As is the tradition, at the end of each year, we look back on the topics that were of the most interest to our listeners and readers. We ran the numbers, and the topics chose themselves! Take a look back at Rosie on the House’s top 5 most read topics of 2024!
1 | The Transition Away from R-410A Refrigerant: What Homeowners Need to Know!

Weighing the options
As environmental concerns continue to shape regulations, the HVAC industry is undergoing a significant shift away from R-410A refrigerant. The so called “GWP” (global warming potential) is what the EPA uses as an indicator of the “negative impact” of a gas on “climate change.” The EPA has mandated refrigerants change to a refrigerant with a lower “GWP” than 410A. The industry has adopted two new refrigerants 454B & R-32. Most manufactures are moving to 454B. The law states that split systems cannot be sold in 2025 with 410A. They can continue to be installed until 2026. Manufactures are converting their factory lines in September to stop building 410A equipment. They do not want dead inventory which they cannot sell by law.
2 | How To Prevent Title Fraud Committed Through Email Scams and Identity Theft
What You Need To Know About Deed/Title Fraud In Arizona

Maybe you have heard of criminals using deed fraud to steal someone’s home and you are wondering if your home is at risk.
Deed fraud is on the rise. Generally, this starts with some kind of identification fraud. Someone claims to be the owner of the home and claims the deed.
In the well-known case of Arizona resident Deb Gottlieb, a 30-year-old California man assumed the identity of her deceased father, acquired the deed for the home and sold it using his own driver’s license for ID. Debs father was in his 80’s – no one noticed the age difference on the driver’s license. They did not verify his identity. By the time Deb got to the home to inspect it, the many family heirlooms, pictures, and treasures had been pitched and a new “owner” was in the home.
3 | The Benefits and Considerations of Adding a Casita to Your Property

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) is the legislative term for small additional buildings on the same property as a main single-family house such as casitas, guest houses, mother-in-law suites, studios, and pool houses. These additional buildings have soared in popularity over the past two decades. They were more prevalent in larger properties due to zoning restrictions and the cost of building. However, a recent law change is opening up ADUs to the majority of properties. According to the Department of Housing, Arizona is 270,000 housing units short of current demand. The Cities of Phoenix and Tucson, as do others, believe ADUs would help with demand and housing affordability.
There are plenty of other reasons for their surge in popularity, which we will uncover. In this blog, we will refer to ADUs as casitas.
4 | Methods for Taking Out the Termites

We all know termites are a force to be reckoned with in Arizona.
Nate Woolf, a Rosie on the House Certified Partner with Blue Sky Pest Control, gives some background and brings us up to date on the best way to engage the wood-eating bugs.
Let’s start with a little bit of treatment history.
- Liquid Repellent. Before the mid-90s, liquid repellents were the primary product used to treat termite colonies. While helpful, liquid repellents have limitations. The products repelled termites, limiting their interaction with the termiticide, which reduced their effectiveness. Even when pest control professionals followed the treatment instructions precisely, the treatments often failed to eliminate the termites. This led to call-back frustration for homeowners and pest management professionals.
5 | Tips To Hiring A Handyman

Are you in need of getting some projects done around the house and thinking of hiring a handyman? Having a relationship with a licensed and reliable handyman is a valuable resource. So, how do we develop such a relationship and what do we need to look out for?
First, What a Handyman Can and Cannot Do… Legally.
Handyman Exemption
A handyman who works under the amount of $1000 (this includes labor and material) does not need a license under the handyman exemption clause of the Arizona Registrar of Contractors.
A Licensed Handyman
If the scope of work is more than $1,000 the licensed handyman category, labeled R-62 Minor Home Improvements at the Arizona Registrar of Contractors, allows for more work to be done. The handyman working under the R-62 category cannot perform a job that exceeds $5000 or requires a permit. A handyman or handyman company with this type of license can perform remodeling repairs and improvements to existing structures. They cannot do structural work, like removing walls nor can they do anything with the electrical panel or plumbing work.
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PODCAST
We discuss the top 5 blogs of 2024. Including what you need to know about the transition away from R-410A air conditioning refrigerant, preventing deed/title fraud, adding a casita to your property, update on termite treatment methods and more!