1/4/2019
Antigua Owners:
Roofs. I'm very happy to report that in our recent and quite substantial rains we have been roof leak free throughout Antigua. We did have two minor leaks from the roof drains pipes. These were most likely caused because they were simply overwhelmed with the amount of water in the one storm. Either way we are correcting the problem. It is a vast improvement over our previous rainy seasons and the problems we encountered. I've included some picture of our new roofs.
We have several hundred roof drains in Antigua. In our previous inspections of the roof, everyone agreed they appear to be in reasonably good shape. The problem occurs in the pipes from the drain to the exit. All of this plumbing is within walls and ceilings. Thanks to modern technologies it is now possible, like the sewer drains to 11 line or 11 "COAT" the inside of these pipes. These processes essentially create a new pipe, without the major expense of cutting into the walls and ceilings. The saving in dollars with this method is conservatively 80% less than the typical repair methods.
Landscaping. Park West has replaced most of the plants that were lost over the past year. These were replaced as part of their warranty program. Were still looking at several palms that may need replacement. There still a little brick work to do before we are finished. We have recently added additional fertilizer to the turf areas so as to get them as green as possible for the winter. All the irrigation has been off for the month of December. We are currently using moister sensor to determine when we will need to irrigate. If you notice any distressed plants please let me know and we will address them.
I'm trying to get the palm tree trimming for next year to coincide with our requirements. It would seem to me that we should have all the palms trimmed in the fall. This would prevent all the seed and palm fawns from dropping on our neighborhoods throughout the windy, stormy winter months.
Manager. As you may have heard, our manager Michael Bennett has resigned and taken a position in Washington state. I wish him all the best and thank him for his efforts. Michael will be leaving the first part of February. Ironically and co essentially the board have commissioned a complete review of our management, practices and policies by an outside expert. That expert will also be aiding in the search for a replacement manager.
While I have been spending a great deal of time working on the plumbing and financial issues in Antigua, I have concurrently been spending a great deal of time on the overall management and related services we provide to our owners. I can tell you this Board is committed to resolving a number of these ongoing problems which have be ongoing for 20 years. I am personally very pleased with the progress and dedication of every member of this year's board.
Plumbing. It would take me writing a book to explain this subject. I'll condense down what further I've learned from my last newsletter. We (CCHOA), nor the City have a set of blueprints that show the plumbing in Antigua, we have tried to create a plan for ourselves. We currently have an owner that is remodeling a unit. In that he has completely removed all the drywall and flooring from an upstairs unit we were able to view and map all of the pipes. We then had a company come in and clean all the pipes. This was done by using a water jet as well as a spinning chain on the end of a rota-rooter. We then sent a camera down each pipe to inspect and record the length, direction, connections and condition of the pipes. We were also able to record each pipes length. This process was also performed on the mainline running down the center of the lower unit.
I can tell you it took quite an effort to punch through some of these pipes. In the case of the mainline we had to bring in a much larger unit in order to have enough horsepower to get through the restrictions. Most of these restrictions are from the rust forming inside the pipes. Some are caused by roots getting inside the pipes.
Upon completing this we realized we need to enter the lower unit in order to gain access to several pipes that are not reachable from the upstairs. We had to cut 4 holes in the walls to gain access in order to clean these pipes.
After completing the cleaning and camera work, we had the company coat the pipes with 2 coats of epoxy to in essence reline the inside of the pipe. It is amazing to watch on the camera as a spinning brush and a hose feeding the material coat the inside of the pipe. The first coat is done in white epoxy which allow you to see that everything is completely coated against the dark pipe. The second coat is done in black epoxy which allows you to be sure you cover all the white color. After that we sent in a camera to inspect and record the completed work. We then repaired and repainted the drywall in the lower unit. My thanks to both owners for their patience and understanding in allowing us to complete this work. It was the only way we could get solid info in which to quantify the scope of work going forward.
My thanks also to Sergio, from the Homeowners Association for all his efforts in getting this job done. It's nice working with someone who understands the absolute requirements of documenting these measurements, directions and assuring the work is inspected.
Now, we are confirming what we believe to be estimates of the total liner footage for the total job in Antigua and are evaluating the differences between coating and lining to hopefully make a decision. I will of course be holding a Village meeting very soon to discuss this topic.
Leaks: Recently we had a leak from an upstairs unit into a downstairs that originated from of all things, the bathtub overflow. In inspecting the leak, it was most likely cause because the gasket between the tub and the overflow pipe had not been replaced or maintained over the years. Who knew. As our legal counsel has determined this is an owner and not the Village responsibility to maintain, you may want to check this item along with the other to be sure they are sealed.
Just some general housekeeping matters. As you can imagine I get calls on a variety of subjects. Every month brings at least a few about someone who can't seem to pick up after their dog. Even people who brush their dogs outside and leave the hair. It's not that no one sees or knows who the offender is, it's that they want someone else talk to them. If you have proof, I'm happy to do it.
I continue to hear about the electrical use in the garages. I understand and agree it's not fair for some residents to get "free" electrical service to charge cars, run additional refrigerators, shops, etc. We're looking at programs, either physical or administratively to resolve this matter.
I'm personally very excited about the upcoming year. We continue to make great progress on restoring and improving the property values to our owners. Be sure to reach out and say Hi to your neighbors, because we have some interesting, incredible great people living in Antigua.
Dennis