Condo I – October 2024
WELCOME TO OUR NEW NEIGHBOR!
Kristen Robertson – 36 Birchwood Rd.
Budget and Commons Charge Booklets – A copy of the budget for the October 2024 – September 2025 fiscal year and the new commons charge coupon booklets were mailed to all homeowners. If you have not received your coupon booklet yet, please, contact the HOA office. If you have set up a reoccurring check with your financial institution, remember to adjust the amount due. If you have chosen to pay off the Parking Plaza Paving Assessment over 24 months that is still due and must be included in your payment. As a reminder, Commons Charges are due on the first of the month. Homeowners have until the tenth of the month to submit their payment without penalty. After the tenth, a $50 late fee is charged.
September’s Open Meeting – Thank you to those who attended the Open Meeting in September. The budget was reviewed for the new fiscal year which starts in October and ends in September. Residents in attendance had a chance to ask questions and make comments.
No Parking Area Expanded – The No Parking area between Parking Plazas 2 and 3 has been extended up to the corner of PP 3 in order to increase visibility and for the safety of residents. Please obey all “No Parking” signs. No one wants their vehicle towed away.
Soft Washing and Power Washing Condo I – Elite Exterior Cleaning worked last month to soft wash the roofs and exterior walls of those units that were not done last year. In addition, Elite was hired to power wash all of the walkways in Condo I.
New Stone Wall on Skyline Drive between PP 4 and 5 – Elegant Hardscape replaced the rotting railroad tie wall on Skyline Dr with a new stone wall. In order to build the stone wall, the men had to cut four feet in necessitating the removal of the mature shrubs. New deer resistant shrubs have replaced the shrubs that had been there.
Basement off of PP 1 – The basement off of Parking Plaza 1 has suffered damage due to water infiltration from a variety of sources. Subsequently, mold has developed in this basement and must be remediated. We have gotten a Microbial Investigation done and will be following through on the recommendations. The basement will need to be emptied of everything stored down there. Everything has mold spores on it. Items in plastic storage bins are protected but the outside of the plastic bins must be washed on all sides. Anything that is porous and has not been protected in plastic, will have to be discarded, if not washable. In order to prevent cross-contamination items from the PP 1 basement may not be moved to another basement. Start going through your items in the PP 1 basement now. You either need to clean items and find another place to temporarily store items or throw them away. Additional information will follow as we know more.
Water Leaks – Leaking pipes, toilets, showers, sinks, and appliances can cause serious damage not only to your own unit but also to neighboring units. It is every homeowner’s responsibility to get water leaks repaired immediately not only to protect one’s own property, but that of the neighbors’ as well as common property. Mold forms very quickly and can be dangerous as well as destructive.
Leaks forming in condo units located over our basements can negatively impact the common basement and the personal belongings stored down there. If you have a leak that may have impacted another unit you need to speak to your neighbor and alert them to check their unit. If you have a leak that has gone into the basement below your unit damaging insulation, ceiling tiles and someone’s belongings, you need to let the Condo I Board know immediately so that corrective action can be taken. The damage and cost to repair a unit and common area only goes up the longer it sits without remediation. Most insurance companies will cover an accidental and sudden loss of a “covered peril” if it is reported immediately upon discovery. However, most insurance companies will not cover the cost of removing mold if a water leak has been ongoing and the homeowner has neglected to deal with it and only allowed it to cause more damage.
Sink Hole – A small sinkhole by unit 162 was caused by some cracked underground drainage pipes. Elegant Hardscape determined the problem and replaced the broken pipes.
Prevent Rodents from Coming Inside– As the days get shorter and the nights get colder, furry, warm-blooded critters might be looking to move inside where it is warmer. It is a good idea to rodent-proof your unit now. Did you know mice can slip through a hole the size of a dime? Check for openings behind the stove where the gas line enters, where the plumbing pipes enter your unit, along with the molding, and under vent covers. You can insert steel wool, green scouring pads, foam insulation, use caulking, or spackle to seal up cracks and holes inside your unit. Home improvement stores sell various critter repellents that keep mice away. Mice dislike the smell of peppermint oil. Soak a cotton ball and place it in areas where you think mice might be entering your home. Or buy an Ultra Sonic Plug-In Device. Mice hate the ultra-sonic beeping sound emitted by these electronic devices. Don’t worry the sound is inaudible to humans.
It is also a good idea to check for cracks and holes on the outside wall and the slab below it. The place where the air conditioning pipe enters the building is a likely place for rodents to enter. You can plug up openings using the same materials as mentioned above or submit a work order asking maintenance to do it.
Avoid Costly Plumbing Repairs – Only flush what nature intends and toilet paper. Nothing else! Never pour grease down the sink. It will clog the pipes.
Condo Insurance Discounts – Protect yourselves. All homeowners should have condo homeowner’s insurance covering everything from the sheetrock in. Make sure you have loss assessment coverage and water back-up or water up coverage listed on your policy. All renters should have renter’s insurance covering your personal possessions. You may be able to lower your rates if you qualify for the various discounts offered by your insurance company. Each carrier has different discounts. Find out what your carrier offers.
You live in a gated community. Check with your insurance company to see if you can get a discount under theft protection.
Do you have a security system installed in your unit? You should be able to get an additional discount.
All of our buildings have a fire alarm system. Are you getting credit for it? Every room in each unit has a heat sensor on the ceiling and every unit has a smoke detector both of which are wired to the Fire Alarm Control Panel on the outside of the building. If there is a fire, not only will the alarm sound inside the unit, but it will sound outside, too.
If you have not made a claim you may get a claim-free discount.
If you have been with the company a long time, you may be able to get a loyalty discount.
If you bundle your auto and homeowner’s with the same company you can get a multi-policy discount.
Insurance companies do not like fire, you may get a discount if you are a non-smoker.
If you are retired and home during the day, you may qualify for a mature-homeowner’s discount. Being home, you might be the first to notice a theft in progress, fire or flood.
Do you have a water leak detector or a natural gas detector? Find out if you can get credit for them, too.
Reflective clothing- It is getting dark earlier. Stay safe when out walking, jogging, or biking at night. Carry a flashlight and wear reflective clothing. The newer car headlight beams are cast lower to the ground than the old halogens. When close to the subject many headlights don’t illuminate much above the knee. This makes it hard to see pedestrians. With that thought in mind, reflective sneakers and/or pants might be a good idea. Teach your children to be cautious and not to assume that drivers can see them when it is dark outside.
Walkways – For your own safety and the safety of your guests, please, walk on the dedicated walkways and do not take short cuts across the gardens, grassy, or wooded areas.