Fifty bucks for a Rolex!…..

Tip of the Month – February 2012

Fifty bucks for a Rolex!…..I’ll take two!  Tourists along the streets of New York frequently encounter vendors who offer seemingly great prices on products that appear to be something that they are not.  Ok, let’s not pick on New York, the same thing happens all over the county, including here in Southern California.  Communities are often offered great prices on what seems like a valuable service, only to be burned.  Below are some examples of a paint job that went for far below the prices offered by other competing bidders:

Water has been added to the paint, causing a separation of the resins and tint.  This is evidenced by the white drips and run-off.  In my    experience, this is the most common fear expressed by board members and clients.

The old paint that is visible through the new paint and the lack of filling any of the cracks is further evidence of insufficient  paint.  While paint won’t fill all cracks, it would certainly have filled some of these smaller cracks if the proper consistency/quantity of paint had been applies.   Paint that is applied too thinly will not provide the protection of the substrate that is intended.  It also means that the life of the paint job itself will be substantially decreased.

The edge of the garage door jamb was not cut in to the weather stripping on the garage door.

We’ve all heard the old adage “If it is too good to be true, it probably is”.  People who make decisions on price alone are legal prey of contractors who are willing to cut corners to foist sub-standard work off on unsuspecting clients.  A word to the wise, question proposals that are priced significantly lower than other bids.  If good specifications were provided for the work, most reputable contractors will be within 5-10% of one another.  Everyone understands the current economic situation and is being more prudent with their money but taking an unreasonably low bid may not be the best answer.  That low bid may end up costing you more in the long run.

When You’re Hot, You’re Hot! ……

Tip of the Month – January 2012

When You’re Hot, You’re Hot! ……and when you’re not, well, you’re cold.   Just step out your front door in the morning and you’ll find that, Baby It’s Cold Outside.  (I knew that listening to the Oldies station would pay off!).  Temperature is important to consider when doing a paint job.  If the weather is too hot, it will affect the application of the paint (paint that is sprayed may actually dry before it hits the wall) and it it’s too cold, the paint may not dry properly.  It is important to note the instructions on the paint label to see if there are recommendations for a temperature range.

The good news is that we live in Southern California where the climate is fairly mild and we are rarely affected by extreme temperatures.  However, it is important to time the application of paint.  Temperatures that fall below the ideal in the night, easily reach an acceptable level (usually >40 degrees) by the time that most painters would start.  Toward the end of the day, some paints that take longer to dry may be adversely affected by the drop in the overnight temperature.  You might come back the next day to find that the paint has sagged on the surface that was painted.  You also need to be aware that cooler temperatures affect the dry-time of all paints so keep that in mind when painting doors that will have to be closed after painting.  As professionals, we stop painting doors around mid afternoon to allow time for them to dry before the night chill begins.

Epoxy paints are a bit tricky to deal with and we caution most people not to try them at home.  They are used most commonly on metal surfaces, due to their protective qualities.  They use a catalyst to set up the paint and once mixed, the paint has a pot life of about 4 hours.  If you apply it on a hot surface (metal railing that has been in the sun), it becomes a greater challenge because it makes the paint dry almost instantly.  If you’re using a roller to apply it, it is likely that with one too many passes, it will begin to pull the knap off the roller, leaving you with a furry rail.  Ok, that makes it kind of fun at your next soiree but it isn’t ideal.

As always, we are here to answer any questions you may have on paint products and applications.

Please let us know how we can help you with your wood replacement, siding or painting project.

To be or not to be?

Tip of the Month – December 2011

To be or not to be?…..borrowing money? That is the question? (Who knew my high-school Shakespeare class would prove helpful?) With the economy the way it is, we are frequently encountering communities that have a significant amount of maintenance and upkeep to be done, but are at a loss as to how to pay for it. Options that might be utilized are:

· Reserves
· Special assessments
· Loans
· Do nothing

Obviously, if the reserves are well-funded, then the money is there to do the necessary work. These days, that is a big “if” because reserves are being stretched thin or very under-funded because of foreclosures and delinquencies. Oddly enough, some board members believe that reserves are a savings account, never to be touched.

The second option, a special assessment, is almost always an unpleasant thing for boards and owners alike. It typically means that their planning has not gone well and now they need to cough up a large chunk of change to cover the current needs of the community. If the amount of the special assessment if pretty large, it may affect the ability of some owners to afford it.

