Showing posts with label toronto. Show all posts

Saturday, September 2, 2017

Exploring Toronto Neighbourhoods: Willowdale

Looking for a thriving, diverse neighbourhood centrally located that offers either an urban or suburban vibe? Look not further than North York’s Willowdale.

Where is Willowdale? Comprised of three villages: Newtonbrook, Willowdale and Lansing, Willowdale runs on either side of the Yonge corridor north of Finch Avenue up to Steeles Avenue. To the east, it is border by Bayview Village and to the west, by Bathurst Manor.

This area has changed significantly in the last few years. Cadmium, business and retail development has increased along the Yonge corridor. Comparing pictures taken in 1980 versus 2010 show demonstrate the impressive growth and ever-growing skyline. Single-family homes built prior to the 1960s are being redeveloped as much larger homes. Landmarks in this area include: North Central Library, Mel Lastman Square, Toronto Center for the Arts, Gibson House, John Mckenzie House and the Holocaust Museum.

This area is becoming a transportation hub, linking to Toronto in the south via subway and cities and towns to the north, west and east via bus. TTC Subway Line 1, the Yonge-University line, runs in a north-south direction through the neighbourhood with Finch Station to the north and Sheppard station to the south. Line 4, the Sheppard line, runs in an east-west direction from Sheppard station to the west and Don Mills Station to the east. The 401 can be accessed from the neighbourhood via Bayview and Yonge exits.

I encourage you to catch out further what this fine Toronto neighbourhood has to offer you.

David Gharat

www.housecondopro.com

Friday, August 25, 2017

David Gharat RE/MAX For Sale 21 Horton Blvd, Toronto, M1J1K7

Saturday, July 22, 2017

Your Home, Your Investment: Preparing your home for summer vacation!

It’s summertime and you may be planning to get away to the cottage, the beach or across the country to visit family and friends. If you are planning to be away longer than 3-4 days, you will want take specific steps to prepare and protect your home for while your away. There are several checklists available on the topic. Here is the one we use for preparing and protecting your home room by room.

General:

Home Monitoring: Ask a trusted neighbor or friend to check on your house every 3 days. Investigate installing a security system to monitor your home more closely.

Social Media: Do not communicate beyond a trusted group that you will be away. Avoid posting photos on social media while you are away.

Pets: Arrange for care of pets, if necessary.

Home Insurance: Review your home insurance policy to make sure you comply with insurance company requirements.

Yard and Driveway:

Flowers: Arrange to have summer annuals watered daily.

Lawn: Arrange to have lawn mowed if away longer than 2 weeks.

Flood Lights: Install motion-censored floodlights outside your home.

Windows: Close and lock all windows.

Vehicles: Leave vehicles parked as normal, be it in the driveway or in the garage, if possible.

Entry:

Additional key: Have an extra key made for a trusted neighbor or friend.

Mail: Ask a trusted neighbor or friend to collect your mail if you have an outdoor mailbox.

Newspaper: Discontinue the newspaper while you are away.

Air Conditioning: Set temperature 4-5 degrees Celsius higher than normal to save electricity.

Living Room and Bedrooms:

Lamps: Turn on one indoor lamp near a window during the evening hours using a timer or a web application.

Electronics: Unplug all small electronic while you are away to save electricity.

Kitchen:

Perishables: Remove all perishables from your refrigerator that will go bad before your return.

Garbage: Remove all garbage from your inside home. Ask a trusted neighbor or friend to put out on Garbage Day.

Recycling: Remove all recycling from inside your home. Ask a trusted neighbor or friend to put out on Recycling Day.

Compost: Remove all compost from inside your home. Ask a trusted neighbor or friend to put out on Recycling Day.

Dishwasher: Run and empty dishwasher. Leave dishwasher open while you are away.

Basement/Laundry Room:

Laundry: Wash and dry laundry. Make sure last minute dirty items are dry.

Water: Shut off water supply if away longer than 2 weeks. Adjust hot water heater setting to vacation setting, if possible

Relax and enjoy your summer vacation!

David Gharat

www.housecondopro.com

Friday, June 30, 2017

Canada’s 150th Birthday

As you celebrate Canada’s 150^th birthday, you may wonder how Canada got started and what we are marking.

First, let's review Canadian history. Back in 1867, following a series of proposals and conferences (Quebec City and Charlottetown), what is now Canada with 10 provinces and three territories was started. The federation, a political union of self-governed provinces under a central (federal) government, included Canada West (Ontario), Canada East (Quebec), New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. These four regions came together and agreed, under the British North America Act, to come together and be called Canada. While Queen Victoria, the British monarch at the time, signed it into law on March 29, 1867, it came into effect on July 1, 1867.

Additional provinces and territories joined the union over time Manitoba and Northwest Territories in 1870, British Columbia in 1871, Prince Edward Island in 1873, Yukon Territory in 1898, Saskatchewan and Alberta in 1905, Newfoundland in 1949 and Nunavut in 1999.

