CORONA CORONA CORONA
That is all I have been hearing for months now. Before I get caught up in Corona (Not the beer, that is too much fun!) we have a couple of questions about building maintenance.
A newbie asks: I just purchased a large 4 unit building in downtown Troy and it has a HUGE (Thank you Billy Fucillo) steep set of front steps.
What can I do to make them safe? Right now, it is not a problem because there is no snow and ice and all the tenants are young and agile.
Mac says: You are wise to think ahead; Winter WILL come and eventually you will have some older or less athletic tenants,
First, make sure the railings are secure and the proper height. Codes exist to tell you this. Next, make sure there is no rotten wood or deteriorated masonry to cause tripping. You should explore some type of nonskid covering for the steps. This could be sand finish in the paint, adhesive treads (Better than sand finish paint). You could purchase cocoa matting which needs to be removed in the Spring. This works well. None of these options is foolproof. When we have ice storms, you will need to use ice melt or rock salt or sand to prevent slipping on all these surfaces. I hope this is the worst problem you face!!
West Sand Lake has a stove question. A potential tenant (Someone who has just “looked at” the house wants to get a wood stove to supplement the oil heat which he will be paying for. There is a chimney in the room which was used as a vent for a gas space heater before the central heat was put in. Your opinion.
And boy do I have one!! NO, NEVER, NUNCA, NYET! In any language, this is a bad idea. Number one: The chimney is probably not lined.
Number two. You do not know what condition his stove is in. Number three. If he has children or pets, they don’t know the rules and children and drunks love to throw things in fires. Finally, your insurance company probably forbids it. That’s because it could burn down the house. Another practical item. If he cannot afford to heat the house without using a wood stove, you probably don’t want him as a tenant. When it is ten below and it comes to buying oil or paying the rent, guess who wins? Not you.
The Corona questions all related to rights, money, and liability. So, I referred them to other sources, lawyers, etc. I also encouraged them to join CDARPO and ask them at a meeting.
Hope next month brings no more CORONA QUESTIONS.