Option number three is a loan. A loan to an HOA is a loan to the corporation, not the individuals in the community. The loan will be made on the basis of the fiscal stability of the HOA and takes into consideration their debt, reserves, and delinquencies. If the community is stable enough, it may be able to secure a loan large enough to take care of most of its current maintenance needs. In the long run, it saves the community money because, with time, further degradation of the building components takes place and the cost of materials and labor increases. The loan option assists in reducing the financial impact on the association’s members allowing the project to be completed in a timely and less strenuous manner.

The last option is to do nothing. This includes not raising dues to adequately fund reserves and not doing any of the necessary maintenance. As bizarre as this sounds, it is the path taken by too many communities. Many have found that their problems are only compounded by the lack of good planning and action.

There are folks in our industry who can help you with financial solutions. I would like to thank Walter Block and Fred Sneddon of Pacific Western Bank for their contribution to this month’s Tip.

Please let us know how we can help you with your wood replacement, siding or painting project.
Check our out new page on by going to PrimeCo Painting & Construction. We would like you to like us!

Is it Fall Back….or Fall’s Back?

Tip of the Month – November 2011

Is it Fall Back….or Fall’s Back?  Actually it’s both!

November 6th marks the end of Daylight Savings Time and we all set our clocks back one hour.  Enjoy your extra hour of sleep!

As you can tell by the changing of the colors on the Liquid Ambers , one of the very few trees in Southern California that actually changes colors, Fall is upon us.  This means that it is the time of the year when your rain gutters will be filling up with fallen leaves.  Gutters full of leaves will not properly drain the water coming off the roofs.  Instead, they may overflow, causing dirt and debris to run down the walls, creating stains.  So to protect your building’s finish, get those gutters cleaned out.

For many people, Fall also means getting cozy in front of the fireplace, with some snacks and an old movie.  Like many things, there is a yin and an yang (don’t you love it when I speak Chinese!) to this experience.  The fire in your fireplace emits creosote which can line your chimney stack and cause two undesirable effects; reduction in air flow and fire.  The build-up of creosote can reduce the effective size of the duct or flue, reducing the flow of smoke to the outside.  This may cause it not do draft well, creating a smoky environment in your home.  In some cases, the creosote build-up can cause a flash fire in the ducting.  So, word to the wise, have a professional chimney sweep look at your chimney to evaluate its condition.

We frequently see chimneys that are stained with the soot and debris from fireplaces.  Burning natural wood, rather than the wax-based logs may help because the wax exacerbates the deposits and staining.  If it gets too bad, pressure washing will usually remove most of the stain.

Please let us know how we can help you with your wood replacement, siding or painting project.

Check out our new page on  by going to PrimeCo Painting & Construction.  We would like you to like us!

What’s in a name?

Tip of the Month – October 2011

What’s in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet….or so says Bill Shakespeare. The fact is, words are very important, particularly when trying to explain various building components to a person who has limited or no construction experience. For that reason, we have taken the time to compile a list and define some of the common elements of a typical building structure. That way, when I say soffit, you will know that I’m talking about that “hangy part” of the building that is found frequently over patios or entries.

A.
Address – This is a very helpful bit of information to give to your contractor.
B.
Balcony Joists – Horizontal supporting members that run from wall to wall, wall to beam or beam to beam to support a ceiling, roof or floor. Typically, a beam is bigger than a joist.

Beam – A beam is a thicker piece of wood that is used to span longer distances using less supports. Beams which are also known as headers because you can use a beam in a wall to create an opening such as a door or window, both have header beams.

Bollards – Usually large metal pipes, filled with concrete and installed to prevent cars from bumping into things like gas meters, posts or other structures.

Bondo – A polyester resin that when mixed with a hardener becomes a forming putty which when hardened can be sanded to any shape. It is most commonly used to patch minor holes in wood.
C.
CB Strap – This is also known as Column Base Strap. This is a metal strap which goes into a footing ( a concrete base which is usually 2’ in depth and 12” in width depending on the size of post it is supporting.

Ceiling – Refers to the interior top of a room. It is also commonly referred to as a “lid”.

Column Bases – Metal strap that wraps the side of a post giving lateral support. Also see CB Strap.

