Winter Maintenance & Snow Removal Update

November 16, 2002 by
Filed under: Board Notices 

Executive Property Management

As we approach the winter season we would like to take a moment to briefly explain the snow clearing service, preventative maintenance/safety measures and cooperation needed from you during this season to make the upcoming winter as trouble free as possible.

A. SNOW CLEARING SERVICE

The service provides for clearance of roads, empty parking stalls and sidewalks in the priority sequence listed above. Except under extreme conditions, the roads will be reasonably cleared by 6:30 a.m. to allow for people to go to work.

A common problem we are always faced with is the fact that cars are not moved from roadways and parking stalls at the time the contractor is performing the snow clearance. This not only hinders and limits the contractor from performing an effective clean-up, but also exposes the vehicles to potential damage. We urge you to anticipate snowfalls by taking the following precautionary measures:

  • Keep cars parked off the main roadways, park in parking stalls. Use your garage to park your car in.
  • Park cars facing front forward to ensure easy getaway.
  • Move cars from parking stalls as soon as roadways have been cleared, to an area which least obstructs the snow contractor’s performance.
  • Do not go out in the severe winter weather unless you absolutely have to. Wait until the clearing has been done in your area. Take some responsibility for your own safety by being cautious during the winter weather.

Any cars that are not moved at the time the contractor is clearing an area, will not be cleared after-the-fact by the contractor. If there are areas, which may have been overlooked by the contractor, we would appreciate your immediately calling Executive Property Management’s main office number at (732) 821-3224 to report this information. Please remember that the contractor starts at one end of the community and ends at the other. Someone has to be first and someone has to be last. The contractor will alternate the starting position. Please do not direct the contractor; they cannot leave an area to assist someone else in the complex. They will get to you.

B. PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE/SAFETY MEASURES

  1. All outside spigots should be winterized by shutting off the inside valve and draining all the remaining water from the outside in order to prevent freezing during the winter. The outside valves should then be left open during the winter. You may want to have the line blown out with air pressure.
  2. A qualified serviceman should check heating systems. Replace heating filters and check the condition of your hot water heaters. If rusted, it could leak and cause a lot of damage.
  3. Have your fireplace and chimneys checked and cleaned by a qualified chimneysweeper.
  4. Check the charge of fire extinguishers and the operation of smoke detectors. Remember to replace the batteries at least once a year.
  5. Review family fire prevention and escape plans.
  6. Remember to leave your heat on, if you plan to go away for any length of time, to prevent frozen pipes and water damage. The heat should be left at 60 degrees.
  7. Always turn off the water supplies to your washing machine when not being used. Check your washing machine hoses for signs of wear.
  8. You should have a carbon monoxide detector installed on each floor of your home.

C. SHOWERS AND BATH TUBS

Homeowners beware! Recently homeowners have noticed leaks evident in their first floor ceilings, which are coming from their shower stalls and bathtubs. As water can travel down or across a beam, the leak does not always show up directly under your bathroom areas. Standard maintenance for all homeowners requires annual caulking and re-grouting of bath tubs shower stalls and tiled walls and/or floors in your bathroom areas. This is a simple maintenance procedure and very inexpensive as the materials needed can be purchased at any local home improvement store.

It is suggested, all homeowners re-caulk their bathtubs where the tile wall meets the top of the tub once per year. This prevents water from getting between the tub and tile and seeping through the wallboard.

Loose or deteriorating grout is another opportunity for water to soak through the wallboard. When the shower is running for 10-20 minutes and beating against an open spot in the grout, leaks are inevitable. The toilet seal should also be checked annually.

