LANCASTER FIRST FRIDAY - September

Southeast Lancaster Health Services, 333 N. Arch Street
Penchansky’s World: Public silent auction of the photography of Dr. Barry Penchansky, world traveler, pilot, and physician, to benefit Project HEAL and the Penchansky Memorial.

Christiane a Paris, 136 N. Prince St.
Presenting photographs by Verena Huetteneder. Sales proceeds to fund education of a female student in a developing country.

Liz Hess Gallery,* 140 N. Prince St.
Introducing Larry Lefever, a professional photographer from Lititz who has spent 26 years photographing America’s rural landscapes. Liz Hess has collaborated with him to create several paintings inspired by his artistic eye, adding her signature red umbrella.

Pencilworks Studio and Gallery, 154 N. Prince St.
Showcasing new black-and-white and HDR photography by resident artist Carl Woerner. Open until 10 pm.

Edwin P. Huddle Photography, 122 E. Chestnut St.
Fine art photography, photo décor and commissioned portraits on display.

Studio Two 20 Two, 222 N. Duke St.
Original artworks by Los Angeles-based fine art photographer Brooke Shaden and original watercolors by local artist Joann Hensel.

Framing Concept, 328 N. Queen St.
Recent original photography by Ann Darkes. Artist reception.

The Wiebners Photography Studio, 320 N. Queen St.
Photography by Joel and Rita Wiebner.

Mulberry Art Studios, 19-21 N. Mulberry St.
Bob Forrey: Untitled. Each painting carries its own voice and creates a special division of space and color. Brett Greiman: Visual Voices. Collection of the artist’s work in acrylic, pastel graphic design, illustration, and photography from the past 14 years. Artist reception 5-8pm.

Fulton Elementary School, 225 W. Orange St.
Collection of work from professional and amateur photographers. Proceeds benefit earthquake victims in Haiti. Live music by Salt & Light and Susquehanna Woodwind Quintet. Free dessert sampling. 5-8pm.

Natural Light Films, 405 N. Duke St.
In collaboration with Ten Thousand Villages, presenting video documentary profiles of artisans from West and East Africa, and Kim Edelen’s photography from Sri Lanka, Sudan, and Zambia. Artisan products available for purchase. 4-9pm; 6pm – travel talk.

The Candy Factory 323 N. Queen Street

Photography by Mike Miville, Matthew Lester, Todd Spitler and Brian Welch and much more, including the Idyllic Heart art of Ami Becker.  Also will be a screening of “The Travelling Diamonds” students short films of Temple University.

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Portions courtesy of Patrick J. Cooney, Photography

If you’re selling a property with a driveway across what appears to be a neighbor’s lot, or if you’ve always had an “agreement” with the neighbor be careful.  There’s a big legal difference between an easement and what’s called an encroachment.

The seller must establish the following:
• The use was visible, open, notorious (i.e. that the neighbor knows about it)
• There was never expressed permission
• The use was continuous for at least 21 years.

If the seller cannot establish these elements the use may constitute an encroachment over the boundary line and a trespass.  Never assume that a neighbor will continue to allow the encroachment. Unless a prescriptive easement is legally confirmed, and recorded, the neighbor could always file a complaint, force the buyer to remove the encroachment and bar your client from crossing the actual property boundary line. Of course, subject to consultation with an attorney, there are some options:

• Either the seller, if the issue is discovered prior to close of escrow, or the new buyer, if after close, could negotiate a settlement or title in return for compensation.

• Or, they could agree that an easement will never be granted, but that the neighbor will give revocable permissions (a “license”) to use the property.  In any event, once the issue is raised, the parties must consult counsel and resolve it before the close of escrow.

Whenever you suspect you may be over the property line, do your homework when considering a sale.  If you’re granting a neighbor or someone else the use of a portion of your lot, however small, consider getting an agreement in writing with simple terms that will ensure your ownership.

Geothermal heat pumps in Lancaster County, PA and elsewhere use the constant temperature of the earth as an exchange medium for heat. Although many parts of the country experience seasonal temperature extremes—from scorching heat in the summer to sub-zero cold in the winter—the ground a few feet below the earth’s surface remains at a relatively constant temperature.

