Manufactured Homes

Publisher

Raymond M. Eckenrode reckenrode@breezenewspapers com

Executive Editor

Valarie Harring vharring@breezenewspapers com

Editor

Chris Strine cstrine@breezenewspapers com

Advertising Director

Laurie Ragle lragle@breezenewspapers com

Content

Meghan Bradbury, LCEC, FGUA Lee County Solid Waste news@breezenewspapers com

Cover Design

Sheryl Rice srice@breezenewspapers.com

2510 Del Prado Blvd , Cape Coral, FL 33904

Phone: 239-574-1110

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What’s Inside

Communities continue to rebound -and rebuild -- following Hurricane Ian — Page 6

Insuring your manufactured home Page 10

Manufactured home market attracting plenty of buyers Page 12

What does a real estate attorney do? — Page 14

Five benefits to Florida rooms — Page 15

Is it time to replace your windows? — Page 17

Donated not Wasted: Lee County’s seventh annual food-rescue campaign begins as seasonal residents head north Page 18

Water leaks in the home not only waste water they waste homeowners’ money — Page 19

The basics of container gardening Page 20

LCEC: Stay safe around pad-mounted transformers — Page 22

LCEC: Simple tricks to trim your energy usage — Page 22

Communities continue to rebound -- and rebuild -following Hurricane Ian

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers.com

A l t h o u g h s o m e m a n u f a ct u r e d h o m e c o m m u n i t i e s w e r e c o m p l e t e l y d e v a s t a t e d

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C o m m u n i t y M a n a g e r

M i c h e l e G o n n e l l y s a i d t h e

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Swan Lake Village & RV Resort has bounced back and are doing really well following destruction left by Hurricane Ian.

CHUCK BALLARO

s a i d i t w a s n o t a b i g d e a l a n d n o o n e h a d a n y w a t e r i n t h e i r h o m e . “ W e h a d o u r s h a r e o f d a ma g e – n o t h i n g l i k e t h e F o r t M y e r s B e a c h a r e a , ” h e s a i d . “ W e w e r e a b l e t o b o u n c e b a c k e x t r e m e l y q u i c k l y b e c a u s e o f t h e a m o u n t o f h o m e o w n e r s a n d R V g u y s t h a t c a m e d o w n f r o m u p n o r t h t o h e l p c l e a n u p . W e h a d o w n e r s a n d g u e s t s p i t c h i n , m y f a m i l y a n d k i d s j u m p e d i n a n d w e n t t o t o w n . O n e o f o u r R V e r s c o o k e d b r e a k f a s t a n d l u n c h e v e r y d a y ” T h e r e w a s n o q u e s t i o n a b o u t i t , t h e c o m m u n i t y t o o k a b e a t i n g , b u t p e o p l e c a m e t o g e t h e r t o h e l p c l e a n u p . “ W e h a v e a n e x t r a h a n d o f p r o t e c t i o n o v e r o u r p a r k , ” J o r d a n s a i d . M o b i l e H o m e L a d y o w n e r A n t o n e t t e F a z l i c s a i d t h e r e w e r e d e f i n i t e l y s o m e a r e a s o f L e e C o u n t y t h a t w e r e a f f e c te d m o r e t h a n o t h e r s , s u c h a s F o r t M y e r s B e a c h a n d a r e a s o f f M c G r e g o r B o u l e v a r d T h e b r a n d - n e w h o m e s o n

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F a z l i c s a i d t h e r e a r e a f e w c o m m u n i t i e s t h a t a r e n o w u p

John Gardner

f o r s a l e , s u c h a s C e n t u r y 2 1 . O t h e r c o m m u n i t i e s , s u c h a s T r o p i c a n a S a n d s P a r k a n d O s p r e y B a y a r e b e i n g r e b u i l t w i t h a l l b r a n d n e w h o m e s . “ S o m e a r e r e b u i l d i n g , s o m e a r e n o t A l l t h e c o m m un i t i e s w e r e h i t . L e e P l a n t a t i o n , o f f o f M c G r e g o r , t h e h o m e o w n e r s a r e s l o w l y r e b u i l d i n g a n d b r i n g i n g i n b r a n d n e w h o m e s , ” F a z l i c s a i d . P e r i w i n k l e P a r k o n

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Insuring your manufactured home

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The main issue with insuring a manufactured home is the c o s t , a n d k n o w i n g w h a t i s within the insurance policy.

