Knox inspector warns of dangerous decks

Knox County Building Inspector Roy Braden looks at decks differently than most people.  What he discovers often leaves him speechless.

Braden finds critical structural components missing from many decks in East Tennessee, such as joist hangers.

"Decks are the number one place where people are going to get injured," said Braden.  "Usually, there are injures that are substantial injuries.  My plea to people out there would be this: obtain a building permit.  Require your contractor to get one."

The main problem, the inspector believes is homeowners either don't know building permits are needed to build decks in many Tennessee municipalities or they don't care.

Braden said 90% of decks are built without a building permit, according to the International Code Council. 

READ THE REST BY CLICKING HERE http://www.wbir.com/news/article/220168/2/Knox-inspector-warns-of-dangerous-decks

New at the Annual Seminar, HOA Legislation, and Great Boards

ECHO's 40th Annual Seminar Is Here

Join us on Saturday, June 23rd

How do you change your association? At ECHO, we believe that the only effective way is education. Board members and homeowners committed to education can inform, protect, and grow their communities. Whether you are a veteran board member or a new owner in an HOA, you will learn something new at ECHO's Annual Seminar.

This year's Annual Seminar will feature:

   • A freshly updated guide to HOA operations.
   • 16 educational classes, including our respected HOA University course.
   • Hundreds of exhibitors and prizes.
   • Exciting live demonstrations of HOA maintenance.

Join us for the most fun, interactive, and educational seminar yet! We know that you will learn something new. Be a leader in your HOA: get educated, inform your neighbors, and strengthen your community. Register or learn more on our Annual Seminar event page.

ECHO Annual Seminar

What Makes a Great Board

How does your board measure up? Is your board "just getting by" or are you leading your community to a more stable, open, and prosperous future? Perfection is difficult to achieve, but this article by long-time association manager and consultant Julie Adamen can get you started on the right path. Here are just a few things that great boards do:

   • Great boards act as fiduciaries.
   • Great boards speak with one voice.
   • Great boards are proactive with information.

But what does it mean to be "proactive with information" or to "act with one voice?" Read the full article, from our March ECHO Journal, on the ECHO website.

Read the Full Article

What's New at the Annual Seminar

HOA University. ECHO's HOA University program is an excellent course for first-time board members or veterans who want a refresher. This year we have updated our HOA University course guide to address current laws and practices. Come to the Seminar, get your copy, and take it to every board meeting!

Passport Program. In addition to great prizes from our vendors, we're adding a fun way to win stuff from ECHO. Enter to win an iPad 3, a Kindle Fire, or one of two Kindle Touch readers by completing your Passport. The winners will be contacted after the show and announced in the ECHO Journal.

We Are! After years of incredible service, Oliver and Dorothy have retired. Come thank them at the Seminar, and meet the new crew at ECHO. We are eager to meet you: our association members. Tell us what you think, what you need, and introduce yourselves; we will be walking about the Seminar throughout the day.

Annual Seminar Program

HOA Legislation

June 1 was the final day for bills to pass out of their house of origin. We are working with or watching 13 bills in 2012. Here is a brief update on three of those bills:

AB 805 & 806 - These bills will replace the existing Davis-Stirling Act. The California Law Revision Commission (CLRC) has worked for several years to simplify and renumber the Act, and these bills are the results of their efforts. While the update is not supposed to change the substance of the law, we are watching all amendments very closely. ECHO's Legislative Committee is working closely with the CLRC to avoid potentially harmful changes to CID law.

AB 1726 - This bill, facing opposition from ECHO and other industry groups, died in the Assembly. The bill would have required all common interest developments to hire "qualified pool operators" to maintain their pools. "Qualified" was defined by the bill as someone who has taken a state-mandated course, among other requirements.

Read the ECHO Journal for regular updates on our legislative activities including bill descriptions, positions, and advocacy opportunities.

Talk to Us

"Thick skin" is a requirement in HOA life, and we've got it. So go ahead: whether you like what you see or want something completely different, we want to know. We read and respond to every email. Send your comments to Tyler Coffin (tcoffin@echo-ca.org).

Inside this Issue
40th Annual Seminar
What Makes a Great Board
New at the Annual Seminar
HOA Legislation
Your Comments Welcomed
ECHO Annual Seminar

Register Now
Online Registration

Annual Seminar Website
Speakers, lodging, and more.