Depending on the latitude, ground temperatures range from 45°F (7°C) to 75°F (21°C). So, like a cave’s, the ground’s temperature is warmer than the air above it during winter and cooler than the air above it in summer. Geothermal heat pumps take advantage of this by exchanging heat with the earth through a ground heat exchanger.

Geothermal heat pumps are able to heat, cool, and, if so equipped, supply homes and buildings with hot water. A geothermal heat pump system consists of a heat pump, an air delivery system (ductwork), and a heat exchanger—a system of pipes buried in shallow ground. In the winter, the heat pump removes heat from the heat exchanger and pumps it into the indoor air delivery system. In the summer, the process is reversed, and the heat pump moves heat from the indoor air into the heat exchanger. The heat removed from the indoor air during the summer can also be used to provide a free source of hot water.

There are four types of geothermal heat pump systems. Three of these—horizontal, vertical, and pond/lake—are closed-loop systems. The fourth type is open-loop. Which is best depends on the climate, soil conditions, available land, and local installation costs at a particular site. All of these approaches can be used for residential and commercial building applications.

Closed-Loop Systems

Horizontal

This type of Lancaster PA geothermal heat pump is generally most cost-effective for residential installations, particularly for new construction where sufficient land is available. It requires trenches at least 4 feet deep. The most common layouts use two pipes, one buried at 6 feet and the other at 4 feet, or two pipes placed side-by-side at 5 feet in the ground in a 2-foot-wide trench. The Slinky^™ method of looping pipe allows more pipe in a shorter trench, which cuts installation costs and makes horizontal installation possible in areas that would not be viable for conventional horizontal applications.

Vertical

Large commercial buildings and schools often use vertical systems because the land area required for horizontal loops is prohibitive. Vertical loops are also used where the soil is too shallow for trenching, and they minimize the disturbance to existing landscaping. For a vertical system, holes (approximately 4 inches in diameter) are drilled about 20 feet apart and 100–400 feet deep. Into these holes go two pipes that are connected at the bottom with a U-bend to form a loop. The vertical loops are connected with horizontal pipe (i.e., manifold), placed in trenches, and connected to the heat pump in the building.

Ponds or Lakes

If a site has an adequate body of water, a water-source heat pump may be the lowest-cost option. A supply line pipe is run underground from the building to the water and coiled into circles at least 8 feet under the surface to prevent freezing. The coils should be placed only in a water source that meets minimum volume, depth, and quality criteria.

Open-Loop System

This type of system uses well or surface body water as the heat exchange fluid that circulates directly through the heat pump system. Once it has circulated through the system, the water returns to the ground through the well, a recharge well, or surface discharge. This option is practical only where there is an adequate supply of relatively clean water and all local codes and regulations regarding groundwater discharge are met.

More Information

Learn more at the US DOE website about selecting and installing a geothermal heat pump system for your home or building.

So what’s new?

Nothing to great, actually.  New listings dropped 7% over 2009, but sale were off almost 40%, this being the fallout from the tax credit incentive that drove sale closings into May and June.  The pending home sales in Lancaster number was the one I was most interested to see, and they were off almost a full quarter versus 2009.  I had hoped things would start rebounding sooner…

As we can see from the historical data, pending home sale peaked in April with an all-time high per the tax credit deadline of 4.30, then collapsed in May.  I was hoping to see a bit stronger rebound by now but we’ll see what August brings.

If you’re a seller the competition continues to heat up; active listings are up 20% over 2009 and the average days-on-market is 16% higher than homes sold in July 2009.  Pricing and great marketing are more important than ever to get your home sold.  Expiring listings were also up almost 20% (notice a trend?) over last summer.

Lastly, sold homes in Lancaster County PA took a tumble in July for all the reasons explained above…most tax credit sales have settled already despite the extension of the settlement deadline by congress until 9/30.

Home prices for new listings were up on average – I checked on that and found several multi-million $$ homes that were listed in July; expect the actual number to be closer to June’s average of $208,411.  I’ll take a closer look at Lancaster PA home prices in an upcoming article.