“It’s totally different covera g e t h a n h o m e o w n e r s , ” L e e C o u n t y I n s u r a n c e A g e n c y o w n e r J o h n G a r d n e r s a i d . “Manufactured homes are technically considered vehicles in the state of Florida A 20-yearold manufactured home, even replacement cost coverage, it is not necessarily going to bring you in a brand-new unit.”

Hurricane Ian also had an impact on insurance rates.

“Go back to 1992 when H u r r i c a n e A n d r e w h i t Homestead That section is still considered high risk and that storm was 32 years ago Lee County is now in that pool We got wiped out once, there is a chance it might happen again,” he said. “In part it's a way for companies to make back some o f t h e m o n e y t h e y l o s t . Companies are in business to make money and when they pay out millions of dollars it

comes in the form of increased prices.”

There are other contributing factors to the high insurance costs

Gardner said the age of the home is a major factor He said anything older than 1994 will be more expensive, as the code changed on construction in that year

“’94 and newer availability and pricing is better. The seasoned units older than '94, the market is very slim and quite p r i c e y T h e y h a v e t o h a v e i n s p e c t i o n s b e f o r e b i n d i n g policies – a 4-point inspection,” he said to prove the condition of the roof, plumbing, electrical and air conditioning

Gardner said a lot of agents m a y o n l y h a v e o n e o p t i o n , Citizens Insurance, which is a state insurer He said he represents Citizens – it is very limited and inferior coverage, as many things are carved out of coverage

“We write with every company that writes manufactured homes through Florida through agents . I know w hat is out

there,” Gardner said.

Some of the things to have included in a policy is hurricane and wind coverage, as well as loss settlement

“If you exclude wind, hurricane is not covered Hurricane is wind,” he said, adding that hurricane coverage on a policy is a different deductible.

L o s s s e t t l e m e n t , G a r d n e r s a i d , i s n e w , o r o l d – t h e r e p l a c e m e n t c o s t , t h e a c t u a l

cash value

Another big inclusion for an insurance plan for manufact u r e d h o m e s i s a t t a c h m e n t s , which is anything built after the home was parked on the lot –carport, shed, screened room

“Sometimes you bring in a park model only – a singlewide – and then add an entire section, the same size and it might be framed – it’s not part of the house. That is an add on and that is an attachment,” Gardner said.

H e s a i d m o s t c o m p a n i e s don’t cover attachments, unless they are named, and the value is listed

“Attachments are the first to

be damaged when there is a w i n d e v e n t T h e c a r p o r t , screened room, shed – they go f i r s t , ” G a r d n e r s a i d . “Oftentimes those attachments are attached to the roof line of the house The carport goes it starts pealing the roof off the house ”

H e a l s o e x p l a i n e d t h e d w e l l i n g f i r e p o l i c y T h e dwelling fire policy is a little bit cheaper most of the time, but with very restrictive coverage.

“It is actual cash value, not replacement cost. It only covers the perils, or things listed,” Gardner said. “It might only be eight things that are covered, but if a car drives through the front of the house, it may not be covered ”

He said his 30 years in busin e s s h e c a n c o u n t o n b o t h h a n d s t h e n u m b e r o f f i r e claims

G a r d n e r e n c o u r a g e s i n d iv i d u a l s t o s h o p a r o u n d a n d know what their policy covers.

“The only way to get cheaper is to give up coverage,” he said.

VANDY MAJOR

Damage on Fort Myers Beach caused by Hurricane Ian.

Manufactured home market attracting plenty of buyers

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

With the vast options of manufactured home communities across Southwest Florida – most offering an assortment of amenities to enjoy on property – those buying are either at, or near, retirement age

“What is good about manufactured homes, they are always trending because they are affordable Affordable housing will never go out of style,” Mobile Home Lady owner Antonette Fazlic said

She said like regular real estate, it is kind of slow right now as there are a lot more sellers than there are buyers

“I would attribute that to it being an election year, interest rates and the hurricane didn’t help,” Fazlic said “Most of our buyers come from the Midwest, Northeast.”

