SPRING “CLEANING” TRUCKEE STYLE

Spring is around the corner, the snow is starting to melt after our snowmageddon 2023, and your home is revealing more of its winter stresses. Snowblowers, plows, ice dams, and heavy snow loads can lead to chipped paint, gouged decks, wrecked gutters, torn-up driveways, and more.

While surveying your property can lead to overwhelm, take the stress off by monitoring damage one item at a time. Figure out what you can do yourself, and determine where you’ll need to hire help. Contractors book up fast, so get in touch with one today if you know you’re ready to move forward with improvements. The lists below will help get you started.

DECKS, PAINT, SIDING + ROOFS

Our decks and patios are an additional room in the summer months, opening up outdoor space for kids to play, entertain, read, relax, and enjoy the backyard songbirds. Having our deck look its best, and making improvements for safety makes the space that much more enjoyable. Winter snow loads, shovels, and snowblowers can wreak havoc on the integrity and aesthetics of our decks. But with some elbow grease or hired help, your outdoor living takes on a new feel when your deck is primed and prepped.

If the snowmelt reveals chipped or scraped paint or siding, this might be the year to update your home’s exterior. Paint and stain are less expensive and relatively easy, but it doesn’t last as long as new siding, which can last up to 50 years. If you don’t have the funds for new siding, paint or bi-annual staining does a great job of sprucing up your home and boosting curb appeal.

How are your roof and gutters? Schedule a contractor to come out and inspect your roof and check for any winter damage. They’ll also know the best materials for your situation, which depends on the slope, amount of snow, cost, and more.

Local Contractors:

Meng Construction | (530) 587-7500 | mengconstruction.com

Truckee Custom Homes | (530) 205-7701 | truckeecustomhomes.com

GLA Morris Construction | (530) 587-2711 | gla-morris.com

Becker Construction Group LLC | (530) 536-6559 | beckerconstructiongroup.com

Heslin Construction | (530) 214-8930 | heslinconstruction.com

Mt. Lincoln Construction | (530) 582-8174 | mtlincoln.com

Mark Tanner Construction, Inc | (530) 587-4000 | marktannerconstruction.com

DLP Construction & Painting, Inc. | (530) 414-3270 | dlpconstructioninc.com

CATT is a great resource also. | ca-tt.com

Remodeling

Don’t put off that bathroom remodel that you’ve always wanted. Home improvements can not only enhance your quality of life, they will increase the value of your house. While you may be able to take on some projects yourself, others require a contractor with insurance and possibly permits from the town. Now is the time to book summer home projects, as their schedules fill up fast.

Asphalt Pavers:

Painting Contractors:

Kelly Brothers Painting Inc. | (530) 550-0806 | kellybrotherspainting.com

Castle Peak Painting Co. | (530) 587-4238 | castlepeakpainting.com

Elements Mountain Co. | (530) 582-0300 | elementsmtn.co

Easterbrook Painting, Inc. | (530) 550-9332 | easterbrookpainting.com

Driveways

Advanced Asphalt | (530) 582-0800 | aasphalt.com

Elements Mountain Co. | (530) 582-0300 | elementsmtn.co

Robert E. Sutton Company Inc. | (530) 587-4161 | suttonasphalt.com

Shaffer Paving Inc. | (530) 587-1125 | shafferpaving.com

Truckee driveways take a significant beating over the winter, especially if you use a snow removal service. Driveways should be resealed every two to three years to prevent damage like cracking and breaking. However, if you’re experiencing deep cracks, potholes, and drainage issues, it might be time to replace the whole thing. Get a quote, and obtain the correct permit from the Town of Truckee.

SIERRA GARDENING + LANDSCAPING

Gardening offers space for meditation, sanctuary, learning, and growth. New shoots, fragrant blooms, herbs, vegetables, and fruits, make gardening incredibly rewarding. They allow us to dig in, access our roots, turn off our technology, and experience Truckee’s landscape with all five senses.

