Stephanie Edwards-Musa, Realtor ® Spring/Woodlands, TX Real Estate

Every year the American Solar Energy Society hosts a Tour of Solar Homes and Businesses in many major Cities across America.  The Houston Renewable Energy Group is hosting it again this year to keep the tradition rolling!  There are a lot of exciting venues this year!

The theme for the year is getting the word out.  It's not just about having a home off the grid with Solar Panels, it's about Solar.  All aspects of Solar.  You are invited to come and learn about everything from Solar Attic Fans to Large Solar Systems.  And the best part?  It is FREE to the public this year!

So Mark your Calendars for Saturday October 25th 2008-  Make sure to stop by and visit the Picnic at Discovery Green Park Downtown afterwards!  We have added projects as Far North as Discovery at Spring Trails in South Montgomery County all the way South as Texas City and Seabrook.  They did an excellent job of picking a wide range of projects to make it easy for people to get to one no matter what side of town they live on.

Below if the Tour Guide to check out, map your route and plan your day!  Hope to see you there!

It's amazing how much debris there is from Hurricane Ike.  As a person that tries to be GREEN I have thought often in the past few weeks how unreal it will be for all of it to go to a landfill.  Just the amount of trees, leaves, etc. alone is just amazing.

Over the past few weeks they have been picking up only 'GREEN' debris.  Meaning, anything that grows.  Trees, leaves, etc.  The other debris such as fences, siding, roofing materials etc. will be picked up at a later date.  Currently some of the Tree Debris is being chopped up in a mulching facility but there is just sooo much.  It hardly makes a dent when you take the supply and demand.

According to the Houston Chronicle the City of Houston has approximately 5.6 Million Cubic Yards of Tree Waste that they would like to be recycled.

Now the City Of Houston has announced that they would like to "Recycle Ike"!  What a fantastic idea!  They are going to pay the people with the Top 3 BEST Ideas on what to do with the GREEN Debris!  By the way, this is a Nationwide Contest.  Sounds like anyone can enter.

The awards will be:

• $2,500
• $5,000
• $10,000

In other words, well worth the email that they are requesting you to send in.  My mind is turning to see what I can suggest! 

If you have a great 'out of the box' idea that you would like to submit, email RecycleIke@CityofHouston.net or visit their website www.recycleike.com for more information.  Oh, and the deadline for ideas is October 31, 2008.  Help the City out in the largest Recycling Event of the year!

The short answer to this one is 'Sure, Why Not?' Let's talk about 'Rising Water' vs. 'Flooding'

Houston, Tx is Nicknamed the Bayou City because we have water, creeks, bayous everywhere! However, we also have phenomenal Flood Control. Even outside the City Limits the County has a Flood Control Department that handles keeping the lines of drainage open.

But then you take a look at your Homeowner's Insurance policy to see exactly what is covered. All of them say that water damage is covered except for 'Rising Water'. Those two words can be very vague but essentially any flooding is caused by water rising whether it be an all out flood from a creek, river, etc. rising out of its banks or just a clogged up street drain causing the water to 'rise' in to your front yard.

When the water seeps in from the ground and through doors, it is 'Rising Water'. This rising water coverage (ie. Flood insurance) is a separate policy paid yearly.

Now, if you have a mortgage on your home and the area you live in is Prone to Flooding from a Water Source, you will be required to have flood insurance. The cost can be quite high and is based upon the FEMA Flood Plain Maps. Here is a link to Flood Insurance Rates and Information in Harris County.

But if you are in an area that is NOT required to have flood insurance you can still get the insurance. Do you need it? Why not? The rates are incredibly low when not required and on average less than $300 per year. Here are some reasons why your home may have 'Rising Water' even if you are not in an area prone to flooding.

• You have a french drain in your yard that gets clogged with debris making the water creep up to your back door and in to your home.
• The street drains on the street get clogged up from people dumping lawn clippings or from storm debris gathering.
• During a heavy storm you have an extensive amount of tree debris that prevents your yard from naturally draining.

These are just a few of the things that could cause you to 'flood water' in any home in the Coastal Areas. Unfortunately without Flood Insurance it may be difficult to get your insurance company to cover the loss in all of those situations.

For such a small amount of money every year, it could save you thousands if you ever need it. It's also a reminder to keep the street drains clear of debris, and to maintain your yard drains if you have any. Oh, don't forget about those gutters. Keep those clear also.