She said most buyers are

coming up to that retirement age and are unable to sell their home up north because the interest rates are scaring people and they are not able to buy in Lee County

“The market is pretty full, but we are not seeing the numbers of buyers we have in the past,” Fazlic said, adding that COVIDinflated prices are coming down.

Those buying have changed over the last few years. She said a few years ago it was people who lost their home because of the hurricane, with the year before there being more buyers than sellers because of COVID

“This is probably, as I look back, a standard season for us –more inventory and less buyers than what we are used to,” Fazlic said

The majority of those buying manufactured homes are retirees – 50, or older – looking to move to Florida, or having a second home, while others are local buyers looking to downsize on the home they have.

“We work with people that are still working, they are buying now and keeping it for the next five to 10 years until they retire,” she said, adding that they will rent out their home until they retire.

Most of the homes she sells are furnished – turn key – which is one of the buyers' wants She said they have something to start with and if they do not love the décor, they can change it at their leisure.

“The people that are selling are going into some sort of assisted living, or moving closer to families back up north,” Fazlic said

Although Fazlic said they sell manufactured homes year round, the interest grows from January through March. With that said, in the past, summer months have been really busy.

“But I would say, we are busier in season because we have more people here looking,” she said. “Out of season, we don’t have as many people looking.”

For one particular community in North Fort Myers, the average age is 20 years higher of those buying

Swan Lake Village & RV Resort owner Steve Jordan said retirees – early to mid-70s – are those looking to buy a manufactured home in his community.

The community consists of 111 in place, with four brand

new manufactured homes going in, three of which have already sold as of the end of February

“We have finally crossed the $100,000 barrier in resales We are blessed. We have a certain type of park – a certain quality and certain atmosphere,” Jordan said

The sale price was $92,000 before

“Our homes are selling here People have taken care of their home, (they are) up to date, (and they) remodel them. We are a class A with insurance companies because of how people take care of their home,” Jordan said

There are 104 sites in the RV section of the community with an average guest staying 4 3 months.

“We have a waiting list Last year we had a waiting list of over 70 something people,” he said “We have incredible repeat guests ”

Those buying are still acting as snowbirds that are looking for a winter home. Jordan said there are not many who are looking for a year-round home

“After the hurricane we had tons looking for year-round, but we didn’t have anything for sale,” Jordan said

He said the homes Swan Lake do not come up for sale very often. When they do residents are either moving to an assisted living facility, or going back north to be with family.

When the houses do come up for sale, Jordan said the RV community generally buys the houses. Before COVID, he said the average time a house was on the market was two days.

“Right now, I am running about 10 days with a house on the market before it is sold,” Jordan said

Swan Lake was started by his grandfather, who started from scratch in 1970 and incorporated in 1972 The first RV came in 1973 and manufactured home in 1976 The family-owned business then switched hands to his father, before he took ownership

What does a real estate attorney do?

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W i t h s o m u c h m o n e y r i di n g o n r e a l e s t a t e t r a n s a c t i o n s , h a v i n g a p r o f e s s i o n a l r e a l e s t a t e a t t o r n e y i n o n e ' s c o r n e r i s w i s e . R e c o g n i t i o n o f w h a t t h e s e p r o f e s s i o n a l s c a n d o u n d e r s c o r e s h o w v a l u a b l e t h e y c a n b e . R o l e s o f a r e a l e s t a t e a t t o r n e y T h e m a i n j o b o f a r e a l e s t a t e a t t o r n e y i s t o e n s u r e t h e l e g a l t r a n s f e r o f p r o p e r t y f r o m a s e l l e r t o a b u y e r R e a l e s t a t e a t t o r n e y s w i l l p r e p a r e a n d r e v i e w d o c u m e n t s , e n s u r e t h a t a h o m e t i t l e i s c l e a r , a n d f a c i l i t a t e t h e t r a n s f e r o f f u n d s b e t w e e n p a r t i e s , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e o n l i n e f i n a n c i a l r e s o u r c e N e r d W a l l e t . R e a l e s t a t e a t t o rn e y s w i l l i d e n t i f y a n y u n p a i d l o a n s , l i e n s , l i t i g a t i o n o r o t h e r c l a i m s a g a i n s t t h e p r o p e r t y , u n c o v e r d e e d r e s t r i c t i o n s a n d c o v e n a n t s , a n d a n y b r e a k s i n t h e c h a i n o f t i t l e I n a d d i t i o n t o t h e s e s e r v i ce s , a t t o r n e y s g u i d e t h e i r c l i e n t s t h r o u g h s e a r c h e s f o r

