Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Water Problems

Anonymous said...
Water problems, anyone ??

I was just wondering if anyone was having the same strange problem I have. I live in the 3020 building and ever since those Pro-Serv guys dug that huge hole in between 96 and 105 last month, I get hot water from the kitchen faucet but almost nothing from the batroom vanity or shower. This is the opposite from what it was before. Did they criss-cross pipes or something ?? I liked it better before.

Also, a guy from the management company said I was the only one who called in a problem, but I don't believe it. I saw the guy from Pro-serv running around yesterday, but I couldn't catch him to check my water before he left.

9:40 AM

20 comments:

Property Manager said...

I am guilty of not calling in my water problem in the 3000 building. Since June 20th (after the 2 days of water shut offs) I have one shower that runs very hot with various water pressures. My next door neighbor has called the management company about the same. Howard.

Anonymous said...

Every morning I never know if my shower will be scalding hot or freezing cold. It's like getting a surprise every day.

Anonymous said...

I'm in the 3000 building too and just e-mailed Nancy today about the water pressure. Ever since those two days of water shutoffs, my water pressure has been really low in both the kitchen sink and shower. Nancy replied that there had not been any reports of the water situation being worse than usual but that she would forward the information to the board.

Anonymous said...

First of all, the management company's response to any individual who calls in where they say "You're the only one who called in" is just a standard response they learn in Property Management School. All the property managers we had in the past have used this one often to buy time. I think they know from experience that for every one resident that calls, there are probably five residents who don't.

I sent in a Communication form on 6/27 and Nancy said she had contacted Pro-Serv to investigate a possible slab leak on the other side of my building (3010). So I figured other people were calling in, so I dropped the issue, figuring they'd get to it.

A week and a half went by with no improvement, my situation was getting worse, and people were rapping on my door because some figured I still had some clout as a former Board member, and others figured Rene was witholding repairs, teaching me a lesson, so to speak. So I sent in another form yesterday, and that's when the Pro-Serv guy came out to check out my unit. I have the same situation as the first person, my kitchen hot water is OK (but at a very low pressure)and I get no hot water at all to the bathroom fixtures. As a matter of fact, the guy said my shower water was actually getting colder while the water ran.

He also checked quite a few other units with predictable results: some were OK, some had the same problem the first writer and my self have, and some people get no cold water, just hot. He didn't mention the clubhouse, so I went in this AM and lo and behold, the hot water to the washers is just fine, but there is no hot to the showers.

Since it's virtually impossible to have someone at home at each unit so they can check the whole loop at the same time (which is what Pro-Serv would really like), every resident in 3000, 3010, and the 3020 building should either call in or send in a Communication Form with the specific situation. My only other two suggestions are to NOT EXAGERATE and DON'T HAVE A MELTDOWN. If your water is OK in the kitchen, then say so. And screaming, yelling, and threatening is no good for anybody.

Lastly, if you haven't changed the mixing valve in your shower, do so ASAP. Mixing valves that are leaking internally are almost impossible to detect from outside the unit and make any plumbing system problem worse. I spent the extra bucks and got a whole new shower valve that will not leak internally, but you don't have to go that far.

The only thing I know for sure is that this, too, shall pass.

Todd in 122

Unknown said...

I have the identical problem and I'm in the 3010 building. Hot water in the kitchen, room temp in the tub and colder in the bathroom sink.

My problem started at the same time - when the big hole was dug by 105 - 96.

I called and emailed the mngmt co. and they sent out pro serve who went around checking the units in the 3010 building. He couldn't locate the source of the problem. The next day Nancy from the mgmnt co. called me and recommended that those with this problem show up at the next board meeting. Without a specific problem she cannot authorize more work and the boiler has already been checked so that's been ruled out.

I think everyone with this problem should show up at the board meeting. Maybe if we starting tracking it by unit and symptom we can begin to get a handle on it.

Jim 123

Property Manager said...

Mobil blog test

Anonymous said...

I guarantee the first person that they were not the only one calling in. I called in and sent a communication form and so did my neighbor and we live on the 3000 building. Unless my math is wrong, that's at least six people who have called or sent forms in.

I would like more info on the so-called "shower mixing valve". Am I responsible for this cost?? Is this something I can do myself ?? Any info would be a help.

Anonymous said...

The owner is responsible for the cost of replacing the unit. And it can be done by a do-it-yourself type person. After you take the faceplate and handle off, there are 2 small screws on either side of the valve body. Turn those screws to shut off the water before removing the mixing valve. If there's any corrosion or crud around the screws or the screws don't turn easily, stop and call a plumber to do it. If you don't, you'll be very, very sorry.

The smart play is to but a brand new valve at Home Depot or Lowes or someplace and change the whole 30 year old valve. I did it (like Todd in 122) and it worked out well. The technology is much better, and the new ones don't allow the hot water to cross over into the cold. The second smartest play is to buy the mixing valve (I think its a Moen 1225) and get a plumber to do it. Then, you're just paying for labor.

Anonymous said...

Last Friday July 6 I woke up to take a shower and we had no hot water. I never ever let our son inside the bath with running water let alone take a shower because we never know what is going to come out. 40% of the time the water is ok, but the other 60% it's hot or cold...it never tends to be just right.

