Home Improvement

However, the following exceptions do give HOAs the power to restrict solar panels if one of the following conditions exist:

• If the solar energy devices are illegal or violate public health and safety
• If they are located on common property within the subdivision
• If they extend higher than the roofline, do not conform to the slope of the roof, or are not parallel to the roofline
• If they are ground-mounted and extend above the homeowner’s fence
• If they are installed in a way that voids the warranties
• If they have an element that is not in a silver, bronze, or black tone
• If they are installed without prior approval by the HOA

HOAs can also designate where solar panels may be placed on a homeowner’s roof. However, the homeowner can petition for an alternate location if he or she can prove that the alternate location would increase the estimated annual energy production of the solar panels by more than 10% by using a modelling tool provided by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, such as the PVWatts Calculator.

They can't stop you from putting them on your roof. If they say they can't be on the front part of your house and that's where the sun is, you can petition it. I'd bed if you talk to an installer, they can help you with fighting your HOA. When I got mine in Nevada, the installer basically walked me through the whole process of dealing with my HOA.

Solar Rights & Regulations | www.gosolartexas.org

Deathwing said:

What's the basic guideline for maintaining an asphalt driveway? Ive owned my first for about five years and cracks are starting to show.

Seal it? How often?

Let it go to shit and it "becomes" gravel? I know this is a bit stupid, I just have no use for asphalt. And I really want to avoid paying the repaving costs on something I don't get any functionality out of.

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Seal it every time it looks like it needs it... you can only let it turn to gravel if...gravel is your underlay foundation for the asphalt - mine is shell - it also wont just one day turn to gravel, or even in the end look like a real gravel driveway- it will just look like shit and look like shit in the process of deterioration.

Mine overall if fairly bad - but its at the tipping point of being able to be restored (by normal means) and just letting it go. The deal I had with pavers fell through so I am going to get working on doing a resurface properly and working on the driveway once the rain stops.

If yours has a lot of "gator" cracks that are all over - like mine - I am looking at doing the entire thing with Gator Patch | Alligatored Asphalt | NAC Supply

then doing a seal, sealant will not really fix cracks, it will seal them and they should not get "worse" but it will not make it smooth - you will still have the cracks. Gator patch is made to fill and flatten cracks and also level "bird baths" aka small depressions that hold water.

Its applied the same way as sealer with a rubber giant squeegee.

Sealer however is very easy and takes like 1/2 hour to do - depending on your driveway size its also not that much money, 15$ for the squeegee and 60-120$ for a few pails of the sealer...there is colored stuff at home depot if you do not want just black.

If you only have a few gator crack areas, or rash spots you can use crack filler and trowel patch to take care of it before sealing.

If you have a hole down to the foundation material you will need to do the real patch, stop it in then do trowel patch to smooth it, then seal it.

Don't pay for someone to seal coat it. It is not worth it, I did the same thing "oh I don't want to mess it up" - don't, it is so damn easy and simple.

Watch one or two youtube, go to home Depot or Lowe's - buy the squeegee and a few tubs. Sweep your driveway, or use a leaf blower (highly recommended - if u don't have one.

I paid 280$ or something to have some dudes come and spray seal it, they were driving by and needed to finish their day and stuff so I got a "deal" I got screwed- what you do will be thicker and cheaper. I figured the same as you, I never did it before etc. Etc. Then I did it myself 6mo down the line... I wanted my 180$ back in difference.

You can use a brush also if you want a more kind of textured finish, either or are 15ish $ - some have both.

Excellent work! Looks great, and way to save money. Plus, every time you see it, you will think, "I made that." Better than "I paid someone to make that."

lurkingdirk said:

Excellent work! Looks great, and way to save money. Plus, every time you see it, you will think, "I made that." Better than "I paid someone to make that."

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I made my wifes closet, I sometimes stand it in and smile, it was good work... always do your best work - there are things I did shitty and do not smile.. if it was something I learned on and that is why it was not the best, that's different.

I pay people to do things like this because I'll end up in the hospital if I don't. Saws and Vinen don't play well.

You don't even need to cut the garage door. A thief can just push it off the rails with a car. Better install some bollards, Lanx.