Column – Also can be referred to as a post. Usually supports a structure above the ground of which it stands. Columns are structural supports which support beams or headers which may bear load to other beams or joists.
D.
Decking – Usually refers to an elevated or suspended walking surface of a building. Most decking is attached directly to the building surface, which requires a very waterproof transition. There are multiple-layer deck systems and some are simply coated with a good paint product.

Dry Rot – Is a fungus that grows in wood and is caused by constant water and negligence in paint maintenance. Can make wood bridle to touch and make wood look as if it is wrinkled. Can spread to other pieces of wood, just like a fungus would. Can also have mushrooms in wood, constantly found where standing water is constant.
E.
Eaves – The end of the roofline which extends outward over the building structures. Most commonly, eaves are extended two feet beyond the exterior walls. For all practical purposes, eaves are jus the underside of the roof.
F.
Fascia Board – A term that generally describes any horizontal surface which spans across the tops of columns or across the top of a wall. It is used to cap the ends of rafters outside a building and can be used to attach a rain gutter.

Flashing – Generally refers to a metal strip that is used at transitions between different surfaces or at gaps the building envelope to keep water from entering buildings or to direct it away from buildings.
G.
Galvanized – Is a process of dipping metal fasteners and hardware in melted zinc, giving the items stronger defenses against the weather such as rust and corrosion.
Garage Trim Stud – This is the stud next to the jamb on the garage. This stud supports the header beam which spans the opening of the garage.
H.
Hand Rails – Rails that run alongside stairs for people to hold onto for support when going up or down the stairs. They are commonly metal or wood.

Hardie Board – “Hardie” is actually brand name of a cementitious siding make to look like lap siding, shingle siding and other common exteriors. The advantage is that it is not susceptible to termites and dry rot.
J.
Jamb – The vertical portion of the door frame onto which a door is secured, including entry, garage and utility doors. Most types of fasteners and deadbolts extend into the door jamb when engaged.

Joist – Wood member that spans over a void and usually has a covering on top or underneath. Floor joists have both flooring on the top of them and drywall on the bottom in second story buildings.

Joist Hangers – Metal hardware which is used to fasten wood joist members to a ledger board or a header beam. The hanger fits underneath the joist giving it support under the joist, giving it load bearing capabilities.
L.
Ledger Board – Board which is most commonly 2x in dimension and is usually the same width as the joist members that are to be attached to it.

Lites – Refers to the window panes in doors. Doors are sometimes referred to by the number of panes in them, such as a single-light door; usually a single door frame with a large glass panel.
M.
Mansard Roof – Also called a French Roof is an angled roof at the tops of the exterior walls on four sides but does not connect at the peak.

Miter Joints – This is the butt joint which adjoins two separate pieces of wood. When pieces butt together in a corner forming a 90 degree angle a 45 degree angle is cut on each piece of wood to form the 90.
N.
Nails – Metal fasteners used to fasten wood together. Usually one end is sharp for penetrating wood, and the other end known as the head is flat for driving with a hammer. Nails can also be shot from a gun using compressed air. Nails used on the exterior of buildings should always be galvanized.
P.
Parapet Walls – A wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. It may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface.

Pop-outs – Can be a small section of a building that extend beyond other parts of the building or simply architectural stucco features, like trim around windows. Frequently pop-outs are painted in a different color than the main body to make them stand out.

Posts – Wood members which are used to support loads above them. Posts are generally 4×4, 6×6, or 8×8. Posts are fastened to a footing by a CB Strap or column base. Posts can be set directly into a concrete footing like a fence.
R.

Railing – a broad term to indicate a fence-like structure. It is often used to describe balcony railing, pool fencing, railing on stairs, etc.

Raised Panel Doors – Doors that have a raised sections that appear to be framed. They are often referred to by the number of raised panels, such as a 6-panel raised door.

Riser – the vertical face of the a stair step.

Roof Jacks/vents – The pipes that are normally found on the roofs of buildings. They are most commonly vents for the plumbing or water heaters. Normally, they’re painted to match the color of the roof.
S.
Soffit – Refers to the material forming a ceiling from the top of an exterior wall to the outer edge of the roof, i.e. bridging the gap between the wall and the roof line. Most often, soffits are flat horizontal sections over entrances, patios, etc.

