1. Long-term Parking by Residents
The South Battery parking lot is often overcrowded with contractor and resident vehicles. The Board asks residents to please park in the Murray parking lot if they are going to be away for any length of time.
If you need to leave your car unattended for an extended period of time, please talk with the Building Manager and possibly leave your keys with him so that your car can be moved, if necessary.
The Parking Regulations are located on the Fort Sumter House web site here: https://fortsumterhouse.org/?page_id=214
2. Enforcement of Rules and Regulations
The staff recently found glass beer bottles in the trash container at the pool. If DHEC had inspected the pool and found them, they would have closed the pool for the rest of the season. Our Building Manager addressed this issue promptly. Please remember no glass items (of any kind) are allowed inside the fenced pool area.
The Board has created a document to define the policy and procedure for reporting violations of the Rules & Regulations and assessing fines. Please review this document – it is located on the Fort Sumter House web site here: https://fortsumterhouse.org/?page_id=1070.
3. New Washers and Dryers
New washers/dryers were installed last May. We have also installed hooks in the hall outside of the laundry room. These hooks are for hanging dry cleaning items for pick up and delivery and should not be used for any other purpose.
4. Update on Hallway Renovations
The work on the hallway project is progressing nicely. Staff member, Chris Weiner, has been doing the bulk of this work and he is doing an excellent job.
Ceiling tiles & grids:
— Completed on floors 2, 3, 4, and 7
— Work in Progress on floors 5 and 6
Door molding (trim) installed:
— Completed on floors 2, 3, 4
— Work in Progress on floors 5, 6, and 7
Prep & Paint of door molding:
— Work in Progress on all floors
Painting hallway walls:
— Completed on floors 2, 3, and 7
— Work in Progress on floors 4, 5, and 6
Carpeting:
The carpeting has been selected and will be ordered during the week of August 11. The group evaluating replacement carpets for the hallways has been working on this project since January. Because there were so many different opinions, we contracted with Michael Mitchell Interiors, an interior design company, to select the carpeting. They have chosen the smaller gray hexagonal design for the long hallways and the larger hexagonal w/ design for the elevator lobby and area rugs in the long hallways (so it doesn’t look like a bowling alley!). See the photo of the 2 carpet selections below – this photo was taken on the 2nd floor to show the carpets with the new paint color. Once the order is placed, the carpeting should arrive in early October and be installed before Thanksgiving.
5. REMINDER: Every Owner Must Have HO6 Insurance Policy
The 13th Amendment to the Master Deed and 3rd Amendment to the Bylaws essentially say that each apartment Owner is responsible for any damage within the walls of their unit and that the Fort Sumter House Association is responsible for any damage “walls out.” The 13th Amendment also states in Section F: “Every Owner shall be obligated to obtain and maintain at all times insurance covering those portions of his/her apartment to the extent not insured by policies maintained by the Association. Upon request by the Board, the apartment owner shall furnish a copy of such insurance policy or policies to the Association.” The Board of Directors reminds every Owner that they must obtain an HO6 insurance policy. You can read these amendments here: fortsumterhouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/2014-Master-Deed-Part-8001.pdf
6. TIP: Addressing Humidity in the Building
Humidity in the building is very hard to control. The A/C cools the hallways and helps to reduce the humidity. New A/C diffusers have been installed on some floors. These A/C diffusers cut down on condensation above the ceiling and allow for free air flow in the hallway to reduce moisture. Residents who leave their windows and sliding doors open counteract the benefit of the A/C and the diffusers, and may cause mold to grow in the building. Building Management asks residents to please not leave your windows and sliding doors open for extended periods of time since this practice pulls more moisture inside the building.
It is also important to leave a gap under your front door to allow free flow of air from the hallway into the apartment. We asked Dick Donohoe, an architect and former Board President, to explain why:
Why? Ventilating fans on the roof run constantly, exhausting air from the bathrooms and kitchens. This creates a negative pressure in each apartment. Since “nature abhors a vacuum,” the pressure must be balanced by admitting air from an outside source. If the bottom of the corridor door is sealed and all the windows are closed, air within the apartment will not be exhausted from the apartment. The same air will simply be recirculated by the air handler along with the moisture generated by kitchens and bathrooms, creating an environment for mold to develop. This creates an unhealthy environment for living. The air which is delivered to the hallway ceilings has a component of fresh air to make-up for the air that is exhausted by the roof fans. That make-up air has had water vapor (humidity) reduced by condensation in the attic air handlers, unlike humid air that enters through open windows.
7. TIP: Clorox for HVAC System
It is important to add a little bit of liquid Clorox to the pan under the A/C coil in your apartment HVAC system. Doing this kills any algae that may grow there and stop up the drainage pipe from the pan. If algae is allowed to grow and stop the drainage of condensation, then water may leak from the pan to the apartment(s) below. Clearing the drain pipe with Clorox is especially important during the summer months. Please ask the Building Manager, Joe Yetsko, or the Assistant Manager, Chris Weiner, if you would like help with this procedure.