Dear Maintenance Men:
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Dear Maintenance Men: |
September 2001
Dear Maintenance Men:
I’m considering installing ceiling fans in my units to help my residents keep cool and save energy. Is this a good plan?
Good Landlord.
Dear Good:
Personally, we love ceiling fans and encourage their use. Most people feel cooler with a fan moving the air, but that increased comfort doesn’t always result in their lowering the air-conditioning thermostat. We don’t believe the fans will actually lower the temperature of a warm apartment significantly. It does look good spinning there and will give the appearance of cooling. Given a choice, a potential resident will most likely choose a unit with a ceiling fan. If you really want to lower utility bills and cool the units at the same time; install a powered temperature controlled attic fan and/or attic insulation. Insulation alone will have a dramatic effect and often the utility companies or cities have programs to provide and install the insulation at little or no cost to the owner.
Dear Maintenance Men:
I want to refinish some of my cabinetry and wood floors, but don’t know what clear finish to use, as there are so many to choose from.
Confused.
Dear Confused:
Whether it’s on cabinets or floors, a good clear finish is one that looks great viewed from any angle, cleans easily, and gives lasting protection to the wood. A clear finish will improve the appearance of the surface, but will also highlight any imperfections in the woodwork. Proper sanding before applying the finish is therefore critical.
A quick primer in choosing the appropriate finish for your job.
1. Cabinets, handrails, trim or dry use countertops:
a) Finish requirements: Cleanable.
b) Product choices: Oil-based polyurethane varnish.
Water-based polyurethane varnish.
Conventional varnish.
Lacquer.
2. Wet surface countertops: ( i.e.: kitchen, bathroom, laundry etc.)
a) Finish requirements: Provides moisture protection, cleanable.
b) Product choices: Oil-based polyurethane varnish.
3. Floors
a.) Finish Requirements: Provides protection from impact, abrasion, & moisture;
is durable and cleanable.
b.) Product choices: 1.Oil-based polyurethane varnish.
2. Water-based polyurethane varnish.
c.) Comments: 1. Oil Based polyurethane varnish is hard, scuff-resistant
and durable.
2. Water-based polyurethane varnish is quick-drying,
requires more coats to achieve the same build up as
with oil-based varnish and it raises the wood grain.
Easy clean up.
As mentioned above, the best finish will not hide a flawed surface. Bare wood should be sanded up through a 220-grit sandpaper. Wood that will receive a solvent-type coating can be cleaned with a tack cloth, but the varnish in this cloth isn’t compatible with water-based finishes and could cause the film to come loose (or “lift”). Use a dust brush or air nozzle to clean work that will be coated with water-based products. Don’t try to fill nail holes before applying the first coat of finish, because you’ll smear filler into the surrounding wood and create a blemish. Brush or spray the first coat of finish and then apply the filler; you’ll use less of it and the patch will be less noticeable. Be sure to check that the filler is compatible with the finish.
Dear Maintenance Men:
In our rental unit, there is a heat register on the wall in the hallway behind the wall heater. The paint constantly peels off the wall around and below this register. The wall material that the paint is peeling from is tan, and seems smooth. Is the wall made of a special material and what can I do to get the paint to stick to the walls?
Julia from Anaheim
Dear Julia:
We are going to assume that the wall material around your heat register/air intake vent is either plaster lath or drywall board that has been patched with Fix-All at some point in time. According to your description the tan color can be the result of years of heat exposure and has been baked. This can potentially be a serious problem and the causes for this can vary. Here are three possible scenarios:
1. The ductwork behind the register is loose or was not sealed properly when
installed. This is allowing heat to escape behind the wall before it reaches the register.
2. The register itself is not completely sealed against the wall along the perimeter and
is allowing heat to escape around the edges.
3. The insulation on the ductwork is missing or has disintegrated.
If Fix-All patch material has been used for repairs around the register, it should be completely removed. This is a very hard & smooth surface, which will make it difficult for the flat wall paint to stick. With the wall open around the register and the ductwork, this would be a good time to call a heating and air conditioning company to inspect the heater. Cut your wall back far enough from the register to be able to secure the new drywall properly. Tape, mud and texture the surface. Prime and paint as usual. Remember, the problem is the heat not the paint.
If you wish to only address the cosmetic issue of the peeling paint:
a. Remove all loose or chipping paint, sand lightly and apply two (2) coats of
Temp Resistant Primer. Allow to cure approximately 24 hours.
b. Apply over the primer, two coats (2) coats of Temp Resistant Paint similar to those
used for appliances.
Paint designed to resist heat is typically an enamel coating and applied to metal surfaces.
Paint References are: Dunn-Edwards Paints: Syn-Lustro Series, High Performance Industrial Maintenance Paint.
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 First Vice President 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 reach 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