Splice – Where two board are cut and nailed together to continue a run. Usually a splice consists of opposing 22.5 degree miter cuts which can be glued together and when done right can only be slightly noticed when looking at a run.

Stair Stringers – the sides of the stairway that the treads are attached to.

Stair Treads – the actual part of a stair that is walked on. Studs – Vertical supports in walls which extend from the sill plate to the top plate. Most generally studs are 2×4 S4S material and generally come in lengths of 92-1/4”.
T.
T-111 – Is a common style of manufactured siding used on many residential buildings. It is available in different lumber types, some of which, outperform others.

Threshold – The bottom-most part of a doorway that one crosses over to enter a building. Sometimes also called a sill.

Trex – Is a brand name for a composite that is designed to look like wood. It is often used for decks and railings but is not available in all wood sizes. Because it is a composite, it is softer than wood and requires additional support for spans.

Trim – A very general term to indicate architectural features around windows, doors or other elements of building surfaces. Trim is usually wood but foam, covered in a cement material is also a common trim.
U.
Utility Door – any door, of any size and material that is used to conceal electrical utilities and gas meters.
W.
Weather Stripping – The process of sealing openings in buildings such as doors and windows, or the materials used to carry out the sealing process. The goal to prevent water from entering buildings and to provide a barrier to keep interior (heated or cooled) air in.

Weep Screed – The metal vent that runs along the bottom of stucco walls that permits water that permeates the stucco to drip out the vent. It is usually about 6 inches above the foundation and must be kept free of landscape material or dirt.

Wrought Iron – Is actually an iron alloy with a very low carbon content. It is easily welded and frequently used for fencing or railings. It is very susceptible to rusting and must be coated well to keep water from getting to the metal surface. The term “wrought iron” is often used synonymously for any metal fencing.

Z*##@&%!.
The term most frequently used when a carpenter hits his thumb with a hammer.

Please call PrimeCo Painting and Construction today for your painting and wood replacement needs. My thanks to Joshua Shultz for his assistance in compiling the glossary.

Survey Says!

Tip of the Month – September 2011

Survey Says!…..wait, we’re not playing Family Feud, we’re talking about surveying the components of your buildings, in preparation for painting.  There are significant differences between doing a “visual” inspection versus a “physical” survey.  In the first scenario, the contractor will simply walk around the community, noting any very obvious defects in the wood.  This type of inspection is generally offered for free and as a rule, it is worth every penny that it costs.  There are a couple of huge pitfalls with doing this type of survey….either a lot of things are missed, because they “appear” sound, or conversely, things that appear rotted are only suffering from, weathered, peeling paint.  In the first scenario, where things are missed, the board is presented with a false sense of the potential cost and then is later whacked with costly change orders.  The visual survey is usually just done from the ground, occasionally with the use of binoculars, so there is no real opportunity to assess the true damage.  If you look at the images below, they are the same piece of wood.  From the front, it appears sound.  When you look at it from the side, you see that is just not the case.  A visual inspection would have missed this.

A “physical” inspection is a much more effective means to assess the condition of the wood components.  A trained technician will actually get up close and personal with the wood, using a probe to test the efficacy of the cellulose.  This type of survey is something that the community would pay for, but it too is worth every penny that is paid for it.  The data that it yields will be much more accurate and the board is provided with a much more meaningful budget number.  In some instances, a portion of the cost of the survey is applied to the actual work if the contract is awarded to the contractor who did the survey.  This minimizes the real cost of doing the physical survey.

Nobody likes unpleasant surprises so if your community is preparing to repaint their buildings, it is strongly recommended that a physical survey be done to quantify the potential expense.  It will eliminate most of the element of surprise and give the board an idea of how much they might have to budget for the necessary work.

Please call PrimeCo Painting & Construction today for your painting and wood replacement needs.

Flashing – That Is So Wrong!

Tip of the Month – August 2011

Flashing?….that is so wrong!…..unless you’re talking about the metal strips that are often times found on roof edges, over windows, between sheets of siding and at other transitions on buildings.  The purpose of flashings is to cover gaps in the building envelope so that there is not easy access for water penetration.  They also direct water away from wood and stucco surfaces so that they are not frequently exposed to water.  Cap flashing is typically found at the tops of walls that extend above the roof.  These walls are known as parapet walls and the metal cap acts as an umbrella over the top of the wall.  An example of this is shown below.  Note that the bottom edge flares out, causing water to drop to the roof, rather than running down the wall.  It helps to preserve the stucco and to keep it cleaner.  Constant moisture on the wall would facilitate mold growth.