o b l i g a t i o n s l i k e t a x e s , u t i l i t y c h a r g e s a n d h o m e o w n e r s a s s o c i a t i o n f e e s , a c c o r d i n g t o B a n k r a t e . R e a l e s t a t e a t t o rn e y s a l s o w i l l p r e p a r e s e t t l em e n t s t a t e m e n t s s h o w i n g t h e c h a r g e s t o a l l p a r t i e s a n d h o w t h e f u n d s w i l l b e a l l o c a t e d , i n c l u d i n g c o m m i s s i o n s , a t t o rn e y ' s f e e s , u n d e r w r i t i n g f e e , t i t l e s e a r c h f e e , t a x e s , a n d m o r e A r e a l e s t a t e a t t o r n e y c a n w o r k f o r t h o s e l o o k i n g t o b u y o r s e l l a p r i v a t e h o m e , a n i n v e s t m e n t p r o p e r t y , a c o mm e r c i a l b u s i n e s s , o r e v e n g u i d e g r i e f - s t r i c k e n r e l a t i v e s t h r o u g h t h e p r o c e s s o f s e l l i n g a d e c e a s e d l o v e d o n e ' s h o m e t o s e t t l e e s t a t e o b l i g a t i o n s . W h o d o r e a l e s t a t e a t t o r n e y s w o r k f o r ?

I f t h e r e a l e s t a t e a t t o r n e y i s r e p r e s e n t i n g a c l i e n t ' s i n t e re s t s o n l y , t h a t l a w y e r w i l l b e a n a d v o c a t e t o t h e c l i e n t a n d w o r k i n h i s o r h e r b e s t i n t e re s t s . V a r i o u s a t t o r n e y s t e n d t o b e i n v o l v e d i n r e a l e s t a t e t r a n s a c t i o n s . O n e w i l l r e p r es e n t t h e b u y e r a n d a n o t h e r t h e s e l l e r . A l a w y e r m a y r e p r es e n t t h e m o r t g a g e l e n d e r i f f i n a n c i n g i s i n v o l v e d . A n o t h e r c o u l d p o t e n t i a l l y r e p r e s e n t t h e t i t l e c o m p a n y . C o s t o f r e a l e s t a t e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n C e r t a i n r e a l e s t a t e a t t o rn e y s w i l l c h a r g e a f l a t f e e t h a t e n c o m p a s s e s a s p e c i f i c s e r i e s o f j o b s , i n c l u d i n g t h e p r e p a r at i o n o f c l o s i n g d o c u m e n t s . O t h e r s m a y c h a r g e a n h o u r l y r a t e , p a r t i c u l a r l y i f t h e i s s u e i s m o r e c o m p l e x a n d i n v o l v e s l i t i g a t i o n W h e n i n d i v i d u a l s a r e s e l li n g o r i n v e s t i n g i n p r o p e r t y , r e a l e s t a t e a t t o r n e y s c a n e n s u r e t h e p r o c e s s g o e s s m o o t h l y a n d p r o t e c t t h e i r

Five benefits to Florida rooms

Snowbirds heading south to escape cold winters is a phenomenon that has been popular for decades. Places like Florida often beckon vacationers and retirees who are eager to enjoy the sun and surf

Individuals who have traveled south are likely familiar with outdoors spaces known as “Florida rooms ” While they are commonplace in Florida, these rooms are not exclusive to the Sunshine State In fact, they can be beneficial additions regardless of where one lives.

What are Florida rooms?

