BY STEPHEN ELBAZ, nyarm
HEATING SEASON IS HERE AGAIN
BY STEPHEN ELBAZ, nyarm
Believe it or not, heating season is here. Heat guidelines are as follows:
· Maintain 68 degrees inside between 6:00 A.M. - 10:00 P.M. whenever the outside temperature is below 55 degrees.
· Maintain 55 degrees inside between 10:00 P.M. - 6:00 A.M. whenever the outside temperature is below 40 degrees.
· Hot water must be maintained every day of the year.
In speaking with fellow managers, they unanimously agree that heat issues continue to be a leading cause of stress, as well as consuming a tremendous amount of time (especially nights and weekends.) This informal group came up with several suggestions:
· Managers should have the office, home, pager and cellular number of vendors.
· These telephone lists should be in the manager’s car, home and wallet (in reduce mode, the copy can be wallet sized.)
· Store these numbers in your cellular phone’s memory. Most new phones can store 100+ numbers.
· Boilers should be serviced, vacuumed, and "ready to go" by October 1st.
· Make sure building staffs’ pagers are in good shape, with a supply of spare batteries.
· Remind your staff the importance of having a working pager with them at all times, and to respond quickly. One manager purchased $5.00 prepaid calling cards for his superintendents to eliminate the "no change for a pay phone" routine.
October is a good time to inventory and order snow supplies. A rule of thumb is to have a "three storm" supply of calcium/potassium pellets. We have been lucky the last few winters, however this good fortune cannot last forever. All entrances should have a thick olefin or all rubber runner on hand to prevent falls and protect floors. A snow removal schedule should be established, posted and reviewed with staff. Most buildings provide, and union rules require, snow removal personnel to be provided a coat and gloves. Many firms offer early order discounts on these items in October. These companies will also print or embroider the building/firm name on the coat for a nominal charge. This is great advertising that builds goodwill with your residents.
Stephen Elbaz, nyarm, serves as NYARM’s Secretary and is President of Esquire Management Corporation, a full service management company in New York and New Jersey. Readers are encouraged to contact Stephen at 718-623-2300 or fax 718-623-2322 with real estate management questions
