Grand County Parade of Homes

The 5th annual Grand County Parade of Homes is set to take over Grand County August 2, 3, 9 and 10. This year’s tour will open up the doors to at least two dozen single and multi-family homes.

This is the perfect opportunity to get a taste of real mountain living in Grand County and see what some of the best builders the County has to offer. The Parade of Homes has something for everyone, whether it is touring these beautiful mountain properties or just enjoying all the fun family activities the town of Winter Park has to offer.

For more information please visit: http://www.grandcountyparadeofhomes.com/.

Tank Free Water Heater- Use in Winter Park

What is all the hype about tankless (tank free) water heaters? Should you install one in your Winter Park home?

According to the Office of Energy and Renewable Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy, water heating is the third-largest expense in most homes after heating or air conditioning and operating major appliances. Energy required for hot water is approximately 14-25% of the homes expense. Many homeowners, builders and now architects are looking at ways to reduce this expense.

A standard hot water tank heats the water resevoir 24 hours a day while a tankless unit only activates when hot water is needed. So instead of using energy to keep a tank of water heated at all times, a tankless system only pulls energy when the consumer wants hot water. It is estimated that you will see a 25% annual savings compared to using a 40 gallon tank.

The critical factor in purchasing a tankless system is to make sure that it is sized correctly for your needs. Even if the system is pushed past its limits, the system will supply hot water to multiple sources simultaneously, but at a reduced flow rate. This is in contrast to a hot water tank in that once the tank is emptied, it must be refilled and reheated which is a lengthy process.

Savvy, forward green-thinking homebuyers are going to demand this technology in their homes. Architects are being educated on the use of the tankless systems and their benefits. The unit must be placed in a central location of the home so that the water lines will have a relatively short run. Short run water lines will improve efficiency. In large square footage homes, it is common to see several tankless systems through out the house. Because these units have a small footprint and secondary benefit is more usable space.

In general, initial installation is about the same cost as a traditional hot water tank system. However, on a retrofit, it is more costly to replace a hot water tank with a tankless system.

With increasing energy prices, we are sure to see more tankless installations for hot water in Winter Park.

Bear ordinance for the town of Winter Park?

There has been an increasing number of bear complaints within the town limits of Winter Park. The complaints involve bears tearing through trash. There has been eight complaints to the Winter Park police department so far this year.

In an effort to stop hungry bears from tearing through garbage within the town limits, Winter Park Town Council gave its qualified approval (4-3) at its Tuesday meeting to a proposed ordinance that would ban the feeding of wildlife including new rules on trash disposal. Before the ordinance goes into effect, it must go through a public hearing and receive the trustees’ approval during a second reading scheduled at the council’s next meeting on July 15.

The purpose for the ordinance is to “protect and maintain wildlife in the town of Winter Park and surrounding areas and to minimize the risk of dangerous interaction between humans and wildlife.” The ordinance states that feeding wildlife is prohibited. No person shall “intentionally or unintentionally” feed wildlife on private or public property in Winter Park. Bird feeders are allowed, but between the dates of April 15 to Nov. 15, “all bird feeders must be suspended on a cable or other devise so bears can not reach them. The area below the feeders also would have to be kept free from the “accumulation of seed debris.”If this proposal is passed residents will have to place their trash in either wildlife-resistant refuse containers, wildlife-proof refuse containers, or keep it inside containers within their homes, garage or a wildlife-resistant enclosure “at all times.” Residents with curbside pick-up would have to set out their approved trash containers outside after 6 a.m. on the day it gets picked up, and remove the containers the same day by 7 p.m.

So we will see what happens at the meeting on July 15th.