Dear Maintenance Men:
Dear Maintenance Men:
After the
recent wild fires in which many houses were lost, I’ve decided to make a
safety check list to help avoid a possible disaster in the future. What is
your opinion of earthquake safety measures such as auto shut-off gas meters,
water heater strapping and the seismic retrofitting of older buildings? My
insurance company offers earthquake insurance and my agent needs to know if my
building (a triplex) had been earthquake retrofitted. I don't think my
building is, but what do I look for?
What is entailed in this type of work? Where can I find information
about protecting my property in a disaster?
Where would I find a contractor who specializes in seismic retrofitting?
Signed John
Dear John:
Seismic shut-off gas valves are a very good addition to your safety list. There are several manufactures and a wide price range depending on the size of your gas pipe. A simple web search will give you many companies to choose from or call a licensed plumber. Water heater earthquake straps are a must. If you are handy, your local hardware store supplies straps, they are inexpensive and easy to install.
Before you start any seismic retrofitting for your
building, we recommend talking to your local building department for building
code information, and it is a good idea to consult with a structural engineer.
The following publications will provide you with most of
the information you will need to make an informed decision:
1- The Homeowners Guide to Earthquake Safety. Written and compiled by the California Seismic Safety Commission in Sacramento. Phone: (916) 263-5506.
2- Introduction to Earthquake Retrofitting, 80 page illustrated book from the “Building Education Center” in Berkeley, CA. Phone: (510) 525-7610.
3-
Damage Control booklet. Simpson Strong Tie Products for earthquake
resistant construction. You can pick up a copy at any hardware store or home
improvement center.
Your local apartment association should have earthquake
information handy for you. They should also be able to lead you to a contractor
that specializes in seismic retrofitting.
Dear Maintenance Men:
I have two units that have back to back
kitchen plumbing that drain into a single pipe.
They are constantly blocking up. We snake them on a regular basis, but to
no avail. How can I solve this
problem.
Dear Julia:
Unfortunately with two units draining into one drainpipe, you double the drain’s workload. This means the drain line has twice the grease, twice the soap and twice the food etc. In this case we will assume that your waste plumbing system consists of galvanized & cast iron piping. These two types of metal drainpipe’s inner lining tends to corrode and become rough and flake. This allows solid waste to form on the rough surface. A solution to the problem is to instruct your residents on the proper use of the garbage disposal. The water must be running before you turn on the disposer and continue running after the disposer is turned off. This will insure that the waste has been washed all the way down the pipe. The garbage disposer must run a sufficient amount of time to insure the proper breakup of the waste. The residents should also be instructed to feed the disposer slower, and not to cram food down the drain.
For persistent drain problems, we highly recommend getting
the drain line Hydro Jetted and then have the line inspected with a camera. This
will determine exactly where and why you have a constant problem with your drain
line.
Dear Maintenance Men:
I have a hard white ring on my wash basin and toilet.
I have tried to remove it with bleach, Lime Away, vinegar etc. with no
success. Can you help?
Daniel
Dear Daniel:
The ring is most likely a hard water calcium build-up.
Elbow Grease and a fine pumice rock should remove the ring.
(The pumice stone can be found in the cleaning supply section of your
local hardware store.) Try
reusing (one at a time) the vinegar, Lime Away, or a product called “The
Works” found at Wal-Mart. Let these solutions soak and then scrub with the
pumice stone. Warning: Do Not Mix different cleaning solutions
together. Use one at a time
with clean water. See trivia.
Trivia: Use Coca-Cola to clean brass and remove water deposits on sinks and toilets. (Soak overnight)
If
you have a maintenance question, please feel free to e-mail or call our office.
Maintenance@JLE1.com
or 714 778-0480.
Bio: