Dear Maintenance Men,

I have a small maintenance crew I’m trying to train and make more professional. They are a great team but need some polishing. Most are generalists and can pretty much tackle anything. My concerns are whether they are doing it right, on time and on budget. Sometimes I think outsourcing would be cheaper.

Thoughts?

Jim.

Dear Jim,

A tough question with so many things to consider. Particularly in California where doing business and the associated costs to employ is ever more challenging. However, the ability to make quick decisions, deploy your teams, control performance for a satisfactory outcome can be priceless. Most times our name and reputation are on the line. It may have taken years upon years to build your reputation, but it only takes a few days to ruin it. Because of this fact, we instill a culture of company ambassadors in every technician. They must understand they are the face of the company and their ability to deliver customer service will impact us both positively and negatively. During our Maintenance consultations we work on how important the maintenance technician’s role is, their personal value and what it represents to the company and customer. It really doesn’t matter how skilled a technician is if their attitude towards work, the company, and customer is horrible. Over the years we have developed a process of building the individual, building the team and building on their skills. Most times, great employees are developed not found.

Many apartment associations offer fantastic courses to help with educating and developing maintenance technicians. We encourage you to invest in your team as they are the single greatest asset of any company.

As far as outsourcing is concerned, the numbers do not lie. There are many free online Labor Burden Calculator Tools which can help you determine if outsourcing is cheaper than operating employees.

We recommend the following:

1. Outsource anything that can cause fire, flood or blood. (cheap insurance)
2. Outsource technical or higher skilled work.

3. Outsource anything you are not insured for.

4. Outsource anything you do not have the tools or equipment to perform the job expeditiously.

5. Outsource, when using your team will cause delays in delivering services.

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Dear Maintenance Men:
The angle stop valves under the kitchen sink are very hard to close. I attempted to replace the valves but could not remove the brass collar around the copper pipe. The new angle stop valves do not thread up and the old nut is trapped behind the collar. What can I do? Also, how often should I routinely replace my under-sink water flex lines?
Fredric

Dear Fredric:
On the first question, it is always best to remove the old collar. That is easier said than done. You cannot pull off the collar with your fingers; it is too tight. Pliers will damage your soft copper pipe and cutting the line behind the collar is OK if you have enough pipe to spare. But, in most cases the space is limited and cutting the line won’t work. The hardware or plumbing store sells a compression sleeve puller ($20.00 or less) designed for this job and it will not damage your pipe. You can now install your new angle stop valve. An alternative once you remove the collar is to solder a male or female ½” fitting to the end of the copper pipe. Install a male or female angle stop valve and never again deal with a stubborn brass collar. If you ever need to replace the valve, just twist it off and install a new one. We also recommend that you install “quarter turn ball valves” when replacing the old angle stop valves. The ball valves are less susceptible to sticking in the open position after many years of use.

On your second question about replacing under sink water lines; if any of your lines are the white plastic lines, replace them immediately; they are a flood waiting to happen. We like using stainless-steel braided flex lines. They last a long time, and don’t seem as susceptible to fatigue or abuse. A way to spot a bad flex line before they leak or burst, is to look for telltale signs of rust, calcium build-up, lose or broken braids, tight kinks, brown spots or they just look bad. If you are replacing angle stop valves, install new water lines at the same time.

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Dear Maintenance Men: Readers
We are in mid-summer and believe it or not, WINTER is COMING! Now is the time to review your pre-winter check list and do your preventive maintenance. Do you have a Pre-Winter Check List? See below for a good start.

Dear Reader:
Here are a few tips:
1: We like to start at the top and check the roof for any 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 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 installation 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.

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 

Written by Jerry L’Ecuyer & Frank Alvarez

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.