D. SAFETY TIPS FOR FIREPLACE USE

Local fire departments encourage the following common sense guidelines:

  1. Before you light your fireplace for the first time, particularly in a house that is new to you, be sure your chimney is operational. If you’re not sure, have it inspected by a professional.
  2. Always open the damper before starting a fire and leave it open while the fire is burning or embers are still hot.
  3. Pre-heat your chimney by holding two or three lit pages of rolled up .. newspaper in the damper region for 10 to 15 seconds.
  4. Never try to build a large fire in a fireplace that is new to you. Start with one or two small logs and add more logs if desired once the fire is burning adequately.
  5. Burn only hardwood – fruit trees (cherry, apple, etc.) hickory oak or maple. All wood should be seasoned for one year. Do not burn soft woods, as they are loaded with tars and resins that can cause a chimney fire. Use commercial fireplace logs sparingly. It is a good rule of thumb not to burn pine, fir, treated wood or trash.
  6. Always use a metal grate to support the fire and allow ashes to build up one or two inches below. Ashes will create a bed of hot embers that will reflect back on the wood.
  7. Never throw Christmas wreaths, fancy wrapping paper or pizza boxes into the fire. The impact can create a surge of fire that will leap out or up and cause a chimney fire.
  8. When burning a fire, try to keep the wood close to the rear wall but not against it. An air space should be left on all sides of wood.
  9. Never skimp on kindling when building a fire. You need a small amount of paper to set off the kindling, but you need a large amount of kindling to achieve a good fire.
  10. Always keep the fireplace screen closed while a fire is burning.
  11. When stacking wood for fireplace use, it should always be stacked to provide air circulation. Place in a hoop or on a pallet and stack the wood away from the building.
  12. The damper must be closed when the fire is out and embers are cold. This will prevent heat loss from the home.
  13. A fireplace receiving regular use should be inspected and cleaned annually.

E. PREPARING HOMES FOR WINTER

Be sure to shut off and drain all outside spigots.

If your home is left unoccupied with the water on, please maintain adequate heat to prevent pipes from freezing. This is especially true if you are on vacation, while back in New Jersey, the temperature hovers around zero. It is helpful to leave doors between rooms open, as well as doors to cabinets and closets that house pipes, so the interior air can circulate freely. It is also suggested that a faucet be left open to drip slowly – this will prevent your pipes from freezing.

If vacating your home for the season, it is recommended that it be winterized to protect plumbing from freezing. This involves shutting off your home’s main water valve, draining the pipes and water heater (turn off the gas to the heater, too) and the toilets and dishwasher as well as leaving faucets open, and pouring some antifreeze into waste traps and toilet bowls. A plumber can perform this service for you.

Whether winterized or not, homes must keep a low setting of heat on 60 degrees since the water main for a building can pass through each unit in that building. Either set your heat to a reasonable temperature, while you are away or winterize your home.

Burst pipes caused by lack of heat are not the responsibility of the association. It is each homeowner’s responsibility to maintain their heat to prevent such occurrences.

Have your gutters and leaders checked and cleaned each year.

F. GOING ON A TRIP? – SNOWBIRDS

If you are planning to be away from your home for longer than a couple of days, we recommend that you arrange for someone to have a key to your home so that it can be checked regularly – once a week is a good idea. That way, any problems that develop, such as; water leaks, burst pipes, heating system malfunction, pilot light out, etc. – will be discovered as quickly as possible and potential damage will be minimized.

Do not turn your heat off! Even if you don’t expect to be away during the coldest part of the winter, unexpected cold spells do occur. Leaving your heat on, with the thermostat turned to a low setting of 60 degrees, will help avoid frozen pipes and the resultant water damage.

If you are going to be away for the winter, we recommend having the plumbing winterized.

The management company can give you some suggestions for contractors who can perform this.

G. IN CASE OF A PIPE BREAK OR FLOODING

  1. Know where your home’s shut-off valve is located. (Most homes can turn off all their water with a valve located under the kitchen sink).
  2. Contact neighbors who might be the source of the leak or those who might be affected by the leak. Call management.
  3. If the problem stems from your plumbing, call a plumber.
  4. Remove contents from the area of flooding.
  5. Mop up (or wet vac) water on the floor.
  6. If there is water in the ceiling, pierce a nail hole through the sheetrock to allow the water to escape into a bucket placed below. (To prevent splashing, tack a piece of string next to the hole long enough to reach the bucket; if done properly, the water should “ride” down the string).

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