2015 November
Focus on... Building Maintenance

Maintenance Inside a Building’s Anatomy
2015 November Inside a Building’s Anatomy

If you think about it, a multifamily building isn’t that much different than the human body. Both house important complex operating systems and organ-like pieces of vital equipment, both take in fuel, produce waste, and both require regular…

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Maintenance A Look at Elevator Maintenance
2015 November A Look at Elevator Maintenance

Building amenities such as elevator systems are often taken for granted. But, elevators are for more than just avoiding a workout and creating awkward silences between neighbors; they accommodate residents unable to climb stairs and are cri…

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Board Operations Keeping the Outside Safe
2015 November Keeping the Outside Safe

Exteriors of buildings aren’t always smooth brick walls. There are all sorts of indentations and protrusions, from terraces to stonework, to cornices. There are also items that are not part of the building, but are affixed to it, like scaff…

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Maintenance Vetting Your Professionals
2015 November Vetting Your Professionals

There is always work to be done on a building, whether it’s a simple lobby repair or a major capital improvement, and finding the right contractor for the job takes some work. If the vetting process is not done properly, the results could b…

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Law & Legislation Going Overboard
2015 November Going Overboard

Condos and homeowner associations have made headlines over the years for passing all kinds of overreaching and downright silly rules and regulations—everything from forbidding the flying of the American flag to having prohibitions about han…

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Management Power Outages
2015 November Power Outages

Northeasterners are a tough breed, but even they have to deal with dark days and nights—and they need an action plan in case of a blackout. This was evidenced by the blackout of 2003. In August of that year, a series of power failures overl…

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Law & Legislation The Neighbor Downstairs
2015 November The Neighbor Downstairs

We all hope for good neighbors when we move into a new building or community. The same is true for commercial properties in residential buildings. Making a good match, one that benefits both the commercial tenants and unit owners, can go a …

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Q&A Q&A: Damage Control
2015 November Q&A: Damage Control

Q.  I have been a resident of a homeowners association in New Jersey for 37 years and this problem I’m having is going on almost that long. For many years, I have religiously sent e-mails to the board of trustees and management about trip …

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