SERVING HENDRICKS COUNTY SINCE 1847
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MASTERING THE HOUSE Tim Paino
Owner/Inspector Heartland HouseMaster
useful tips for homeowners
Moisture on the Move Spring is coming and with those April showers we get more than just May flowers. A reoccurring issue with every home is water and moisture. It comes down from the sky, up from the ground, it comes from the inside and from the outside. In the solid form it hammers our shingles as hail, causes ice dams backing water up our roof covering and works to breakup our concrete. In liquid form it finds a path through our roof, walls, and foundation. And as a vapor it sneaks into all kinds of hidden places to promote mold grow above us in our attics and below us in the crawlspaces. Our task is to control this beast and keep it from doing harm to our homes. First thing to do during a nice Spring shower is to walk around your home and make sure the gutters, downspouts, and splash blocks are all functioning to get the rainwater away from the foundation of our home. We want to move the water, with no obstruction, at least ten feet away from the home. As we prepare to bring in another load of mulch, we need to confirm our landscaping is not holding the moisture next to the home. I see many homeowners work extremely hard to make their landscape beds look fabulous, only to create a holding tank for moisture up next to the home. There are a couple important items we must remember when working in the landscape beds next to our homes. Number one is to allow the siding to drain. The foundation of your home should be exposed by a minimum of 4 to 6 inches. This space allows any moisture that becomes trapped between the framing and the siding on your home to drain out of the bottom. This includes making sure the weep holes in the bottom course of brick is visible and can drain. The space also prevents exterior moisture from damaging the siding or even the framing of the home. As a home inspector I have been in many crawl spaces only to discover the base plate between the foundation and framing has totally decayed from moisture, allowing the homes floor to sink. Next, check the sump pump to make sure it is working. Whether it is in the basement or crawlspace, we need to activate the pump and confirm it is still working. The average life of a sump pump is about 10 years. It is recommended even if it is currently working; but is older than seven years, looks rusty, or vibrates when running, it most likely should be replaced. If you do not have a backup system installed, this might be a good time to consider having one added to your system. Enjoy the coming of Spring and stay high and dry. ______________________________________________
Our First Place
By Noel Gatlin
Every newlywed couple must establish their first place. Ours was a little double on 11th street in Speedway, Indiana. We were three houses from Main Street, and we took possession in April of 1969. Now, any Indianapolis person knows that May is Race month, so we were so excited to be there at Race time. I made some spending money parking cars in the side yard. I even parked them on the railroad property. Glad they never noticed. There was one small problem we had to face. The railroad tracks ran right next to our back door. You could stand on the back door stoop and spit and hit the tracks. Our dishes rattled. There was a law that the train had to blow its horn a couple hundred feet from the crossing so that put it right at our door when she blew. The next thing we had to do was get furniture and decorate. We had very little money to work with, so this was a challenge. Dorothy picked out Early Spanish Mediterranean and our colors were orange and green (this was all new to me). Our relatives all pitched in old junk furniture which helped. I was working at the phone company, right out of the Air Force, and I made a small paycheck. I drove a company truck a lot and was always stopping for gas. I made sure I always bought gas at the stations that gave green stamps. I licked those stupid things and put them in books. We got most of our decorations from them, including these chain-dangling, candles-holding sconces. It seemed like every time the train came through the candles fell out. Yuck. We ate at a card table and chairs in the kitchen and when I was seated, I had the door blocked so, if Dorothy had to go to the bathroom, I had to get up and move my chair. You know what, we didn’t care. We were in love. I wonder if other newly weds ever start out this way? I hope so. It makes you appreciate what you achieve. Oops, here comes the 2 a.m. train. _____________________________________________
The Republican
Thursday, March 25, 2021
Voices
ASK MR. TRAFFIC
We offer Voices as a place to share a story, a memory, an idea, a comment, a criticism, or a solution. Contributors must include name, address & phone number. We look forward to hearing your voice.