Beyond the historical milestone, I believe we are celebrating Canadian values and the richness this union brings to our lives. Although it is somewhat hard to express, you will perhaps view this richness is hinted at through our symbols: the maple leaf, the beaver, the flag or on logos on t-shirts you can buy at this time of year. They read “True North, Strong and Free”, “No matter where I roam, Canada will be always be home” or the simple “Canadian, eh?” For my part, I am grateful to live in a strong country where I am free and encouraged to practice my religion, speak my candid options and pursue my business goals and dreams.

God Bless Canada!

Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Install Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors: Be Prepared and Be Safe!

Do you have the proper number of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home to protect your family? This question became a priority at our home when the carbon monoxide detectors sounded on a Sunday morning. Wow! Are those things ever loud! After some frazzled nerves, a 911 call and a visit from Toronto’s finest firefighters, we been reminded about the importance of these detectors and learned more about the requirements.

How many smoke detectors do you need and where should they be placed? Smoke detectors sense smoke from typically a fire. Ionization sensing smoke detectors will even detect smolders from the beginning of a fire. We have even had a smoke detector detect a leak in our roof but that is another story entirely!

Every home in Ontario must have a working smoke alarm on every storey and outside all sleeping areas. As smoke rises, smoke detectors should be installed on the ceiling or, if necessary with a slopped ceiling, on the top 1 foot of the wall. Also, avoiding installing smoke detectors near the kitchen or bathroom where smoke or steam can trigger a false alarm. Are you all set from a smoke detector perspective?

How many carbon monoxide detectors do you need and where should they be placed? A carbon monoxide detector is a device that detects carbon monoxide gas in order to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide is a colourless, tasteless and odorless gas. Carbon monoxide exposure at certain levels and lengths can lead to deadly poisoning. Initial symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headaches and stomach sickness. As you sleep, you would not be aware of these symptoms. It is known as the “silent killer” as it is undetectable without technology. Consequently, it is important to have fully functioning detectors installed.

In Ontario, carbon monoxide detectors must be installed outside bedrooms on each level where you sleep. Having one carbon monoxide detector in a furnace room is not sufficient to wake people in the night. Is your household protected from the “silent killer”?

Once you have your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors installed, how do you maintain them? There are five key steps to maintaining your detectors:

Test the units and know how they work.
Replace the batteries at least once a year, less frequently for lithium batteries than can last the lifetime of the alarm.
Replace units every 10 years, sooner if it isn’t working.
Regularly dust or vacuum the units.
Keep the unit free of paint, stickers, or other decorations that may prevent it from working properly.

What do you do should an alarm sound?

First, have a fire escape plan that you practice. Identify two ways out of each room and an outdoor meeting point away from the home. In the case of a fire, once you are out of the house, call 911. For carbon monoxide alarms, if you are not feeling ill first check the battery. If you are feeling ill and the battery is fine, leave the home and from your meeting point, call 911. Although you want to avoid false alarms, do not hesitate to contact emergency services. Better safe than sorry.

Be prepared and Be Safe.
David Gharat www.housecondopro.com

Monday, June 19, 2017

Cleaning Your Eaves trough

Now that the weather is warm, there are a few things you should do to maintain your home. Cleaning your eaves troughs is one important task. With the rain we have seen this spring, this is even more important.

What is eaves trough? Eavestroph is the gutter that is fixed underneath your roof. As rainwater falls, it is collected in the gutters from your roof and is drained from the gutters to the ground through downspouts. To best protect your home’s foundation, it is best that your downspouts be disconnected. If your downspouts are connected to your drainage system, you should have them disconnected. Over several months, debris such as leaves and twigs will accumulate in the eaves troughs. As this builds up in the gutter or downspouts, it will prevent proper drainage and will need to be cleaned out. The amount of debris depends on how many deciduous trees surround your home.

How do I clean my eaves troughs? Cleaning eaves trough for single-storey houses is fairly easy. If you clean them regularly in the fall and in the spring, each cleaning will be easier. To get started you will need some simple tools. You will need a sturdy ladder, heavy-duty work gloves, a garden trowel, two buckets, a yard waste bag and a garden hose.

There are 3 steps:

1) Setup your ladder with 2 buckets, one for your tools and one in which to collect debris. Remember to never use the top two steps on the ladder and to not over-reach when on a ladder,

2) Remove debris from the eaves troughs and downspouts using your trowel into your debris bucket,

3) Pass water through the eaves troughs using a hose to clean remaining debris and make sure your downspouts are properly draining.

To make completing the job easier, you may want to look at some eaves troughs or gutter cleaning tools. You can get gutter extensions for a leaf blower or for a water pressure to help with job. You can also find special gutter cleaning trowels.

If you are uncomfortable climbing ladders and your home has more than a single-storey, it may be in your best interest to hire this cleaning out at a cost of approximately $100-200, depending on the size of your home.

David Gharat www.housecondopro.com