Dear Maintenance Men:
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Dear Maintenance Men:
I have a rental unit with a one-piece fiberglass bathtub. The bottom has a small crack. Is this tub junk or is it fixable?
Dan from Stanton
Dear Dan:
Fiberglass repair is a good “Do It Yourself” project. Repair material is readily available. Drying times are quick and mistakes are easy to fix. The first thing to do when repairing cracks, holes, abrasions etc is to remove any loose or soft fiberglass. Open any cracks or holes and file any edges to a 45% angle. This will help the repair material adhere to the damaged area. Thoroughly clean the area to be repaired with acetone. (Acetone is finger nail polish remover for the lady D.I.Y.s out there!) Don’t let the acetone pool as it may soften the fiberglass material. If possible, put supports under the area to be repaired. Most cracks are caused by a lack of material support. Mix the resin with the hardener; the instructions on the container will give you the number drops of hardener-to-resin ratio. With a disposable paintbrush, spread resin in the repair area. Lay pre-cut fiberglass cloth on the crack and with the brush, saturate the cloth. You may need more then one layer of cloth to build up the repair area. As soon as the first cloth is saturated, lay the second or third cloth, saturating as you go. Let the fiberglass dry at least 12-24 hours. Then sand the area smooth. If you have minor dips and unevenness; use Marine Bondo body putty to fill in any imperfections. Sand smooth, prime & paint.
Dear Maintenance Men:
I have several older apartment complexes; they range from 25 to 40 years old and have a variety of access panel problems. The access panel issues range from missing, rusted or bent metal covers. Replacing them with a similar panel is too much work & I’m not good with drywall or stucco repairs. What can I do?
John
Dear John:
We know what you mean; we also dislike the metal access panels. There is a product we have been using for years that is just great. It is easy to use and covers a multitude of sins. The product is called “Access-Able” by Sachwin Products in Torrance CA. It is a pop-in replacement for old metal access panels. The new panel is made of white A.B.S. plastic. It can be pressed into place over an existing metal frame or you can cut a new hole & caulk or nail it into place. The frame has a wide flange to go over the stucco or drywall, therefore eliminating extra repair. You should be able to find the panel through the Maintenance Warehouse catalog.
Dear Maintenance Men:
My resident is complaining that the shower valves move in and out of the wall whenever she uses the valves. I’m afraid all this movement will damage the pipes and allow water to seep through the shower walls. How can I repair this problem without damaging the shower walls?
All wet in Anaheim
Dear Wet:
What may have happened are the brackets holding the valve body or pipes in the wall have broken or rusted loose. This is an easy fix. If you are able to access the back of the shower walls through a closet or cabinet; cut a hole in the drywall and expose the water lines. Install new pipe brackets or tie downs to secure the pipes to the 2x4s. Now is a good time to use that new plastic access panel to repair the hole you just made! If you do not have rear access to the pipes, this is not a problem. If you have a 3 valve assemble; remove the handles & trim flange. Check the white nylon flange nipples, they may be stripped or broken. Replace the nylon flange nipples if needed, replace the trim flange if the threads are corroded & reassemble. This should keep your pipes in place. Check the tub spout, it may also need to be tightened. On a one piece valve assemble, check that the escutcheon plate is tight. Loosen the Allen screws, pull the valve handle towards you and retighten the screws. This should help secure the pipes from movement. Don’t forget to caulk the valves and tub spout when you are done.
To all Readers:
Thank you for all the great questions and Happy Holidays!
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