The Egret Blog
Posted on July 18, 2010
As a Certified Renovation Firm, and good servant to our customers, we are proud to understand and perform lead paint-safety procedures in accordance with Federal guidelines. What follows is a description with a commentary about our first experience renovating in the regulated lead paint environment.
Performed on Friday, July 16th, 2010, this project saw the replacement of a small glass block window with a fiberglass double-hung replacement window installed in the Master Bathroom, a long room off the Master Bedroom. The existing window was equipped with one block missing, replaced with an inefficient and insufficiently ventilating aluminum vent.
Replacing a poorly venting glass block window
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Built in 1959 according to county assessor records, this ranch-style single-family brick dwelling is in the south of Denver, and is owned and occupied by a young family of four including two little girls aged seven and five. On the day of the installation, only the husband was home. The window was exposed to the protected front porch of the dwelling, and faced north. The day was hot, dry, and calm (96 degree high, no precipitation).
I had held a long discussion with the buyer about lead safety prior to receiving the order, during which we decided that Egret would not do testing for the presence of lead in paint, but rather presume its presence and perform a RRP procedure. Prior to our arrival, the husband had purchased a lead testing kit from Ace Hardware. We carved away paint at two places, one from the exterior wood brickmould, the other from interior window casing. Peeling paint from a spot on the wall a couple of feet from the window was also retrieved, and we watched the husband perform three tests with a device consisting of a dropper to introduce drops of water to each of two white pads. The brickmould and casing samplings were negative. The plaster side of the peeling sample showed a slight orange-pink tint in a dimpled pattern in a small area in the center of the 2-3 square inch chip, resembling a rash if you will, which he determined to be inconclusive for the presence of lead. But I wanted to practice our procedures, so
- Location:
- Littleton
- Product Series:
- Milgard Ultra Fiberglass
Posted on May 6, 2010
Okay, so it isn’t a house, so much as a science project.
Danged interesting one though.
If you wonder if going green as a cause is more than a good reason to get into an argument with someone, this video will inform. We found it compelling, intelligently done, and most important, short. Short is good with this topic especially, because it’s usually not only a little boring but also irritating to our festering guilt. We like what she had to say about wood windows and doors, too.
It’s another hit from TED.com: Catherine Mohr makes Green Decisions
And her blog chronicling it all: Catherine Mohr’s House Blog
Enjoy!
Posted on April 27, 2010
Every once in a while we come across a house that moves us. We may see something different or unusual about it as a whole. Or, we may note something that is uncommon about its fenestrations: its doors and windows.
Let’s start by introducing you to a home that demonstrates all of the above. It’s a Los Angeles home designed by Studio 0.10 and it’s known as the Mush Residence.
I first found this house in a magazine on metal architecture. While viewing the photos on the architect’s website (see the thumbnails under their narrative, and “prev” and “next” under each photo), take note of the zinc panels in relief on the exteriors. Mounted
Posted on April 11, 2010
Having lived in a house once colored by James Martin, and having referred customers to him and his firm The Color People™, it was only natural for me to turn to him for this discussion. Here is the interview.
Les: James, I guess the best way today for anyone to get to know a firm is to look at its website. Yours is very fun and interesting. My review of it tells me you have worked and written extensively on the subject of color. I think we can say you were instrumental in creating an industry, so-to-speak a specialty, that of …
Posted on April 6, 2010
Recently we reflected on the magnificent skills with which our technicians are blessed. and a whole new market segment came to mind. A friend instilled some ideas about fabrication and, having ready suppliers of all the necessary panel and hardware parts, Egret has new magic
Posted on
Just two words: lead dust.
Two words that mean a great danger to you and your family.
Effective January 01, 1978, sale of lead-containing paint was banned. We often think of lead in paint chips, but it’s the inhalation or ingestion of lead dust that spells the greatest danger. Projects that disturb lead paint can create lead-containing dust, a poison that attacks the central nervous system and inhibits brain development in children, and increases blood pressure and causes hypertension in adults. It also poses risks to
Posted on March 22, 2010
Want your new windows to be easier to clean?
Several window manufacturers have included in their product line-ups a glass coating that aids your keeping the view from your windows as clean as possible.
This is unfortunately not a coating you can add to your old windows. It is however offered as standard or available equipment on certain windows and doors sold with Cardinal Glass Corp.’s NEAT™ exterior coating. For instance, Andersen Window & Door Company™ places it in their 400 and A series products as standard.
What does it do? It allows the glass surface to break down organic materials like dust to prohibit their bonding to the glass, and spread rain drops more widely to reduce spotting.
If you are the kind …
- Manufacturers:
- Andersen,
- Cardinal Glass Industries,
- Peachtree
Posted on August 23, 2009
The home improvement business is a racket.
Protect yourself from an expensive mistake by controlling with whom and how you make your deal.
You want to find the contractor, technicians, and products you think will enhance your lifestyle and the value of your home. But you are in danger of not meeting that goal. Despite bragging in their advertising about how satisfied hundreds of thousands of their customers are, some companies will do anything to sell you.
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If you haven’t started, have windows to buy to finish your window replacement project, or know folks that want to buy, there is no better time to talk to Egret than right now.
We can tell you we’re as concerned as anyone about our children’s future and big government spending, but are excited to report that the credit for energy conservation in the ARRA is shaping up to be a good stimulus. It has helped many consumers move forward who had postponed buying windows, doors, insulation, heating equipment, even hybrid cars.
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With burdensome new green-building regulations under the county’s BuildSmart™ program having drawn boisterous complaints from citizens trying to be compliant, Boulder county commissioners May 19th ordered a review of program requirements.
While important changes will come to new construction design, particularly related to measures toward net zero construction for large homes, our customers contemplating home additions and remodels are affected. The issue for remodeling is whether the whole house before and after or just the addition being added is to be considered. Having an existing house tested is expensive. Predicting the performance of an addition’s design is not.
