Cape Elizabeth & Yarmouth Questions

[maja]

Originally Posted by JViello

Sounds like a good plan.

What I mean by "hearty soul" is home upkeep here can be a lot of work...gutter cleaning, leaf pickup, snow shoveling/plowing, landscaping, critter control, vehicle maintenance for cold/snow etc etc.

I am about 15 miles East of Hartford on top of a 1000 foot high ridge overlooking the CT River Valley in a mostly rural spot.

I spend a considerable amount of time in Maine and NH as well for various things so I know the areas "North" as well. I'm a dyed in the wool New Englander who had a moment of insanity and moved to Charlotte and Orlando searching around in my 20's so I'm familiar with that life too!

Best of luck to you. Maine is a great place, but just not for everyone.

Your home spot sounds beautiful! We spent quite a bit of time checking out Charlotte; but after many visits concluded that it was a bit too much like a mini L.A. (where we're trying to escape!) We've visited Orlando and while its a nice place to visit; have NO desire to live in Florida. We know we want out of L.A., its just a matter of where - time will tell if its Maine...

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by maja

Are certain roofs more prone to the "ice dams" and how do you deal with or prevent those?

The Fort Lauderdale Mermaid is right about gutters backing up though we get ice dams on the sides without gutters too. The north and east sides of the house will be prone to ice dam formation. Even cleaned out gutters can and will fill with ice and snow often enough so they are eventually filled to the top with solid ice and become useless. as the Mermaid said there are electric cords made to melt the ice dams. I run a piece of hose off the hot water tank and put it behind the ice dam. The hot water cuts through it in minutes leaving a nice clear path for the melt water and NO roof damage!
You want a decent pitch to the roof. 10-12 is fairly common around here meaning the roof will rise 10 inches for every foot in length. Our house is a 12-12 pitch. The barn and garage are 10-12.
Ice dams and roof shoveling aren't things you have to worry about everyday they're just things to be aware of.
Having someone contracted to plow the driveway is pretty common around here though it can be expensive if we get a large number of snow storms. Typically you'll pay around $20-$30 per storm. If we get three in a week you can see how it can add up fast.
It really isn't Siberia around here.

[JViello]

Originally Posted by maja

Your home spot sounds beautiful! We spent quite a bit of time checking out Charlotte; but after many visits concluded that it was a bit too much like a mini L.A. (where we're trying to escape!) We've visited Orlando and while its a nice place to visit; have NO desire to live in Florida. We know we want out of L.A., its just a matter of where - time will tell if its Maine...

Thanks Maja...it is a beautiful location. I am actually sad that I am being pushed out of my "home state" due to the insane taxation and influx of urban influence in our cities. I've stayed and fought for 10 years and it seems we are slipping further in the direction I would rather not go.

In fact I would go so far to say that most folks in ME and MA don't even realize just how much "New England" is here in this small state we have with the history, rolling hills, town greens, shoreline etc etc.

This is a similar view to what I have being on the Eastern ridge of the River Valley.



This is about the same distance West of Hartford.



So, yes - it's beautiful here, but our cities are rotting from the inside out, and the middle class is being priced out of the region.

Coming from LA you may laugh at the "problems" in the Hartford area, but for a guy raised in New England, it's a change for the worse.

But, I also love Maine. I've been going there since I can recall memory several times a year for extended stays. It's been IMHO less touched by what is happening in most of the major New England cities.

Regarding home upkeep, one thing to keep in mind is the seasons change rather quickly. (Up North you almost have 5 seasons - Mud Season being the 5th) What I find best is to get a rythm down with a schedule. Usually in Sept I'm planning how much mulch to have delivered to protect the landscape, making my "leaf" removal plan. In October begins the clean up, and beginning of winterizing the "shrubs" etc getting the wood stacks ready to go for the wood stove, blowing out the spigots and shutting them off. Late Oct Early November I start to put up my plow markers, winterize all the power tools etc used in Summer, switch the tires over on the vehicles, finish winterizing the landscape, get the leaves cleaned up and removed, get the salt, shovels etc all ready to go. Dec is all holiday stuff with sometimes snow removal in there.

March comes and I'm generally getting ready for spring clean up, reversing the fall winterizing, planting spring flowers etc and on it goes.

That's a short list but you get the idea...it's a never ending cycle with the seasons. I like it, but some don't.

[maja]

Originally Posted by Maineah

The Fort Lauderdale Mermaid is right about gutters backing up though we get ice dams on the sides without gutters too. The north and east sides of the house will be prone to ice dam formation. Even cleaned out gutters can and will fill with ice and snow often enough so they are eventually filled to the top with solid ice and become useless. as the Mermaid said there are electric cords made to melt the ice dams. I run a piece of hose off the hot water tank and put it behind the ice dam. The hot water cuts through it in minutes leaving a nice clear path for the melt water and NO roof damage!
You want a decent pitch to the roof. 10-12 is fairly common around here meaning the roof will rise 10 inches for every foot in length. Our house is a 12-12 pitch. The barn and garage are 10-12.
Ice dams and roof shoveling aren't things you have to worry about everyday they're just things to be aware of.
Having someone contracted to plow the driveway is pretty common around here though it can be expensive if we get a large number of snow storms. Typically you'll pay around $20-$30 per storm. If we get three in a week you can see how it can add up fast.
It really isn't Siberia around here.

Thanks for the good information. Good to know there is help if needed!

[maja]

Originally Posted by JViello

Thanks Maja...it is a beautiful location. I am actually sad that I am being pushed out of my "home state" due to the insane taxation and influx of urban influence in our cities. I've stayed and fought for 10 years and it seems we are slipping further in the direction I would rather not go.

In fact I would go so far to say that most folks in ME and MA don't even realize just how much "New England" is here in this small state we have with the history, rolling hills, town greens, shoreline etc etc.

This is a similar view to what I have being on the Eastern ridge of the River Valley.



This is about the same distance West of Hartford.



So, yes - it's beautiful here, but our cities are rotting from the inside out, and the middle class is being priced out of the region.

Coming from LA you may laugh at the "problems" in the Hartford area, but for a guy raised in New England, it's a change for the worse.

But, I also love Maine. I've been going there since I can recall memory several times a year for extended stays. It's been IMHO less touched by what is happening in most of the major New England cities.

Regarding home upkeep, one thing to keep in mind is the seasons change rather quickly. (Up North you almost have 5 seasons - Mud Season being the 5th) What I find best is to get a rythm down with a schedule. Usually in Sept I'm planning how much mulch to have delivered to protect the landscape, making my "leaf" removal plan. In October begins the clean up, and beginning of winterizing the "shrubs" etc getting the wood stacks ready to go for the wood stove, blowing out the spigots and shutting them off. Late Oct Early November I start to put up my plow markers, winterize all the power tools etc used in Summer, switch the tires over on the vehicles, finish winterizing the landscape, get the leaves cleaned up and removed, get the salt, shovels etc all ready to go. Dec is all holiday stuff with sometimes snow removal in there.

March comes and I'm generally getting ready for spring clean up, reversing the fall winterizing, planting spring flowers etc and on it goes.

That's a short list but you get the idea...it's a never ending cycle with the seasons. I like it, but some don't.

What beautiful photos! Thanks for taking the time to post them. And thank you for posting the detailed account of what daily life entails in rural New England. This is really helpful information; the kind of stuff one needs to be aware of before embarking on a move to the area. Lots I hadn't really thought about. But I must admit, it still sounds better than the hours spent driving and fighting the crowds in the concrete jungle of L.A.!