BlogArizona Category: Pools & SpasThis page contains all BlogArizona posts related to Pools & Spas. Read a specific post by clicking on a title below, or scroll further down the page to read through all posts in this category.Sunday, March 23, 2008Arizona Snowbirds in my Swimming Pool?Okay, these may not be the type of 'Arizona snowbirds' you were expecting... But early this morning, we found an Easter surprise in our swimming pool. These two ducks decided to use our pool as a free hotel. They spent a couple hours drinking, bathing and resting in our pool before continuing on their journey. I'm no bird expert, but we figure they probably needed a place to stop and rest as they were migrating home (heading back north after flying south for the winter?). My kids were hoping they were an Easter present. My cats were hoping they were dinner. And although they were kind of fun to have as guests for a couple of hours, I'm just glad they're gone!  Happy Easter to you and yours!
Posted by Shannon Hubbard, Arizona Real Estate Agent on March 23, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack Saturday, July 21, 2007Home Maintenance and Do-It-Yourself BasicsHomeowners often make repairs and/or improvements to their home right after moving in, and prior to selling. Whether you're doing a major remodeling job or just installing new carpet or wallpaper, sometimes the most simple advice can also be the most helpful. So always remember the basics:
And last but certainly not least...an ounce of inspection is worth a pound of repair!
Posted by Scott Hubbard, Arizona Home Inspector on July 21, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack Saturday, June 16, 2007Summer Maintenance Links for Arizona HomeownersI intended to spend some time blogging this wonderful Saturday morning. However, as the real estate market picks up speed for summer, so does my schedule. So instead, I'll spend my day off doing 2 home inspections and a mold test. Oh well, that's just how life goes sometimes! So for today, I'll just post some links to maintenance information that will help to prepare you, your family and your home for this summer season. Swimming Pool Safety & Maintenance
Maintaining Your Home's Air Conditioner
Saving Energy & Keeping Your AZ Summer Electric Bill Low
Other Home Maintenance for the Arizona Summer Things to Do in Arizona During the Hot Summer
And by the way, if you're looking for something (other than the proverbial tie) to give Dad for Father's Day, here are a couple of cool ideas (Hint, Hint to my wife & kids!):
Can you tell I like airplanes? Okay, so I can dream anyway... Enjoy your Saturday!
Posted by Scott Hubbard, Arizona Home Inspector on June 16, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack Saturday, June 09, 2007Buying a Home with a Swimming Pool?
Safety - Even if you do NOT have small children yourself, safety is always a concern when you have a swimming pool. You might have friends and/or relatives with children, or you might just have to worry about a neighbor kid wandering in your backyard. Be sure to consider the cost of adding a fence if you're buying a home with an unfenced pool. Also, there's more to Arizona's Pool Barrier Laws than just having a fence, so be sure to check and comply with local rules. Financial Cost - You should expect both planned and unplanned repairs when you own a pool. Over time, pumps stop working and vacuum equipment wears out. In addition to the repair and maintenance costs, there will also be chemicals to buy, along with increased water and electric bills. Time and effort to maintain - Even a so-called 'self-cleaning' pool takes time and effort to maintain, especially during the Arizona monsoon season! So be sure you're willing to commit the time and effort necessary to properly maintain a pool. An improperly maintained swimming pool will be seen as a liability to potential buyers. Here's a more detailed article about swimming pool maintenance (written by my favorite home inspector, of course!). And if you don't have a swimming pool at home but want to cool off over the summer, most of the Valley's junior high schools have swimming pools that are open to the public during the summer. Here's a list of swimming pools at Mesa junior high schools.
