Dear Maintenance Men:
www.JLE1.com
Dear Maintenance Men:
I am a new 4-plex owner and I want to do some basic repairs myself to save money. How do I replace wall outlets and light switches without frying myself?
Shocked
Dear Shocked:
Wall outlets and light switches can last near forever, not a lot goes wrong with them. Some possible causes for a non-functioning outlet or switch may be a loose wire at the breaker or switch/outlet end. Another possibility is a blown circuit breaker or physical damage to the switch/outlet.
Before replacing any “non-working switch or outlet, check that the light bulb is not burnt-out or that the circuit breaker is off.
To replace a damaged outlet or switch, always trip the circuit breaker and double check that there is no current to the job you are working on.
1. Unscrew and remove the faceplate.
2.
Unscrew the mounting screws at top and bottom and
pull the unit out.
3. Observe how the old connection are done and wire the new switch or outlet the same. The white wire is connected to the silver screw and the black wire is connected to the brass screw.
4. If you have a grounding wire (Green) reconnect to the green or black screw at the bottom or top of the switch or outlet. The grounding wire may also be a bare copper wire.
5.
Reassembly is done in the reverse order. Then test.
Dear Maintenance Men:
How do I remove candle wax or gum from my rental unit’s carpet?
Sticky
Dear Sticky:
The best way to remove candle wax from a carpet is to use your iron. Put an absorbent paper towel over the wax and heat the area with a hot iron. The paper towel will absorb the wax as it melts. Be careful not to burn the carpet as an iron can melt the carpet fibers. Any left over stain may be removed by blotting the area with a small amount of dry-cleaning solvent. Also, blotting with a mild detergent mixed with warm water may work. Make sure the detergent does not contain any alkaline or bleaches.
Gum may be removed either by freezing the gum and removing it by pieces or using peanut butter to loosen the gum’s grip on the carpet. A product known as “Goo Gone”, found at Home Depot, may be used to remove gum, tar, grease and glue. Use Goo Gone sparingly, do not soak.
Dear Maintenance Men:
How do I get a fiberglass tub clean without scratching the surface?
John
Dear John:
The nice thing about fiberglass tubs and showers is that no matter how dirty they get, they are fairly easy to clean up. Be careful not to use any abrasives on the fiberglass, such as scouring pads, steel wool, gritty cleaning solutions etc. “Soft Scrub” may be used sparingly on soap scum buildup. “Lime-Away” may be used for hard water mineral deposits, but read the directions and look for the fiberglass warning or approval statement. If you have very tough stains, moisten a cloth with Acetone solvent or nail polish remover. Do not let the Acetone pool as it may soften the fiberglass material. Be sure to ventilate the area properly. Acetone and many other cleaners have very strong vapors.
After all the cleaning is done, the fiberglass surface may be dull. Use a fiberglass conditioner and glossing paste to bring the tub or shower back to its original condition. You can use a product called “Gel Gloss” to bring back the shine.
Triva: Natural gas has no smell. The odor is artificially added so that people will be able to identify leaks and take measures to stop them.
Bio:
Jerry L'Ecuyer is the owner of JLE Property Management & Buffalo Maintenance and is a licensed contractor & real estate broker. He is currently on the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Education Committee for the Apartment Association of Orange County. Jerry has been involved with apartments as a professional since 1988 and can be reached at (714) 778-0480. Frank Alvarez is the Operations Director for Buffalo Maintenance. He has been involved with apartment maintenance for over 13 years. Frank can be reached at (714) 956-8371 or visit the office at, 202 E. Broadway in Anaheim, CA 92805. Please visit our web site at: WWW.JLE1.COM