Dear Maintenance Men:
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Dear Maintenance Men:
I have a unit with a very old sliding shower door tub enclosure. The bottom rail looks as if it has-been there forever. It’s ugly. How do I remove the enclosure without damaging the tub etc.?
Peter
Dear Peter:
First things first. Remove the sliding doors by lifting them off of the head rail track and swinging them out. Remove the screws holding the head rail to the side rail. Using a rubber mallet tap the head rail loose from the side rails. The side rails are usually bolted and caulked in place. Remove the screws (if they are corroded: use Liquid Wrench or just drill them out) and pry the rails away from the wall. Be gentle so as not to loosen any tiles. Next, remove any excess caulk from the bottom rail. Typically the bottom track is glued down to the tub with “Adhesive Caulk”. It may be possible to gently tap the side of the track with a rubber mallet and break the hold of the dried out caulk. Look for possible screws holding the track to the tub. If the track is still stuck gentle pry with a flat pry bar, use a 3/8 plywood backer approximately 4”x 6” under the pry bar so that you do not damage the tile or tub. Use a putty knife to remove any left over caulk or glue. Clean the area with acetone or other suitable cleaner.
Installation of the new shower doors is the reverse of removal. The bottom track may need to be cut to size. Use polyvinyl adhesive caulk to attach the bottom track to the tub, don’t use screws, it will cause the tub to rust prematurely. Use plastic anchors for the side rails along with polyvinyl adhesive caulk. Reattach the head rail and doors. Avoid use of the shower for at least 24 to 72 hours.
Dear Maintenance Men:
I’m installing ceramic tile in my building’s bathroom floors. My handyman wants to save time by not removing the toilets. He says it will save tile. Is this a good idea?
Richard
Dear Richard:
No. … Be it ceramic or vinyl; always remove the toilet before installing the new material. Reason being, if you ever need to replace the toilet, Murphy’s Law will prevail. The new toilet may not be the exact same size and you now have an ugly problem to hide. While you have the toilet off, use the opportunity to replace the wax ring, install a new shut-off valve and water line. Another reason to complete the flooring under the toilet is to avoid future water damage to the sub-floor. The water will cause dry rot. It may also cause the tiles to pop up and vinyl to discolor.
Dear Maintenance Men:
I’m about to start a rehab project in one of my units. Can you give me some tips on drywall repairs? The previous residents were very hard on the walls and I want to learn how to do the repairs.
Thanks, Benjamin
Dear Benjamin:
After completing the rough drywall repairs, doing the finish carefully will be most important. Use wallboard joint compound on all seams, nail or screw holes and corners. Joint compound can be found at any hardware store and comes in quart, gallon and five-gallon buckets ready mixed. Plan on applying three coats of compound material letting it dry between coats. Using a 4-inch taping knife, apply the first coat, and then apply the last two coats with a 10- inch knife and feather the joint compound smooth (allow each coat to dry before applying the next one). After all is dry; sand and texture to match surrounding walls.
When doing repairs to joints or cracks, be sure to use wallboard tape to reinforce the joint. The tape comes in paper or fiberglass and will ensure the joint will not crack in the future. Using a ten-inch taping knife, apply a thin layer of joint compound. Then immediately press the joint tape into the compound and use a four-inch taping knife to smooth out the tape and let dry. Again using your 10” knife apply another layer of joint compound over the tape and let dry. Finally, apply the finish layer of compound and let dry. Use sandpaper or a wet sanding sponge sand the joint until it is smooth.
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