Dear Maintenance Men:
Dear
Maintenance Men:
I
hear people talking about winterizing their buildings.
I grew up on the east coast were that meant something!
In Southern California, what “Winterizing” could we possibly be
doing?
Warm
and Confused?
Dear
Confused:
In
California, “Winterizing” simply means we switch from light shorts and white
T-shirt to dark shorts and a T-shirt! When it comes to your building,
“Winterizing” California style is simple.
Start from the top and go down. Inspect
your roof; replace any loose tiles, shingles etc. Caulk all flashings around
fireplaces, vent pipes, siding to roof transitions and skylights. Remove any
junk on the roof, clean your gutters, and secure any loose runs.
Test your gutters with water to make sure they are pitched correctly and
check your gutter downspouts; make sure they direct the water away from the
building. If you have any floor
drains, clean out and snake them. Caulk
any wood seams, window trim, vents and any area that might soak in water during
a rainstorm. Check your sprinkler timers and adjust the duration and days
watered. Don’t turn them off, as it is California after all!
To keep your grass green all winter; fertilize and seed with Rye grass.
During windy, rainy weather, trees may touch both the side and roof of
your building; trim any branches that may cause damage.
Secure any weak or young trees or bushes that may fall in a storm. These simple winterizing steps will help keep you dry and off
of the roof during winter weather.
Dear
Maintenance Men:
I
am a little bit confused about installing insulation in my building’s attic.
There are so many types of insulation and I don’t know which
“R” rating I should use … not that I know what “R” rating means
when it comes to insulation! Can you set me straight and please keep it simple.
Barry
Dear
Barry:
An
“R” rating or value such as 19, 22 or 30 is the resistance to heat flow the
insulation material is capable of maintaining.
The higher the number the greater the insulation value or resistance to
heat flow.
The
most commonly used ratings in a temperate climate are as follows:
R-13:
walls
R-19-22: Floors
R-30:
Ceilings
The
easiest form of insulation for attic use is the loose fill or blown in type. Walls
can also use the loose fill, but it is more common to use bats.
As for floors, if you have a raised foundation, it is best to use bats or
roll insulation between the floor joists. It’s
a great do it yourself project, but be sure to wear long pants & sleeves, a
hat, goggles and mask.
Dear
Apartment Owners:
We
are getting close to the holidays, which means guests, cooking and an
emergency call to you from one of your residents on Thanksgiving Day
about a clogged sink or non-working oven with an apartment full of guests
waiting for dinner. This
scenario can ruin both yours and your residents’ holiday.
The answer is: Preventive
Maintenance. Before the holiday
season begins, check each stove and oven for proper operation, many residents
only turn on their ovens at this time of year, and the problem may be as simple
as a pilot light being out. Also,
check the oven’s temperature calibration with an oven thermometer.
Because of heaver than normal use of the plumbing, it may be a good idea
to snake out your main plumbing lines. Also, sending a note to each tenant on
the proper use of the garbage disposal will be useful.
Note what they should and should not put down the disposal unit.
A few items to include on this No No list are: banana peals, potato
skins, coffee grounds and any stringy food. Also make sure they turn on the
water before using the disposer and put down small amounts of food at a time.
Do not use the disposer as a trash can and then turn it on when full, it
will clog.
Halloween
and other holidays also means more people than usual walking on your property.
Is your property safe? What
are some of the liabilities to worry about?
Check trip and fall hazards. Sprinkler heads sticking up above the grass
or landscape near sidewalks. Use pop-up heads to solve this problem.
Look for sidewalks that have been pushed up by tree roots. This can be
solved with a concrete grinder or replacement of the section and removal of the
tree root. Cut any low hanging tree
branches and look for branches that may break in heavy winter wind or rain.
Check your decking for cracks or damage and inspect the exterior stairways for
wear and tear. Inspect all your garage door springs, winter wind and rain may
make them heavy causing the door to close or fall unexpectedly.
As a precaution, always replace both garage springs at the same time and
throw away any used springs. Never
install used garage springs. Check
all property lighting and timers. Remember:
Preventive Maintenance is cheaper than Emergency Maintenance!
Bio: