Dear Maintenance Men:
I have a parking area at my building with concrete bumper stoppers. The problem is that when the cars touch the stopper, they move. How do I attach them to the parking lot?
Bill

Dear Bill:

If you have an asphalt parking lot, it is quite easy. Most concrete bumper stoppers have two holes that go through from top to bottom. These holes are just the right size to fit a piece of half inch rebar rods. Pick up two 12-to-18-inch pieces of rebar for each stopper. Place the rebar through the holes in the stopper and then use a sledgehammer and pound the rebar into the asphalt.

If your parking area is concrete, use a hammer drill with a ½ inch concrete bit to drill a hole in the concrete. Use your existing parking bumper as a guide. Either drill down through the holes in the bumper stop to the concrete below or use powdered chalk poured down through the bumper stop’s holes to mark the concrete. Then drill all the way through the concrete until you hit dirt. Hammer your rebar into the bumper and concrete. If the fit is loose, pour some concrete into the parking lot holes and then insert the rods.

Dear Maintenance Men:
A building inspector once made me correct a sump pump plumbing line that discharged rainwater into a municipal sewer line. Can you clarify for me the do and don’ts of patio drains?
Michael

Dear Michael:

Great question and one that many people might not think is important. To many, a drain is a drain is a drain, and most individuals don’t know where the water drains to and what environmental impact wastewater can cause. In urban areas and most municipalities, waste waters are directed to their proper destinations via a sewer drain or a storm drain. As an example: A sewer drain often carries wastewater from toilets, kitchens & laundry areas directly to a wastewater treatment facility. On the other hand, a storm drain will direct rainwater from roof, driveways and streets including patio drains into streams, aquifers or the ocean. The reason for the two different systems is so rain or runoff water does not overwhelm the sewer waste treatment facilities and force the release of untreated raw sewage into the storm systems which of course leads to our streams, aquifers and the ocean. Because the storm & sewer drains eventually empty into the environment, contaminants such as oil, paint and other hazardous material must be disposed of properly and not into the drains. Check with your city or county as some municipalities have very specific rules about runoff water.

Dear Maintenance Men:
I have been replacing rusted and dented HVAC vents and electrical wall receptacles in a rental unit. However, they don’t look right. There are a lot of gaps between the vents and plates and the wall. Some of the walls are not perfectly flat or the texture is bumpy. How do I make these installs more professional looking?
Julien

Dear Julien:

Caulk is your friend, and caulk will hide a multitude of sins! On a job like this we recommend getting a squeeze tube of painter’s caulk. Squeezable caulk tubes are readily available at any hardware or home center. Cut a small angled cut off the tip of the tube. Best to make the cut about 45 degrees. You want to open the tube just enough to get about an eighth inch thick line of caulk out of the tube. Run this caulk line all around the vents and wall plates edges. Gently run your finger along the caulk line pressing it into place. Any excess caulk can be removed with a damp paper towel. Once done, your vents and plates will look like they are part of the wall and will look very professional.

Dear Maintenance Men:
What is one thing I can do to make an older rental unit appear more modern.? I don’t want to do a complete rehab, just a few touches to appear more up to date.
Randy

Dear Randy:

We have recently discovered an easy way to make many people very happy with this simple update to a unit. Purchase and install wall outlets with USB ports. Today everybody has a phone and or a tablet with them. However, getting that phone or tablet charged is always a challenge. Install a USB enabled receptacle in the kitchen, in each bedroom and along any suitable flat surface. All a resident needs to have is a USB wire to change their devices and they will think this is a very clever idea! Another idea is to replace boring kitchen cabinet knobs with nice modern updated knobs. This will lift the look of your kitchen and bathrooms without breaking the bank.

By Jerry L’Ecuyer & Frank Alvarez

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 a 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 Past 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.