It wasn’t that long ago when we rarely heard of anything being sold as “green,” yet today, you’d be hard pressed to find an industry that isn’t branding themselves as greener, more environmentally conscious, and/or more energy efficient.  In fact, the home building industry is no different, and you are probably seeing more and more new homes touted as “green.”  But do you know what makes a home green?  As one of the first Certified Green Professionals (CGPs) in the area, I often get asked this question, and here’s my answer.

There are five broad-based categories that go into making a house (or any building, for that matter) green. They are:

1. Site selection and preparation

2. Energy efficiency

3. Efficient use of building materials

4. Indoor air quality

5. Water conservation

Let’s explore each one in a little more detail.

Site selection and preparation – One of the first steps in building a green home is the selection of where the home will be built. In the green building process, it is important to select a site where infrastructure (utilities, roads, etc.) already exists. Additionally, site preparation is extremely important in the green building process. The builder will try to preserve mature trees; this reduces landscaping and future energy costs. Trees also help provide winter wind breaks or summer shade.

Energy efficiency – There is so much about a home that falls under this category. Windows, doors, insulation, appliances, water heating units and the home’s mechanical system all play a huge role in how efficient your home is, and ultimately, what amount of natural resources (i.e., gas, oil or coal) your home uses to stay comfortable. A great place to begin is to select EnergyStar® appliances and electronics.

Efficient use of building materials – Factory-built components including trusses and pre-hung doors allow for more efficient use of raw materials, which makes the most out of every piece of lumber. These products also eliminate the need to cut wood on the jobsite, further reducing waste.

Indoor air quality – Choosing low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) materials – wood flooring, carpets, paints, stains, varnishes and caulks – improves the indoor air quality of the home. Additionally, the filter attached to the mechanical system that controls the home’s heating, ventilation and cooling can remove the majority of the allergens inside your home.

Water conservation – New toilets have redesigned bowls and tanks that use less water, but function more efficiently than the first-generation low-flow models. Advanced shower and sink faucet aerators provide the same flow regardless of pressure to reduce water use and the energy required to heat it. Some homeowners have even installed rain barrels to collect rain for use in watering flowers or washing their cars.

I’ll be delving more deeply into each category in upcoming articles.  If you have any questions feel free to call!

Homeownership almost seems like a dirty word in today’s society. People are blogging, tweeting and facebooking their belief that buying a home is just plain stupid. I respect their opinion on the issue though I totally disagree. Why?

This might be the best time to buy a home in American real estate history.

Some might think I’m crazy. Cynics might think that I am saying this because I still hold a real estate license (though I have not listed nor sold a home in ten years). My reason for saying it is actually quite simple. Owning a home makes more sense than not owning a home for the vast majority of families in this country. Let me give you five reasons why.

1. Real Estate is a Great Long Term Investment

Don’t take my word on this. This is what Mike Mandel, former chief economist at BusinessWeek and current Senior Fellow at Wharton’s Mack Center for Technological Innovation, had to say:

We’ve just had the biggest boom and bust in real estate in recent history. Nevertheless, real estate has still greatly outperformed the stock market over the past ten years.

Below is his chart actually showing the difference between real estate and the stock market.

2. A Home Is a Better Place to Raise a Family

Don’t take my word on this. When Fannie Mae asked current renters for the major reason to buy a house in their National Housing Survey 2010, these were the answers renters gave (they could pick multiple answers):

• 78% said it was a good place to raise children
• 75% said because they would feel safe
• 70% said because you have control of your own space

3. A Home Creates a Sense of Community

Don’t take my word on this. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York just published a paper The Homeownership Gap. The paper explained:

Because owners have a financial interest in their property, they have incentives to take measures that will maintain or increase the value of that property. Some of these measures—such as fixing a leaky roof—are closely related to the house itself. Others, such as investing resources in the betterment of the neighborhood and the community, have broader beneficial effects on the local area, creating what economists call “positive externalities.”

