what you can afford, how to repair your credit, how much up front money you will need and what programs are available to you. If you need a recommendation, I would be more than happy to pass on the name of well qualified mortgage counselors who can assist you.

Radioactive Gas in Colorado Homes? What You Need to Know About Radon

Carly Mayer

Posted by Carly Mayer on Jan 11, 2010

If you have not purchased a home in the past three years, you may not be aware that radon is an ever-growing issue when it comes to buying or selling a home in Colorado. In fact, in areas such as Fort Collins, sellers are required to give potential buyers the city’s radon disclosure brochure at the point of sale.

Radon is a radioactive gas that is colorless, odorless and a lung carcinogen in humans. It is a byproduct derived from the breakdown of radium inside the earth. Unfortunately, radium deposits in the soil are common and can be found all over the country. When looking at the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) map of radon zones, Colorado is a Zone 1, which means that there is a higher chance of “radon potential.”

In regards to human safety, radon gasses do not have immediate symptoms, but it is speculated that close to 20,000 cases of lung cancer are caused by radon gas every year. The EPA estimates that radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Wow.

The extent of the problem in the United States caused the U.S. Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona to issue a national health advisory in January of 2005 urging “Americans to prevent this silent radioactive gas from seeping into their homes and building up to dangerous levels.” In step with this declaration, the EPA suggests that all homes should now be tested for radon.

If after reading this you feel panicked, don’t. According to the Surgeon General, “It’s important to know that this threat is completely preventable. Radon can be detected with a simple test and fixed through well-established venting techniques." If you are in the process of buying or selling a home, you may find that a radon test is required. This is a negotiated item and paid for by either the seller or the buyer. Many home inspection companies now offer such a test and if the test shows high levels of the gas, radon mitigation systems typically cost a homeowner anywhere from $800-$900.

If you are planning on staying in your home, but are still concerned about radon, give me a call. I can put you in contact with contractors in the area that are certified to perform a radon test.

You can also go to www.epa.gov/radon for all of the information you could ever want to know about radon

Home Staging 101: Yes, people, it works

Carly Mayer

Posted by Carly Mayer on Jan 5, 2010

Have you ever walked into the model home at a new housing development and marveled at the meticulous decorating? The dining room table is formally set as if waiting for guests to arrive. The downstairs office has a replica computer on the desk next to a color coordinated pencil holder. You notice that the kitchen counters are swept clean, free of appliances, and the living room is perfectly arranged inviting you to come and relax. Every room has a purpose. Every room tells a story.

Developers are smart. They decorate these models in such a way because they know that people get wrapped up in the story that these properly staged homes create. In the end, those stories sell houses.

As an individual selling your home, the importance of staging is no different. In fact, properly staged homes sell faster and usually for more money than homes that have not been.

Now, you do not have to be a masterful decorator to stage your home. According to Barb Schwarz, the self-proclaimed creator of staging concept, “Staging is not decorating. Decorating means personalizing your space; staging is depersonalizing it.”

One of the first steps to staging is removing clutter. Think of it this way, if you plan on moving, there is no better time than the present to start packing up your things. As you start putting your items in boxes, repeat the mantra, “Less is more.” You might also want to store excess furniture. When you sell your home, you want every room to have a purpose, but you also want the buyer to be able to see the room. If you see that armchair in the corner of the room and realize noone has sat on it in a month, it can probably go. In Fact, if it seems superfluous in the slightest way, it probably is.

Remove, sadly, pictures of you and the kids that adorn every mantel. Take some of the drawings off the walls and leave just the bare minimum in terms of art. If art remains, make sure it's neutral in content. No nude sketches from college. Remember you are selling the home; you do not want other things to distract the buyers from seeing what a fantastic layout you have or how large the formal dining area is.

Focus much of your attention on the entranceway. Imagine what your buyers are going to feel when they are waiting for their Realtor to open the door. They are going to be scanning the outside of your house. So, ask yourself: Have I cleaned the outside lights? Have all of the cobwebs been removed? Is my door nicely painted? Does the door hardware look nice and new? Does the key work? Now that they are inside, that foyer needs to make an impression. It needs to invite the buyers in and get them to want to see the rest of the house. Walk through your front door, as if you were a buyer, and see if it makes a great first impression.

Remember that bathrooms and kitchens can really sell a house. Make sure they are scrubbed clean and immaculate. No mold. No mildew. Re-caulk if needed. In the bathroom, put the lid down on the toilet and make it inviting by neatly hanging fluffy hand towels that coordinate with the color of the room. These towels should look new or be new. Perhaps you can tie a piece of decorative rope or beading around the towels for a finished look. This is an inexpensive investment that you can always take to your new home.

If it helps you, consider your home to be a stage in which you tell a story. This stage then needs props to help convey the message. You can go to thrift, craft and discount stores to help you find props that can add a new, tasteful dimension to your home.

If staging seems hard at first, don’t worry, you are not alone. It is a practiced art form because it truly goes against what we innately feel to be “homey.” Try staging a room and taking a picture of it. If you saw this picture in the multiple listing service, what would you think of it? Would you be excited by it? If not, try again.

Lastly, if you are feeling overwhelmed, make sure you hire a Realtor, like myself, who can guide you through the process and give you suggestions about how to make the home more saleable.

Do you REALLY know what the recycling symbol means?

Carly Mayer

Posted by Carly Mayer on Dec 31, 2009

When one thinks of the arrows of the recycling symbol, the phrase “reduce, reuse, recycle” comes to most people’s mind. In regards to consumption and sustainability, this motto perfectly sums up the order in which you want to proceed. First, you want to reduce your consumption. Secondly, whatever you utilize, you want to reuse it as many times as you can. Finally, you want to recycle it so that it can be turned into something new and not thrown away.

When taking a look at the economics of recycling, there is another way to look at this symbol. The first arrow represents the act of recycling. The second arrow signifies the item being turned into something new and the third arrow represents the purchasing of the recycled product. This third and final step of buying recycled products is called “closing the loop.”

We all know that the items we utilize daily are made from natural resources. These natural resources such as iron ore, steel, and oil have prices that fluctuate based on the economic principles of supply and demand. Well, recycled materials operate the same way. When you recycle your aluminum or paper, the recycling center sells them to a manufacturer that makes new products out of the materials. Some recyclables are more “valuable” than others. For example, white computer paper is more valuable on the open market than paperboard (the stuff your cereal box is made from) because you can recycle white paper more times and it can be turned into a variety of new paper products. Paperboard is essentially turned back into paperboard. In the United States, brown glass is more valuable than green glass as most green glass in the U.S. is imported. Because of this, there isn’t a huge market for green recycled glass here in the States.

Have you ever wondered why you visit some states and they are allowed to recycle different, more or less items than here? Well again, it goes back to economics. Let’s say you live in Nebraska. It would be safe to assume that there are few paper mills there. So in Nebraska, they have to pay to transport the recycled paper to a paper mill. If it costs more to get it there compared to what they actually get from the paper mill, some communities will choose to forgo recycling paper. That’s why some cities find it too expensive to recycle plastic. Plastic is a very tricky thing to recycle as there are hundreds of different types of plastics that we as consumers use, but very few products that plastic are currently being turned into. In other words, the “market” for recycled plastic is not as expansive as with other recyclables. In order to keep on recycling plastic, some municipalities take a loss from selling their plastic, but make it up with more valuable recyclables like aluminum and glass.

This is where closing the loop, buying recycled products, becomes so important. If we do not support the manufactures that make recycled products, then the market for our recyclables diminishes. Conversely, if everyone made a commitment to buying recycled products, there would be an increased demand for our recyclables and manufacturers would start to focus their energies on producing recycled consumer items. As an example, when President Clinton made an executive order back in 1993 to have a certain percentage of paper used by all government agencies made from recycled paper, the demand for recycled paper skyrocketed. In turn, many paper companies built new paper mills to specifically manufacture recycled paper and meet the new demand. When the decking company Trex, developed a way to recycle plastic bags and turn them into plastic “wood,” recycling containers for plastic bags sprang up in every grocery store. The consumer demand for Trex and similar products created a demand for our plastic bags.

If we use the power of the dollar and show manufacturers that we want to buy recycled products they will respond. The more recycled products we buy, the less expensive they become to manufacture and that savings is passed onto the consumer. If we demand more recycled products, the impetus for new innovations, for new recycled end products will emerge. So, start reading the labels. If you own a business, make a commitment to buying recycled office paper and envelopes. When you go to the grocery store, look at the packaging and see if it’s made from recycled materials. We need to close the loop on recycling so that recycling is allowed to succeed. Bringing our recycling to the curb is only the first step.

Colorado Backcountry Riding/Skiing at its Best: Silverton Mountain

Carly Mayer

Posted by Carly Mayer on Dec 29, 2009

If you are looking for a backcountry ski or snowboarding experience in Colorado than look no farther than Silverton Mountain. You could hardly call this mountain a resort as the “lodge” consists of a trailer and an old bus, but the folks that are coming here are not looking for the creature comforts of larger ski areas. The excitement over Silverton Mountain, which is located just 60 miles north of Durango at over 13K feet, is that it offers some of the best backcountry lines in all of Colorado. All of the trails are au natural, no clear cutting here, and are accessible by one chair lift that takes you to the top. From there, you use the gifts that you were born with (those legs) to hike to the entrances to the runs. With names like “Pants Pooper” and “Gnar Couloir,” it is apparent that this mountain is not for everyone. In fact, this is truly for experienced skiers and riders - double black diamonds are the bunny slopes here.

You also have to be prepared when coming here. First, due to limitations on the number of people allowed on the mountain (ie, never crowds), you must make reservations in advance. Then, because of the extreme and true backcountry conditions, you are required to bring an avalanche beacon, probe, and shovel (can be rented from the mountain). If this all seems too intimidating, you can easily arrange for a guided tour of the mountain and gain access to areas that the unguided folks may not be able to get to.

For more information visit Silverton Mountain

IN THE VIDEO: John Shaw, Chris Mayer and Carly Mayer

Bentonite Clay: The Potentially Pesky Home Problem

Carly Mayer

Posted by Carly Mayer on Dec 14, 2009

Heaving driveways, cracked foundations, windows separating from the walls in the basement…this is not the stuff of nightmares, but rather the reality for a small portion of Colorado homeowners. You see, Colorado has an abundance of bentonite clay in the soil in certain topographical pockets along the Front Range. The problem is that bentonite clay acts as a sponge, expanding as it gets wet and then contracting when dry. When homes are built upon earth that has a disproportionate amount of bentonite clay, the foundation of these homes can suffer greatly with the movement and expansion of such soils.

Ironically, bentonite is not an enemy of the home. In fact, in some applications, bentonite clay has the benefit of acting as an impermeable barrier against water. Unfortunately, when the bentonite clay is distributed unevenly and liberally within the soil composition that homes are built upon, bentonite clay’s advantages plummet. Take Highlands Ranch, for example. This coveted community southwest of Denver is renowned for its bentonite problem. Village Homes, one of the predominant builders in the area actually agreed to cover most of the cost of repairs to up to 394 Highlands Ranch homes damaged by swelling soils. In Superior, Richmond Homes has actually bought back residences from homeowners due to the bentonite issues and their affects on the foundation.

As a homeowner, there is no need to man your panic stations if you live in one of these bentonite-rich areas. In fact, even if you live in an area that has had some problems, that does not mean your home is in danger. The issues are on a home by home basis, which means that your neighbor might have had some troubles, but your house in theory, could be free and clear. The solution is to be proactive and think defensively. Take preventative measures to minimize water reaching the soil around your home which will help maintain consistent moisture content within the ground.

To do this, ensure that you have proper drainage around your home. This means that there should be a drop of elevation 1” for every 1’ of distance away from your foundation. This equates to a 6” drop in 6’. Secondly, make certain that drainpipes have long enough extensions to divert water away from your foundation and that gutters by the roof are not leaking. Lastly, seal all patio and driveway cracks so that water cannot penetrate the soil under the cement.

If you are curious about whether you might have some foundation issues, here are some things to look for. If your home has a floating floor in the basement, look for areas of the floor that may be buckling from the walls of the foundation exerting pressure on the floor. Notice if there are gaps between the wall and the window frame in the basement. If your basement is not finished, take a look at the large metal structural beam in your basement. If you notice cracking or chipping of cement in the beam pocket (where the beam meets the wall) that could be a sign of the wall moving around the beam.

Remember, and this is important, that just because you have one of these symptoms or two or maybe even three, that does not necessarily mean that you have a foundation problem. For instance, if you see cracks in the foundation, that is not necessarily a sign of instability. Soils do settle and fractures in the foundation can happen regardless of the type of soil your home is built upon. The key is to be diligent about preventing water from coming near the foundation walls, wherever you may live. If you are truly concerned and think that your home might be affected, you might consider contacting a structural engineer to come and evaluate your home.

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Blog

Color and How it Affects You

10 Property Open House Tour: Rural/Horse Properties April 24th/25th

Come Visit 10 Properties on an Open House Tour This Weekend: Rural/Horse/Acreage Residences

Looking for a quieter way of life?

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Great Interview w/ Broomfield's own Botanical Interests seed Company

The Beauty of What You Say: How powerful, positve words can create a more beautiful, radiant you

Why Do I Need a Mortgage Pre-Approval and What Is It?

Radioactive Gas in Colorado Homes? What You Need to Know About Radon

Home Staging 101: Yes, people, it works

Do you REALLY know what the recycling symbol means?

Colorado Backcountry Riding/Skiing at its Best: Silverton Mountain

Bentonite Clay: The Potentially Pesky Home Problem