Florida rooms used to be spaces that people could retreat to when central air conditioning wasn’t so prevalent. Today, the term is largely synonymous with sunrooms Florida rooms tend to be enclosed, screenedin lanai spaces that expand a home’s living space outward. They may be outdoor patios, living rooms or even areas that s u r r o u n d c o v e r e d s w i m m i n g

pools Florida rooms can be tailored to homeowners’ pers o n a l p r e f e r e n c e s a n d lifestyles

The benefits to having a Florida room Florida rooms are popular and sought-after, and the following are five notable bene-

fits of having such a room

1. Help to maintain a conn e c t i o n t o n a t u r e : F l o r i d a rooms blend the outdoors with the interior of a home. The rooms may be on the side of a house or overlook a backyard, enabling residents to enjoy the g r e a t o u t d o o r s w i t h o u t f u l l exposure to the elements

bilities can be added to the spaces to make them full fourseason rooms

3 . G e t e x t r a v i t a m i n D : V i t a m i n D d e f i c i e n c y i s extremely common, affecting 42 percent of the United States population, according to the National Institutes of Health. Florida rooms enable people to soak up some extra sunshine and vitamin D

4. The rooms add value: Adding a Florida room gives homeowners additional space to enjoy with friends and family. Also, it has the potential to increase a home’s resale value w i t h o u t c o m m i t t i n g t o a n extensive renovation.

2 Make it possible to enjoy outdoors for most of the year: People who live in temperate c l i m a t e s c a n e n j o y o u t d o o r s p a c e s a l l y e a r l o n g . T h o s e who find it is pleasant outside for most months of the year can retreat to Florida rooms when conditions are less inviting Heating and cooling capa-

5 Rooms can be tailored to unique needs: A Florida room can be customized based on w h a t h o m e o w n e r s d e s i r e . Companies who specialize in Florida rooms can design these spaces according to the parameters chosen by homeowners Florida rooms add comfort, s p a c e a n d v a l u e t o h o m e s , making them a worthy consideration for anyone looking to improve the creature comforts of their home

Is it time to replace your windows?

Windows are a major component of a home Window installation professionals will tell homeowners that the average life span of residential windows is between 15 and 30 years Most well-maintained products can last 20 years, so homeowners who have windows approaching that age may want to schedule a window assessment and possible replacement.

Replacing windows is a job that requires advanced skill, and this is not a do-it-yourself project. There are many qualified professional window installation companies that will work with homeowners to measure, order and install windows that will fit with the style of a home and local weather, all while providing features the homeowner desires.

F o r t h o s e w o n d e r i n g w h e n t o r e p l a c e w i n d o w s , P e l l a a n d R e n e w a l b y A n d e r s e n , t w o w i n d o w m a n u f a c t u r e r s , o f f e r t h e f o l l o w i n g g u i d e l i n e s

l Difficulty opening and closing windows. A window that does not operate as it should can

New windows can be easier to operate and provide better energy efficiency. PHOTO PROVIDED

aggravate homeowners If windows are sticking shut or cannot be securely closed, it’s probably time for something new.

l There’s apparent window damage. Accidents happen, and if a rock is kicked up from a lawnmower and cracks a window or if spring baseball practice has gone awry with an errant throw, windows may require replacement

l Drafts in the window are common. If heating and cooling systems are working overtime, drafty, poorly insulated windows could be to blame Various agencies can perform energy efficiency tests in a home Windows that are determined to be the weak spots should be replaced

l Dated windows are present in the home Older windows may pose safety hazards, especially

those in older homes. A larger window may be needed to comply with fire safety codes allowing for window egress Dated windows also may simply look “old” and compromise the aesthetics of a home.

l Outdoor noises are noticed quite readily Newer windows can help reduce noise transmission So those leaf blowers, airplanes, barking dogs, and kids playing basketball up the street won’t disturb homeowners as they try to enjoy some peace and quiet indoors.

l Fading indoors is noted Windows that do not feature low-emissivity (Low-E) glass coatings will not block UV rays Those rays can cause fading to wood floors and furniture or pretty much anything the sunlight touches Replacing existing windows with Low-E coating alternatives can safeguard belongings and improve window efficiency.

