DEAR MAINTENANCE MEN
B y J erry L’E cuyer & F rank A lvarez
Dear Maintenance Men:
I am trying to be on top of my preventive maintenance this year. It is spring, so what do you suggest I look at first? Mike
Dear Mike:
Summer is just around the corner and it may be a hot one. Prior to summer, it is essential to properly inspect and troubleshoot your HVAC (A/C) units, whether they are window, wall, or central. Most A/C units fail or work improperly due to non-existent or improper maintenance and not age. Cleaning your A/C is the most inexpensive and critical maintenance procedure you can perform. Here is our 4-point check list: 1. Turn on the A/C and listen for unusual noises. 2. Inspect/clean or replace filters. Filters should be cleaned or replaced at the beginning of each major season, such as before summer and before winter. 3. Clean & repair damaged or bent fins. They can constrict proper air flow and decrease the cooling capacity of the A/C unit. 4. Clean out all dust and debris inside of the A/C pan or coils. On a central HVAC unit, cleaning or replacing the main and return filters may be the limit on a DIY cleaning. A qualified technician should do any other
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Apartment News
work on a central heating and air unit.
Dear Maintenance Men:
I have a pool at my apartment building and my pool man is suggesting I convert to a salt system for sanitizing the water. Will the salt damage my pool or its equipment? How does a salt system work? Will swimming in the pool feel like an ocean swim? Rick
Dear Rick:
We are big fans of salt systems for swimming pools. They feel great to swim in and you don’t have that chlorine smell on you when you get out. A salt water system or “salt water chlorine generator” is used to replace liquid or pellet chlorine with chlorine produced from salt in the water. The salt dissolves in the water separating into sodium and chloride. By passing a low voltage electrical current between special metal plates and the water, the salt-cell will convert the chloride into chlorine in a process called electrolysis. The salt system will create the chlorine to sanitize the water, but without the chlorine smell, taste, or feel. Not to mention, you will not need to handle or store a dangerous chemical. Swimming in a salt pool is not like swimming in the ocean. A salt pool contains 3,000–4,000 parts-per-million (PPM) of salt while the ocean is approximately 35,000 PPM. A better example is: a salt pool is like one tablespoon of salt in a gallon of water; the ocean is like 9 or 10 tablespoons of salt in the
www.aaoc.com
May 2021
same gallon of water. The salt pool is closer to the natural salinity level of your eyes. A typical human eye’s salinity level is about 9,000 PPM. While switching to a salt system pool has many advantages, there are a few downsides. If the pool is very old, using a salt system may further corrode the pool’s metal skimmer and return pipes faster. Older pool heaters may also be adversely affected. Calcium may build up on the tile work. Newer pools use plastic pipes and pumps; the salt will not cause any damage to these items.
Dear Maintenance Men:
My units all have dishwashers. I am starting to get complaints from the residents that the dishwashers do not clean the dishes as well as they did when new. What is the problem and what can I do about it? Bill
Dear Bill:
A number of issues that may be causing this problem. 1. Check that the dishwasher’s filter or grates are not clogged. The filters are commonly found under the rotating spray arms at the bottom of the dishwasher. The filters normally snap in and out of place. Remove them gently and watch for broken glass. 2. Check the operation of the water Maintenance Men — continued on page 18
