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.
My Floor Feels Like A Trampoline
In an effort to make houses as comfortable as possible you set up your stuff and it looks good, some stuff is fragile and you would assume that the floor is stable but we see all sorts of stuff that flys in the face of a solid floor. The Big 3 Questions Turns out...
How Old is My Water Heater?
A neighbor of mine had me come over to fix a supply line that had failed on his ancient water heater. Apparently, I had told him a few years ago that the supply line was failing and he needed to fix it. To my shock, he reported that he uses some Flex Seal in an...
Faulty Shutoff Valve Floods Home
An acquaintance had her shut-off valves replaced recently from the gate valve type to the 1/4 turn shut-off style not because they were bad but because she wanted to update things and not have to worry. Talk about proactive property maintenance! The Weakest Link There...
Help My Roof is Popping
I get some intriguing questions from time to time. I could not pass this one up. A popping roof means it is not just a weird occasional issue, it actually wakes her up. This concern is that the house is in some danger of collapsing. Although possible it is unlikely...
Gas Oven Failure Fixed
I've been working on a Viking Professional natural gas oven that was not heating properly. It is a simple system that has very few parts or controls. The burners were burnt out and that was the first obvious sign, I bought an igniter thinking that it was the problem...
Sprinkler System Failure Repaired
I was asked to fix a Rainbird sprinkler system that was not doing its thing. The battery was new, the system was pressurized with water. I first looked at the display that had a constant error message. It was not changing as I spun the dial so I knew something was...
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Lead Conference Was A Hit
I recently attended the National Lead and Healthy Housing Conference in Savannah, Georgia. I was naturally most interested in Lead and how the country handles the lead problem. The movers and shakers in the field were all there. What I heard loud and clear is that...
“I Could Tell By Looking It Was Lead Paint”
Well, that ain't exactly true. This quote came from a contractor's mouth to a client's ear before I arrived to take a look because the homeowner smelled a fib. There are 5- ways that I am aware of to determine if the paint is lead-based: I tested the paint with the...
Lumetallix & Lead Locators Sponsor National Lead Conference
The 2024 National Lead & Healthy Housing Conference will be held this year at the DeSoto in Savana, Georgia. Save the date: August 20th—22nd. Lumetallix and Lead Locators are sponsors of this annual event. This is an exciting opportunity to speak at the conference...
I Just Recertified My RRP
I just had a wonderful day of RRP Refreshment. It is hard to believe it has been 3-years since my last online class. It just sneaks up on you. The curriculum hasn't changed much from the initial class but the booklet was updated and I think it has been streamlined....