Window replacement may be necessary when existing windows are showing signs of aging or damage

‘Donated not Wasted’

Lee County’s seventh annual food-rescue campaign begins as seasonal residents head back up north

Lee County Solid Waste’s seventh annual “Donated not Wasted” food rescue campaign encourages seasonal residents and visitors to donate unopened pantry items before returning north

Since the program’s inception, more than 31,100 pounds of food has been diverted from potential disposal and sent to the Harry Chapin Food Bank –enough food to provide more than 25,900 meals to residents.

J o i n L e e C o u n t y S o l i d W a s t e , H a r r y C h a p i n F o o d B a n k , W a s t e P r o , t h e L e e C o u n t y L i b r a r y S y s t e m , t h e Sanibel Public Library and Lee County Parks & Recreation in this effort to help route food that might otherwise end up in the waste stream to the coun-

ty’s population of people in need

To help, drop off unopened canned or dry goods now until M o n d a y , A p r i l 1 , a t o p e n libraries or Lee County recreation centers

Additional collection cont a i n e r s a r e a t t h e S i x M i l e C y p r e s s S l o u g h I n t e r p r e t i v e Center and Lee County Solid Waste’s Topaz Court Facility

P l e a s e v i s i t w w w l e eg o v . c o m / s o l i d w a s t e / d o n a t e dnot-wasted for the full list of collection sites or call 239533-8000 for more information

Drop off locations for food include:

Recreation Centers

l Estero Recreation Center, 9200 Corkscrew Palms Blvd ,

Canned and dry goods can be dropped off at a number of locations across the county.

Estero, FL 33928

l North Fort Myers Recrea t i o n C e n t e r , 2 0 0 0 N o r t h Recreation Park Way, North Fort Myers, FL 33903

l Veterans Park Recreation Center, 55 Homestead Road

S o u t h , L e h i g h A c r e s , F L 33936

Library locations

l B o n i t a S p r i n g s P u b l i c Library, 10560 Reynolds St , Bonita Springs, FL 34135

l C a p t i v a M e m o r i a l L ib r a r y , 1 1 5 6 0 C h a p i n L a n e , Captiva, FL 33924

l Cape Coral-Lee County Public Library, 921 SW 39th T e r r a c e , C a p e C o r a l , F L 33914

l Dunbar-Jupiter Hammon Public Library, 3095 Blount St , Fort Myers, FL 33916

l E a s t C o u n t y R e g i o n a l Library, 881 Gunnery Road N., Lehigh Acres, FL 33971

l F o r t M y e r s R e g i o n a l Library, 2450 First St , Fort Myers, FL 33901

l Johann Fust Community Library, 1040 W. 10th St.,

Boca Grande, FL 33921

l Lakes Regional Library, 15290 Bass Road, Fort Myers, FL 3919

l North Fort Myers Public L i b r a r y , 2 0 0 1 N T a m i a m i Trail, North Fort Myers, FL 33903

l Northwest Regional Library, 519 N. Chiquita Blvd. N., Cape Coral, FL 33993

l P i n e I s l a n d P u b l i c Library, 10701 Russell Road, Bokeelia, FL 33922

l Riverdale Public Library, 2421 Buckingham Road, Fort Myers, FL 33928

l Sanibel Public Library, 770 Dunlop Road, Sanibel, FL 33957

l South County Regional L i b r a r y , 2 1 1 0 0 T h r e e O a k s Parkway, Estero, FL 33928

Others

l Six Mile Cypress Slough I n t e r p r e t i v e C e n t e r , 7 7 5 1 Penzance Blvd , Fort Myers, FL 33966

l Topaz Court Solid Waste A n n e x , 6 4 4 1 T o p a z C o u r t , Fort Myers, FL 33966

Water leaks in the home not only waste water … they waste homeowners’ money

According to the Environm e n t a l P r o t e c t i o n A g e n c y , h o u s e h o l d l e a k s n a t i o n w i d e can waste nearly 1 trillion gallons of water annually, and 10% of homes have leaks that waste more than 90 gallons a day

