Dear Maintenance Men:

By Jerry L'Ecuyer & Frankie Alvarez

October 2001

Dear Maintenance Men:

We tried to replace an angle stop valve under the kitchen sink, but found a brass collar around the copper pipe, which traps the nut behind it.  The new angle stop threads are not compatible with the old nut. What can I do?  Also, how often should I routinely replace my under sink water flex lines?

Boston from O.C.

Dear Boston:

On the first question; it is always best to remove the old collar. That is easier said than done.  You can not pull off the collar with your fingers, it is too tight. Pliers will damage your soft copper pipe and cutting the line behind the collar is OK if you have enough pipe to spare. But, in most cases the space is limited and cutting the line won’t work.  The hardware or plumbing store sells a compression Sleeve Puller (approx $20.00) designed for this job and it will not damage your pipe.  You can now install your new angle stop valve.   An alternative once you remove the collar is to solder a male or female ½” fitting to the end of the copper pipe. Install a male or female angle stop valve and never again deal with a stubborn brass collar.  If you ever need to replace the valve, just twist it off and install a new one.

On your second question about replacing under sink water lines;  if any of your lines are the white plastic lines, replace them immediately, they are a flood waiting to happen. We like using the stainless steel braided flex lines. They last a long time, don’t seem as susceptible to fatigue or abuse.  They are not perfect and do not last forever. A way to spot a bad flex line before they leak or burst, it to look for tell tale signs of rust, calcium build-up, loose or broken braids, tight kinks, brown spots or they just look bad.  While you are replacing those water lines, be sure to replace the angle stop valve also.

Dear Maintenance Men:

Should I automate my landscape sprinklers or let one of my tenants turn on the valves on a regular basis? 

Steve with a four plex.

Dear Steve:

We always recommend installation of automatic sprinklers. In the long run it will save you money & aggravation.  A resident turning on the sprinklers sounds like the perfect fix. It is cheap, and removes a burden from your shoulders … in the short term.  In the long term it may be very expensive in water bills, monthly payments to the resident and irregular watering may damage your landscaping.   Up front, installing automatic sprinklers is not cheap if done properly. You should use all brass auto valves and a good quality timer.  Using plastic auto valves is less expensive, but they will not hold up to abuse.  Brass valve should last near forever with minimal maintenance to the rubber washers.  In the long term, the auto valves will consistently water your lawn on a regular basis for a set time.   Your landscaping will always get the water it needs without wasting water or time. 

 Dear Apartment Owners:

Halloween and other holidays are coming up. This 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!

The Maintenance Men

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