Make Santa Barbara your home!

The charming city of Santa Barbara is located between the steep hills of the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. It’s a popular tourist and resort destination, but why visit when you can live here full-time? From the beautiful weather and Spanish culture to the frequent festivals and delicious dining, there are countless reasons to call Santa Barbara home.

For information regarding national ranking and living in the Santa Barbara area, this is an excellent article under Real Estate in US News:

https://realestate.usnews.com/places/california/santa-barbara

Smoke Alarms save lives

New construction and remodels require new smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to be hardwired to the home’s electric system, have a battery backup, and have an interconnecting alarm. In older homes, without the ability to hardwire devices, all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors must contain a non-removable battery with a lifetime of 10 years. It is ideal to have a smoke alarm system that is interconnected. When one alarm sounds, they all sound.
Test your smoke alarms at least once a month
There are two types of Smoke Detectors, but not all devices contain both.
Ionization smoke alarms: Sensors may detect invisible fire particles (associated with fast flaming fires) sooner than photoelectric alarms.
Photoelectric alarms: Sensors may detect visible fire particles (associated with slow smoldering fires) sooner than ionization alarms.

It is best to use both types of alarms in the home.
Replace all smoke alarms in your home every 10 years. A smoke alarm only works when it is properly installed and regularly tested. If the alarm has a dead or missing battery, it is the same as having no smoke alarm. 
             
http://www.fire.ca.gov/communications/communications_firesafety_smokealarms 

Increase Holiday Cheer for Seniors

At Home
Decorating a few little touches, such as some favorite family ornaments, a festive tablecloth or throw pillow, or a grandchild’s artwork, can help get an older adult into the holiday spirit.

Music can have a profound effect on our mood. Listening to cheerful holiday songs can be uplifting as well as bring back happy memories of past holidays.

Bake Food is a large part of most families’ holiday traditions. It makes a wonderful gift for an older adult who may not have the opportunity to enjoy those special homemade treats often.

Visits
Regularly well spaced. When family members visit individually or in small groups, it is less overwhelming for seniors and gives them more visits to look forward to.

Listen patiently. Let them share their stories and show them that you are interested, even if you have already heard that story a time or two.

FaceTime. FaceTime can help seniors feel connected to their loved ones if they can't be there in person. Make arrangements with family or friends in town to borrow an iPad and schedule a “visit.” Phone calls are also a good way to send holiday wishes, but if poor hearing makes phone calls difficult, as well as cards and care packages, let them know you are thinking of them.

Outings
Community events. Find out if there are any social events planned in their area they might like to attend (their place of worship, local community center).

Take a drive. A drive after dark to see the neighborhood decorations while listening to holiday music on the radio can be a fun outing for a senior whose mobility is limited.

During the holiday season, there seems to be an endless list of things to do, and finding time to finish them all seems impossible. Finding the time for a visit is especially hard during the holidays, but it really is the best gift you can give an elderly person.

If you require assistance with a senior family member or would like support brightening their day, we invite you to contact Keystone Properties Concierge today.

It will be our pleasure to answer your questions.

It’s important to have a safe and comfortable home.

3 Ways to Detect a Water Leak in Your Home

Over time, water pipes can fail because of age, cold water, and many other factors. It can be frustrating when a homeowner discovers a leaky pipe. Sometimes, it can be difficult to find those small pesky leaks, which, over time, can cause damage and increase utility bills. It is important to find and repair any leaking water pipes early.  Doing so can save you money and avoid costly damage to your walls, flooring, and other parts of your home or property.  

Here are some signs that you may have a leak: 

No Water Pressure
Low water pressure can be annoying. There are a number of factors that can cause low water pressure. If the low water pressure only comes from the hot water outlets, this might indicate an issue with your water heater or a potential under-the-slab leak. Little to no water pressure on both the cold and hot water sides of your water system may indicate a more severe leak, a problem with your well equipment, sediment build-up in your plumbing fixtures, or maybe a malfunction with your water filtration system.  Any of these scenarios can be quite difficult to remedy, and you may want to consider calling a professional plumber. 

Visually Inspect all Fixtures in the Home  
Visual inspection of your plumbing is the number one thing a homeowner can do to prevent costly damage from a leak. Routinely check all accessible locations within your home that have plumbing fixtures. Ensure all faucets are closing properly and the surrounding areas do not show signs of a leak or mildew. If only one faucet in your home has low water pressure, this might indicate there is a water leak, a clogged screen from sediment buildup, or you’re beginning to see signs of frozen pipes. Make sure you check the toilet in each bathroom. Is there a noticeable sound of water dripping or running? Remove the top lid on the toilet and listen for any noise.  Sometimes, the flapper is not properly seated and may require replacement. A handy trick is placing a few drops of food dye into the top tank. After an hour or two, look to see if the color is showing in the bowl. This can usually indicate that your toilet tank leaks into the bowl.  A continuously running toilet can drastically increase your water bill and prematurely fail your septic system’s drain field.  

Also, check the water shutoffs underneath each sink and behind the toilets. Look for moisture or mildew. Inspect the walls and floor for evidence of an intermittent leak that may indicate a leaking pipe inside the wall or under the floor. A water-stained or soft and spongy floor or wall can indicate there is a leak.   