By Chet Skwarcan, PE, President/ Founder of Traffic Engineering, Inc. Chet@TrafficEngineering.com
Exploring Hendricks County
By Jackie Horn
Rush Hour Addiction Sights and Sounds of Spring Spring officially arrived last Saturday at 5:37 a.m.. As I’m writing this, the extended weather forecast is calling for partly sunny and a high temperature of 49 degrees and a low of 37 degrees. Not exactly picnicking weather but there are a few signs that spring is on the way. Red-winged Blackbirds may not be a birdwatcher’s favorite (they’re one of the most common birds in North America) but they do signal the coming of spring. While some Redwingeds may stick around all winter, most head to warmer climes. About the first of March, the males (they’re the ones with the bright orange splash on their wings) start arriving back on the breeding grounds. The females follow a few weeks later. That’s when the singing (mating calls) begins; and the birdfeeder raids. A flock of Red-winged Blackbirds can empty a feeder lickity-split. Once things warm up enough for insects, the feeding station will be safe again. Another signal spring is on the way is turtles. Depending on the habitat preference, some turtles hibernate in burrows dug into the ground and covered with leaf debris. Turtles that live in the water move to the bottom of the pond to sleep away the winter. While the top of the pond or lake may freeze, the water temperature beneath will remain above freezing and stable. The turtle’s metabolism slows down and it switches from breathing with its lungs to breathing through its tail. Its body absorbs oxygen through its blood vessels close to the skin surface. The tail has the most vessels closest to the body’s surface. Pretty slick! When air temperatures rise above 50 degrees, turtles come out of hibernation. The turtle’s oxygen-depleted body needs to speed up its metabolism to rid itself of toxins that have built up during hibernation. Being cold-blooded, it needs heat to do that. A nice sunny, warm asphalt road works well for getting things moving but moving V-E-R-Y S-L-O-W-L-Y. Motorists need to drive more carefully on roads around wetlands keeping an eye out for groggy turtles. Spring wildflowers begin to pop up. Harbinger of Spring, Spring Beauty, and Rue Anemone are all native, early bloomers to look out for in March and April. Perhaps my favorite sound of spring is the tiny chorus frogs, Spring Peepers. These guys are only the size of a paper clip, but their song is huge. Spring Peepers live in woodlands near ephemeral (temporary) ponds or wetlands. They are amphibians and need water to lay their eggs and metamorphose from tadpole to frog. The species is the first to emerge from hibernation and they’re ready to get busy with the mating season. Peepers can handle temperatures as low as 17 degrees Fahrenheit so early spring freezes don’t put a damper on the rush to romance. Large groups (several hundred individuals) congregate in the grasses and brush around a pool or pond and the music begins. The males “sing” to attract the females to the water where they breed. Females choose a mate based on the speed and volume of the calls. Older, larger males sing louder and faster which is the style the ladies prefer. To me, on a spring evening the sound is amazing; to others, really annoying. It must be like bagpipes, you either love it or hate it. Wildflowers and turtles, bird calls or frog songs, Nature reminds us that spring is just around the corner. It’s music to my ears. ______________________________________________
Challenge: Avoid Rush Hour For One Week Daily fluctuations in traffic are somewhat predictable. Exceptions include unusual proximity to factories, schools, event centers, or Amazon warehouses. And because “flattening the curve” is no longer a traffic engineering secret, here’s what I do before leaving the house (actually, this is the second thing I do before leaving the house): I look at the hourly traffic volume graph between where I am and where I’m going. I keep all this information in a handy 3-ring binder in my car. I also gave one to my wife but she seems to have misplaced it. It’s simple to travel “between the peaks.” It does limit spontaneity but trust me, if you travel between the peaks you not only contribute to curve-flattening, you’ll be astounded at the lack of traffic. “Where is everybody?” I can’t tell you how many times I made an appointment for 9:30 in the morning only to wonder, “Where are all the cars? Is it a holiday?” Often, assuming a natural disaster, I would return home and climb under my bed. Did you know if you don’t show for an appointment you are charged a cancellation fee? In general, approximately 9 to 10% of daily traffic is on the roadway during rush hour. And 10% of daily traffic is a lot more than 1/24th of daily traffic. Also, Alexa has no idea how to convert 60 minutes to a percentage but I’m pretty sure it’s less than 10%. The above graph illustrates a typical 24-hr fluctuation curve and recommended time periods to go places. I can only describe it as an addiction since most of us already “know” this but there’s something about seeing it visually (visually is the best way to see things) that helps to be intentional about our day. So meet your friend for coffee mid-morning or mid-afternoon (or both). Schedule appointments, groceries, etc., between the peaks. Please try this: for one week write down every time you get in your car (date, time, and purpose) and then make a copy of the list, throw the original away, and then throw the copy away. Report back. ______________________________________________
Our Readers Write It is a sad situation that there is so little respect for the police. Yes, there are bad policeman but the majority are good human beings. We have a young police woman in our neighborhood who stopped and introduced herself to us and our visitors. Then when we had the big snow who should appear on a 4 wheeler but the same police woman. She plowed our drive way even though it was her day off. My husband is on the Hendricks County Merit Board. Before covid he rode with 100 young deputies. He saw them check on homeless men and even bring them food. Pick up trash cans that blew into the road. Hendricks County has the cream of the crop in regards to deputies. So when we see a police man/woman lets thank them for their service. Most importantly show proper respect. Bee Jones ______________________________________________ To all involved: We recently received our second coronavirus injection at Hendricks County 4-H Center. We want to say, “THANK YOU,” to everyone who was involved in organizing and conducting this operation. Everyone we encountered on both visits was friendly, professional and efficent. We only hope that all government operations function with such friendliness and efficency. Thanks again, Dave & Jane Potter Danville ______________________________________________
Look, then, into thine heart, and write!
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