The flashing along the roof edge is known as drip cap and its purpose is to protect what is typically a wood edge underneath it and to cause water to drip away from the fascia, rather than on it.  If you’ll note, there is a seam in the flashing that enabled water to seep onto the fascia, causing dry rot.  The two edges of the drip cap should have been overlapped to prevent this.

There a number of other types of building flashings but they all serve pretty much the same purpose.  It is important that they are installed right and properly maintained.  Flashing is available in copper, stainless steel and most commonly it is galvanized.  While some will perform better in different environments, if they are allowed to deteriorate, they will create other problems.

Please call PrimeCo Painting & Construction today for your painting and wood replacement needs.

Free Labor

Tip of the Month – July 2011

FREE LABOR!  What you talkin’ ‘bout Willis?  Ok, some of you more seasoned folks, who are actually old enough to know who Willis is may not be enlightened by this Tip but some of the newer members of the management community will appreciate knowing it.

It is unreasonable to expect that property and community managers know all about paint.  It is also unreasonable to expect that they would be able to assess the paint needs of their structures, put together a comprehensive set of bid specifications, produce color imaging and then oversee the actual application of the coatings.

The good news here is that you don’t have to!  All of the major paint manufacturers have representatives who will perform these services for you, free of charge.  They will visit the property, write specifications based on the type of surfaces to be painted and their condition, provide color images with suggestions for paint colors and visit the project during the course of painting to verify that the contractor is following their specifications.  Did I mention that they do this for FREE?  The only caveat is that you have to give them the time to do it properly.  That means you should get them on board well in advance of the time that you want to paint.  Color imaging usually takes a couple of weeks and would only be done for larger jobs.

The written specifications will assure you of “apples to apples” bid comparisons because potential contractors will be bidding on exactly the same products and quality, not their concept of what should happen.  As a courtesy to the paint reps, decide on the brand of paint you want to use first and then get their rep involved.  A reliable painter (such as PrimeCo) can assist you in selecting a manufacturer.

Vines on Buildings

Tip of the Month – June 2011

Red Vines….I love ‘em!…..vines on buildings, not so much.  Vines on buildings may be attractive to people for a variety of reasons.  Some folks like the “old world charm” that ivy covered buildings have.  Others feel that greenery on buildings hide some of the hard angles, giving the structure a softer appearance.  Some communities use thorny vines as a deterrent to unwanted visitors or to restrict passage to certain areas.  While those are certainly options, they come at a cost to the building and add to the cost of maintenance.

In photo #1 below, you can see that the vines have actually grown up through the roof.  This might be a bit unusual to see on a metal roof like the one shown because the gaps in the roof are pretty small.  In a Spanish tile roof or something similar, it is very easy for vines to grow up into the roof tiles, causing damage.  Bougainvillea and other vines that develop a very strong branch structure can easily develop under the tiles, wreaking havoc.

Vines that attach themselves to the building structures are damaging for a couple of reasons.  Number one, as they become developed and more dense, they create a micro-climate that keeps the underlying wood or masonry surface more moist than exposed surfaces.  This may lead to premature failure of those surfaces, necessitating repairs or replacement.  When it comes time to paint, they should be removed to fully coat and protect the building’s surface.  Vines that have roots that attach to the surface are particularly troublesome.  The only way to effectively remove the roots is to burn them off with a small hand torch.  This is very laborious and costly and it can’t be done on wood surfaces, for obvious reasons.  (In case it is not so obvious, you might burn your place down!)

Vines are a great landscaping option but their use on buildings should be carefully considered.  If they are used, it is better to have them on some sort of trellis structure, away from the building where they provide the desired look, without the undesirable effects.

Filling Damaged Wood?

