Building components that are not obvious, often become our worst nightmares
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Dear Tony:
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Our strata had a recent water line that serves our emergency fire systems, which serve an unheated parking garage, burst. Once the weather warmed the thaw exposed the breach and we experienced significant water damage to our mechanical systems and we are now on fire watch for one to two months until the system is restored.
Our strata corporation was unaware of the operating requirement for the heating cable to prevent the pipe from freezing. We anticipate the costs to be over $250,000 to restore the damages and are unsure whether our insurance will cover the damages. Please write a column about this and warn all other property owners of their obligations.
— Margie N., Kelowna
Dear Margie:
Most strata corporations do not have detailed operations manuals, and not all components of building systems are accessible or easily identified.
The ongoing transition of strata councils and property managers compounds the confusion, and remember, strata council members are property owner volunteers. We don’t expect they are experienced or educated in facilities or building systems management; however, the moment they are elected, there is an expectation they are knowledgeable and competently manage our communities. Support your strata councils and managers to ensure they have the resources they require for sustainable operations.
There are some simple steps to enable informed communities to operate effectively and reduce the risk of emergencies and losses from mechanical system failures. For strata corporations of five units or more, depreciation reports are now mandatory, with implementation deadlines for everyone by July 1, 2026 in metropolitan areas and July 1, 2027 for other regions of the province. They provide a valuable inventory of your building systems and components. Use the report effectively and create an itemized list of all building components that require annual inspection, activation and servicing.
Heat trace cables are one of the components that do not operate around the year; however, a schedule of operations detailing every heating system, drainage systems, fire safety systems, electrical and plumbing systems and the cycle of activation and servicing, will ensure your management team is proactive.
Components that are not obvious, often result in our worst nightmares. If we manage them routinely, we can anticipate and prevent failures.
Delaying renewals of roofing, hot and cold domestic water replacement, heating and ventilation systems, deck and balcony repairs, internal drain flushing, elevator servicing, and fire systems renewals result in squandered costs that are 30 to 50 per cent higher when they become an emergency.
Whether you are a duplex, bareland or a multi-building strata corporation, create a detailed checklist of all components and incorporate the document on your website, into your council meetings and part of the annual general meeting notices to increase owner awareness of the need to proactively inspect, maintain and repair.