By Jerry L’Ecuyer & Frank Alvarez

Dear Maintenance Men:

A resident is complaining that their water heater is knocking and making rumbling noises. They are worried it might explode. What is the problem and how do I fix the rumbling issues.

Jane

Dear Jane:

First, the water heater will not explode, however, it could leak if this issue is left unchecked. Sediment collects in the bottom of the tank and traps water under layers of minerals such as calcium & lime. When the burner heats the water, the trapped water boils and bubbles up causing the rumbling or knocking noise. The solution is to flush the water heater of any accumulated sediment. (We will assume the tank in question is not a commercial unit with a clean out port.)

Flushing procedure:

1: Turn off the gas or breaker to the heater.

2: Turn off the water supply above the tank.

3: Connect a hose to the drain valve at the bottom of the tank so the water can drain away from the heater. (Leave this valve closed for the moment.)

4: Open a hot water valve in the unit such as a shower valve or kitchen faucet.

5: Open the valve at the bottom of the tank to let the water drain through the hose. Caution: This water will be hot.

6: Allow the tank to drain completely.

7: Once the tank is empty, open and close the cold-water valve above the water heater. This will help flush any remaining sediment from the tank. Do this until the water runs clear out of the hose connected to the heater drain valve.

8: Close the drain valve and disconnect the hose from the bottom of the tank.

9: Open the cold-water valve above the water heater to fill the tank.

10: When water starts coming out of the shower or kitchen valves, the tank is full. Turn off the shower and kitchen valves. Leave the cold-water valve above the water heater open.

11: Re-light the gas burner pilot and turn on the burner or switch on the breaker for an electric heater.

This procedure should be part of your preventive maintenance routine and done once a year, every year.

Dear Maintenance Men:

I want to install some low voltage landscape lighting in the courtyard of my apartment building and I need some advice. Should I go with a wired system or a solar powered system?

Chuck

Dear Chuck:

Good question! Solar looks so attractive and it is very easy to install. You can’t get more plug and play than sticking the light fixture in the ground and waiting for the sun to charge up the light. Unfortunately, as great as solar energy seems, it does have some drawbacks. The light produced can be dim and may not last the whole night. The fixture must be in direct sunlight to recharge. If you want to use it to simply mark a path; it will do a good job, but if you want it to light up the path, it does not have enough power. In order to light up a path or area, a wired low voltage system is best. You will need to determine how many lights you will use and the wattage of the bulbs in each fixture. The wattage information will help you determine what size transformer and wire to use. Light bulbs range in wattage from 4 watts to 50 watts. Do not exceed the bulb wattage as dictated by the transformer. As an example: a 300-watt transformer will support twelve 25-watt light fixtures or thirty 10-watt fixtures. Transformers range from 88 watts, 100 watts, 200 watts and 300 watts. There are transformers that list their wattage as high as 600 watts and 900 watts. Typically, the 600 & 900-watt transformers allow the use of multiple cables from one transformer. As far as what gauge wire to use, again wattage will determine the wire size. For Example: max 150-watts, use 16-gauge wire, 200-watts, use 14-gauge wire, 300-watts, use 12 gauge wire. Keeping the above numbers in mind; using LED landscape lighting will dramatically change the amount of transformer power you will need. We highly recommend using LED fixtures in your landscape lighting designs.

Dear Maintenance Men:

We are heading into spring after a tough winter; do you have a “springtime” list of maintenance tips?

Bill

Dear Bill:

What a great question! Yes, we do have a few tips.

1: We like to start at the top and check the roof for any wintertime damage. Check the flashing, roof transitions and fascia boards. Don’t forget to check any downspouts and drain covers.

2: Check all the windows and make sure they are well sealed. Clean out the weep holes in any aluminum window frames and caulking on wooden windows. This is a good time to put a drop of grease on the moving parts of the crank out windows. Check screens for holes and replace any missing screens.

3: Check the proper operation of all smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Keep note of the original install date and the date each alarm was checked thereafter for your records.

4: Check the building’s siding, brick and stucco walls for cracks, peeling paint and rot.

5: Clean out air conditioning filters and vents. Remove any lint, dust and dirt from around A/C coils.

6: Check sidewalks, stairs, decks, balconies and ramps for cracks, lifting and possible water intrusion.

7: Turn on and check all lawn sprinkler valves and look for broken heads, pipes and errant concrete watering.

8: Inspect water heaters and boilers for proper operation.

9: Check and adjust any exterior lights and timers.

10: Check on your residents and ask for any feedback on anything that might need repair. They live at the building day in and day out. Their input can be quite valuable in terms of preventive maintenance and resident relations.

WE NEED Maintenance Questions!!! If you would like to see your maintenance question in the “Dear Maintenance Men:” column, please send in your questions to: DearMaintenanceMen@gmail.com

Bio:

If you need maintenance work or consultation for your building or project, please feel free to contact us. We are available throughout Southern California. For an appointment, please call Buffalo Maintenance, Inc. at 714 956-8371

Frank Alvarez is licensed contractor and the Operations Director and co-owner of Buffalo Maintenance, Inc. He has been involved with apartment maintenance & construction for over 30 years. Frankie is President of the Apartment Association of Orange County and a lecturer, educational instructor and Chair of the Education Committee of the AAOC. He is also Chairman of the Product Service Counsel. Frank can be reached at (714) 956-8371 Frankie@BuffaloMaintenance.com For more info please go to: www.BuffaloMaintenance.com

Jerry L’Ecuyer is a real estate broker. He is currently a Director Emeritus and Past President of the Apartment Association of Orange County and past Chairman of the association’s Education Committee. Jerry has been involved with apartments as a professional since 1988.