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PROMOTING EXCELLENCE IN NYC MULTI-FAMILY BUILDING OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

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QUESTIONS POSTED

Question #699:  Who is the Senator that represents Manhattan and who are the persons representing the New York's House of Representatives, New York's Assembly and New York City's Council. Post your answer

Answer: There are many websites that will help you find your elected representatives anywhere you are. Here is one of them: http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/ Glen Stoltz

Question #698: Why is it so hard for a superintendent to get help when the management is in the wrong? I have been fired for being Hispanic and for caring about my job. Please help me, there are days I feel like ending it all. We need a fair break. Post your answer

Answer: Do yourself a tremendous favor and come to our February meeting, where you will find other supers who will understand you 100%. There's no charge. Get there by 5:30 and join us for pizzas, cookies, sodas and socializing until 6, when we will hear a great talk from one of our fine supers, on security cameras. Dick Koral 718-552-1161

Answer: Without knowing all the facts, it is difficult to decide, BUT, being a superintendent often means to be responsible for almost everything that happens in your building, much like a captain of a ship. I am sure there are a lot of people that would disagree with me on this. Non the less, a super is responsible for his building. This means, when something goes wrong, it is the supers fault. Sorry to say, those that don't like or understand this, can always take up another vocation. Peter Grech, GBOC

Question #697: I live in a Bronx five-floor apartment building. I want to place a 75-gallon fish tank adjacent to what I believe is a load-bearing wall. Every apartment above me has the same floor plan. Is it safe to assume that all the interior walls are load-bearing? Post your answer

Answer: No. You can not assume that a wall is bearing or non-bearing from one floor to the next. The bearing wall or non-bearing wall has nothing to do with where you place the fish tank, as long as you don't plan to put it "in the wall". Check your lease first though, some leases do not allow fish tanks. Peter Grech, GBOC

Question #696: Is it allowed to install a window that juts out - like a bay window - from the wall above stairs? Post your answer

Answer: In most townships, yes. But there would be a minimum height clearance. You would have to check with your town planner. Also if the window faces the street you may require a permit. Peter Grech, GBOC

Answer: Look at our short list of schools here to get you started in your search. We don't have access to brochures for you but if you contact each school you're interested in they will be happy to furnish information to you about their programs.

Answer: The applicable laws may be slightly different in upstate New York than in New York City, which is our primary knowledge and reader base. Consult a real estate lawyer AND read the New York State Multiple Dwelling Law for more info, but if you have no lease you may have far fewer rights than a renter with a lease.

Answer: Anytime you use less heat in a building you will use less fuel. Be careful, however - IF you have a one pipe steam system you sometimes get water hammer (banging) if you shut a radiator off.  Joe Lambert, http://www.leonardpowers.com

Question #692: What is the temperature your landlord is supposed to maintain in your apartment, day and night? Post your answer

Answer: Straight from the horse's mouth, New York City Rent Guidelines Board

Heat (During the heating season, October 1 through May 31)

*  Between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., heat must register at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit when the outside temperature falls below 55 degrees;

*  Between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., heat must register at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit when the outside temperature falls below 40 degrees.

Hot Water (24 hours a day, 365 days a year)

*  Hot water must register at or above a constant temperature of 120 degrees at the tap.

*  If a tub or shower is equipped with an anti-scald valve that prevents the hot water temperature from exceeding 120 degrees, the minimum hot water temperature for that tub or shower is 110 degrees. Bill Aristovulos

Answer:  There is no city or state test for #2 or #4 oil burning equipment. There is no city or state certification or license for #2 or #4 oil burners. Peter Grech, GBOC

Answer: The best defense is: Plugging all the holes you can find!  Pay particular attention to heat risers in the apartments. Also check, in kitchens and baths, around utility lines (Water, Gas and Electric ) where they emerge from the wall. Mice posses what seems to be an articulated skeletal design, that allows them squeeze through openings of only 1/2 inch high!  Poisons are also a way to deal with mice, however I strongly suggest using a professional company. (One of our vendor members in STA, are professional exterminators. You can scan for their ad in our newsletter, SUPER!) Bill Aristovulos

Answer: Try Goof-Off. It's a paint remover in liquid form - you can also get in an aerosol can. Follow the directions on the package and use adequate ventilation. After that, rinse the spots with warm water and soap, then use a carpet cleaning machine over the entire area if you have access to one. Glen Stoltz

Answer: Salary History: The employer wants to know what your salary/wages have been for most, if not all jobs that you list on your resume. This is a way for the employer to see if you had salary/wage growth and to see if what salary they had in mind matches your salary history. Salary Requirements: is when an employer is asking you what is the salary you are seeking. Beware of how you answer this one because you may scare them off if you ask too much or too little. Peter Grech, GBOC

Answer: I thought they were banned from New York City 20 years ago. Your best bet is to call an incinerator repair company and ask them. Controlled Combustion was a major repair company for incinerators, years ago. Peter Grech, GBOC

