Dear Maintenance Men | June 4, 2008

Written by AACSC | 25 January 2011

Dear Maintenance Men: Summer is coming and I’m not looking forward to all the air conditioning calls I might be getting from my residents. What kind of preventive maintenance can I do to help keep my tenants cool? Eduardo

Dear Eduardo: The most overlooked part of an air conditioning unit is the filter. We recommend you inspect each a/c unit, replace the filter, vacuum out all the dust and use a soft brush to remove built-up dust on the condenser coils. This do-it-yourself maintenance will help the a/c units run cooler and more efficient. Air circulation through the unit is key and the dirtier the unit is the harder it has to work. You may also want to give your residents some education about how to get the most out of their air conditioners. After the resident comes home from work, have them open all their windows for half an hour to let cooler outside air circulate. Once the a/c is turned on, have the resident close all unused rooms. If the a/c is in the living room, close off the hallway and bedrooms. Or if the a/c is in a bedroom, close the bedroom door to keep the cold in. Another option if your residents are sensitive to the cost of running an air conditioner is to install ceiling fans in each room or if you have attic space, install a whole house fan is very effective at moving hot air out the living area.

Dear Maintenance Men | June 4, 2008

Written by AACSC | 25 January 2011

Dear Maintenance Men: I am having my asphalt parking lot repaired and seal coated. But, I have a couple of questions. When is it the best time of year to do this work? And after reviewing a number of bids, one company want to lay the asphalt and fix the potholes and then return a few weeks later to do the seal coat. The other company wants to lay the asphalt and apply the seal coat on the same day. The second company is cheaper because he does not need to return, but is it a better job? Which do you recommend I go with? Marvin

Dear Marvin: To answer the first question: we recommend laying and sealing asphalt during the warmer months of the year such as summer time. Asphalt does not do well in cold or wet weather. As for your second question: In our experience we have always gotten a superior asphalt job by seal coating two to three weeks after the asphalt was laid. The new asphalt needs to cure. If you do not let the asphalt cure, the seal coat might not adhere properly to the new asphalt. This may produce bald spots where cars park and turn their wheels. The bald spots are unsightly and may lead to early deterioration of the asphalt. We would recommend you go with the company that completes the job in two stages. It is money well spent. Summer Trivia: Highest recorded temperatures: source: www.climatedata.com World: El Azizia, Libya, Africa Sept. 13, 1922 136 degrees N. America: Death Valley, Calif. July 10, 1913 134 degrees Asia: Tirat Tsvi, Israel, June 21, 1942 129 degrees Australia: Cloncurry, Queensland Jan. 16, 1889 128 degrees Europe: Seville, Spain Aug. 4, 1881 122 degrees Antarctic: South Pole Dec. 27, 1978 7.5 degrees