Smoke Detectors and CO Detectors

As always, we'll be supplying you with 2 Smoke Detectors in your House Kit.  We'll also include a Carbon Monoxide Detector in your House Kit.  As of July 1, all single-family homes (in California) with a gas appliance, a fireplace or attached garage is required to have CO Detectors installed.  So we've decided to install at least one detector in every home we work on.  (Multi-family residences will be required to abide by this law by January 2013.)  So plan to include the installation of a CO Detector as part of your scope.

Here are some guidelines for WHERE to install Smoke Detectors AND Carbon Monoxide Detectors:

Smoke Detectors

• At a minimum, install them outside each sleeping area.  
• For maximum coverage, install one in each bedroom, on every level of your home, and in every living area. (If you need more than 2, let us know.)  
• Mount them in the middle of the ceiling, at least 6 inches from the corner/wall. 
• Do not mount them near heating or cooling ducts.
• In Mobile Homes, mount them on inside walls.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors

• They should be installed outside sleeping areas and on every level of the home.  (If you need more than one, let us know.)
• The detectors we are providing are electric with a battery back-up.  So you'll need to find a place near an outlet.  

More information about Smoke Detectors and CO Detectors is included in the envelope with your credit cards. 

The "Skinny" on Metal Recycling by AmeriCorps Member, Chloe Morel

RTSV is proud to offer the option of recycling appliances and other metal for our homeowners, and we want to work with you to make this process as seamless and easy as possible. Please don’t hesitate to contact me at cmorel@rebuildingtogether-sv.org with any questions after reading this entry.

Here’s the skinny on “Heavy Metal” (appliances, scrap metal, e-waste):

• Each project is responsible for getting any Heavy Metal from their project to Rebuilding Together’s warehouse
• House Captains and Volunteer Coordinators have access to information about who in their group has a pickup truck available on Rebuilding Day through our database (rtsv.civicore.com). There are detailed instructions about how to access the database reports HERE 
• Resource Coordinators learned about this responsibility at training, and are expected to work with the HC and VC to coordinate a pickup truck onsite on Rebuilding Day
• There will be people at the Rebuilding Together warehouse all Rebuilding Day and the week after to direct/help with drop off of any Heavy Metal and e-waste
• If you have a question about whether we will be able to recycle an item, either refer to the Heavy Metal sheet in your handbook (on the back of appendix S), or call the office

After Rebuilding Day, wonderful volunteers take all of the (tons!) of scrap metal to a recycling facility. Through this practice we are not only helping the environment, but collecting money to help with the cost of future Rebuilding Day projects. Honestly a win-win!

Over the years, our ways of dealing with “Heavy Metal” has shifted and changed based on the needs of Rebuilding Together and of the projects. One of the most recent incarnations was the Heavy Metal squad, who drove around and picked up any recyclable metal from the job site on Rebuilding Day. We did away with this due to the desire of our volunteers to be more involved with the excitement of Rebuilding Day, and not feel like they were banished to driving around in a truck all day. We want each of our volunteers to have a great Rebuilding Day experience! This also came with the change from “Traveling Green Teams” who would blast 4-5 homes with energy efficiency upgrades, to a Resource Coordinator on every project who can focus on the needs of their homeowner. We’ve found that by centralizing projects and eliminating outside influence, our projects are stronger, smoother, and more impactful.

Pick Up Time

It's time to sign up for a pick up time to load up your supplies from our warehouse: 2827 Aiello Drive, San Jose, 95111.

House Captains:  You may schedule your pick up between 9am-5pm, Wednesday-Friday, October 24-26.* Here's what you'll be picking up:

House Kit
Interior and/or Exterior Paint Kit (if on your scope)
Paint (if on your scope)
Scraping Kit (if applicable)
Ladders (if requested)
Grab Bars and other Accessibility Items (if requested)
Copy of your Scope of Work
Location of/map to nearest debris bin (if sharing with another site)

You can either call the office (408-578-9519) to make an appointment or use our online calendar.  See link and instructions below. 

House Captains:  http://www.brownbearsw.com/freecal/HCSIGNUP

Choose a time that doesn't already have a project # and name by it, double click on the time and a new screen will open.  Under "Modify the Text", replace the text with your project # and name; for example:  "Project 10/Deanne Everton".  Then click on "Replace Event" and you're all signed up.

*If you're part of our Adopt-A-Park projects in Peppertree Mobile Home Park, you don't need to worry about picking up supplies.  We will deliver them on Friday to your site and everything will be there when you arrive on Saturday. 

Thanks everyone!!