South Valley Magazine September 18-24

THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE OF MORGAN HILL, GILROY & SAN MARTIN

A supplement to the Gilroy Dispatch & Morgan Hill Times

SEPTEMBER 18, 2020

DIY Season Homeowners should take precautions while upgrading living areas P2

GARDENING P4 | PREPARING FOR WILDFIRE P5 | REAL ESTATE P7

SEPTEMPER 18, 2020 | SANBENITO.COM | SOUTHVALLEY.COM

STAYING SAFE DURING HOME PROJECTS

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How to avoid the fall heat during quarantine DIY-ing

Q

uarantine and social distancing means spending more time at home. This has inspired renewed interest in home improvement and DIY projects.

Summer may be ending, but the heat still continues in the fall.

While warm-weather months are ideal for many projects, they also can bring high temperatures and dangerous heat.

Heat-related illnesses include heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, sunburn and heat rash. In extreme cases, overexposure to heat can cause death. According to the National Weather Service, heat causes the greatest number of weather-related injuries each year. In fact, an average of 138 people have died annually due to heat over the last 30 years.

In addition to making a supply list, gathering tools and researching steps to ensure your project is a success, be sure to take heat safety measures as well. Here are some tips for staying safe and cool while tackling home improvements in hot conditions:

Use portable evaporative coolers

Take breaks and hydrate

Outdoor spaces like patios, decks, garages or sheds can get extremely hot when you're just relaxing, let alone working on projects. To stay cool outdoors, consider a Portacool portable evaporative cooler that generates cooling relief by using water and the ambient air to provide cooling through natural evaporation.

This evaporation is akin to the cooling sensation you feel when you get out of a pool. It works where traditional air conditioning cannot, especially outdoors, on patios or in spaces with open doors such as garages, sheds and barns. These energy efficient coolers can cool spaces ranging from 300 to 4,250 square feet. Learn more at portacool.com.

Sometimes you get so focused on a project you don't realize you have not hydrated enough or have pushed yourself too far until it's too late and you feel sick. That's why prioritizing regular breaks is essential. Consider a work/ rest schedule. For example, when doing moderate work at 100 degrees, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends you should work for 45 minutes and then take a 15-minute break. Use this time to drink extra water to stay hydrated. Above all, always listen to your body. If you feel dizzy or sick, don't wait to take a break.

Check the forecast Before diving into a project, check the weather forecast first. You want to do

more than just avoid rain; you want to plan work to coincide with cooler temperatures. That may mean waiting a few days or more if there's a heat wave, but your health (and likely productivity) will benefit. In addition, check the heat index expected when you work and plan around the hottest times of the day. Try to work earlier in the morning when it's cooler and your energy is fresh. If you can't finish the project before the heat peaks, take a break and finish when the sun goes down or the next morning.

It's smart to jump on the DIY wave and add important home improvements to boost your home's livability and value. While you're working hard to reach your goals, consider these heat safety steps to stay comfortable and healthy. —Brandpoint Content

Be sun smart

DIY TIME Many homeowners will be working on improvement projects in the fall, but they must take precautions to avoid falling sick from the season’s heat.

SANBENITO.COM | SOUTHVALLEY.COM | SEPTEMPER 18, 2020

Being in direct sunlight not only heats your body faster due to solar radiation, but it's a risk for sunburn. When working on projects, choosing a shaded spot is optimal. If starting in the early morning, be sure to account for sun position within your working time. Set up umbrellas and other coverings ahead of getting started so you won't be tempted to work through the hot overhead sun. Additionally, remember to wear sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher and to reapply every few hours. Choosing light, airy cotton clothing that covers the arms and legs is an easy way to protect from the sun and keep you cooler.

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GARDENING

SEPTEMBER 18, 2020 | SANBENITO.COM | SOUTHVALLEY.COM

Tree selection

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PLANNING AHEAD There are many questions gardeners should ask themselves when choosing which tree to plant.

Fall is the ideal time to plant bare root trees

By KATE RUSSELL

F

ruit and nut trees make excellent additions to landscapes, but how do you know which trees to plant? The questions below will help you select the best fruit and nut trees for your yard.

First, how big of a tree do you want? These trees are available in standard, semi-dwarf, and dwarf sizes. Most standard fruit and nut trees can reach 20 feet in height and width, or more, though peach and nectarine trees rarely grow larger than 12-15 feet. Semi-dwarf trees grow 12-15 feet, while dwarf trees only reach 8-10 feet. Smaller trees have the added advantage of

being easier to care for and producing fruit sooner than larger trees.

Most dwarf trees can be grown in large containers.

How big of a crop can you use?

Different species produce different sized crops. Under ideal conditions, a dwarf apple tree might produce 200 pounds of fruit, a semi-dwarf apple can yield 400 pounds, and a standard apple tree might produce 600 pounds. A dwarf apricot tree only produces 40 pounds and a standard apricot tree might yield 240 pounds.

What is your Hardiness Zone?

Hardiness Zones are geographic regions with specific annual

minimum temperatures. This information helps you select plants appropriate to your microclimate.

