NAA Education Institute's Blog

It’s one of the dirtiest, four-letter words in the apartment industry: mold. Unfortunately, mold is everywhere, good and bad, from the air inside our homes to places in open air. The mold that we deal with in our industry can pose potentially harmful effects to residents, employees and to your company’s bottom line.

Mold can grow on any surface where moisture or humidity is present. Mold can cause permanent damage to building materials and personal property likely because of water leakage from plumbing fixtures, air conditioning equipment not functioning properly, intrusion of water or moisture inside the home from the exterior environment, flooding, or condensation due to poor ventilation. These reasons are almost always preventable with proper attention paid to preventative maintenance onsite.

Prevention

 

The exterior appeal of an apartment community has a great impact on people's desire to live in it, and many companies know that to keep the exterior of a property in excellent condition is required to have a plan. Part of this plan should be to implement proactive procedures, which must be followed by all member of the team and monitored by managers and supervisors on regular bases. All employees regardless of their position with the company would need to be actively involved working together to have the exterior of the community in excellent condition.

Check lists are a very good tool to utilize when inspecting all exterior areas of the community to determine work that needs to be completed, and the same check lists can also be used to verify that the work has been completed up to company standards and guidelines. The use of check lists will ensure that everything has been checked properly and no items have been overlooked, the work has been done in an organized manner, and records have been kept for future reference.

The front of the property is the first part of the community potential future residents are going to see when they pass by or when they come into the property to consider living there. Their first impression of how good or not so good the company and its employees are is in most cases based on how good the exterior of the community looks. If they see everything cleaned and well maintained, they are going to have a very good first impression and they are going to start thinking "This is the kind of place I would like to live in".

 

One of the most common mistakes made by maintenance technicians while working with electrical components is not following proper safety procedures and guidelines. Many of these technicians who have been working with electrical circuits and devices for a long period of time begin to have a false sense of security that leads them to ignore safety procedures, and they think that all these safety guidelines apply only to technicians who are just starting in the business, creating the possibility of serious accidents, and even death.

It is critical that all technicians, regardless of their tenure in the business, follow all safety precautions. Besides taking care of themselves and those around them, a technician complying with safety regulations will protect the physical assets of the company they work for.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is the government agency that creates and implements safety standards and guidelines to ensure employees are working in a safe environment. One of the safety procedures required by OSHA when working with electrical is called Lock-Out Tag-Out Procedure. Unfortunately, this is one of the most common procedures ignored by maintenance technicians, causing many accidents that result in serious injuries and in some cases death.

New EPA Rule Affects All Levels of Apartment Management, Not Just Maintenance

Times, as they say, they are a changing... and in our world in the multifamily industry, we are definitely not immune to the changes around us. Apartment industry professionals are expected to stay on top of federal, state and local laws and regulations.

One big change is coming on April 22, 2010, when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will require employees and contractors who perform any renovations, repairs, and painting in homes built before 1978 to be certified as part of the new Lead-Based Paint Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule. And, guess what? That includes multifamily properties.

There's no argument that maintenance technicians are important players in the game of apartment community management. And when vital regulations are handed down from federal agencies, it is often the staff in the maintenance shop who are the most affected.

As many in our industry are aware, from the onsite personnel to the executive level, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be instituting a transition for maintaining and repairing air conditioning equipment that contains Hydrochlorofluorocarbons, or HCFCs. Specific to our industry, is an HCFC called R-22. Maintenance technicians nationwide will need to comply beginning January 1, 2010 the phase-out of HCFC refrigerants.

The following information will help technicians better understand their responsibilities under EPA regulations, adapt to industry practices and perform equipment maintenance and repairs properly.

1. Air conditioning equipment manufactured containing HCFC-22 (R-22) will cease on December 31, 2009, and beginning on January 1, 2010, all air conditioning equipment manufactured and imported will need to contain the new refrigerant HFC-410A, or R-410A as is commonly known to continue with the phase-out of refrigerants that are depleting the ozone layer like R-22.

For most of us, winter has already arrived. These low temperatures of the season can affect us all, not to mention the living conditions for our residents. It is a must that maintenance employees have a proactive approach in getting ready for the winter.

It goes without saying, but one of the most important steps in getting ready for winter should be having a well-stocked and organized maintenance shop with all the equipment, supplies, and parts necessary to maintain and repair water heating systems, HVAC systems, plumbing and electrical systems. Planning ahead will save you time, money and the frustration of not being able to serve your residents in the middle of winter. Examples of these items include: Thermostats, heating elements, heat relays, safety switches, relief valves, gas valves, water valves, pipes and fitting, and soldering supplies.

Before ordering any parts, maintenance technicians should make an inventory of existing supplies to be able to order only what is absolutely needed, and prevent waste and overstocking. In addition, technicians will also need to order any materials for insulating exterior structures, fixtures, and piping that might be exposed to weather conditions and could cause damage to buildings or equipment, or cause cold air and water intrusion into the inside of apartment homes. Examples of these items can be: Exterior caulk, weather stripping, insulation, sand and filters.

The following is a list of preventive maintenance recommendations to be ready for the winter time and prevent emergencies caused by equipment breakdown.

Let's face it. The economy is more than just a buzz word that we hear on the news every night; it's affecting us all. In fact, the role of the maintenance professional has been impacted as a result. The daily onsite activities, processes and procedures must be reevaluated to become more effective and efficient, especially in this economy.

Now, more than ever, it is important for the onsite maintenance team to have an organized and well-kept maintenance shop. Something as simple as a clean and properly-inventoried maintenance shop can save the property money and reduce unnecessary spending.

Here are some helpful tips to consider: