PREPARING YOUR HOME FOR WINTER
Every year a number of homeowners forget to shut off
and drain their two outside faucets. This results in
broken pipes, indoor flooding and all manner of
unpleasant situations. For safety sake, do this before
the first frost.
TO SHUT OFF OUTSIDE FAUCETS: Close the water valve
for these faucets. In most units, this is located in
your furnace room. In the ranch style townhouse, the
turn off valve for one of the faucets is located under
the kitchen sink. Then, open the two outside
faucets. Return to the turn off valve and slowly open
the small brass petcock on the side of the valve. You
will hear a rush of water - and possibly you will have
some dripping from the petcock. Shut the petcock,
leave the outside faucets open .... 'til Spring.
SNOW REMOVAL
A contract has been signed with High Tech, our
landscape service, to do our snow removal again this
year. The board discussed with High Tech a number of
complaints we had from last year, and High Tech will
act to make corrections. Overall, we were very pleased
with their service last year. The work was done early
and quickly.
We requested a bid on a proposal to include all
driveways in our clearing contract. The cost of this
addition to service is much too high for our budget to
carry. High Tech will continue to clear the ends of
driveways as they did last year.
Some homeowners have asked whether or not they can
make private arrangements with the crews to have their
individual driveways shoveled. The answer from High
Tech is NO. The practice wrecks havoc with the
scheduled work load of the crews.
NEW PLANTING BEDS
The Board approved a proposal for two new planting
beds at the corner of Harrow and Willow. This will be
done the Fall, so that, come Spring, all those who
live and travel in that area can enjoy 425 daffodils.
DEAD TREES
Another proposal was approved for this Fall to remove
some of the dead trees that we have around us. The
proposal includes those trees which are a possible
hazard to homes and people. There are other dead trees
on our grounds. Tree removal is an expensive
proposition, and we shall try to deal with the other
dead ones in our 2007 budget.
NEXT SPRING - MULCH !
A number of homeowners have asked about mulching the
public beds and trees in our area. This will be done
next Spring around the end of March.