4. It’s Cheaper to Own Than Rent in Many Parts of the Country

Don’t take my word on this. Housing Wire just reported on a Credit Suisse study:

While a segment of the renting population continues to rent, many are looking to dip their toes in the homeownership waters. Credit Suisse said the percentage of median household income needed to pay the mortgage on a median priced home is at a 30-year low… Low mortgage rates and property values makes homeownership more attractive than renting for many. In many markets — including Washington DC, California’s Inland Empire, Las Vegas and Phoenix — paying for a mortgage is less expensive than renting.

And here is a graph from the study:

5. The People Who Do Buy a Home Don’t Regret It

Don’t take my word on this. Probably the best people to ask if buying a home makes sense are the people who currently own homes. A recent national poll commissioned by Bankrate.com found:

Ninety percent of homeowners say they don’t regret buying their home despite a nationwide tsunami of foreclosures, short sales and loan modifications.

It’s a great long term investment. It’s a great place to raise a family. It gives you a greater sense of community. It’s less expensive than renting. People who currently own have no regrets. Buying a home seems like a no brainer to me.

As a financial planner and a new-ish home owner, I’m always on the look out for ways I can furnish our house without breaking our budget.  Home Depot and Lowe’s are both within a ten minute drive, and so the opportunity to spend big is never far from reach!

However, I’ve learned that, in addition to online stores, we have quite a number of under-the-radar home supply and decoration options here in Lancaster County.  I’d like to share some of the options that I’ve discovered, and encourage you to share other opportunities that you know are out there, as I’m sure there are more.

Craigslist, which can be Lancaster County-specific, is a good first option for finding things that you can go inspect in person and pick up.  You can search for just about anything, and if Lancaster doesn’t have what you’re looking for, Craigslist will suggest other local areas that may.  I purchased the pavers for our backyard patio on Craigslist – and received two year old, almost perfect condition 6”x9” trapezoid-shaped pavers for 40 cents each.  I found comparable, but not identical, pavers at Lowe’s that were listed at over 2 bucks a piece.

The Lancaster Restore, a division of Habitat for Humanity, is a great option.  My wife and I frequent here monthly.  When contractors are working on houses, often they’ll salvage building supplies and then re-sell them through the Restore.  You wouldn’t know it by driving by on Route 30, but the place has an enormous inventory.  Everything from light fixtures, to drawer knobs, to windows, to toilets.  We scored ten 1’ sheets of backsplash tile for our kitchen for $5 a piece.  Similar ones were selling at Home Depot for $10-15.  We also purchased toilet paper dispensers for $2 and a medicine cabinet for $15 – which after the rehab of a bottle of spray paint looked brand new.

And my personal favorite: Wolgemuth Auction.  This is a monthly auction held every second Thursday at a simply gigantic property in Leola.  Both new and used building supplies are sold here, as well as returns from Costco and other local big box stores.  With auctions, you have to carefully inspect what you’re buying – but there are some serious deals to be had.  So far, I’ve purchased a brand new solid wood interior door for $5, a brand new stainless steel sink for $17, a brand new bathroom vanity for $17, ten boxes of new bathroom tile for $30, and a “lot box” for $1 which ended up containing three brand new digital thermostats, six 5-gallon drywall buckets, miscellaneous electric wiring, plumbing tools, and three door knobs.  Wolgemuth has everything from power tools to hand tools, kitchen cabinets to wicker furniture, insulation to lumber, doors to windows, and just about everything in between.  But – it is auction, and at times things sell for more than what you can get them at retail price, so you need to be weary of what you’re buying.  What’s that saying in real estate, Jeff? … Buyer Beware.

There are tremendous opportunities and deals available right here in Lancaster PA that can allow you to furnish your home without breaking your budget.  The trade off is convenience, and requires a little patience.

There is no doubt that summer has been here with a vengeance for the past month. Many homeowners are frustrated at this time of year to see their beautiful lawn declining. Figuring out what to do to change that situation is a hard task. With so many issues on lawns in summer, where would you even start?