Answer: While both schools you mentioned are excellent schools, Mechanics Institute, although free, has a more intense program. Free here does not mean cheap or low quality. The difference "MAY" be that at City Tech you will earn a degree and have transferable credits, while at the Mechanics Institute you will not earn a degree. Peter Grech, GBOC

Answer: We are not in the habit of recommending contractors to our readers. Obviously, we hope that those contractors who advertise with us (see our monthly newsletter) are of the kind that you can trust to treat their customers well and do a good job, but we do not endorse them further than that unless we have extensive experience with them personally. Glen Stoltz

Answer: Not true. The code only says that the color should be a light color and contain no lead. That's it. Just be glad it's not going to be pink. Peter Grech, GBOC

Answer: Many things are possible. I ran into on similar situation in an overheated apartment with the valves shut to all the heaters. It turns out the risers in the wall were the cause. We found this out by actually measuring the temperature of the walls with a non-contact IR thermometer. You may wish to try this.  Joe Lambert, http://www.leonardpowers.com

Answer: I have seen once where the steam risers in a wall were overheating an apartment even with the valve shut to the fan unit, this rarely occurs with lower temperature hot water. I would first check temperatures of the walls to see where the heat is coming from. Joe Lambert, http://www.leonardpowers.com

Answer: First of all, it's all talk. Second, if a new owner buys the building, he does not have to offer you the job. If you are non-union, your employment is at will, which means there is no contract. If there was a union, the contract was with the old owner and not the new one and therefore the new owner would have to agree to the union. Many non-union supers are in your position. In most cases you would have 30 days to vacate the apartment. I don't know what else to say. Peter Grech, GBOC

Answer: Without knowing how many apartments in the building and city the building is located, I can not answer the question. There are codes that only affect certain size buildings, and these codes vary for city to city within New York State. Peter Grech, GBOC

Question #680: I live in a three-family house. I have five children and I'm having problems with my hot water. The super shuts off the hot water when they go out, they turn the hot water on whenever they need to use it. I told the landlord one month ago and they still haven't done anything about it. I feel like they won't fix the problem or do anything about it because the super and the landlord are family. What should I do? Post your answer

Answer: If you have a lease, check the lease under what the landlords responsibilities are. The landlord could be in violation of the lease agreement under the Warranty of habitability. But again the lease is the answer, and ask an attorney also. We can only offer opinions. Peter Grech, GBOC

Answer: Unfortunately a 3 family house is not covered by New York City or New York State maintenance codes or dwelling laws. I suggest talking to an attorney as no city or state agency will have any authority over this issue. If you have a lease, check with in the lease under what the landlords responsibilities are. The landlord could be in violation of the lease agreement under Warranty of habitability. But again the lease is the answer, and an attorney also. We can only offer opinions. Peter Grech, GBOC

Answer: He is right. He is supplying the heat to a coil. The coil comes with a blower that is connected you your electricity. Keep in mind this blower is of low amperage and is quite efficient. It should not cost more then a few pennies a day to operate with moderation. Most newer buildings have this feature. Peter Grech, GBOC

Answer: Different states, even different cities within the same states have different requirements for air conditioning and refrigeration license for operators. In New York City the codes states that any a/c or refrigeration unit 100 tons and over require a refrigeration operators license. For the record, 100 tons and up is for chillers using any type of compressor. If you have an absorption machine, which I doubt due to your small tonnage, then a license is NOT required for any absorption machine no matter how many tons. Peter Grech, GBOC

Answer: You will need to attend a school that teaches air conditioning refrigeration and learn basic refrigeration and acquire a "universal" certification in order to work with and purchase refrigerants. After that you will go to the next level and learn refrigeration licensing where you learn about reciprocating and centrifugal systems, as well as others. Once you passed that you must take a written test and if you pass that you must take a practical test and be grilled by two engineers on both machines, as well as on pumps and cooling towers and I know because I took and passed this test myself. Roberto Cardona

Answer:  You should have an air conditioning repair company look at your unit(s). In most cases they are dirty and this can be remedied by having the units thoroughly cleaned using chemicals that would neutralize any foreign matter. Peter Grech, GBOC

Answer:  Please read the FAQs page before asking your question.

Answer:  This information has been answered several times before (Questions 629, 591) it is also on our Licenses, Exams and Certificates of Fitness page, and I will give you the direct link to the  NYFD (New York City Fire Department's) site here: http://nyc.gov/html/fdny/pdf/cof_study_material/csm_p_99.pdf Bill Aristovulos

Answer: This is a common problem in many buildings, commonly called heat balancing. Since the steam comes from the basement, the lower floors heat up before the upper ones. The solution is NOT to increase the pressure (actually decreasing the pressure often helps solve the problem). Your building may need to calibrate the heating controller, new zoning valves, or to install thermostatic radiator valves on the lower floors to allow the steam to get to the upper floors while not overheating the lower ones, or there could be a piping issue with some of the risers not draining properly. There are many steam specialty companies in the city (including the one I work for) that can diagnose the problem and give recommendations. It is not something that has a quick fix or can be solved on-line without looking at the exact situation in your building. Joe Lambert, http://www.leonardpowers.com

