All Forum Posts by: Sam Leon

service animals and emotional support animals are different, there was a thread not too long ago about tenants using ESA to beat no pet rules and avoid pet fees.

But a ESA snake?

Common sense is gone in America.

What about us?  What about EDLHDBBT?  Should we he protected?

EDLHDBBT = Emotionally Distressed Landlords Highly Disturbed By Bad Tenants

OK you mean the tenant may be removing the filter after I put them in every month and restoring it before I came back?  I doubt it.  When I changed filters unit 3's filter is always the dirtiest BY FAR.

In fact, in May 2015 had a malfunction for 1 day.  The unit stopped working and the AC company (I have a maintenance contract on all three) came out and the compressor outside had an electrical arc.  One of the solid conductors wiring broke off from the wire nut and caused an arc, touched a copper pipe and blew a hole.  All the refrigerant leaked out.  The tech repaired it and while he did it, he removed the filter and told me the filter had not been changed for six months at least.  I said no, it was changed 12 days ago by me.  He said no way, no way it can be so dirty.

The whole point of all this is the units were installed the same way, same model, same manufactured sate, same installed date, with identical filter housing and identical closet size and doors, using the same filters, same apartment location, same apartment square footages, different tenants.  If the filter type (I use a pleaded disposable) is the problem and there is a bypass, then unit 1 and 2's coils should be the same way.  But units 1 and 2 have clean coils.

Now usages could be another variable.  If units 1 and 2 sets their temp to be 78 degrees and unit 3 sets it to 72, then unit 3 may be having it ON a lot longer.  But this is as close to comparing apples to apples as one can get.

 I am not sure what you mean by bypassed.

All three units were installed the same exact way, used the same exact filter, changed the same time, there is a dramatic difference what they look like after 8 months.

The only other difference of course is the temperature settings of individual tenants - some like it cooler than others, but other than that the three units are the same in every which way.

When I changed filter every month, when I open the closet door to the air handler, the floor is always black in unit 3, the unit with two dogs.  The floor is actually terrazo.  The reason it's black is because the black dog hair pulled into the closet and fell to the floor.  I clean that floor every month and by the time I return next month the floor is a carpet of pet hair again.

If you are wondering what pets do to the central AC units, here is something a little more than just speculation.

I have a triplex, where each unit has the same exact central AC handlers and condensers and same age.

December 2014, I had an air conditioning company cleaned all three evaporator coils - pulled the coils out and acid wash them.

Here is a picture of what the coil looked like immediately after the cleaning.

I personally change the filter in all three units once a month.

Now, only eight months later, units 1 & 2's coils look about the same with just a little more dust.

Unit 3's coil look like this.

Same size apartment, same central AC units, same age, all cleaned at the same time, had filter changed by me every month at the same time.

The only difference is unit 3 has two dogs, one 40 pounds and one 50 pounds.

I am not against pets, but thought I would share this.

@won lee

Have the system checked.  I installed a brand new 1.5 ton fir a 1200 st house in Dec 14.  Granted I am in south Florida but tenant had same complaint, insufficient cooling and running most of the time.

Tech cane out six times, to no avail.  Suspected a very slow leak of refrigerant somewhere, did nitrogen test, even injected dye etc....couldn't find it 

Finally I spoke to the owner, he came out himself, within 20 minutes he found the issue, an expansion valve that had gunk buildup partially clogging the line causing the appearance of lost pressure and leaked refrigerant.  He put in some additives and its day and night.  Told me the newer systems in many brands have this same part and have this issue.  I would get another eval.

The company should be able to send out a supervisor tech and give another opinion.

The problem with hiring another company to give an opinion is your original installer provides a warranty on the install.  You contact another company they come out and if they are honest they can't mess with that system too much or they end up voiding the warranty of the original installer so be careful.

I do accept checks as an alternative in some situations but the form of payment is spelled out in the lease and most are OK with direct deposit and using those cards I haven't had a problem yet.

I had one tenant who insisted personal checks and were habitually late.  It is not the ability to pay but for some reason he just doesn't make it a priority and always a day before the grace period or two days after.  I got sick of it and finally on a lease renewal I told him if he wants to renew he needs to write 12 checks to me all at once with each check dated for the first of each month.  I am done waiting for the check in the mail or sending text reminders.

Bank of America issues deposit only cards.  You can request as many as you like and give each to a tenant.  Each card has a different "ID" so you can identify who made the deposit.  The deposit only card is just like an ATM but for deposits only and cannot be used to transfer, withdraw, balance inquiry, etc...and you can disable a particular card when they move out.

Not sure if other banks have this feature or not.

Perhaps the "harasser" was trying to figure out what the funny smell was and wanted to provide evidence by looking in her windows and taking videos.  Problem is video recordings can't capture odor.  Epic fail.

Stay out of it.

Fellow landlords, what is your experience on washers - if you have to buy one today for tenant use?

I have a 20 year old washer in a triplex that has seen better days.  Rust is basically eating it away, it is located in an outside shed shared by three tenants.

First, I pay for water, so lowering my water bill seems like a good idea, so I started to look at those top loaders and HE models.

At the same time, I would also like to replace the hot water heater in the shed, it is a RUUD 20 gallons, and has been there, based on the serial number, for 36 years.  36 year old water heater, and it's also badly corroded.  In order to save space, I am considering changing it to a tankless (I happen to have a small Titan just removed from another property I can use, and I can easily run new #6 wires to the house meter).  HOWEVER, in looking over some of the reviews of the more efficient washers, I learned that tankless HWH and low consumption washers are not compatible because they fill the washer in short pulses or "spurts" and tankless HWH requires a consistent flow rate demand to fire it up.  So I start to think about putting in a small point of use 6 gallon tanked heater because it is a dedicated heater for just the washer so there is no need for a 20 gallon.

Then I did more reading and saw some newer models where some of the washers have built in water heating features, so you don't even need to supply hot water to it.  So that's another consideration.

Finally, lower consumption washers require special detergents.  If a tenant didn't pay attention and use the wrong detergent it could be an issue, so perhaps I need to supply the detergent, which adds to my cost.

Of course, I could consider a coin op, but...

My gut instinct is to just get another standard cheap work horse washer, and keep it simple, and put in a 10 gallon heater.  Instead of HE models or front loaders.

Thoughts?

Seems like the first installation method that requires no adhesive and the claim that "planks are extremely flexible and self-level above the substrate to create a flat surface, even over imperfect subfloors, making for an exceptionally easy installation" could be an issue when the subfloor is not level.  I imagine on a 5' plank if you have a dip in the subfloor and someone walks over one end the other end might raise up?

Or if you were to jump up and down a plank would just bounces off and land back down in a slightly different spot.

I think one must install it REALLY tight, or else when walking around over time you might end up with a gap between two planks and you will pull you hair out to shift everything back to close the gap, only to have to do the same thing again in two weeks.