Last July, the corporate office of The Gale Company, a property management company handling buildings in 49 states and 32 countries, received a startling phone call. At the peak of London's rush hour, bombs were detonated in three subway…
Whenever an unexpected crisis arises, be it a severe winter storm, a fire, or a national emergency like 9/11 or Hurricane Katrina, there's one constant—one symbol that people associate with beginning the struggle back to normalcy. That s…
Be Prepared" is not just a timeworn motto—it's a piece of advice that can save lives, property, and countless dollars. While the average person doesn't really think that they'll be a victim of a fire, flood, earthquake, or even a terrori…
Winter's a tough time of year. Sure making snowmen, skiing, and cozying up to a warm fire at night during a snowstorm are all fun activities but letting ice build up in your townhome's roof gutters can lead to major headaches and unnecessar…
You can't see it, smell it, or touch it, but there's some of it in your home right now—and at a certain level, it becomes deadly. It's carbon monoxide, or CO, and nearly 500 people die each year as a result of CO poisoning. According t…
Throughout her career as a safety management consultant and certified safety professional, Deb Potter Ph.D. has heard her share of tragic stories about building staff members injured on the job. "I've seen building staff members who ha…
New Jersey is the Garden State, but it also might be called the Heavy Rain, Flood and Storm State. "Not only do we have the coast, but we have hundreds of miles of rivers and bays, which does make us prone," says Hillary Cummons, a spoke…
While the work of an association manager or superintendent is never truly done, there are certain times of the year that require specific attention to various details—and that often means more work. Winterizing a building and its surroundin…
Like snowflakes, no two homeowner associations are exactly alike. New Jersey's laws governing HOAs allow for a good deal of leeway in how a condo, co-op or town home community decides to run things. One of these areas is in the care and …
For the average condo owner juggling work, kids and family and taking care of one's home can seem daunting. Just remembering to take out the trash and wash the windows once a year can require elaborate checklists and days of planning. No…