Hindsight is 20/20: If you are a lawn enthusiast like us, you got extremely spoiled in 2009. Last year, we saw lawns lose a little bit of color in the month of June, but the ample rainfall kept things lush and green all the way through the hottest time of year. This is definitely not the case in 2010. Our area has seen regular temperatures for the last month in the 90’s, which is more typical of August weather, than June and early July. This heat coupled with a lack of regular rainfall has stressed out grass plants, and let to even more problems.

The Miracle Serum: The most crucial element any plant needs to survive is water. Without the right amount of it, it will stress the plant out and kill it. Most lawns are able to survive periods of 4-7 weeks of drought conditions, by going into dormancy. The blades of the grass lose moisture, and turn a straw-brown color. Energy in the grass plants is diverted to keeping the roots and crowns of the grass plants alive, so they can regenerate new blades when the environment permits. When cooler temperatures arrive later in the year, and rainfall is more abundant, most lawn areas will green back up, if only under typical drought conditions.

There’s a Fungus Among Us: There are dozens of turf fungi that cause damage to lawns in a year. Some are less of a concern than others, and some can cause permanent damage in a short period of time. During the summer, there are several fungi that can damage your lawn extensively. Summer Patch, Brown Patch, Leaf Spot, and Pythium Blight are just a few of those we typically see on lawns. The common catalyst for this is the proper environmental conditions. Night-time temperatures above 68 degrees and high humidity or rainfall at night will be very conducive to helping these grow on grass plants. Fungicides can be applied to lawns to lessen the effects. These applications can be more expensive than typical treatments, and only last for approximately 30 days, but may be what your lawn needs to survive.

Critters with an Appetite: There are a few insects that can extensively cause irreversible damage to your lawn in the summer. Chinch Bugs, Billbugs, Sod Webworms, and Grubs are the main destroyers in our areas. Preventative applications can be made to lawns to keep these invaders from damaging your lawn.

Stay off My Lawn! One of the worst things you can do for a stressed lawn is to mow it too short, too often, or when it’s too hot. This can make the lawn look even worse! The best thing to do would be only mow the lawn when you can’t tolerate it anymore, and mow it on your mower’s highest height setting. Try to stay off the lawn completely. Parties, playing hard on the lawn, and heavy foot traffic can damage the crowns of the grass plants making it even harder for the lawn to regenerate when conditions improve.

So what should you do? If you believe you have any of these issues, let a trained lawn care professional check them out for you. The diagnosis of these problems is very difficult, especially for homeowners. Some issues are easily addressed, and some issues are also beyond control. Either way, it’s important to understand these lawn stresses, and know what options are available.

As we move into the sultry summer months, the temperatures will rise … and so will those energy bills! For those homeowners who may not have felt the sting of their electric bill over the winter months, they most likely will feel it this summer when their air conditioning is running 24/7 to keep their family comfortable.

Remember, with Federal tax credits still available through the end of 2010, I encourage anyone considering a home improvement project to heavily weigh the benefits of doing it NOW so you can take advantage of the tax credits – and energy savings. That’s what this month’s article is all about.

It’s nearly impossible these days to not see or hear about “green” ways. Everything is “Going Green” ― from vehicles to building materials. Not only are consumers much more conscientious about their carbon footprints, in today’s economy they are also getting savvy about saving money, too.

One of the biggest investments you will ever make is on your home, and for consumers who are looking to build a new home, building one that is certified “green” is certainly something I encourage you to look into. In fact, a recent survey revealed that homeowners of green homes said they were happier 85 percent of the time with their new green homes than with their previous, more traditionally built ones, due in part to the lower operating and maintenance costs that come with energy- and resource-efficient homes.

But for the 120 million existing homes in the United States, remodeling is the only way for homeowners to incorporate green. Here are some suggestions to homeowners who want to increase their home’s efficiency, decrease costs, and take advantage of the other benefits that green offers.

1. Install maximum insulation in the area to be remodeled.

Forty percent of the energy consumed in a typical house goes to heating and cooling. Adding insulation is an easy way to increase efficiency. It will also help save energy costs, increase comfort by better controlling temperature, and improve indoor air quality by eliminating many gaps through which dirt, dust, and other impurities can enter.

