SA Affordable Housing September / October 2018 // Issue: 72 | Page 25

FEATURES
Save costs by maintaining
your biggest asset
Spring has sprung and it is a good time to look at your biggest
investment - property.
Compiled by Cherry Ellis
D
evelopers, social housing and non-profit organisations
that are responsible for the upkeep of maintenance of
affordable housing projects they are involved with
should keep a close eye on their investment and encourage
tenants to report problems as soon as possible.
In this edition of SA Affordable Housing we look at some
tips on how to keep the maintenance of your investment up to
date, which can lead to huge cost savings in the end.
TAPS / FAUCETS
The main cause of leaky taps or faucets is worn out washers.
The washers inside of the tap handles are rubber and tend to
wear out quickly. By replacing them as soon as it is reported
can save water in a country that is already taking every
measure to ensure that we save every drop.
PLUMBING
In order to keep water flowing freely through your pipes, keep
the following things in mind: accumulating fats and oils are
the main cause for clogs, so never pour fats or other oils down
your drain. This includes oils that are not solid at room
temperature.
Handing out safety tips, in the form of a brochure or
newsletter, to your tenants can help to stop clogging drains,
which include:
• If you accidentally spill oils or fats down the drain, run
hot water down the drain along with a healthy serving of
dishwashing liquid.
The soap will emulsify the fat or oil and move it on down
the pipe, preventing a clog.
• Get a hair strainer for the bathtub drain. If fats and oils
are the main source of clogs in the kitchen, hair is the
primary culprit in the bathroom. If you have a strainer,
make sure that you remove any accumulated hair from it
following each shower. This reduces the amount of hair
that finds its way through the strainer and into your
plumbing.
• Baby nappies and female sanitaryware should not be
flushed down the drain. Draining systems are for
transporting mainly liquids and these objects are not
going to dissolve and is a huge culprit in clogging up
drains.
PAINT
There is nothing worse than a development that looks old and
dilapidated. This can easily be fixed with a fresh coat of paint.
Give your units a fresh new look and facelift by repainting the
inside and outside. However, as repainting the entire interior
of the units can be costly, save time and money by
strategically touching up your paint job every so often. The
maintenance manager can inspect the units on a regular basis
and advise if painting or touch-ups are needed inside.
DRAFTY WINDOWS
Here the maintenance manager or sub-contractors who are
appointed can periodically check the condition of the caulk
line that holds the windows in place. If the caulk appears to
be dry, cracked or weathered, remove the old caulk with a
box cutter or sharp knife and run a new bead of caulk along
the seam.
GUTTERS
While gutters may go practically unnoticed when you look at
a house, they are the main line of defence between your
foundation and siding and the elements. Gutters are designed
to capture water and debris runoff from your roof and divert it
away from your foundation, and one of the main causes of
water accumulation in basements is a lack of gutter
maintenance and proper water diversion.
Sub-contractors are advised to clean gutters at least once a
year by physically removing debris from the channels and
rinsing them thoroughly using a garden hose.
They can also regularly check that gutters are properly
affixed to the fascia boards and replace any sections that
appear to be damaged or leaking.
ROOFS
By regularly inspecting roofs for damage costs can be saved.
Damaged, discoloured or gravel-less shingles should be
quickly replaced to prevent the need to replace the roof,
water-damaged trusses or drywall when a leak is finally
discovered. During the inspection of the roof, maintenance
managers and sub-contractors must pay special attention to
shingles that surround skylights, vents and chimneys, as these
areas are the most leak-prone.
SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018
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