Winter Safety Recommendations
Thermostats should be set no lower than 58 degrees Fahrenheit whether your
unit is occupied or not.
- Windows & skylights must be tightly closed. They, too, are
sometimes found open. Closing your draperies, especially when away, may
be of some help in deflecting drafts, if not the ambient temperature.
- Stair landing wall panels in loft units provide maintenance access
to crawl space and are not allowed for owner use. These panels can be a
significant source of heat loss, unless their insulation is intact on the
attic side, and the panels are a tight fit within their encasements.
- Kitchen Ranges: check to ensure all controls are in their off-positions.
- Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors: all smoke detectors in the
units are sensitive to cooking smoke. Please be advised that the smoke
and carbon monoxide detectors are not battery operated but are wired directly
into our main fire safety panel. Tampering with the detectors will break
the tabs that connect them to the ceiling and may set off a general alarm
for the entire building. Any broken or damaged smoke or carbon monoxide
detectors will be billed accordingly.
- Air conditioners: all air conditioners need to be removed by Labor
Day.
Fireplace & Chimney
Dampers: Fireplace doors and chimney dampers
should be tightly closed when the fire is completely out. The maintenance
staff occasionally finds them open. It should also be noted that fireplace
usage in sub-zero weather, especially if accompanied by high winds, is
more likely to contribute to heat loss than gain, especially as the fire
dies down.
- Ashes: Ashes are NOT to be emptied in
the dumpster or placed on decks. Fireplace ashes must be
disposed in labeled ash cans located besides the dumpsters.
- Starting a Safe Fire - for tips on starting a fire in your fireplace,
and general fireplace safety guidelines, click
here.