In recognition of the annual “Fix a Leak Week,” which ran from March 18-24, the Florida Governmental Utility Authority – which owns and operates more than 98 water and wastew a t e r u t i l i t y s y s t e m s i n 1 4 Florida counties – is asking all consumers to hunt down those drips that are costly to both h o u s e h o l d b u d g e t s a n d t h e environment

Below are some simple tests that might help you check for and solve the mystery of any water leaks!

l L e a k / F l o w D e t e c t o r Inspector Your water meter should have a leak/flow detector, usually a small red wheel

or triangle. Making sure that nobody in or outside the home is using water, check the little wheel If it’s moving or spinning, it indicates water flowing through the meter and a possible leak.

l T h e T o i l e t T a n k T e s t Place a few drops of food coloring in each toilet tank. After about 20 minutes, check to see if any color has seeped into the toilet bowl If it did, the toilet is leaking, and could be an indication of a leaky flapper Toilet flappers are easy and cheap to replace, but contact a licensed plumber if you need assistance

l Water Softener Woes. If you are adding more salt than usual to your water softener and doing so more often, it may be cycling (which uses water) more frequently than it should Some water softeners automatically detect when they need to cycle, while others have a manu a l s e t t i n g C h e c k w i t h a

licensed plumber if you are concerned

l Sprinkling or Soaking? Check the zones on your sprinkler system for length of cycle, number of days per week and start time. Always follow local w a t e r i n g r e s t r i c t i o n s U n l e s s you have a rain detector on your system, turn it off if a good rain is expected Don’t w a t e r d u r i n g h o t , d a y l i g h t hours when much of the water will evaporate and not soak in. Busted sprinkler heads and brok e n u n d e r g r o u n d p i p e s c a n result in damage to your lawn and your pocketbook

l It's the Faucet’s Fault! Did you know that if just one of your faucets is dripping at the rate of one drop per second, you can expect to waste 2,700 gallons of water per year? And according to the EPA, a shower head leaking at 10 drips per minute wastes the amount of water it takes to run your dish-

washer 60 times! Repair dripping faucets and shower heads by replacing washers or seeki n g t h e h e l p o f a l i c e n s e d plumber.

For more water saving and c o n s e r v a t i o n t i p s , v i s i t FGUA com

If you are an FGUA customer and have questions or concerns, visit FGUA com and click on Support Center then Contact Us

The Florida Governmental U t i l i t y A u t h o r i t y o w n s a n d operates more than 98 water and wastewater utility systems in 14 Florida counties, providi n g s e r v i c e t o m o r e t h a n 1 2 0 , 0 0 0 c u s t o m e r c o n n e ct i o n s . C o u n t i e s s e r v e d b y FGUA include Citrus, Hillsb o r o u g h , L a k e , M a r i o n , O r a n g e , P a s c o , P o l k , S e m in o l e , H a r d e e , L e e , A l a c h u a , Flagler, Putnam and Volusia

The basics of container gardening

Gardening is a rewarding hobby that has been linked to h e a l t h b e n e f i t s l i k e r e d u c e d s t r e s s a n d i m p r o v e d m e n t a l well-being. Gardening also can lead to an inviting home landscape full of attractive blooms and/or delicious foods.

Backyard gardens have long been planted after clearing a plot of land, tilling and amending the soil, and planting rows o f f a v o r i t e c r o p s H o w e v e r , gardening can be less laborintensive and even more successful when people consider the many benefits of container gardening

What is container gardening?

A s i t s n a m e i m p l i e s , c o nt a i n e r g a r d e n i n g i s g r o w i n g p l a n t s i n s i d e o f c o n t a i n e r s T h e s e c o n t a i n e r s c a n b e f l o w e r p o t s , r e c t a n g u l a r d e c k b o x e s o r e v e n l a r g e r a i s e d g a

Pros to container gardening

One of the advantages of c o n t a i

e r g a r d e n i n g i s t h a t plants can be moved in and out of sunlight to ensure the right growing conditions. This isn't as easily achieved when gard e

a

y A l s o , b e g i n

d e n e r s m a y b e more able to control soil conditions inside of a small container rather than a vast groundb a s e d g a r d e n , w h i c h w i l l require a good deal of manual labor. Pots and boxes also can be grouped together to create eye-popping displays, usually at lower costs than the sheer volume of plants that would be needed to fill out an expansive landscape

