One question that we are asked frequently is when and where is a HERS rating required in Colorado? A HERS rating can be an alternative solution to following the building codes when building a Colorado home. We covered many of the benefits of performing a HERS rating in our earlier blog about performance vs prescriptive [...]
As we talked about in the earlier parts of this HERS rating guide, a HERS rating is a calculated score that quantifies the energy efficiency of a home. When a HERS rating is performed before a home is built, it can be used as a method to comply with energy efficiency code requirements instead of [...]
Boulder's Rental License program is one of the first of its kind. The program requires Boulder homeowners to pass a general health and safety inspection before being allowed to rent a property in the city. Because of the university and the subsequent high volume of rental units, the city decided to create a baseline for [...]
Bathrooms are one of the most humid, damp, and moisture-prone areas of the home, which means that bath fan venting is critical for preventing issues like wood rot or mold growth in the home. Bath fan venting problems often occur because it is an afterthought in many renovations, and even in new home builds. If [...]
If you’re buying a home, we know the process can sometimes be intimidating. From real estate agents to home inspectors and mortgage brokers, there are a lot of different people involved in the purchase of a home. Sometimes, it can be confusing regarding the working relationship that you should have with each person involved. So, [...]
Asbestos is a hot topic when buying older homes. It can be hidden, it can be expensive to mitigate, and is present in many building materials in houses built prior to the 90s. Plus there are many different types of building materials that contain asbestos. Because of this, we decided to write this asbestos guide [...]
We do so much to maintain our health and the health of our families. One of the last things we might think about when taking care of our health is our drinking water. The main concern in regards to drinking water is lead, which many believe isn’t a problem anymore. It’s true, while many mandates [...]
Estimating your property maintenance on your rental might feel like an overwhelming task. How could you forsee how much to set aside for rental property maintenance costs? What could go wrong anyway, right? When we invest in rental properties, we do so with anticipation of a return on our investment. When we don’t factor building maintenance [...]
Radon is linked to over 20,000 deaths across the country each year. In fact, radon in Colorado is the second leading cause of lung cancer behind smoking. For an element that is odorless, colorless and tasteless, these are significant statistics. Almost 50% of homes in Colorado are above the EPA’s “safe levels” of radon in [...]
Most building departments in the cities of Larimer County and the county itself have recently adopted IECC 2015 energy codes, specifically Berthoud, Loveland, and Fort Collins. The city of Berthoud, which has been a hot spot for single-family home building, recently put out a statement saying that all new permits must comply with 2015 IECC [...]
