Your Real Estate Expert for Berkeley and Beyond
“Marilyn is exceptional. Her knowledge base, enthusiasm for her job, professional ethics, organization, sensitivity to our aesthetic requirements, loyalty and gentle perseverance set her apart.”
-- Bill and Carol Seidel
Marilyn Garcia, PhD Broker Associate, Realtor® CA DRE LICENSE #01355514
The Grubb Company 1656 Shattuck Avenue Berkeley, CA 94709
Direct: (510) 390-5406
SEWER LATERALS AND DRAINAGE
Sewer Laterals and Drainage We’ve had a number of office discussions about water-related issues since the first “atmospheric river” passed our way, and I heard something about sewer laterals that I wanted to pass along. A sewer lateral is the underground pipe that takes wastewater from your home to the city sewer line. You probably know that when you sell a home in Berkeley, the sewer lateral needs to be brought up to current standards, either before or soon after a sale, unless there is a compliance certificate already on file. The reason this is a requirement is not to [...]
HOW TO CHOOSE LED BULBS
HOW TO CHOOSE LED BULBS I spend a lot of time looking at light fixtures and choosing bulbs, because replacing light fixtures is one of the most cost-effective ways to create an updated look in a home for sale. Choosing LED bulbs is surprisingly complicated, but here’s the step-by-step process that I use: 1: Figure out what shape bulb you need (including the size of the bulb and the type of socket). 2: Make sure to get bulbs for enclosed fixtures if your fixture is enclosed. 3: Choose the color temperature. (I always go for 2700K, which is like an [...]
SEWER LATERALS AND DRAINAGE
Sewer Laterals and Drainage
We’ve had a number of office discussions about water-related issues since the first “atmospheric river” passed our way, and I heard something about sewer laterals that I wanted to pass along.
A sewer lateral is the underground pipe that takes wastewater from your home to the city sewer line. You probably know that when you sell a home in Berkeley, the sewer lateral needs to be brought up to current standards, either before or soon after a sale, unless there is a compliance certificate already on file.
The reason this is a requirement is not to address waste leaking from the laterals into the ground. Instead, the issue they’re targeting is rainwater entering through cracks in older sewer laterals, which is then carried to the wastewater treatment plant, where it can overwhelm the system.
At a recent office meeting, John Karnay (one of the owners of the Grubb Company) pointed out that some old, cracked sewer laterals could be functioning as de-facto French drains, letting rainwater in and carrying it away from the property. If that was the case, when the lateral is replaced, that drainage channel would be gone (because the rainwater can’t get in when the pipe is no longer cracked), and so it’s possible some properties with new laterals could see water building up in new places.
This is mostly theoretical, but it’s not a bad idea to keep an eye on your property’s drainage for a while after the sewer lateral has been replaced.
HOW TO CHOOSE LED BULBS
HOW TO CHOOSE LED BULBS
I spend a lot of time looking at light fixtures and choosing bulbs, because replacing light fixtures is one of the most cost-effective ways to create an updated look in a home for sale. Choosing LED bulbs is surprisingly complicated, but here’s the step-by-step process that I use:
1: Figure out what shape bulb you need (including the size of the bulb and the type of socket).
2: Make sure to get bulbs for enclosed fixtures if your fixture is enclosed.
3: Choose the color temperature. (I always go for 2700K, which is like an old incandescent light, or 3000K, which is a bit whiter, like a halogen bulb.)
4: Choose the brightness (measured in lumens, but most bulbs also relate the brightness to that of old incandescents, like 60W, 75W, or 100W equivalents).
5: Look for bulbs with a high CRI (Color Reproduction Index). I always look for bulbs with a CRI of 90 or higher.
6: If the fixture is on a dimmer switch, make sure the bulbs are dimmable, and that your dimmer switch is LED-compatible (if it’s not fairly new, it probably isn’t).
It is very complicated, so you can also choose to avoid all this by going into a local lighting or hardware store, and getting someone knowledgeable to help you. Once you know what the right bulb is, it’s much easier to pick up replacements or order them online!
Your Real Estate Expert for Berkeley and Beyond
“Marilyn is exceptional. Her knowledge base, enthusiasm for her job, professional ethics, organization, sensitivity to our aesthetic requirements, loyalty and gentle perseverance set her apart.”
-- Bill and Carol Seidel
Marilyn Garcia, PhD Broker Associate, Realtor® CA DRE LICENSE #01355514
The Grubb Company 1656 Shattuck Avenue Berkeley, CA 94709
Direct: (510) 390-5406