Answer: First of all, any legal questions should be asked to an attorney and answered by an attorney. We can only give you our opinions based on experienced and not law. That said, The pipes inside the wall from a riser to a shut of valve are owned by the building. Once an owner in an apartment touches these pipes with his own contractor the ownership of the pipes are automatically transferred from the building to the apartment / shareholder. This is called "betterment and improvement". What you should have done was called the super and have the building's plumber repair or replace the pipes to the valve, including the valve. Keep in mind that in most cases the shut-off valve does belong to the apartment. Now all the pipes do. I hope this helps. You should get an attorney to clarify this. Peter Grech, GBOC

Answer:  It's up to the management company more than anything else. See the answer to Question 606: Glen Stoltz

Answer: NO, a board does not have to answer your question, or provide a reason. Peter Grech, GBOC

Answer:  In my humble opinion, it probably behooves the co-op to try to answer your questions, but keep in mind that most co-op board positions are voluntary. They might not have the time or simply don't know the answer to your questions. Being a board member does not mean that you are an expert in building matters. More often, it is the Superintendent or even the managing company that is the most knowledgeable in the running of a building and associated issues. Bill Aristovulos

Answer: Possibly the only skills consistently required by ALL supers in all buildings are good people & communication skills (effectively the same thing), and light repair / handyman skills and experience. The rest, in my opinion, depend almost entirely on the needs of the individual building in question, and what the management and/or board wants or expects from the super to be hired. Anyone you’re interested in hiring must of course be intelligent enough to pick up building-specific skills as needed, such as certificates of fitness, etc. If you’re about to interview prospects, it would be quite a worthwhile exercise for all involved to put down on paper as complete a list as possible of what you intend to expect from your next super. Glen Stoltz

Answer: The skills for a superintendent are many. More important is the bank of knowledge that he or she possesses. it won't do the building much good if a super knows everything about carpentry, electricity and plumbing, and little about supervision and no people skills: if the super is never going to do plumbing and electricity, yet he or she will be mainly supervising and dealing with people. It is up to the board and management to decide what the super's duties are going to be and seek out a person with those qualifications. The superintendent has evolved with the growth of co-ops and condos. Therefore a super's number-one skill has become "dealing with people" and technical skills secondary. This is a switch from 25 yrs ago. Should you have specific questions you would like answers to in interviewing a super click here >> Peter Grech, GBOC

Answer: See our Continuing Education Page http://www.nycsta.org/continuinged.htm for a short list of schools that are a good place to start your search. Glen Stoltz

Answer: Most of my technical skills I learned on the job and from those old guys. They are a wealth of knowledge and experience that NO school can replace. Begin by learning from them. The Mechanics institute is a good place to begin to look for a great school. Peter Grech, GBOC

Answer:  The answer to this question is in the lease. If it is a rent stabilized lease, and there are 5 or more apartments, then the landlord is required to paint in a professional manor the apartment ever 3 yrs. That is the code. It would seem that you live in a three family building, which has no requirements in the code to paint. Peter Grech, GBOC

Answer: Under normal circumstances you are permitted to place an a/c unit in a situation such as yours, PROVIDED that the ac unit does not interfere with the egress of the fire escape, i.e., it sticks out on to the fire escape causing a potential tripping or other hazard. Peter Grech, GBOC

Answer: The answer to this is very simple. You make it a clause in the lease that you are permitted with little notice to enter the apartment to reset the circuit breakers and or to have boiler / boiler control work done. Also that you should have copies of the keys. NOTE: Normal leases give a landlord the right to enter an apartment upon 24 hour notice, unless its an emergency. Peter Grech, GBOC

Answer: I believe that the landlord is entitled to gain access to any apartment at a reasonable time and in a reasonable manner for inspections or repairs. But the landlord must give the tenant at least 24 hours written notice for an inspection and at least one week's written notice for improvements or repairs. In an emergency situation, however, no advance notice is required. Glen Stoltz

Answer: Yes there is a way, and that would be to FULLY sprinkler the building. However, this answer should be verified by hiring a professional standpipe / sprinkler firm to confirm my answer. Peter Grech, GBOC

Answer: To the best of my knowledge the answer is no, no permission is needed, but it couldn't hurt to ask first. Peter Grech, GBOC

Answer: I'd guess that you'd need an architect at a minimum, who can then hire a structural engineer and / or whoever else is needed. Glen Stoltz

Answer:  Correct on the above, especially the structural person, and in addition to all that, one has to have the blessing of the co-op.  There is a possibility that the resident's work would affect the C of O (Certificate of Occupancy ) of the building.  This apparently could create some weighty issues for the co-op with the tax/usage municipal departments of the city.  Bill Aristovulos 

Answer: No it is not a fire hazard. Make sure the carpet has a fire rating of at least 2.5 hrs or more. Be warned, though carpets that are laid down in elevators get worn fast. In the long run its less costly to have a hard floor installed.