Posted by Shannon Hubbard, Arizona Real Estate Agent on June 9, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack Friday, April 13, 2007BlogArizona.com Welcomes the Arizona Mortgage Guru!Those who read BlogArizona.com regularly have probably noticed that I myself have been a blog mute over the past few months! To the many people who read BlogArizona.com each day, I sincerely apologize for my absence. Of course, there's no excuse to neglect your blog :) But I will say (in my defense and in defense of the AZ real estate market in general) that I've been crazy busy lately! No matter what the newspaper or other media may say, BUYERS ARE BACK TO THE ARIZONA REAL ESTATE MARKET! That's why I haven't blogged lately! Now that we've established that the Arizona "real estate bubble" is still not bursting, I want to welcome Shailesh Ghimire to BlogArizona.com. Shailesh is the Arizona Mortgage Guru and a local Home Loan Expert. Shailesh and his wife Aimee are a team at CTX Mortgage, serving the Greater Phoenix area. If you've read Shailesh's first BlogArizona post or visited his blog, I think you'll agree that Shailesh will make a great addition to BlogArizona.com. I have no doubt that his posts will add interesting and current content that BlogArizona readers will enjoy. I also want to say that while I haven't posted much lately, I have been working on some new upgrades/features for BlogArizona. These improvements will be added over time, and that's all I'm saying so you'll have to keep checking back to find out what they are! BlogArizona.com is also looking to add new Contributors. Here's more information if you or someone you know is interested.
Posted by Shannon Hubbard, Arizona Real Estate Agent on April 13, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack Thursday, October 26, 2006Construction ePay - Escrow Service for RemodelsHave you ever heard of something new and thought to yourself, "That's a great idea, why didn't someone think of that sooner?". Well that's exactly what I thought when I heard of this new company called Construction ePay. They are basically an escrow service for homeowners and contractors to use during remodels, repairs and other home projects. Construction ePay helps to keep things fair for everyone involved by acting as a neutral third party during home remodeling projects, much like an escrow or title company does during the purchase of a home. So if you needed a new roof put on your home, instead of trusting some roofer you found in the yellow pages with an upfront payment of several thousand dollars, you would pay Construction ePay instead. They hold the money for safe keeping and disburse it to the contractor of your choice as work is completed. If there are problems, you can freeze your payment until the problem is resolved. They even offer mediation services if necessary. Construction ePay charges the contractor a 2% fee, or a 5% fee if the customer pays by credit card. For the homeowner, Construction ePay offers protection against fraudulent contractors as well as unfinished and sub-standard work. Construction ePay is also beneficial to the contractor because it keeps him from having to chase down payments and even allows him to accept credit cards if he does not already. And since Construction ePay will provide customers with a list of contractors who are willing to use their service, contractors might even find some new clients by being on that list. Knowing that this service exists, I cannot think of any reason why a homeowner would NOT use it when hiring a contractor - at least for major jobs. And the fact that the fee is paid by the contractor makes this service even more of a no-brainer! In response to the problems that often arise between homeowners and contractors, my home inspection company, Homewerx Home Inspections offers what's called a Dispute Resolution Inspection. This type of inspection is just what it sounds like - an inspection by a third party to help resolve a dispute. We also offer what's called a Remodeling Inspection, which is performed during and/or after remodeling or other home repairs. Having a Certified Home Inspector on your side can often help persuade a contractor to do quality work. But it cannot protect the homeowner from a contractor that's just plain crooked - and believe me they're out there. Just the other day, my inspection company did an inspection and some mold tests for this poor older lady who was left without a roof by a fraudulent contractor. She paid him to replace her roof, but instead he disappeared right after he removed the old roof. Of course, it rained while the roof was off so not only did she have to pay for her new roof twice, but now she has mold growing all over her house too. The inspection and mold tests were necessary after the fact. But she could have avoided the whole ordeal if she had used Construction ePay in the first place! Construction ePay has a great idea and I'll be very interested to see how well this idea catches on.
Posted by Shannon Hubbard, Arizona Real Estate Agent on October 26, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack Monday, September 04, 2006Arizona Monsoon Storms Can Be Pretty!For me, this Labor Day weekend was a nice, relaxing few days in the Valley! As an added bonus, the evening monsoon storms created some of the coolest looking desert skies I've seen in awhile. But a picture is worth a thousand words, so here are some photos taken from my house in North Mesa over the weekend. None of these photos were altered in any way. Enjoy!
Hope you enjoyed your Labor Day weekend as much as I enjoyed mine! Here are some links to learn more about Home Maintenance for the Arizona Monsoon Season, Inspecting Your Arizona Home After a Monsoon Storm, Arizona Roof Maintenance and the Exterior of Your Home.
