Gale Flags Are Flying! Is your condo or HOA ready for a climate change future? Currently we are in the middle of a hurricane season predicted to be one of the worst in recent times in terms of both frequency and severity of future storms. Prior to June when the hurricane season started, Maine’s Superintendent….
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How Drowning Detection Systems Can Save Lives
Conventional pool safety measures, including covers, perimeter fences, and subsurface alarms, can prevent unauthorized access when a pool is closed. However, these measures do not protect against drowning when a pool is in use. Lifeguards, swimming lessons, and parental supervision have traditionally served as the primary safety measures during swim time, but tragically, even these….
Criterium Engineers Visits the Advanced Structures & Composites Center at The University of Maine
A group of team members from Criterium Engineers recently toured the Advanced Structures & Composites Center (ASCC), at The University of Maine, gaining insights into the future of structural and materials engineering. The ASCC is a leading research and educational center focused on advanced manufacturing, materials sciences, composites, and structural engineering. It is the largest university-based research….
Burning Questions & Fire Safety Checklist
The words ‘safety or security’ mean different things to members of a condominium or HOA community.While the board or property manager may be focusing on the common element safety dangers such as the pool or the walkways/ paved surfaces, unit owners’ biggest concern is unit security and household accidents. In reality, condo communities are like families….
Top 10 Condo Do Overs to Avoid
Over the last twenty years I have had the privilege of meeting with many condominium and HOA boards and leaders. Some were seasoned and experienced while others were new and exposed to the culture of community living for the first time. All wanted to do their best, yet failings and mistakes were acknowledged. With the….
Be Prepared – Emergency Response Best Practices
Emergency Response Plan You don’t have to be a weatherman to notice storms are more frequent and fierce. Nor do you have to be a news broadcaster to recall all of the reported residential damage from fire, floods, and wind. Nor do you have to be an accountant to recognize the cost of building repairs….
The Invisible Wall: Site Walls Should Not be Out of Mind
There is no condominium community asset more overlooked than its site walls. They literally become part of the landscape and seem to disappear, yet they are vital to the health of the community. They are sometimes called retaining walls or sometimes simply landscape structures. In addition, these structures allow the very existence of some condo….
Vinyl Siding – or Not
Perhaps you are on the Building Committee which has been charged by your Homeowners Association Board to recommend a replacement siding material for your 35 year old condo. Perhaps you are a property manager whose in-basket is filled with unit owner complaints about vinyl clapboard siding problems in the new condo complex. Whatever the vinyl….
Do You Have Mold in Your Buildings?
The problem of mold in buildings is one that no building owner or manager can afford to ignore. Mold has been suggested as one of the possible factors in so-called “Sick Building Syndrome.” What conditions create mold in buildings? Mold typically reproduces by means of airborne spores. These spores are always present in the air…..
How Safe Is Your Deck?
May is National Deck Safety Month® and your spring maintenance checklist should include a thorough inspection of your deck and railings. It’s important to check their safety before the outdoor entertainment season begins with family gatherings and neighborhood barbecues taking place on your deck. Here are a few items to consider as you check your deck:….