By Jerry L’Ecuyer & Frank Alvarez

Dear Maintenance Men:

I want to install some Malibu type low voltage landscape lights in the courtyard of my apartment building, and I need some advice. I looked at the selection at my local hardware store and I’m even more confused. Should I go wired or solar?

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 is very poor and 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. 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. Most fixture bulbs are LED; 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.

Dear Maintenance Men:

Tiles on my shower walls are coming loose and falling off in multiple spots. I had a tub-to-shower conversion done about three years ago. What’s causing this, do I have to completely redo the walls, and is there a quick fix?
Ben

Dear Ben:

Ouch! No, there is no quick fix for your problem. We have seen this issue many times on shower conversion tubs. It is so easy to just poke a shower head in from the back side and finish the walls with tile and call it a day. The problem is that the existing walls surrounding the tub were not meant for the wet environment that a shower presents. Any little crack in the grout will wick water into the drywall and cause it to break down. As the walls become more waterlogged, the mastic holding the tile to the drywall comes loose. Now even more water can enter through the tile. The proper way to do this kind of conversion or to repair previous conversions is the same. Remove the existing drywall and replace it with cement boards such as Hardiback, Wonder board, DuraRoc etc. These materials are impervious to water. Any leaking of water through the tile grout will not result in mass delamination of the tiles. Once the cement board is installed, caulk all the seams and corners. Now you can install the tile over the cement board, grout the tile and seal the grout lines. Your new shower should now last a lifetime or until you are tired of looking at the same tile for so long.

Dear Maintenance Men:

I’m very handy and like to do as much work at my building that I can. Saving money by not using “professionals” is also a very nice reward for my do-it-yourself efforts. However, I realize it may not be in my best interest to always do the work myself. Exposure to certain liabilities, safety issues or just plain disgusting jobs are sometimes best left to the professionals and I don’t mind paying for that peace of mind. Can you help me decide which jobs should be left for the professionals and why?

Allen

Dear Allen:

We are big fans of do-it-yourself jobs. However, some jobs do need to be left to the trained professional. Top of the list would be life and limb issues. Improper heating systems repairs can cause the greatest liability. Carbon monoxide is a known killer. Depending on your area, most gas supply companies will send a representative to inspect your heating system for free. Because of carbon monoxide, gas leaks or fire, repairs to the heating system should always be left to the pros. When it comes to plumbing, many of us are great do-it-yourself people. We consider most living space side of the wall issues fair game to DIY. But when the problem goes to the other side of the wall, such as mainline back-ups or when heavy equipment is needed to effect repairs; it is best to seek the pros. As an example: A mainline power snake machine can maim or kill in untrained hands. Not to mention the cost of retrieving a broken snake cable fifty feet down your main drain line. Weight-bearing structural repairs should be left to the professionals. Electrical repairs involving the breaker box or maybe even ground fault interrupter switches should be done by a trained pro. Because of the liabilities involved with chemicals, pest control should be left to the licensed companies involved in that type of work. This a short list, but if you keep in mind that “life or limb” issues should be delegated to the professional, you should be OK.

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.