Maintenance Articles
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"Used with permission from Regenesis.net"

Treescaping
"God is the experience of looking at a tree and saying "Ah!"" Joseph Campbell.

Trees provide beauty, shade and sense of permanency. Homeowner association developers often plant them generously around the property in starter sizes of 8 to 12 feet to satisfy both building code and marketing purposes. And due to the small sizes, they often over plant to make a bigger impact.

With the trend toward smaller lots and bigger housing, there is less landscape space which squeezes available real estate for trees. Small trees in constricted areas eventually become big trees which cause problems with roofs, gutters, buildings, sidewalks are paving. Besides the inconvenience, this causes real repair and ongoing maintenance expense to the HOA.

Another frequent tree issue is view blockage. Huge money is paid for view and trees can steal it away. When view becomes obscured, certain members become rightly riled up and demand action. Some don’t even quibble about the money and offer to pay.

So the winds of a tree war begin to blow and the leaves begin to rustle. It’s the View People versus the Budgetary Forces versus the Tree Huggers. Each has a different and reasonable objective with the trees caught in the middle. How is it all to be sorted out?

Winning the tree war requires grasping certain issues:

Poor Placement. Some trees have simply been placed too close to buildings and no amount of pruning can fix it once they get to a certain size. They overhang the roof causing damage and dumping debris which clogs and causes the gutters to overflow which damages the building. They only real solution is removal (of the trees, not the gutters).

Wrong Species. In an attempt to make the biggest impact with the fewest dollars, developers often choose less expensive and faster growing trees to populate the landscaping. These species often are ill suited for the location. For example, trees planted near sidewalks, parking lots and driveways should be deep root varieties that won’t damage surrounding installations with surface roots. Planting birch trees next to buildings virtually ensures a year round cascade of gutter clogging debris that, in turn, drives a huge gutter cleaning cost. Again, the only real solution is removal.

Too Closely Planted. Close placement produces overcrowding as the years pass. Tree crowns grow together and sunlight no longer reaches the grass, flowers and bushes below causing them to wane and die. The overgrowth blocks area lighting and causes security concerns. This issue can be addressed by thinning.

View Pruning. Many view blocking trees can be selectively pruned to provide view "windows". View pruning is not the answer to those that want sweeping views. It’s a compromise between warring factions. It provides some view without removing trees.

Relocating & Replacing. Much of the tree dispute can be refocused with a replacement plan. The plan can call for replanting trees to replace those that are removed. The plan should call for different species which are better located. This approach generally satisfies most members. Of course, big trees will be replaced with small trees but better small trees than no trees.

The Arborist. One of the most valuable consultants available is the certified arborist. Hiring one to assess the entire treescape is advisable at the earliest point. The arborist will inventory all the trees and recommend proper maintenance according to species. If there are problem trees in the making, the arborist can advise early when replacement is cheap and damage has yet to happen. If the arborist is brought in later when trees are larger and causing problems, she can make many recommendations for pruning and replacement that will take the board out of the political target zone.

Proper treescaping produces proper tree planting. Doing it right the first time avoids inevitable and expensive corrections. If faced with the latter, use an arborist to sort out the issues and to recommend a comprehensive plan for correction.  BACK

Appealing Paint
Painting is often one a homeowner association’s most frequent and expensive repairs. Paint has a relatively short life (depending on the surface, tree cover, exposure to sun and wind: 5-10 years) yet acts as a critical barrier of protection for siding which is intended to last thirty years or longer. When paint fails prematurely, the siding deteriorates and fails faster. If the siding fails, it often leads to structural dryrot and failure. Cost of siding and structural repairs are massive compared to painting. Failure to paint properly has dire consequences.

One of the most vexing paint failure issues in HOAs involves new construction. New construction can, and often does, suffer from the consequences of "low bidder syndrome". Painting contractors that specialize in new construction often have extremely low profit margins which encourages cutting corners like:

1. Failure to Prime. Unpainted trim and siding requires primer so that the finish coat will adhere properly. While many sidings come pre-primed from the factory, wood trim almost always comes without it so needs to be field primed. Since the finish paint looks the same with or without a primer undercoat, this critical step is often skipped.