And apparently the association meeting isn't going to be held today. Next week, so hopefully everyone can come together on this one.

Anonymous said...

Does anybody else think it's time to give ProServ their walking papers. These guys have not successfully completed a job on the first try since whats'-her-name at Diversified brought them in a couple of years ago. I don't think they've ever managed to turn the boilers on correctly after a job and I know that at least on a couple of occasions, they've forgotten to do even simple tasks like turning or throwing valves back on after a job.

Anonymous said...

Every other day the water in the shower,toilet tank and sink is very hot,this happen at around 3am for about an hour and then gets cold,the Pro Serv guy came over to check our unit in 3010 looking for a slab leak and found nothing,in some way I'm happy not having hot water,'cause don't take showers much anyway,no thats not why.I like not having the hot water because our place is so much cooler with out it.I know my next door neighbor has the same problem,when the weather temperature out side is in the 70's in side can reach 90's,but any way it's hard to fix the problem for what I have heard.

Anonymous said...

Everytime I see a Pro-Serv crew in here, I hold my breath, because the only thing I know for sure is something big is going to happen. I live in the 3020 building and my water seems to be OK for now. But when I moved in, I had all my valves changed, all of them: shower, faucets, angle stops, everything. I know my neighbors have problems, and I just wonder if that's why. We live in condos that seem to have an apartment style water system. If everybody has diffent quality and style of valves, I wonder if that also could be affecting the system??

Reference the above comments on mixing valves, I wouldn't do it myself as suggested. the original Moen shower valve bodies are 30 years old and must certainly have enough corrosion inside to make changing them difficult, if not, impossible for the do-it-yourselfer. Like the other people said, it's worth the extra money to get the entire valve replaced with a good quality new one.

On a different topic, I saw Rene Fernandez carrying his easel and podium from the cluhouse area. Is he still on the board or not?? Does anybody know?? Inquiring minds want to know.

B.S.S

Anonymous said...

I hope that Rene has exhausted his time and enthusiasm on the Parkridge Board. If he's off, perhaps we can stop worrying about towels on walls, rugs over gates, small pieces of trash in the common area...and focus on the WATER issue. We have a multi-million dollar problem here that will not be resolved until we do something significant so let's invest our time and resources in getting something done about it and not getting hung up on the trivial details.

Anonymous said...

The way I see it is that this water issue has been around for a very LONG time.If it was an easy job to fix then the previous board would have resolved it. I am sure they would not have sat around hearing complaints from residents and not done anything about it assuming that if it wasnt affecting their unit why worry about it.
We bought our condo Sept 04 and had serious issues with the water..specifically it was scalding hot..I was pratically in tears begging the previous board for help anything..all they could say especially that good for nothing Julie Glasser was change your water valve and some excuse about the City of Fullerton being responsible for some change they had done but no help. My water eventually got better not good but better.
I figure we should at least give the current board the same amount of time the previous board had to correct the problem, hopefully it wont take that long.
I find it ironic that a previous board member is quite upset about the water situation in his unit. Geez thats exactly how I felt but when it was my problem it wasnt such a big deal but now because its happening to you..in your unit you are so upset and stating the current board neeeds to do something about it. Why didnt you take the initiative to correct the problem when you where the president?

Anonymous said...

I agree with all of the comments that have been placed here.And I could not agree more with the comment above,as much I dislike Rene as a lider he deserves a chance to do what he think is right for the community.It is not an easy job specially with the water situation and,please do not tell us to fill out more communication forms about this issue.Thank you

Anonymous said...

I don't know if the two above writers are reading this blog or attending meetings or what. Rene has been on the board for a year and a hold now, and if he was going to do something besides cite people for towels hanging over their balconies and leaving their garage doors open, he would have at least gotten started by now.

Anonymous said...

I agree. I think Rene has had his chance. Not sure what kind of proof people are waiting for...Every single meeting I ever went to with Rene in charge there was some kind of conflict that was escalated by his reaction to people or problems. Instead of discussing important issues, the meetings were spent in petty arguments between Rene and residents over things like dog poop, towels and rugs, Rene's pool-side confrontations, etc.

Anonymous said...

Here's a bit of history on Rene and meetings. He didn't just get the way he is since he became board president a year and a half ago. I stopped going to meetings a year before he became a board member because I just couldn't take his combative positions with the old board over every single issue that came up. He would come to every meeting with stacks of paperwork that he was generating and insisted on being the star of the show. I don't know how the old board members stood it. I knew exactly what we were getting when he got on the board. We got what we asked for.

Anonymous said...

I happened to be present at the two meetings years ago before Rene was on the Board when there were vacancies on the board. At the first one, Todd told Rene that Parkridge did'nt need an emperor, just someone who could be part of the team. At the second, he told Rene that he was simply the wrong man for the job.

When Rene was running for office, I was also in the laundryroom and I distinctly heard him tell two ladies that once he was on the board, the water problem would be solved within 6 months. That was a year and a half ago.

Anonymous said...

Why are you picking on Rene? He is one of five board members. Don't the others bear any of the responsibility. I voted for David Fabrizio, because I thought he would bring a new perspective to the board. I have yet to see him at a meeting.

Google

I swithched from Internet Explorer to Firefox