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Latest News & Resources

Smoke Detectors & CO Detectors

Jul 11, 2011 | Architecture & Design, Plans, Process, Safe Practices, The Law, Understanding your home

The new 2009 IRC mandates wired together smoke detectors and Carbon Monoxide detectors be placed at the entry of each bedroom and outside the bedrooms in a common hall. This means that if one detector alarms then all of them alarm. When remodeling, there is a mandate...

Refrigerator Failure

Jul 1, 2011 | Appliances, Electrical, Green Remodeling, Understanding your home

At Levco we normally repair other peoples problems and rarely have time or give much thought to care for our own problems. Here is a situation that happened to me recently that probably happens often to others. My wife noticed that the refrigerator side seemed a bit...

Time to Replace Your Roof?

Jun 24, 2011 | Insurance Work, Roofing, Understanding your home

Rules regarding roof replacement changed recently in Boise Idaho. We used to be allowed 3 roofs now it is 2. In other words adding a second layer of roofing is OK but it it fails then you need to strip the entire roof and start over. Levco recommends replacing the...

Hot Water Circulation Pumps

Jun 17, 2011 | Bathrooms, Green Remodeling, Plumbing, Understanding your home

The concept of water conservation is not a new one, and industry has sprouted recently that addresses this in many ways. One is with hot water recirculation pumps to conserve water that is usually wasted while waiting for the hot to arrive say to your shower. Industry...

Building Code Updates

Jun 10, 2011 | Electrical, Framing, HVAC, Plans, Plumbing, Process, Safe Practices, The Law, Understanding your home

As of January 1st 2011 Boise City along with all of the other jurisdictions that adopt building codes, followed the states lead and adopted parts of the 2009 IRC international Residential Building Code. The last code was the 2006 IRC which was implemented in the same...

Skylights & Solar Tubes

Jun 3, 2011 | Skylights & Solar Tubes, Understanding your home, Windows

During the process of remodeling we often encounter an opportunity to install skylights and solar tubes. The obvious advantage is to allow natural light into the home. A less obvious benefit is energy free interior lighting. In the not so distant past all roof...

Fireplaces In & Out

Nov 23, 2014

Fire is one of the primitive holdovers from the Stone Age, like shelter and clothing that we still hold sacred. Everyone enjoys a good campfire. Humans have improved upon it, we have accessorized it and no longer use it as our primary cooking tool, unless you are...

What is a Foundation Vent?

Nov 17, 2014

Foundation vents are a common device found in most forms of residential construction. They are a necessity but usually obscured by mature shrubbery and are never accentuated. In fact, you could have lived in your home for over 50 years and have never noticed them....

Fixing Concrete Fractures

Jun 24, 2014

According to my concrete contractor John. "There are only two types of concrete, that which is cracked already, and that which has the potential to crack." Although your slabs may be "cracking up"...it is no laughing matter. Using cement wisely and properly is an art...

What Does Hail Damage Do to a Roof?

May 13, 2014

Here in the Treasure Valley Idaho we had a big hail storm September 5th 2013. It came in from South West and clobbered the North West end of the valley hard, especially Eagle, Idaho. Roofers all over the region started licking their lips and scouting out the areas...