By Jerry L’Ecuyer & Frank Alvarez

Dear Maintenance Men:

I have a residence built in the early 60’s and it has original cast iron drains. The last time I had a clog, my plumber said cast iron pipes have a 50-year life expectancy. During the auguring process he said they felt rough inside and may backup more frequently. Last year we replaced a ruptured pipe with a plastic pipe. The main drain, part of which is above ground, is rusty and tends to flake away. What are the possibilities for this situation – replace when they fail, replace before they fail, reline the pipes to prevent trouble, or some other option? Long term, what makes sense financially?

We recommend calling a plumbing company that specializes in sewer pipe inspections using a camera snake. The camera snake will be able to tell you the actual condition of the pipe and where there are trouble areas, breaks and clogs etc. The snake will be able to pinpoint the location, depth and direction of the sewer line. If part of your system is failing now, chances are the rest of the sewer line is not far behind.

The best solution to a damaged or broken sewer line is to replace it with a new pipe. However, this is not always an easy or cost-effective solution. The distance to the city sewer may be too great or extensive landscape or property damage may result from the re-piping.

If replacing the pipe is not viable, consider using a pipe liner as preventive maintenance or repairing a damaged pipe. The cost to reline a pipe is approximately $80 to $135 a foot with a 50-year warranty. Balance this cost against the cost of trenching in a new line with landscape repairs and down time. A pipe liner will be as strong as the original pipe.

Dear Maintenance Men:

I have a Carbon Monoxide Detector question. The building I manage is an “all-electric” building with attached garages. Do I need to install a CO detector in each unit?

I don’t think your situation is all that uncommon. We have run into this installation problem before. We consulted with the Orange County Fire Authority. Because every building is unique in its construction and design, a proper assessment will need to be made based on the location of any gas-operated appliance in an all-electric building. The general rule is; if an all-electric building has a gas-operated appliance and shares a common wall with the residential units, Carbon Monoxide or CO detectors will be required. For example: You will need to install CO detectors in your all-electric building if you have enclosed garages attached. CO detectors will also be required if the building has an attached laundry room with a gas water heater or gas dryer. We also recommend installing a CO detector in the laundry rooms that contain a gas appliance. Keep in mind; automobiles, wood fireplaces, barbecues and any other combustible material can cause carbon monoxide. Owning an “all-electric” building does not necessarily eliminate the need for CO detectors.

How do I determine if it is time to replace the roof or just have some maintenance or minor repairs done?

Determining if a roof needs replacement or should be repaired is sometimes more of an art than a science. An old roof in good condition that has roof leaks may be as simple to solve as an inspection of the roof flashing system. The roof flashing is where the roof meets a different material or changes course. For example, roof flashing is found around the chimney, in valleys, where the roof transitions to a vertical wall or around vent pipes. Any roof transition area is a potential roof leak. Keeping the roof flashings in good order is the first line of defense. However, should your roof be experiencing leaks in several different areas, missing granules (bald spots) and pooling; might be an indication of a roof past its prime and ready for replacement. In the case of a shingle roof, the telltale signs are more obvious. For example, a shingle roof may exhibit curling edges, loss of granules and material brittleness. This roof may be beyond repair and should be replaced. Tile roofs may present different issues as they may look great on the outside, but have hidden damage under the tiles, such as a rotted felt membrane or disintegrating roofing paper. These are much more difficult to solve and often the repairs are more expensive than replacements.

When requesting a bid from a roofing contractor, always ask for a cost to repair the existing roof and a cost to replace the roof. When having multiple bids, always use the same scope of work for each roofer. A deviation in scope will make it harder to determine the correct course of action.

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.