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Caring for Your Exterior
Southern Florida's homeowner associations may not have to deal with much in the
way of snow and ice when it comes to protecting and repairing their concrete
and stucco surfaces, but they certainly aren't off the hook just because
blizzards don't often happen in the Sunbelt.
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Let There Be Light
As recently as the 1930’s, only 68 percent of American homes had electricity. By the middle of the last
century however, most Americans enjoyed well-lighted homes, and the light had
started to spread outdoors as well. Initially, yards and gardens were lit
purely for visibility and safety, but once decorative lighting became a
reality, there was no turning back. Today exterior lighting provides an
exciting way to protect, beautify, and showcase properties, both brand-new and
historic.
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On the Up-and-Up
No matter whether you're traveling light or burdened with an armload of
groceries, nobody likes to climb stairs. Recognizing this, mid- and high-rise
condo developments frequently count elevators among their amenities of
convenience—and in newly-constructed buildings, installing an elevator is taken as a matter
of course.
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Cleaning Green
During a live National Public Radio interview, much to the consternation of the
announcer and engineer, Gil Oren spray-painted a window between the recording
studio and the control room.
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Smart Buildings, Smart Boards
If phones can be “smart,” why not buildings? With the ever-expanding array of consumer technology
available today, it should come as no surprise that residential buildings are
incorporating more and more cutting-edge technology into their communications,
security, and operating systems than ever before, and unifying building
operating systems so they can be monitored and run from a central location by a
building staff member, or by residents themselves with smartphones and iPads.
Many of these innovative systems are being installed from square one in new
construction, but also in the form of upgrades and retrofits in older
buildings. Let’s take a look at the state of the industry.
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Concrete Concerns
Florida does not have the harsh winters of the north, where thawing and freezing
take their toll on concrete. But corrosion of concrete is an issue in South
Florida, and homeowner associations need to ensure that the concrete making up
their sidewalks, pavements and parking lots, as well as walkways and balconies,
is properly installed and maintained.
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Maintaining Swimming Pools and Spas
Are your community’s swimming pool and hot tub VGB-compliant? Do you know what that means?
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Community Association Advocates Victorious
Pressured by community association advocates throughout the Sunshine State, the
Florida Legislature backed off a proposed bill (HB 5005) that would have
eliminated licensing for community association managers and deregulated the
industries overseeing condominiums, HOAs, mobile homes, timeshares and
cooperatives.
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The Water Way
As we go about our busy lives, we often forget about the plain facts of life
here on this spinning globe: gravity creates an unceasing tension in the
materials we assemble into buildings and other structures. Whether or not we
are paying attention, all of matter is reacting to gravity’s pull, and those forces can result in small tears or holes in facades, roofs
and other parts of a building.
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Caulk it Up
With the possible exception of fire, nothing is more damaging to residential
buildings and the property of their occupants as leaks. Whether it’s a torrential deluge from the upstairs neighbor’s overflowing bathtub or a slow, seeping leak around the window frames, water
causes huge amounts of physical damage, and can contribute to the proliferation
of mold—and all the potential health hazards that represents.
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