Cons to container gardening

Container garden plants will not have direct access to the ground, so they need gardeners

to create the ideal growing conditions. Developing the right care formula can be challengi n g . T h e h o m e a n d g a r d e n resource The Spruce says that drainage is an important factor i n c o n t a i n e r g a r d e n i n g , a n d most containers do not offer enough drainage holes. If water cannot escape the soil, the roots of the plants can rot and die. It's not enough to add stones or gravel to the bottom of containers Drill additional holes in the bottom (1/2-inch in diameter for small or medium-sized pots; one inch in diameter for larger pots) Also, be sure to check on soil moisture so that watering can be adjusted. During hot stretches, plants may need to be watered more frequently.

Plan for plants that play well

G r o u p i n g p l a n t s t o g e t h e r c a n c r e a t e v i s u a l l y s t u n n i n g combinations. However, it is

important to choose plants that require the same amount of l i g h t a n d m o i s t u r e L o o k a t plant tags when visiting the garden center and select comp l e m e n t a r y p l a n t s , o r a s k a store employee Mixing different plant shapes, colors and leaf textures, as well as plants of various heights, can help containers look filled out.

Feed plants accordingly

P l a n t s n e e d n u t r i t i o n t o t h r i v e i n c o n t a i n e r s . Q u a l i t y potting mixes will contain fertilizers, but nutrition will wane o v e r t i m e E v e r y c o u p l e o f w e e k s , c o n t a i n e r p l a n t s w i l l need either fresh potting mix or granular fertilizer added to feed them.

C o n t a i n e r g a r d e n i n g i s a g r e a t w a y t o a d d p l a n t s t o s m a l l e r p a t i o s , r e d u c e t h e workload involved in maintaining expansive gardens, and customize conditions for optimal growth

LCEC: Stay safe around pad-mounted transformers

Pad-mounted transformers are large, green, locked boxes that are typically located in residential neighborhoods Pad-mounted transformers work similarly to the transformers (gray cans) on the top of electric poles. Simply put, they convert higher-voltage electricity to a lower voltage so that it is safe for your home Pad-mounted transformers work with underground power lines while transformers on the pole work directly with the overhead electric lines.

When it comes to staying safe around pad-mounted transformers, LCEC reminds residents to:

l Not touch, climb or play near or on pad-mounted transformers

l Keep surrounding areas clear for easy access by line crews

l Not plant or dig near pad-mounted transformers

l Report damaged or unlocked pad-mounted transformers to your electric utility

For more ways to stay safe around electricity, visit lcec.net.

LCEC: Simple tricks to trim your energy usage

Conserving electricity doesn’t just reduce your carbon footprint, it can help reduce your electric bill. Follow these simple tips to trim your energy usage:

l Plant a tree Trees help shade your home and keep it cool! Be sure to plant the right tree in t h e r i g h t p l a c e . V i s i t h t t p s : / / w w w l c e c n e t / r e l i a b i l i t y / vegetation-management/plantingt r e e s f o r i n f o r m a t i o n o n t r e e planting and power lines

l Keep the refrigerator shut. Be mindful of how much you open your fridge since you lose one-third of cold air each time that door opens.

l C h o o s e t h e c o l d c y c l e W a s h i n g y o u r c l o t h e s i n h o t water can be pricey depending on how many loads you do in a week and what time of day you do them Choose cold water to cut down on energy usage.

l Turn it off Always turn off lights, ceiling fans, televisions or a n y t h i n g t h a t u s e s e l e c t r i c i t y when not in use.

l Switch to energy-efficient

light bulbs. As old light bulbs burn out, invest in either compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) or l i g h t - e m i t t i n g d i o d e s ( L E D s ) These light bulbs use substantially less energy than traditional incandescent light bulbs and last much longer CFLs have a lifesp a n o f 1 0 , 0 0 0 - 1 5 , 0 0 0 h o u r s while LEDs last nearly 25,00023,000 hours Incandescent light bulbs last just 1,500 hours!

For more practical ways to conserve energy, visit the Energy Efficiency tab on lcec net