2. Application Temperature. 50 F is the minimum temperature that latex paint should be applied. Winter temperatures in many locations can fall below (way below) 50 F. Even if this happens only at night and the temperature rises during the day, the surface temperature of siding can take hours to rise above 50 F. If latex is applied to a surface below 50 F, it will not bond properly and fail prematurely. Most paint contractors will not wait for the correct surface temperature since it reduces production time.

3. Using Oil vs. Latex Paint. Latex paint is recommended for most exterior siding applications because it remains flexible longer and resists solar, wind and temperature degradation better than oil base paint. But when colder application temperature is an issue, many paint contractors will use oil base paint which can be applied at lower temperature. While oil looks as good as latex, it fails much sooner.

4. Effects of Heat, Wind & Humidity. Hot, windy or low humidity conditions force paint to dry too fast. High humidity can cause paint to sag and run.

5. Painting Wet Surfaces. In wet climates, it’s common for framing, sheathing, siding and trim to be applied in the rain and be thoroughly saturated with moisture. Applying paint to such wet surfaces creates a barrier that evaporating moisture will eventually cause the paint to fail.

So, as a rule, any new construction to completed in the cold, wet weather is likely to suffer from premature paint failure. What this means to a new homeowner association is that the next repaint should be planned in half the normal time. Since the HOA will usually be paying for the repaint, it is important to prepare proper specifications to correct the problems of the past.

The good news is that paint supply companies will inspect the property and prepare those specifications to ensure their product will perform properly. Many offer a paint contractor inspection surface to ensure that the contractor is following the specifications. Both of these services are free of charge.

If your HOA suffers from poor paint application, consult with painting professionals to correct the sins of the past. It’s also wise to pay more for the application contractor so the job can be done correctly.

For more on proper paint applications, see www.paintquality.com.  BACK

Enviroscaping
Water conservation is becoming an important part of many homeowner association landscape goals. One of the best means of conserving water is to design or modify the landscape to reduce its water requirements.

New landscaping techniques have evolved to reduce water and maintenance requirements while providing aesthetically pleasing landscapes. Landscaping concepts that reduce water requirements are called "xeriscape", a word coined from combining the Greek xeros, meaning dry with landscape. Xeriscaping was originally conceived in the southwestern U.S. although it was inspired by the gardening traditions of Spain, North Africa and the Mid-East.

Native species are often preferred for natural landscapes but plant selection should take into consideration the microclimate and topography of the site. In some cases, native plants will not be the most appropriate choice. Man-made installations can create desert climates (like parking lots), swamps (like detention ponds, waterways) and artificially-shaded areas. So, effective xeriscaping should match plants with the microclimates of the developed landscape site.

For example, plants adapted to wet soils should be used in low spots, waterways, detention ponds, spillways, and areas with poor drainage; drought tolerant plants should be used in dry spots, windy areas, exposed areas, plantings on berms, and plantings in areas against unshaded south or west walls of buildings.

Since natural landscaping is a change in U.S. landscaping philosophy, it can meet resistance from those with preconceived notions of what a landscape should look like. One way to satisfy these notions is to use the ``oasis'' approach to landscape design. Oasis designing involves placing high water requiring, high maintenance, and showy plants in the areas with the most visual impact like the main entry. In less visible areas, xeriscaping can be used.

Landscape design for water conservation includes grouping plants in the landscape according to their water requirements. By grouping plants with similar water needs, the irrigation system can be zoned so that each group receives only the amount of water required to maintain the plants. This technique has the additional advantage that plants on the same irrigation set will not be under or over watered at the expense of other plants.

An additional way to reduce maintenance and water use is to increase the use of mulches. A three- to four-inch layer of mulch should be used in planting beds to reduce evaporation from the soil surface, moderate soil temperatures, and suppress weeds. Mulches can sometimes replace turf or groundcovers in areas where they require extensive watering or do not cover an area completely. In these situations, mulches provide the additional benefits of requiring less maintenance and not consuming water.

Two more aspects of design that reduce irrigation needs are the use of drought tolerant plants and windbreaks. Drought tolerant plants inherently require less water because they are adapted to arid areas or to regions with frequent drought or with soils of low water holding capacity.  If using turf in the landscape, consider using one of the more drought tolerant species.

