Category: maintenance

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Playground Safety and Maintenance

As children begin to spend more time outdoors, it is the opportune time to clean play equipment and conduct a thorough safety check. Look for loose screws and bolts, and make sure any wood is in solid condition with no cracking or rough edges that can cause splinters. Touch up paint, if necessary, and check that swings are secure.

Our policy regarding play areas require 9 to 12 inches of hemlock shavings under play equipment. Take some time to rake the shavings under play equipment where low points have developed, most commonly under swings and at the bottom of slides. If you feel that your play areas don’t have enough shavings and you need to purchase more, please contact your property supervisor.

OTHER PLAYGROUND SAFETY GUIDELINES

  • S hooks should be closed
  • Wood chips appropriately cover all zones of at lease 6 feet in every direction
  • Footholds firmly in place
  • Handrails are sturdy
  • Any paints used are playground approved
  • No sharp objects sticking up
  • No ropes
  • Swing seats are made of rubber or canvas
  • Free of standing water or debris
  • Area is pest free
  • Only property purchased and installed play equipment is used
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Swimming Pool Preparation

If your community has a swimming pool, please take a look at our Swimming Pool Checklist below, we want to make sure that you are on track to open your pool on schedule for Memorial Day Weekend! If you discover that you need to purchase any items related to opening your pool, please get approval from your supervisor.

Checklist:

  • Do you have all appropriate safety signs?
  • Do you have all appropriate safety equipment (life rings, the “hook”, etc.)?
  • Does your pool gate automatically close and latch securely?
  • Can you lock your pool gate each evening with an efficient lock and chain or similar arrangement?
  • Do you have a functioning filter?
  • Do you have a functioning “Kreepy Krauly” or other type of automatic suction cleaner?
  • Is your pool furniture in good shape?
  • Are your pool chemicals stocked?
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In Case Of Emergency – Inventory Items Every Site Should Have On Hand

As we rapidly approach this holiday season, we wanted to take a moment to provide some timely guidance to communities on some critically important items to have on site in situations when after-hours calls come in at rather inconvenient times during the holidays.

  • A replacement for each appliance likely to be used by a resident hosting a holiday meal: Range and Refrigerator at a minimum.
  • Plug-in Portable Electric Accordion Heaters (Generally a sufficient number of portable heaters with which to provide adequate heat for your largest apartment floor plan).
  • Smoke Detectors and Smoke Detector Batteries
  • Traction material including such as sand or gravel.  NOTE: Cambridge does not permit chemical or salt based ice-melt products and discourages Pea-Gravel.
  • Have an adequate quantity of fire extinguishers serviced and certified in the prior 12 months.
  • If your community is located in an area that routinely experiences freezing weather conditions, ensure you have an adequate supply of “Freeze Warning” Notifications on hand to distribute. (available in hard copy through B&B Printing as well as available on Tenant Tech)

These are holiday specific reminders designed to prepare your site for an emergency need in the coming weeks.  For a complete list of supplies and equipment pre-approved for your property, please see below.

CRES Spec Sheet Revised January 2016

Standard Equipment List

CRES Freeze Warning

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Are You Using the Most Current Spec Sheet?

Hello!

The CRES Spec Sheet is a living document and is updated annually.  Please take a moment to confirm that you and your staff are all using the most current version of this reference guide which was last updated January 2016.

Thank you for your attention to this and please advise your maintenance supervisor if you have any questions.

Scott Busch
P: 503.919.1670
E: sbusch@cambridgeres.com

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Be Prepared: Freezing Weather Precautions

snowflakeColder days are approaching quickly!  We are sending out this annual reminder and all employees should be aware of what to do and how to deal with Freezing Weather in the forecast.  We always want to be as pro-active as possible to avoid any frozen pipes or other freezing weather related damage.

What to do if Freezing Weather is in the forecast:

During the onset of very cold weather conditions in your area, please take every measure to prevent and avoid freeze related incidents:

  • Post without delay on all apartments a Freeze Warning Notice (print from Tenant Tech #C085).
  • Staff should monitor the inside temperature of all vacant apartments until outside temperatures are forecast to stay above 40 degrees.
  • Staff should monitor inside water service of all vacant apartments to make sure faucets are allowed to trickle; this will help avoid frozen water pipes.
  • Leave cabinet doors open under kitchen and bathroom sinks in vacant units to allow warmer air to circulate around the pipes.
  • Activate pool and spa heaters just enough to avoid frozen pools and spas.
  • Make sure your property has a supply of sand or gravel located in stashes throughout the property to help with traction.
  • If snow cleaning is required, remember to include pathways to garbage areas, laundry rooms and site management office.  Also clear access to fire hydrants, water shut-off valves and emergency access routes.
  • Survey your property to identify overhanging branches which could present a hazard if snowfall occurs. Coordinate a timely response with your landscape vendor.
  • Maintain availability/office hours in and around the property.  All on-site employees should be on high alert. Office hours need to be maintained in inclement weather by employees who live on site. Employees who live off-site should travel only if safe to do so.  Absences related to weather are considered paid leave.

Please contact your property or maintenance supervisor with any questions.

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Daylight Savings — Fall Back

Picture1Daylight Saving Time occurs on Sunday, November 2nd at 2:00am and everyone should turn their clock back one hour. No worries if you forget, you will just get to work an hour early!

Things to remember with this time change:

WINTER OFFICE HOURS

Switch out your Summer Office Hours signs for the Winter Office Hours (some properties may only have 1 sign)

In order to prepare for the change in hours, please review the following:

  • Signs in and around common areas such as the clubhouse or laundry facilities
  • Telephone Recorders
  • Printed Advertisements

EXTERIOR LIGHT TIMERS

Adjust your exterior lights if they are on timers due to the fact that it will be light earlier as well as get dark earlier. As we progress toward the winter solstice, the timers may need slight adjustment to keep pace with the shorter days. Of course, on the other side, they’ll need to be adjusted back as the days grow longer.

EXTERIOR LIGHT CONDITION

Take this opportunity to check for any exterior bulbs that may be burnt out or broken, and check the general condition of your exterior lighting. Resident safety is very important to all of us and everyone will appreciate having well lit parking lots, walkways, and patios during this darker time of year.

If you have any questions or concerns about the above policies, please contact your Property Supervisor.

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Are You Using the Most Current Spec Sheet?

CRES Spec SheetHello!

The CRES Spec Sheet is a living document and is updated annually.  Please take a moment to confirm that you and your staff are all using the most current version of this reference guide which was last updated and sent out to sites May 2014.

You can always find the current version of the CRES Spec Sheet on the eExchange under the “Filing Cabinet” Section of the website and then under “Maintenance”

Lastly, a very cool feature of the .pdf version of this document is that you can click any of the links in the Vendor or Source column and it will take you directly to that item on the HD Supply website for easy ordering.

Thank you for your attention to this and please advise your maintenance supervisor if you have any questions.

Scott Busch
P: 503.919.1670
E: sbusch@cambridgeres.com

 

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Fall Flags Arriving!

The Fall Flag order was shipped last Thursday from Elmer’s Flags, and should arrive within this week! The Fall Flag version is Orange with teal and light orange polka dots. Please do not mis-match with the old flag versions, or re-use tattered flags from last year. At the earliest convenience, have your maintenance team switch your flags. To learn how to install the marketing flags, click here. Enjoy!

 

*Please disregard if your property does not have flags

 

Any questions or concerns?

Please feel free to contact Kelsey Schneider.
503.445.2794