Dear Maintenance Men

By JeRRy l’eCuyeR & fRanK alVaRez

Dear Maintenance Men: My pest control company has removed a beehive from my property. However, the bees have not left and the tenants are complaining about bees inside their units. I have sealed every hole, crevasse and crack I can find. Yet, the bees still find a way of getting into the units. What is missing or are these bees just too smart? Bert Dear Bert:

We have had a similar problem at one of our properties. We also sealed everything we could think of and still the bees found a way in. You may want to look at your roof vents that service the bathroom & kitchen exhaust fans. The bees come down the vent and go into the voids between the ceiling and roof. Most fan boxes are not well sealed below the fan blades. Once they are in the ceiling, it is easy for them to travel to different units, find a hole and drop down into the apartment’s living area. Because the bees may be discovered in an area far from the original entry point, it is hard to track down where they first came in. We now install screening at all bath and kitchen exhaust vent tubes. The material used is 1/8 inch square metal screening and is attached to the top of the vent tube at the roof level. Be sure to extract the hive and any honey you find or you

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Dear Maintenance Men: The kitchen countertops in my rental units are old and tired looking. I want to upgrade but I am confused about which countertop material will be best. Can you go over the pros and cons of some of the more popular countertop surfaces available? John

Dear John:

We are lucky today to have so many choices of countertop materials available. The four most popular materials are plastic laminate, granite, engineered stone, and ceramic tile. Plastic laminate, or better known as Formica brand, is still the most popular choice for apartment counter tops. This is because the choice in colors is almost unlimited and the ease of installation keeps the costs down. With proper care, plastic laminate will last for years. However, it can be easily scratched by knives or scorched by hot pots. Laminate counter tops can be easily installed by the average handyman, DYI person, or contractor.

Granite counter tops in the apartment industry are very popular, and with good reason. The cost of granite has come down to reasonable levels and the upgraded look of a granite countertop is substantial. They are very tough and are resistant to staining, scratching, and scorching. Granite countertops will need to be professionally installed and sealed periodically. Engineered stone countertops are almost as popular as granite and are slightly more expensive. Popular brands are DuPont & Silestone. Engineered stone countertops are composed of quartz particles and resins and the surface is smooth, non-porous, and scratch resistant. They also require less maintenance than granite. Engineered stone countertops are not DIY friendly and will need pro-

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fessionally trained installers. Ceramic tile countertops have been around almost as long as plastic laminate. They can be installed by the average handyman, DYI person or contractor. They are heat & stain resistant. Ceramic tiles do need to have periodic maintenance to keep the grout lines clean and sanitary. From a management and maintenance prospective, we are finding granite countertops to be the top choice. The price difference between laminate and granite are close enough to warrant upgrading to granite. If you intend to hold onto your investment for a long time, granite will more than pay for itself.

Dear Maintenance Men: I have a garbage disposal that is very loud. When it is running with water, it can be heard across the kitchen and into the living room. It runs perfectly and I don’t really want to replace it. What can I do to soundproof the disposer? Kathleen

Dear Kathleen:

You are in luck. There is a very simple solution. Every garbage disposal unit comes with a rubber drain deflector. When the deflector becomes old, the rubber hardens and stays open to the drain allowing spoons, forks and other items to fall into the drain, but more importantly, it allows sound to escape. Go to your local hardware store and buy a new rubber drain deflector. The disposal noise will almost disappear. Careful you do not forget to turn off the garbage disposal!

We need Maintenance Questions! If you would like your maintenance question answered in the “Dear Maintenance Men” column, please email it to DearMaintenanceMen@gmail.com

If you need maintenance work or a consultation for your building or project, please contact Buffalo Maintenance, Inc. to schedule an appointment. We are available throughout Southern California and can be reached at 714-956-8371. For more information, visit www.BuffaloMaintenance.com

Frank Alvarez is a licensed contractor and the Operations Director and Co-Owner of Buffalo Maintenance, Inc. He has been involved with apartment maintenance and construction for more than 30 years and frequently serves as a guest lecturer and educational instructor. Frank also serves as president of the Apartment Association of Orange County (AAOC) and chair of the AAOC Education Committee. Frank can be reached at (714) 956-8371 or Frankie@ BuffaloMaintenance.com.

Jerry L’Ecuyer is a real estate broker and a Director Emeritus of the Apartment Association of Orange County. He is a past president and longtime board member of the association, in addition to having served as chair of its Education Committee. Jerry has been involved with apartments as a professional since 1988.

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