Windbreaks can be formed by walls, fences, shrub beds, or hedges. Windbreaks reduce wind velocity and can greatly reduce water loss that occurs by evaporation during irrigation and by evapo-transpiration from plants. Properly constructed, windbreaks can reduce wind velocity by up to 85% and should be used in areas with steady or gusty winds..

Xeriscaping is a homeowner association’s friend. It saves water and reduces maintenance while providing year round beauty. If your HOA is due for a landscape makeover, explore the options with a local landscape design architect. There are a variety of options and approaches that will suite every taste and pocketbook.

Excerpts from an article by Gary Knox.  BACK

Curb Appeal
Stopping and slowing vehicle traffic is something most homeowner associations must deal with. Parking lot curbs keep vehicles from damaging the landscaping. Speed bumps slow traffic to a safe speed. Historically, these devices have been made of concrete and asphalt. But exciting new technology offers environmentally kind alternatives.

Parking is universal throughout the world. The Park-It™ parking curb is 1/10 the weight of a standard concrete curb and will not warp, chip, crack or rot under normal use. The Park-It™ is highly visible, painted with glass beaded reflective paint, and designed for safety. There is now an effective alternative to the labor intensive and expensive concrete. For a side by side comparison of the benefits over concrete curbing, see www.gnrtech.com/pdf/rubber_over_concrete.pdf

The Easy Rider™ speed bumps offer a safe and cost efficient solution to effective speed reduction. It is manufactured from 100% recycled tires. It is resistant to UV, moisture, oil and extreme temperature variations, and has a channeled bottom for water drainage. For a full color brochure of the product and options, go to www.gnrtech.com/pdf/traffic_safety.pdf

Improve your HOA’s curb appeal and check out these new products!  BACK

Composite Deck Dryrot
Composite decking is very attractive but not all brands are created equal. Composite decking components include decking, railings, spindles, post wraps and caps. It is made using a mixture of plastic and wood or other cellulose material. The industry wooed consumers and contractors with extensive advertising, some of which states that the composite decking materials will not rot. This has not turned out to be the case. Composite decking materials first appeared in the early 1990s. To make the products environmentally friendly, one manufacturer made the material by combining recycled plastic milk cartons and discarded shipping pallets. Others used virgin plastic and cellulose fibers or flour and/or a blend of virgin products with recycled materials. Some are still made with 100 percent recycled materials.

There have been negative comments about composite decking. Consumers on the East Coast were so unhappy with one of the brands, they filed a class action law suit in state court. Rather than fight expensive future legal battles in different states, the manufacturer agreed to a national settlement so the plaintiff’s claims was never disclosed in a public courtroom.

Several renowned scientists have discussed composite decking materials in three separate professional white papers published between September 2001 and December 2002 in the Forest Products Journal. The findings in these three papers indicated that the wood fibers and other cellulose products used in the composite decking products they tested rot if not treated with a preservative.

A common misconception is that wood or cellulose content of composite materials is low. Many of the products have a cellulose and/or wood fiber content of nearly 50% and some nearly 70%. Laboratory tests have shown that some can lose between 10 - 20% of their overall weight over time, which translates to a possible 40% or more loss of wood content due to rot.

There is at least one preservative, zinc borate, which can be blended with the wood or cellulose component as the decking is manufactured. This additive acts as a poison to many fungi that typically consume wood fiber. Zinc borate is long-lasting and can remain active in the composite decking materials for 20 or more years.

Most untreated lumber exposed to the elements rots over time. Wood or cellulose fibers in composite decking materials can be readily seen at the surface of the products and at all cut edges, they are randomly interconnected throughout the entire length, width and depth of each board. Water can and does soak into many of the composite decking materials and this water fuels the wood rot process in those materials that do not contain a preservative.

If considering composite decking, buy only the brands that contains preservatives and get it in writing. More importantly, be sure to follow the written installation instructions to the letter. Creating gaps between decking boards, spacing of other components and support joist placement are critical. If you fail to install the materials correctly, the warranty may be voided.

Ask the Builder by Tim Carter  BACK