Gilroy and Hollister are in Hardiness Zone 9 (a or b).

How much sun does your yard get? Most fruit and nut trees need at least eight hours of sunlight each day to be healthy and productive.

Will you need a pollinator tree? Some fruit and nut trees are self-fertile. This means they have both male and female flowers and only one tree is needed to produce a crop. Other varieties need a second tree for cross-pollination.

Self-fertile trees are significantly more productive when there is a second tree nearby.

Which pests and diseases are in your neighborhood? Knowing ahead of time which pests and diseases are likely to affect your fruit and nut trees can help you select varieties that are resistant. This means less work for you.

Finally, how many chill hours do you get? Chill hours are the combined number of hours below 45 degrees Fahrenheit experienced by a tree each year. Without adequate chill hours, trees will generally not produce. Most of northern California gets 800 to 1,500 chill hours, but Santa Clara County averages less than 450 chill hours each year.

Fall is the best time to plant bare root trees; just be sure to plant them at the proper depth. This means the flare of the trunk and any grafting are visible above the soil level. For the first few years, when your fruit tree produces flowers, it will live a longer, more productive life if you remove those blossoms before they start turning into a crop. This gives the tree the time it needs to generate a healthy root system.

Kate Russell is a UCCE Master Gardener in Santa Clara County. For information, visit mgsantaclara. ucanr.edu or call 408.282.3105 between 9:30am-12:30pm, Monday through Friday.

PREPARING FOR WILDFIRE

Vulnerable vent dilemma

Clear vents allow excess moisture to escape

By DWIGHT GOOD

V

ents play a critical role in your home by allowing excess moisture to escape from the attic and crawl space. If moisture was allowed to accumulate in these areas, your home could be threatened by mold and decay fungi.

During a wildfire, vent openings have also been shown to be one vulnerable spots for ember entry into your home. This creates a dilemma for homeowners.

Many vents use wire mesh coverings with a quarter-inch screen.

Smaller mesh sizes can become clogged by paint, cobwebs, debris, etc. that reduce air flow. Unfortunately, the quarter-inch mesh is not effective in preventing ember entry into the attic, eave, and crawl space vents. For existing homes, consider the following: • Replace quarter-inch mesh with one-eighth-inch mesh, if required air flow allows. Be sure to keep the mesh openings unclogged.

• Use metal wire mesh, not plastic or fiberglass.

• Don’t store combustible materials,

Fire Marshal Dwight Good, MS, EFO, serves the Morgan Hill Fire Department, South Santa Clara County Fire Protection District and Cal Fire Santa Clara Unit.

He has 25 years of fire service experience. For questions or comments, email Dwight.good@ fire.ca.gov or call 408.310.4654.

SANBENITO.COM | SOUTHVALLEY.COM | SEPTEMBER 18, 2020

OPEN ENTRY Vents play a critical role in your home by allowing excess moisture to escape from the attic and crawl space.

such as paper, clothing, etc. in the attic or crawl space.

• Clear fallen pine needles, leaves, dried grass and other debris from around vents (a particular problem with through-roof vents, such as a dormer or ridge vent).

• Do not plant shrubs in front of or underneath vent openings.

• Create premade covers out of plywood to install over vent openings if wildfire is approaching and there is time.

In an emergency, it may help to fold several layers of aluminum foil and staple over vent openings.

New ember-resistant vent designs are available. Check with your fire marshal or building official for advice on these and other measures to reduce the potential of embers entering your home.

Most people believe that wildfires ignite homes through direct contact with flames, but it is rare to have a home ignite this way. Flaming brands and embers can travel a mile or more ahead of the active front of a wildfire and up to 60 percent of wildland/urban interface home ignitions result from embers.

Make changes now to reduce the ember threat to your home.

The Ember Aware campaign is intended to educate people on the risks of ember cast and the actions they can take to reduce those risks, to encourage residents to harden their homes against embers and/or to maintain those ember-resistant features, and to practice embersafe housekeeping and landscaping. You can learn more at www. emberaware.com.

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HOME OF THE WEEK

Submitted photo

SEPTEMBER 18, 2020 | SANBENITO.COM | SOUTHVALLEY.COM

HOOT OWL WAY This home situated alongside Anderson Lake offers panoramic views.

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Views from the water’s edge Morgan Hill lakefront home updated with modern amenities

T

his lakefront home in Morgan Hill is reminiscent of a Tahoe chalet.

Located at 17470 Hoot Owl Way, the 2,535-square-foot home includes three bedrooms and three bathrooms.

The interior features open beam ceilings, handcrafted cabinetry, stained glass windows, skylights, two wood-burning fireplaces and

a pellet stove. It is also outfitted with granite kitchen countertops and a large island, updated baths with Carrera Marble, oversized tub in the master bath and solar.

Its expansive decks provide panoramic views of Anderson Lake.

The home, built in 1954, is listed at $999,999 by Intero Real Estate Services. For information, visit tinyurl.com/yy7gw5jx.

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