Mark your calendars - MWHOA General
Membership Meeting on November 15, 2005.
We will meet at 7:30 pm in the Media Center at
Strawberry Knoll Elementary.
Shed Color Should Match House Color
In a
recent survey of the MWHOA neighborhood, the Architectural and Environmental
Review Committee (AERC) noted that many sheds, especially older sheds, do not
match the house’s siding color as required by our guidelines. This violation is relatively easy and
inexpensive to correct. Vinyl and wood
sheds can be painted to match the house color.
It is best if you use a primer first or the new Sherman-Williams
Duration paint that is self-priming.
Just take a sample of your siding to the paint store and have them match
a gallon of paint for you. On one of
our beautiful fall days make sure the siding of your shed is clean (vinyl
siding should be washed) and apply a new coat of paint to your shed. We will all enjoy the look of our
neighborhood when our sheds are well maintained.
Noise Nuisances
Are you kept awake
at night from a dog barking persistently?
Does the party next door make your windows shake and your pictures jump
off the walls? Living in a neighborhood,
particularly in close proximity to your neighbors requires extra care and
consideration of noise nuisances such as loud parties and barking dogs. Our actions impact on our neighbors. Please be considerate and bring in your
barking dog or turn down the volume of your music. If you have a persistent problem with a barking dog you can call
animal control to lodge a complaint at 240-773-5960 press
#2. For other excessive
noise problems you can call the non-emergency number for Montgomery County
Police at 240-777-0744.
Trash Cans / Recycle Bins
Our Covenants require that trash cans and recycle bins are only
visible on trash pickup days (Article XII, e.). Please remember to keep trash cans and recycle bins out of sight
by placing them behind your house or in your garage on non-trash days. On trash days, all trash should be in trash
cans with lids so animals and birds will not distribute the trash. Thanks for your efforts!!
Please Note:
County law and our Covenants (Article XII, c.) strictly prohibit the burning of trash and leaves. If you see someone burning debris in our neighborhood, please call 911 immediately and give the correct address to the fire department. As fall approaches please use curbside pickup for your trash and yard refuse, and do not hesitate to report illegal fires; it has been a very dry summer and a fire could be heart breaking and costly to neighbors
Prepare your House for the Fall
Check
all window and door locks for proper operation
· Windows: Windows that can be opened by breaking the glass and unlocking them are less effective deterrents to criminals. Check with the hardware store for window lock alternatives.
·
Exterior Doors:
All exterior doors should have deadbolt locks.
Check
your home for water leaks
Review
your fire escape plan with your family
Make
sure there are working night lights at the top and bottom of all stairs
Other safety ideas for stairs:
- Tile and painted wood or concrete stairs can be slippery when wet or when a person's shoes are wet. Resurface the treads with slip-resistant strips near the stair nosing.
- All stairs of at least three risers should have a handrail.
Do not store items on the
stairs
Have
a heating professional check your heating system every year
Wood-burning stove connector pipes and chimneys should be inspected by a certified chimney sweep at least annually.
Protect
your home from frozen pipes
Tips available at:
http://www.statefarm.com/consumer/frozpipe.htm
Replace
your furnace filter
Furnace filters need to be
replaced frequently to allow your heating and cooling systems to operate
properly.
Run
all gas-powered lawn equipment until the fuel is gone
By doing this, you are removing
flammable liquid storage from your garage. At the same time, make sure you
aren't storing dirty, oily rags in a pile. They can ignite spontaneously.
Test
your emergency generator
Have
a certified chimney sweep inspect and clean the flues and check
your fireplace damper
- Soot and creosote, which build up inside the chimney, can ignite when a fire is lit in the fireplace.
Remove
bird nests from chimney flues and outdoor electrical fixtures
- Bird nests on top of light
fixtures are a fire hazard. Bird nests in chimney flues can prevent a
proper venting of combustion gases and can catch fire from sparks. You should exercise great caution when
working on your roof or consider hiring a qualified professional to take
care of any work that needs to be done.
Inspect
and clean dust from the covers of your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
Make
sure the caulking around doors and windows is adequate to reduce heat/cooling
loss
- Check glazing for loose or missing putty or glazing compound. This will also help reduce water damage to the windows and door frames.
Make
sure that the caulking around your bathroom fixtures is adequate to prevent
water from seeping into the sub-flooring
- Check for cracked or missing caulk around the base of your toilet, bath tub, and bathroom cabinets. Floor damage can be prevented by properly sealing the gaps between your bathroom fixtures and flooring material.
Visit
our neighborhood’s website at:
www.montgomerywesthoa.org for Architectural Change Forms, email for the Board
and other information.