Posted by Shannon Hubbard, Arizona Real Estate Agent on September 4, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack Saturday, June 03, 2006Keep the Kids Cool at Local Jr. High SchoolsSummer is here and if you have kids, they will soon be bored out of their minds! As a parent, this can make you crazy! So to keep your kids busy this summer, check out your local Parks & Recreation Department. Most local cities have a variety of classes, sports and other activities you can enroll your kids in for the summer. Also, most of the junior high schools have swimming pools that become public pools during the summer months. Even if you have your own swimming pool, your kids can still enjoy hanging out at one of the city pools. Some of them have big water slides that the kids love (see Aquatic Complexes below), and of course, there are always tons of other kids there! For those who live in Mesa, here is a list of swimming pools where you can take your kids (for a small fee, of course):
Fees are as follows: Mesa also offers swimming lessons, competitve swimming and special pool events. For more information, call (480) 644-4950 or visit the City of Mesa's website.
Posted by Shannon Hubbard, Arizona Real Estate Agent on June 3, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack Monday, April 10, 2006Warmer Arizona Weather Means More Swimming Pool AccidentsTemperatures in the Phoenix-metro area are expected to hit 100 degrees this Thursday. As the weather gets warmer here in Arizona, many children and adults will head to the swimming pool for relief! While the family pool can provide hours of fun during a hot Arizona summer, it can also be deadly. As the summer goes by, we will unfortunately, but inevitably hear news of child drownings and other water-related incidents. This past weekend was proof positive that the accidents have already begun. Just last weekend alone, there were at least four water-related incidents in the Valley. Luckily, I don't think any of the four resulted in a fatality. But it will happen soon enough. So take the necessary steps to check your pool fence now. Even if you don't have small children, it's still extremely important that your pool be secured in a manner that a wandering neighbor kid cannot gain access to the water. If you do have small children, be sure you don't rely on the fence alone. You must know where your children are at all times, and never leave them alone around water!
Posted by Shannon Hubbard, Arizona Real Estate Agent on April 10, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack Monday, September 26, 2005Press Release - Homewerx Home Inspections is expandingFor Immediate Release: Mesa, AZ 09-30-05 – Homewerx Home Inspections hires 2 additional Inspectors to service the growing demand for home inspections in the Phoenix Metro Area. Homewerx Home Inspections, a full service home inspection company serving the Phoenix-Metro area, has opened a new office in North Mesa in addition to hiring 2 new full-time Home Inspectors and support staff. Homewerx Home Inspections currently conducts Pre-Purchase & Pre-Sale Inspections, Warranty Inspections, Construction Inspections, Special Inspections and Expert Witness services. Shannon Hubbard, President and Founder said, "With the new office and additional staff, we will soon be adding other new services including Termite Inspections, Commercial Inspections, and environmental testing such as Mold, Radon, Lead-based paint and Water testing. Our new office is centrally located to most cities in the Phoenix area. And with our new LAN and WAN, we can communicate faster and more efficiently with both our Clients and Inspectors.” B. Scott Hubbard, Managing Inspector and Co-Founder added, “With the addition of Inspectors Scott Biegen and Greg Reller, we are now able to perform inspections and deliver reports in a much shorter time frame than ever before without compromising the quality and professionalism that our Clients have come to expect. Finding quality Inspectors was a huge challenge that took a considerable amount of time. But I know our Clients will appreciate the effort we put into finding the right Inspectors. Now we are able to provide high quality home inspections with just a few days notice.” Since Arizona began licensing home inspectors in January 2003, it has become increasingly difficult for buyers and real estate agents to schedule a home inspection appointment within the standard 10-day inspection period. This is because many of the good inspectors are booked up 7-10 days in advance. By adding Inspectors, Homewerx intends to continue providing the highest quality home inspection, but without the wait. For more details, contact: Posted by Scott Hubbard, Arizona Home Inspector on September 26, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack Sunday, July 31, 2005Official Launch of BlogArizona.com!Today is BlogArizona.com's official launch date! We have been working for several months now to add features and get the site ready...so check it out! There's plenty to see while you are here:
