I grew up in an older home and my father Ed Levitch MHRIP was an Architect and remodeling contractor in and around Berkeley California and the surrounding cities since 1958. Growing up I learned so many things from him, he taught me the value of family, respect and everything I know today about remodeling homes safely.
I remember a time at Levco Builders when I received a call from a man who shared a personal story about lead poisoning. He thanked me for advocating for the rule. I assured him of my commitment to safety. I was an early supporter of the EPA’s RRP rule, and I’m still a strong advocate today for ensuring people are safe in their homes.
What is a Healthy Home?
We all believe our homes are healthy places but all too often the opposite is true. As a remodeling contractor too, I deal with it every day. From the materials we use to how they are installed and the environment we create within the envelope of your home is unbelievably important. The CDC describes a healthy home as “One that is designed, built, and maintained to support our health” I couldn’t agree more. The other pivotal moment in my quest to promote healthy homes was a document written by the then Surgeon General, Steven Galson in 2009 who articulated the need for a healthy housing stock. This blog is dedicated to all things related to healthy homes with an emphasis on lead, lead detection as well as protection of humans and pets.
To rebuild or not to rebuild a carburetor
This article is about something that constantly plagues me. As a self proclaimed fix-it guy I thought that once I owned a chain saw and had a sharpening file that I had made it. Next thing you know the gas powered tools for lawn care just started adding up. Next it...
Flooring underlayment explained
The layers of the floor are often confused. The terms are used by some interchangeably Underlayment (Goes under the floor but above the sub-floor Sub-Floor (goes on top of the joists) Underlayment Underlayment is a general term for what goes under the part of the...
Shower diverter problems?
Stump the Plumber This is another in the stump the plumber series. A friend called from out of state, he was visiting family. They had a typical tub shower situation with a single valve so it had to be fairly new. The situation When he turned on the water, the tub...
I can’t turn the HOT water off
OK, so you own your home and you know that there are some fairly simple systems that work together to keep you warm, safe and sound. Electrical. (If you can keep the smoke in the wires everything works out) HVAC. (Why does the AC only fail on the hot days after...
Sediment in your pipes?
Stump the plumber Another in the series called Stump the Plumber. Although not a plumber myself, I have plenty of handy man experience but, (My father-in-law Bob is my retired plumber that verifies that everything I say is true.) Sediment can come from a number of...
Water recirculating pump problem
Stump the Plumber This is another installment in the stump the plumber series. The situation I went to look at a kitchen remodeling project and during my evaluation I asked an open question that I always like to explore. "Is there anything else that you would like to...
Recent Posts
Stay in touch
Sign up to stay in the know. We only share educational content and information. We don't believe in spam.
By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Lead Locators. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
Braided Steel Water Heater Supply Lines
As a contractor I get into all sorts of things. It's like the saying on the shirt. Recently I was called to attend to an emergency, the homeowner had contacted her friend and realtor who happened to have me on speed dial. They were watching water spray our of her...
Failed Toilet Tank Seal
Toilets with separate tanks have a seal that is usually not an issue. In this situation I was called to replace the wax ring because they found water on the floor near the toilet. Naturally I told them to stop using it until I could get there. I bought a new wax ring...
Adding a Remote For a Hunter Ceiling Fan
We completed a remodeling project that included 3 OFCI ceiling fans with remotes. Sadly, in all the confusion remotes were tossed and naturally so were the controllers. This was unacceptable, so I ordered up the devices and controllers. The Hunter Fan company was...
How We Go About Figuring Things Out
I feel so good when people call me to help fix things. My brother called last night from a clients home where the gas stove was only able to muster one burner, when the next burner was lit the flame was weak and the third one would not light. They had been working on...