Condo Media - October 2013 - 40

COvEr StOry
COLUMN NAME
Although the mold “crisis” is no longer
front page news, mold remains a serious
concern, because it can spread quickly
beyond a single unit, infecting multiple units and entire buildings. Mold
is both potentially damaging and easy
to prevent. “If there is no water, there
will be no mold,” Solemina notes. That
message needs to be conveyed clearly to
owners. Advise them to:
• Check for leaks anywhere they might
occur: under sinks in kitchens and
bathrooms and in and around showers, bathtubs, and toilets. Dishwash-

ers and washing machines are also
prime targets.
• Inspect the hoses on dishwashers
and washing machines. Standard
hoses — “the ones you buy in the
Big Box stores” — Fernandes notes,
have a life expectancy of about five
years. They should be replaced
“proactively,” he suggests, by which
he means, before they break and
flood the owner’s unit and several
others under it. Industry experts
recommend heavy-duty, steelbraided hoses, which some insurance

companies are beginning to require.
Required or not, associations should
“strongly recommend” that owners
obtain them, Barrett suggests.
• Check the condition of hot water
heaters and replace older ones before
they begin to leak, which they almost
certainly will. Solemina also recommends installing automatic shut-off
valves on these units. The cost —
$400 to $800 — isn’t insignificant,
she agrees, but it’s a lot less than the
cost of repairing the damage caused
by a flood. While boards can’t force
owners to install the shut-offs, she
suggests, they can purchase them in
bulk to reduce the per-unit costs
• Pay attention to small leaks or water
stains indicating a potential problem.
Many owners tend to ignore these
problems because they don’t want
the hassle or expense of dealing with
them. “It’s an education issue,” Barrett says. Managers and boards have
to explain to owners that the small
problems they ignore could become
much bigger and more expensive
problems for them and for the community. “Tell them to report leaks
and water stains instead of ignoring
them and remove the bucket and
have the leak repaired,” he suggests.
Some associations have adopted resolutions outlining the general maintenance obligations of owners, their
responsibility to take reasonable steps
to prevent mold, and their liability
for damage if they fail to do so.
Fire safety. Fireplaces and clothes
dryers represent potential fire hazards
and so are community-wide concerns
even though they are clearly unit owner
responsibilities. Remind owners to:
• Inspect and clean their fireplaces regularly; how frequently depends on usage. The rule of thumb is after every
cord of wood, but a unit that hasn’t
been used in a long time should be
inspected, too. “You can’t assume it’s
clear and safe just because it hasn’t
been used,” Schernecker notes. “A
critter might have made its nest in
the chimney,” or the flue may not be

Condo Media • OctOber 2013

Condo Media - October 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Condo Media - October 2013