Best of all...you can find out what the heck a blog is! And don't forget to make a comment while you're here (Did I mention that already?!). Check back with us regularly for the latest Arizona real estate news and trends. Thanks for visiting! the BlogMaster Posted by BlogMaster on July 31, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack Wednesday, July 13, 2005Monsoon MaintenanceGreetings, the summer is well under way and soon we will see the familiar wall of dust coming in from the East. It is during this time of year that the Valley gets its most severe weather conditions. It is important that we take a little time now to prepare our homes for the impending wind and rain. A quick survey of the exterior of your home can identify a few minor maintenance issues that, if corrected, will prevent serious damage and expensive repairs during the monsoons. First, walk around the house and look for over grown trees that might come into contact with the roof or exterior siding. During high winds, tree branches can hit against your house with significant force, causing mechanical damage. Also, branches can rub on the roof and cause accelerated wear to the roof coverings (asphalt shingles in particular). Some minor trimming now may be well worth the effort. Second, for those of us with asphalt shingle roofs, have a qualified inspector survey the roof for trouble spots. One loose roof shingle can be caught by the wind and peel your roof like a banana. In other words, a perfectly sound roof can be severely damaged resulting in hundreds if not thousands of dollars in damage. It is also wise to have any repairs that are needed done before the storms. The reason is, after the storms hit, all of the roofing companies are busy repairing storm damage, and you may have to wait several weeks for repairs. In the mean time, more damage can occur. It is important to look at the roof after a heavy storm for signs of damage as well as remove any debris that has accumulated. Debris on the roof and in the flashings will lead to damage and leaks in the future. Third, pools and spas can take a beating during the monsoon season. In addition to heavy use, a large amount of dirt and debris is deposited in the pool. This dirt can cause accelerated algae growth and make your pool equipment work harder. During this time of year, it is a good idea to increase the run time of the pool equipment, as it will take longer to clean with the added dirt from the storms. Be sure to clean the leaf baskets regularly. A clogged system will work harder and longer, putting additional stress on the system, and costs more to operate with poor results. You should backwash your filter when the pressure gage increases 7 to 10 psi. It is a good idea to have your pool water chemistry tested. Most pool supply stores will perform this service for free and advise you on what chemicals are needed to correct any deficiencies. Properly balanced water chemistry will reduce the risk of algae and reduce the use of additional chemicals. With a few preparations, we should be able to weather the coming storms with a minimum of problems.
Posted by Scott Hubbard, Arizona Home Inspector on July 13, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack Wednesday, March 23, 2005Check Your Pool Gates!!!!!Here we go again. It's not even the end of March and there have already been several pool drownings or near drownings. First I'd like to say that pool fences are no substitute for supervision. They are only an added barrier to a determined child. And often they give a false sense of security. All too often, I find pool fences that are in poor repair. Damaged gate latches, auto closers that are not adjusted properly, etc. I fully understand that home maintenance and repair is not at the top of our priority list, but maintaining a safe environment for our families is (or it should be). It should only take about 5 minutes to identify necessary repairs to any pool barrier, and it is not rocket science. Anyone (even the untrained homeowner) can determine if a gate will shut and latch properly. Repairs are usually not difficult or expensive, even if you need to hire a handy man to correct any problems. In addition to pool gates and fences, check your exterior doors and backyard gates. Many homes are equipped with auto closers on these access points to the pool area in addition to or in place of a pool fence. I find these items are often neglected as well. A small amount of time, effort and money will help reduce the risk of injury or death to our children. But most importantly, KNOW WHERE YOUR KIDS ARE AT ALL TIMES. The following is a link to the Arizona pool barrier law. Additional city requirements/codes may apply. http://www.azleg.state.az.us/ars/36/01681.htm
Posted by Scott Hubbard, Arizona Home Inspector on March 23, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack Wednesday, January 12, 2005Add Your Company Name & Logo to a Product in BlogArizona.com's Online Store!Attention real estate agents & mortgage lenders!! No minimum order. $35 one-time set-up charge per product. Once it's set up, others in your office may also order as many or as few as they would like. Email us with the following information: 1. Name of Product you wish to customize We will respond within 48 hours. Thank you! the BlogMaster Posted by BlogAdmin on January 12, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack Tuesday, January 11, 2005Welcome to the blogosphere!Welcome to BlogArizona.com...an Arizona Real Estate Blog!! Feel free to look around...you won't believe how much you'll find to do here!
But best of all...you can find out what a blog is! Check back with us regularly for the latest Arizona real estate news and trends. And don't miss our Official Launch date on July 31, 2005! Thank you for visiting! the BlogMaster Posted by BlogMaster on January 11, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack |
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