Category: Maintenance

Did you know that March 23 is World Elevator Day? Now you do. (You’re welcome.) On that date way back in 1857, the first passenger elevator was installed in the E.V. Haughwout Building—an upscale, five-story department store in Manhattan’s …

Nothing lasts forever, not even your roof. While roofs have a relatively long life compared to other building systems and components, at some point they will need either partial or full replacement. Here are the facts and factors you and yo…

With severe weather events becoming ever more common—and more intense—waterproofing your building’s envelope against rain, wind, snow, and ice is a growing concern. To counter the effects of climate change on buildings both old and new, our…

As we move toward spring and summer, major capital improvement projects become the focus for many co-op and condominium communities. One of the largest projects your community may undertake is a roof replacement. Whether a high-rise, mid-ri…

For many, glass façades are the epitome of contemporary urban architecture and design. Sleek, clean, modern—sometimes super-modern—a glass exterior gives the impression of an Emerald City of the future, rising above the bricks and mortar of…

It takes a small army of professionals—everyone from on-site handymen to licensed professional tradespeople and engineers—to maintain multifamily buildings, both large and small. The question is, who does what, and when? Everyone likes to s…

A new report , Best Practices: Community Association Maintenance , is now available as a free download on the Foundation for Community Associations Research (FCAR) website. Authored by a consortium of legal, engineering, finance, and mana…

While few would argue that regular, thorough building inspections are important for the safety of both people and property, the increasing number - and rising cost - of mandatory inspections has co-op and condo boards looking for more affor…

As the old saying goes, you only get one chance to make a first impression—which is why the façade of your building should always look clean and in top shape, for both aesthetic and commercial reasons. Important as appearances are, however,…

Like the skin of the human body, a building’s façade is its largest organ (so to speak), offering structure and protection, as well as a first aesthetic impression. It also takes the brunt of extremely harsh conditions: weather, wind, water…