2. Install high-efficiency windows instead of those that “just meet” code.

Ordinary window glass transmits ultraviolet heat rays from the sun, which can increase your air conditioning bill dramatically. Energy-efficient windows can help control this effect. These windows may have two or more panes of glass, warm-edge spacers between the panes, improved framing materials, and microscopically thin metal or metallic oxide layers deposited on windows to reduce radiative heat flow.

3. Seal all exterior penetration points.

You can reduce energy loss by inspecting your home from the inside and outside, and plugging cracks or openings. Anywhere a home’s envelope has been punctured (windows, doors, electrical outlets, etc.) can be an energy loss point, especially over time when the original protective seal begins to deteriorate. Use caulk to seal all small cracks on non-moving surfaces, and install weather stripping on windows, doors and other movable parts of the home.

4. Purchase only ENERGY STAR-rated appliances.

ENERGY STAR-rated appliances, ranging from dishwashers and refrigerators to computers and televisions, meet strict energy-efficiency guidelines set by the EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy. Qualified refrigerators, dishwashers and vent fans incorporate advanced technologies that use 10-50 percent less energy and water than standard models, more than making up for the slightly higher initial costs of these products.

5. Install low-flow water plumbing fixtures.

In the average home, toilet flushing accounts for some 30 percent of water usage. By using low-flow plumbing fixtures such as toilets, faucet aerators and showerheads, you can save up to 25 percent of that water, compared to conventional fixtures, while providing the same utility.

6. Upgrade to a high-efficiency or tankless water heater.

Homeowners looking to conserve money can save big by replacing their traditional water heater with a high-efficiency or tankless one. Traditional water heaters use a lot of energy because they keep the water in the tank at a constant temperature ― whether the water is immediately needed or not. There are now many water heater options on the market that only heat the water, when needed.

Tankless water heaters provide hot water on demand at a preset temperature rather than storing it. Replacing an electric water heater with a solar model can reduce costs by up to 80 percent a year. Over its 20-year lifespan, a solar heater will prevent more than 50 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

And if nothing else, a low-cost alternative is to wrap insulation around your heater, which can reduce standby heat losses 25 to 45 percent.

7. Purchase the highest efficiency HVAC system you can afford.

Over a ten-year period, the average homeowner spends more than $10,000 for heating and cooling. Installing high-efficiency heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment can reduce utility costs on average by 10 to 30 percent over minimum efficiency equipment. It also can improve your home’s overall comfort.(Source: NAHB)

If you are thinking about improving the energy efficiency of your home this summer, give Rick at Wheatland a call at (717) 560-3400 to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. He’d be happy to discuss options that will work within your budget.

Short circuits happen when a hot wire touches a neutral or ground wire; the extra current flowing through the circuit causes the breaker to trip or the fuse to blow. Your home electrical circuits could have a number of problems:

• Faulty wiring within the house

• Too many lamps or appliances on one circuit

• Defective wall switches or receptacles

• Defective cords or plugs

• Defective circuits within appliances

Although it’s often easy to tell when you have a short or overloaded circuit – the lights go dead when you plug in the toaster over – it isn’t always as simple to tell where in the system this has occurred. Start by turning off all wall switches and unplugging all lights and appliances. Then reset the circuit breaker. Pull the lever to off and then to on again to reset a circuit breaker with a lever switch. If a fuse is blown, it must be replaced.

1. Unscrew the fuse to replace it with one exactly the same amperage rating (both circuit breakers and fuses should be sized according to the wire used in the circuit they protect).
2. If the breaker trips immediately, the problem may be a short circuit in a receptacle or switch.
3. If the breaker does not trip again, turn on each switch one at a time and check if and when the breaker trips again.
4. If turning on a switch causes the breaker to trip, there’s a short circuit in a fixture or receptacle controlled by the switch.
5. If turning on the switch makes no difference, the problem is in one of the appliances connected to the switch.
6. If the circuit went dead when you plugged in the appliance, the problem is probably in the cord or plug.
7. If the circuit went dead when you turned on the appliance, the appliance itself is defective.

As always, if you’re unsure or uncomfortable around electrical systems, stop and contact a professional for advice and an estimate to repair.