Your Water Bill has Increased
Check your service meter. This can help you determine if your water usage has gone up over time. The first thing you need to do is determine if your daily water usage has not increased from such things as a broken sprinkler head or misadjusted irrigation timer. This can be especially true with seasonal homes. Make sure you consider any changes in use before turning your attention to a possible leak.  Once you have ruled out an increase in consumption, you can turn your attention to hunting for that leak. Ensure all faucets are turned off and turn off any appliances that require water. If the indicator dial at your meter is still running after an hour or so, this might be a sign that you have a leak somewhere on the property.   

"I know, I have a water pipe leak, but cannot find it."  What Next?
If a leak is not showing any evidence of its location, hiring a professional plumber can be the most cost-effective solution to your problem. 

How to Prepare your Home for Wildfires

Prepare your property's Defensible space around a home is such a critical element to protecting properties—and any firefighters trying to save homes during a wildfire—that 100 feet of defensible space is required by law for many California residents.

Cal Fire has guidelines to create a home’s defensible space in two zones, with both horizontal and vertical spacing being important factors:

Zone 1
This is the most immediate space around the home and extends 30 feet out from structures, decks, etc. Some suggestions for this zone include removing dead plants, grass, and weeds; clearing dry leaves and pine needles from your yard, roof, and rain gutters; trimming trees regularly to keep branches a minimum of 10 feet from other trees and from the chimney; and removing or pruning flammable plants and shrubs near windows.

Zone 2
This area extends 100 feet out from the home, other structures, decks, etc.—a “reduced fuel zone” of 70 feet (or to the property line). In this zone, cut or mow grass down to a maximum height of 4 inches; remove fallen leaves, needles, twigs, cones, etc., to no more than a depth of 3 inches; trim branches less than 6 feet from the ground and eliminate any small shrubs under tree canopies; and keep wood piles and flammable materials at least 30 feet from your home.

Cal Fire also emphasizes the importance of using equipment around the home properly to avoid sparking a wildfire. This includes mowing in the morning before 10 a.m., and never on a hot or windy day. Line trimmers are a safer option for clearing vegetation than lawnmowers, which can cause sparks if they hit a rock or aren’t working properly.

Another line of defense against wildfires is hard-scaping with materials such as concrete, stone, brick, asphalt, etc. If consulting a professional landscape architect, verify the status of their license through the state Landscape Architects Technical Committee website at www.latc.ca.gov.

For more information about defensible space and state legal requirements, visit Cal Fire’s www.readyforwildfire.org.

https://www.santabarbaraca.gov/gov/depts/fire/wildland/wildland_fire_suppression_assessment_district/services/defensible_space_inspections.asp 

Fine-Tune Your Irrigation System 
Save Money and See Better Results

Automated irrigation systems offer convenience while protecting your landscape investment. A well-maintained system keeps your lawn and landscape beautiful and healthy, while minimizing water waste.

Adapt your watering schedule to the weather and the season. Familiarize yourself with the settings on your irrigation controller and adjust the watering schedule regularly.

Schedule watering for each zone separately. For each area, take into account type of sprinkler, sun or shade exposure, soil type and plant requirements. 

Inspect your system monthly. Check for leaks, broken or clogged heads, and other problems, or engage a certified irrigation professional to regularly check your system. Clean micro irrigation filters as needed.

Adjust sprinkler heads. Remove obstructions that prevent sprinklers from distributing water evenly and make sure you’re watering plants, not sidewalks or buildings.

Have your system audited. Hire a professional to conduct an irrigation audit and uniformity test to make sure each zone is being watered evenly. 

Install an inexpensive rain shutoff switch. Required by law in many states, these money-saving sensors prevent watering in rainy weather and can be retrofitted to almost any system.

Consider “smart” technology. Climate or soil moisture sensor-based controllers evaluate weather or soil moisture conditions and then automatically adjust the watering schedule to meet the specific needs of your landscape. 

Think about low-volume drip irrigation for plant beds. Install microirrigation for gardens, trees and shrubs to minimize evaporation and runoff. Options include drip (also known as trickle), micro-spray jets, micro-sprinklers and bubbler irrigation.

Water at the right time of day. Watering when the sun is low, winds are calm and temperatures are cooler minimizes evaporation by as much as 30 percent. The best times to water are late afternoon, evening and just before sunrise.

Water more often for shorter periods. Setting your system to run for three, 5-minute intervals lets soil absorb more water than watering for 15 minutes at one time.

Water only when needed. Saturate root zones and let the soil dry. Overwatering results in shallow roots and encourages weeds, disease and fungus growth. 

New California Law and Your Garage Door

Did you know there is a new California law regarding garage doors taking effect in 2019? In the wake of the recent wildfires, this new California law could be lifesaving. If you’re a homeowner or residential property owner interested in buying a new home or replacing your garage door, these changes will affect you. Here’s what you need to know:

The catastrophic destruction of California’s wildfires and resulting power outages are the impetus for this new California law. During the 2017 wildfires in Northern California for example, at least five people died because they were unable to open their garage door after they lost power. When faced with an emergency, it’s imperative that your garage door works, so Governor Jerry Brown signed into law Senate Bill 969 in an effort to prevent deaths like these from happening.

Key elements of this bill include:

• Any automatic garage doors sold in California after July 1, 2019 must include a backup battery that can provide power in the event of a power outage.

• You also can’t use an old garage door opener with a new garage door.

• There is a civil penalty of $1,000 for “every offending garage door opener.“

This law will go into effect July 1, 2019 and while these changes will not be an instant fix, the hope is that this new California law will help to save lives in the event of another natural disaster that might leave homes without power.