While gardening is notoriously tricky in the High Sierra, it is doable, especially if you take advantage of local resources and embrace local foliage in your landscape planning. Make your garden work for you and Truckee by adopting “water-wise” landscaping, which supports biodiversity and local pollinators, saves resources, and exists in harmony with the local, natural environment. For detailed Truckee gardening and landscape tips from Eric Larussen of Villager Nursery and Erik Neu of Rock & Rose, see the Spring 2022 issue of Truckee.com: An Insider’s Guide on Truckee.com.

“Planning for water efficiency is an extremely important component of landscape planning in the arid west. A well-planned and water-efficient landscape not only helps the environment, but it also helps you avoid unnecessary headaches and heartaches over foiled plantings and disappointing designs.” - UCCE Master Gardeners of Lake Tahoe

Five Tahoe-Friendly, Water-Wise Plants

• Showy Penstemon spp., Penstemon

• Blanketflower, Gaillardia pulchella

• Wooly Speedwell, Veronica incana

• Stonecrop, Sedum spp.

• Ninebark, Physocarpus

Water Conservation Tips

• Be detailed in planning and design

• Use water-efficient plants

• Use water-efficient irrigation

• Use mulch to reduce evaporation

• Create practical turf areas

• Care for your soil

• Practice appropriate maintenance

Local Resources:

Villager Nursery

For plants, advice, soil, and more Villagernursery.com

Slow Food Lake Tahoe

For grow-your-own workshops Slowfoodlaketahoe.org

Local Landscapers:

DeLux Landscaping | (530) 448-8144 | deluxlandscaping.com

Duviv Gardens Inc. | (415) 446-9344 | duvivgardens.com

Grateful Gardens | (530) 550-9372 | gratefulgardens.biz

Peak Landscape | (530) 587-4269 | peaklandscapeinc.com

Sierrascape | (530) 582-9955 | sierrascape.com

Rock & Rose | (530) 550-7744 | rocknrose.com

Defensible Space

Whether you’re new to Truckee or a longtime local, it’s everyone’s responsibility to ensure defensible space exists around homes and businesses. When we work together, we reduce the chance of wildfire. Again, you can tackle defensible space or hire a local contractor.

Defensible Space Contractors:

Alpentree Experts | (530) 448–1194 |alpentree.com

Ben’s 1-888-Zap-Haul, Inc. | (530) 428-5530 | zaphaul.com

Defensible Space & Land Clearing Systems | (888) 336-1389 | defensiblespacesystems.com/truckee

Elements Mountain Co. | (530) 582-0300 | elementsmtn.co

Timberwolf Tree Service | 530-386-3340 |timberwolfetreeservice.com

Truckee Defensible Space | (530) 536-0365 |truckeedefensiblespace.com

YFR Tree & Land Management | (530) 205-3352 | yubaforestrestoration.com

Pick up a self-inspection form and learn more about defensible space requirements at truckeefire.org/dspace.

Defensible space checklist:

• Remove all combustible materials from beneath decks, stairways, and overhangs.

• Remove all dry, flammable vegetation within 100 feet of structures.

• Move firewood piles at least 30′ away from structures

• Thin trees and remove ladder fuels at least 6′

• Trim trees at least 10′ from the chimney and roof

• Clear roof and gutters of pine needles throughout the season

• Remove all dead plants, grass, and weeds

• Remove all dead trees

• Move firewood, lumber, and large woody materials to a safe distance from structures

• Ensure your address is clearly visible to emergency response personnel

• Remove all dry, flammable vegetation 10 feet away from propane tanks

• Remove excessively dense tree cover

Nate Farnell

Branch Leader

Truckee Branch 530-448-8038 schwab.com/truckee

© 2023 Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (“Schwab”) Member SIPC. All rights reserved. (1120-0JP6) SCH10124-2 (03/23)