Tip of the Month – May 2011

Fill ‘er up….wait, I can’t afford that at the gas station any longer!  The truth is that you can’t afford to fill your wood either.  When doing wood replacement, we are frequently asked if we fill damaged wood, generally termite-damaged or dry-rotted wood, with “Bondo”.  While this is an option, it is a “Bandaid” and the problem with Bandaids is that they always fall off!  You can see in Photo #1 below that the ends of the beams have been extensively filled and on one of them the patch has fallen out.  In Photo #2, you can see where the bottom edge of the board that was damaged by dry rot was filled.  The dry rot started because the board goes clear down to the hard surface where it comes in contact with sitting water at times.  It would have been preferable to cut the board up a little bit, like the ones behind it, to keep its feet dry.

Aside from the fact that patches most often don’t hold because the wood around them shrinks and contracts differently than the patch, they don’t solve the problem.  Dry rot is a fungus and once it get a hold on the wood, it spreads like a cancer.  Even though you may have filled the obvious hole with some patching material the rotting process continues.  There are some physical things that you can do to help prevent dry rot.  As stated above, cutting the wood to minimize its exposure to moisture is a positive step.  If the beams in Photo #1 were cut back to just under the edge of the roof line, they would be more protected from moisture.  Replacing the bad wood is the best option because just like cancer, the damage will spread to adjacent surfaces, like the roof itself.

Of course, painting is a valuable tool in the care and maintenance of your wood surfaces.  Any new wood should be fully primed on all six sides to seal the wood and the finish coat will not only beautify your building  but also help to preserve it.

Wash Away Your Building Sins

Tip of the Month – April 2011

Wash away your building’s sins?  No, baptism is not the preferred method to rid yourself of the ugly stains and defective wood on your buildings.  We frequently encounter folks that believe that after pressure washing their buildings, they will look like new and others think that all of the damaged (termite or dry rot) wood will be exposed.  Still others believe that painted metal surfaces will be stripped down to the bare metal.  The fact is that they are only partially correct.  While the pressure washing equipment is capable of delivering 3,500 pounds of pressure, the technician would have to hold the nozzle a mere few inches (2-4”) from the surface to deliver that much force.  Since the nozzle is typically 2-4 feet away from the surface, the pressure is diminished because it is spread out over a wide fan.

The stains shown in image #1 below will be diminished but will most certainly not be entirely removed.  The spores that generated the mildew (notice the lack of the use of the “M” word) are most likely still present and with the moisture that sits atop the wall, they will rapidly begin to grow.  The design flaw with this wall is that it is flat on top.  This permits the water to sit on top and slowly wick down the wall, causing it to be moist a lot of the time.  Altering the top of the wall with a pitch or a crown would cause the water to run off quicker, allowing the wall to dry out faster.  Trying to remove all of the stain would most likely lead to removal of some of the stucco itself.

The peeling paint that is shown in image #2 will come off but the surrounding paint that, for the time being, is firmly attached will not.  If you wished to pay someone to pressure wash the entire surface from a distance of 2-4 inches, you would get more off, but at what expense.  The situation with wood is very similar.  Wood that is damaged to the point where a very thin layer is on the exterior will be exposed but if the outer layer is still relatively intact, it may not be exposed.

The bottom line is that pressure washing is designed to “rinse” off the dirt, grime, salts and big chunks in preparation for painting.  It may expose some weaknesses but as a rule, that is not the intent.

Thanks to Mike Kiss of Summit Consulting for his suggestion for the Tip of the Month!

Irreconcilable Differences? Incompatibility?

Tip of the Month – March 2011

Irreconcilable differences?  Incompatibility?…..I’m not talk about divorce, I’m talking about the incompatibility of different paint products.  It is very important to know what products have previously been applied to surfaces before applying another coating product over them.  This applies to painted surfaces such as wood and metal and especially deck coatings.  The image below (#1) illustrates blistering that is happening because an incompatible paint product was applied over a stain.  Image #2 shows a section of wrought iron where a water-based paint was applied over an oil-based paint.  We are encountering this situation more frequently because oil-based paints are no longer permitted in some areas and someone has applied water-based paint over the previous coating without proper preparation and priming.  Once the improper coating is applied, it is difficult to detect until the problems begin to manifest themselves.  If you are uncertain about the compatibility of the existing coating and are unable to confirm them with the previous painter, it is a good idea to do a test sample or a little bit of destructive testing (scraping) prior to coating the entire surface.

My thanks to Gina Heneghan of N.N. Jaeschke for her inquiry that was used in the preparation of this Tip.  Her $50 gift certificate is in the mail!