As an owner, your maintenance responsibilities vary somewhat, depending on where in the community you live. It’s important that owners read the governing documents to understand maintenance responsibilities for both shared and personal space.
Recommendations for Plumbing Maintenance
The following are a few critical maintenance issues that affect all of our units:
Please consider shutting off the water to your home when you are going to be out of town for an extended period.
Our units are almost twenty years old and some have experienced age-related plumbing issues. All plumbing fixtures and lines to the sewer main (Condos and Townhomes) are the responsibility of the individual unit owner.
If you experience a plumbing failure in your Manor unit, any damage to a neighboring unit or the units below will be your individual liability. In the Condos and Townhomes, your insurance may or may not cover damage in excess of the deductible.
To avoid problems with plumbing fixtures in your unit, Olde Ivy recommends that you regularly inspect the following elements in your unit, and repair or replace them as needed:
Main water shut-off valve: For this valve to shut off water to your unit, you must be able to move the valve to the full closed position. Older valves may not open fully and may need to be replaced. It is a good idea to “exercise” your water valves regularly (for example, when you change your air-conditioner filter) to ensure that it will work in an emergency.
Water Heaters and Pressure Reducing Valves (PRVs): Many of the water heaters and PRVs have been replaced by now. Ten years is a common benchmark for the expected life of water heaters, and many PRVs have gone bad also. In addition to having your water heater and PRV replaced, be sure to inspect for signs of leakage or corrosion and replace your expansion tank and water meter as needed also.
Kitchen sink hoses: Some of these have corroded, rusted, or worn out and begun to leak. The pullout hose wears out and fails; causing a leak under the sink that will also leak into any unit below. Water on the lines or in the cabinet below the sink is a telltale sign. If you still have your original fixture and it is leaking, Moen may provide assistance with replacement based on the warranty.
Garbage disposals: Ten years is a common benchmark for the expected life of kitchen sink disposals also, with leaks suggesting a crack in the housing or another failure, and time for a replacement.
Water line to refrigerator: This line has been known to leak and cause damage to floors (including units below in the Manor), so check it regularly to ensure it is secure and not cracked or leaking. Note that this line should be PEX (cross-linked polyethylene), or steel-jacketed. We strongly recommend against ordinary plastic lines.
Hoses for washing machines: Need to be checked periodically to ensure that it is secure and not cracked. Even better, install PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) or stainless steel mesh hoses. We strongly recommend against ordinary plastic lines.
Pressure regulator valve (PRV): Olde Ivy units require pressure reduction since Cobb County water pressure routinely exceeds safe limits for residences. Since pressure regulator valves can fail, check your unit pressure annually.
Ask a neighbor if you need referrals to plumbers or other providers.
Please be aware that if a leak occurs within your unit and causes damage to your unit and/or to any neighboring units, you are responsible for the repair cost.