Reception Registration
Friday Night Reception

From echo-ca.org:
Corporate Status: Why It Matters
Tax Day for HOAs
Legislature Targets Email
Earthquake Insurance: To Buy or Not To Buy?
ECHO Journal

Inside the June 2012 Issue:

The Perils of Hidden Damage, Part 2
Part 2 of this in-depth look at older building maintenance.
Know Your Community's Financial Position
How to maintain a financially stable community in tough times.
"Green" Paint Technology
Learn about environmentally friendly paint options.
Develop Towing Partnerships
Create reasonable parking and enforcement policies.
Reviewing Bank Statements
By law, boards must review financials. Understand what you read!
California Laws and Codes

Look up current common interest development laws

Contact Us

Executive Council of Homeowners
1602 The Alameda, Suite 101
San Jose, CA 95126
Phone: (408) 297-3246
Fax: (408) 297-3517

Copyright 2012 Executive Council of Homeowners, Inc. All rights reserved.

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ECHO | 1602 The Alameda, Suite 101 | San Jose | CA | 95126

DeckExpert.com is On Facebook

Did you know we are on Facebook? Like us and follow our stories and posts. 

You'll get access to our wall, post pictures, stories and comments on your deck, the company that did the work (good or bad), and anything pertinent to deck waterproofing.

www.facebook.com/deckexpert  Check us out!

BBQ Safety Tips From UL

Saw this on UL's website...copied and pasted it over. READ IT! 

Watch this video at YouTube!   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfoL4swpZkk

A Summer Grilling Safety Recipe

Share:    

Did you know that Americans prepare about 3 BILLION meals on grills each year? From 2005-2009, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 8,200 home fires involving grills, hibachis or barbecues per year, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Five out of six home grill fires involve a gas grill and the leading contributing factor was a leak or break in hoses or other equipment. That's why UL, a global independent safety science company, is sharing simple, yet critical, guidelines to help prevent potential summer tragedies:

PREPARE FOR SAFETY FIRST

• Position your grill a safe distance from your house or any building (if possible).
• Never use a grill in a garage, breezeway, carport, porch, under an awning or overhang that might catch fire.
• Always have a spray bottle and a fire extinguisher handy

GAS GRILLS

• Check the hoses on your gas grill for any cracking and brittleness to address potential leaks
• Drip soapy water over the hoses and around the fittings. Any bubbles forming means there is a propane leak
• Never start a gas grill with the lid closed

CHARCOAL GRILLS

• Never use gasoline or kerosene to light a charcoal fire. Both can cause an explosion.
• Dispose of charcoal away from kids and pets, and cool it down with a hose. Coals get HOT – up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Have a designated area for dumping hot coals and cool down with a hose.

SAFETY WHILE COOKING

• Never leave the grill unattended, especially when young children or pets are nearby.
• Never attempt to restart a fire by adding additional lighting fluid to an already-lit grill, as this can cause a flare-up.
• Keep kids, pets and bare hands away from the grill.
• Use insulated, flame retardant mitts and long-handled barbeque tongs and utensil when grilling.

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Thin Tile Webinar Offered

REGISTER TODAY!

Thin tile installation is markedly different from standard-body (> 7 mm) porcelain tile methods. Researchers from two major R&D Centers in Italy and the United States have worked on the issue for over a year, testing surface preparation processes, setting materials, trowel selections and use of mechanical edge-leveling systems. The results, based on hundreds of hours of research on numerous variables in the process, have been analyzed and will be presented by Dr. Neil McMurdie during a one-hour webinar  Thin-body porcelain tile can save $ thousands in materials, labor and freight Whether new construction or renovation, large-format thin tile offers innovative design opportunities Success requires knowing how to avoid breakage during and after installation. Learn the keys to successful installation of the new thin tiles: Special setting techniques Surface preparation Setting materials Trowel selection Mechanical edge-leveling systems All attendees receive a copy of "Thin Tile Installation Guidelines"

Check out our email from this web client... THANKS

Wow what a great email to get today! Thank you very much!

Good morning,
We live in Western Washington and we are in need of a new deck coating for our wooden deck above a garage.
I found your web site and have been reading it with relish, as it is full of great advice.  I want to THANK YOU for what obviously was considerable time on your part in building your site to educate we in the "masses".

Obviously our area is not one that it would be feasible to have your company do our little 700 sq. ft. job, however, I just wanted you to know that your efforts are appreciated.
In looking over your material, it seems that something like the "Desert Crete Decking System", or one that an installer I have contacted here recommended, ALX , is going to be the way we will be going.

I particularly like your quote, ""The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot".  The person from whom we purchased our house did just that, fixed the front of the house as cheap as she could just to sell, (i.e. vinyl deck cloth), and now after just a few years it shows, leaks, rotted wood and all!!
Thanks again.
Charles M