Dear Maintenance Men:
Dear Maintenance Men:
I’m the new owner of a four plex. Funds are tight and wouldn’t you know it, the 100 gal water heater just packed up. After reviewing the plumbers’ quote, I’ve decided to do the work myself. I’m handy, but have never attempted such a big job. Can this turn into a nightmare or is it not that big a deal?
Brave
Dear Brave:
This job is not as difficult as it looks, but because of the size of the water heater, it’s not a walk in the park either. Most plumbers will charge between $300-$400 for installation and often this will include the haul-away of the old heater. Not a bad deal. If you are up for the challenge, here are the things you will need:
ü A pickup truck for water heater purchase & disposal.
ü An able helper with a strong back, if he is knowledgeable even better.
ü Tools: pipe wrench, adjustable wrench, saw, copper sweat kit or torch, drill or cordless driver, Teflon tape.
ü Parts: 100 Gal water heater/with clean-out (88000 BTU), nipples, flex waterline, new water shut-off ball-valve, gas flex line & shut-off valve, earthquake straps for a 100 gal tank, most tanks come with a T/P relieve valve (Temp/Pressure), it must be plumbed to drain at the bottom of the tank or outside; ¾ inch copper tube with male threaded connector. If your tank is indoors; Drip pan with drain.
The water heater will cost between $800-$900 plus about a $100 in parts to complete the installation. If you have a cold-water “Gate” valve that supplies the heater, we recommend that it be replaced with a ball valve. Most properties have the older style gate valves that tend to strip and leave you stranded with either the water stuck on or water stuck off. It is easier to install flex water lines to the tank than to solder hard piping, we use the steel braded lines as opposed to the copper flex lines. Replace the old gas shut-off valve for safety reasons and because the new gas flex line may not connect to the existing valve. The T/P relief valve must be plumbed to within six inches of the floor or to the outside if possible. Install the earthquake straps and be sure to secure them into the wall studs. To make life easy, try to purchase the same brand water heater that you are removing. This will make the connections much easier to line up.
Dear Maintenance Men:
I want to hire a handyman to do some odd jobs around my apartment building. How do I choose a good handyman and what should I look for.
Honey Do
Dear Honey:
The best handyman is usually a referral. Ask other building owners who they use. If they are happy they will let you know.
Another thing to remember is cost; remember the Golden Rule: You Get What You Pay For. As an example: if you have a major plumbing problem, you may want to have a professional plumber with extensive knowledge, experience and tools to do the job, on the other hand, you may only need a faucet replaced or toilet flapper valve adjusted. A handyman is perfect for the job and much less expensive than the plumber.
In hiring a handyman, know what you want done. Ask the handyman specifically if he can do the job and whether he has preformed this task before. The more knowledgeable you are about the work you need completed the greater the chance you will hire a good handyman. Have a punch list ready and ask direct questions about his or her ability. Ask about references; be sure to get names, phone numbers and addresses and then check them out. Ask about his or her specialties and what they do best.
It is very important to know upfront what the handyman charges for his work. For small jobs, many handymen charge by the hour and bigger jobs are usually quoted. When comparing handymen, the differences in hourly rate may be an indication of his experience, how popular he is and his overhead costs. More often than not, the hourly rate may have little to do with the skill of the handyman and more to do with what the market will bear. Be sure to discuss how change-orders, mistakes, callbacks and job over runs are handled.
If the handyman is to be left alone in occupied units, be sure to do a criminal background check. Call the Apartment Association about the different checks available.
Depending on the sophistication of your handyman, he may or may not have any liability insurance. Check with your insurance company before hiring anyone … and remember the Golden Rule…
By the way, anyone know a good handyman … !!!
Dear Maintenance Men:
I just bought a neat little voltage meter; it measures Volts, Amps & Ohms. What does it mean?
Doing the Jitter Bug
Dear Bug:
The three basic units in electricity are Voltage (V), Amps/current (I) and Ohms/resistance (R).
A quick analogy to help understand these terms is a system of plumbing pipes. The voltage is equivalent to the water pressure, the current or amps is equivalent to the flow rate, and the resistance or ohms is like the pipe size.
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 14 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