Here are a few pictures of clogged drains that can pose serious drainage issues...

Let's face it.  Home Maintenance is NOT fun, especially down here in Texas where it is Hot, Humid...then to put work on top of it.  Maintenance just slips our mind sometimes.  Hurricane Ike was a small reminder that we should not forget about these things.

When Ike rolled through, it pointed out all of the weak areas of our homes.  For some homes it was siding- Others it was fencing and trees.  How about roof damage?

One thing that I think would be good for us to consider is maybe once a year, the Spring in Coastal areas, to take a look around the exterior of our homes to see if there is anything that needs to be done.  Once Hurricane season rolls through, it could be too late.  So, here is a list that I recommend us to check out ATLEAST once a year.

• Fences-  So, they may look a little old.  How about those posts?  With our rainy weather, ants and termites they tend rot quickly.  Fences are often times the first thing to go in Hurricanes and Tropical Storms.  If the fence is ok but the posts are questionable, just change out the posts while you can.
• Roof-  Yes, they can sometimes last 20-25 years, but with our hot and humid climate sometimes they will only last 10 or maybe 12.  If it has been a while since you checked out the roof, climb up or call someone out.  The shingles are what keeps the weather from finding its way inside.
• Trees-  They are so beautiful!  But when it comes to storms they can be projectiles, flying objects, falling objects...all of the above?  None of which are good.  Maybe have a tree person come out once a year like you would for a termite inspection? 
  
• General siding and exterior maintenance-  Ugh. No fun at all and can be costly.  But if the siding or trim gets ripped off, it will cost even more to fix when you have water running inside the home.
• Windows-  Besides making your home more energy efficient, caulking them can help keep rain and wind OUT of your home.  Spring is a great time to check this also.
• Weather Stripping around Doors-  Another one that can help your light bill, but keep water out.  Again, Spring time will help your summertime utility bill and help during Hurricane season.
  
• Pools-  Make sure those drains work!
• Yard Drainage-  Nuff said.  If you think you need some help with drainage in your yard during light storms, don't wait until a big one rolls through.
• Sheds or Storage areas-  Don't forget about those.  They can get weak over time.

This is not even everything, but most of the exterior items that are open to the wrath of mother nature.  Below is a video that I took about 7 hours before the storm hit.  The oak tree on the left?  I was quite worried about it.  The winds were going to atleast double in speed and it was really swaying.  Below that are the pictures of the Oak Tree now.  It's not my home, but the amount that insurance is wanting to pay to help cover the damage?  Not even close, and it is the child's bedroom where it landed.  Everyone was ok, but it was a REAL reminder that we need to keep our homes in check in case a storm rolls through again.

Finally got power on Day 8 after Hurrican Ike. It has been crazy. Neighbors starting to put fences back up, debris starting to get taken away, Insurance Adjusters coming out and making some people happy, others not so much. Overall, most of us were lucky and walked away alive and well.

Up here in the Suburbs on the North side of Houston called Spring- Just south of The Woodlands, North of Downtown. Something I often hear from folks relocating in to Houston is "Do we need to be concerned with Hurricanes this Far North?" Well, the answer depends on what you are worried about. Flooding? Winds? Tornadoes? Although not often, we can get some damage up here atleast 75 miles from the coast. Typically there is not a whole lot to worry about. The storm will come through, we have a little mess to clean up with tree limbs, power will go out for not even a day....not too bad or worse that you would find with a normal bad storm anywhere in the world.

Hurricane Ike was one of those that took us by surprise and is kind of rare.

Granted, not anywhere near as bad as Crystal Beach or Bolivar Peninsula along the coast- But we did get some. Homeowner's Insuance in my opinion is a MUST even if you owe nothing on the property and are not required to have it. Although most areas do not Flood, for about $300 a year you can get full flood insurance (when it is NOT required) and that seems to be worth it to me, especially if you think that a torrential rainstorm may not drain quickly in your yard. Any rising water is considered 'flooding'.

Survey when buying the property? Yes! Mine will come in handy when rebuilding my own fence.

All of these tools really come in handy when that once every so often big storm rolls through- Even if it is not for another 25 years, you never know.

I thought I would share a few of the pictures that I have taken over the past week so that you could see what 75 miles away from the coast looks like from Hurricane Ike. Many of these were taken within 2 days of the storm and the streets are mostly clear now. Just FYI.