Tenant Reminders

Spring/Summer Reminders

Watering is one of the most important requirements for a healthy lawn. A proper watering schedule should be used to economically get the most out of your water and to obtain a beautiful lawn. Your lawn should receive 2” of water per week or more. Remember there are many variables that affect watering: Weather, compacted soil, traffic, slopes, shade, trees, type of sprinkler you use, and time of year. If your grass is yellow or brown it is not getting enough water!

HERE ARE SOME GUIDELINES:

Beginning in May when temperatures consistently reach 75 degrees, water a minimum of three times a week, a little more than 1⁄2” each time. As 90 degrees heat approaches, increase to 5 times per week with the possibility of increasing to once a day.
We recommend watering during the morning, but it will not harm your lawn to water in the afternoon.
Please do not water at night, if it is possible to avoid. The standing water can increase the likelihood of fungus, insects, and other problems.
If excess runoff occurs, water half the amount in the morning, and half in the afternoon. Water only as much as your soil can absorb.
Your lawn should be watered before it begins to wilt or turn a smoky green color, when the grass does not spring back up from walking on it. This is a good indication your lawn needs watering.
During hot spells keep a good watch for hot spots around concrete, south slopes, or where it turns a smoky green color. These areas will need extra water; using a hand aerator works great.
Keep watch for dry spots. Water more in areas as needed. Most brown spots are attributable to a lack of water.
Do not water frequently in small amounts. Roots will only grow as deep as the water goes. Roots should be 6 to 8 inches deep.
Know how much water your sprinkler puts out per hour. You can calculate this by using empty cans.
Water right into the fall until the weather turns bad. Fall is the best time of year for your lawn to recover from hot summer stress and to stock up on nutrients for the winter to come.

Watering restrictions are as follows for all cities/counties: No watering between the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Please see the additional watering restriction notices for your area. In order to tell if you are watering adequately, place a can somewhere in the path of the sprinkler and continue watering until there is ¾ of an inch of water in the can. If you follow this plan, your yard will look good, assuming you properly aerate and fertilize. Do not Power Rake. (Unless you are doing so in preparation for seeding). That will only make matters worse for water retention.

Fall/Winter Reminders

This is the time of year when preparations need to be made for weather changes. Here are some helpful reminders that may save you from inconvenience or excessive repair costs.

Check the operation of your smoke detectors. There is a test button located on the bottom of most units. If it does not sound when tested, replace the battery and retest.
Disconnect all hoses from outside faucets to prevent freezing and causing damage to the pipes in your home.
Now is a good time to check your supply of furnace filters. By replacing your filter monthly, it will help keep your utility bills low, your furnace operating efficiently, and keep your house cleaner. Filters can be purchased at most hardware or grocery stores for less than $4.00.
Have your furnace serviced to ensure you don't have any difficulty when the weather gets really cold. We recommend Comfort Master 303-257-3545 as they will offer you reasonable rates and are dependable.
Forgotten windows left opened near a water pipe can result in frozen or broken water pipes.
Make sure you and your family know the location of your homes water shut off valve. If a pipe bursts, shutting the water immediately can help minimize damage.
If you intend to be gone for several days, set the heat no lower than 55 degrees and turn off the water supply.
Be sure to water your lawn and shrubs during dry periods even in the winter to prevent damage to the yard.
Now is an excellent time to have your fall aeration done and apply a good winterizing fertilizer.
Once all the leaves have fallen is a good time to clean out your gutters. This ensures good drainage as the snow melts and prevents leaky roofs. This in turn keeps you and your belongings dry.

Tenant with sprinkler systems, please be sure to winterize your system. If you are unable to do this yourself, please call Dana at 303-525-1909 to schedule an appointment -- you may pay him directly or we can charge the service call fee to your account. Failure to do so can cause costly damage.

Lighting a Furnace or Hot Water Heater Pilot Light

Remove the front access panel. Grasp the panel firmly and slit it up. Loosen a panel that sticks by gently rapping at the bottom.
Tun off gas to the pilot. Set the manual control knob, which is usually red, to the off position and wait 10 minutes for the gas to dissipate before lighting a flame. Caution: If the smell of gas persists, do not attempt to relight the pilot, call Comfort Master Heating at 303-257-3545 to schedule service.
Relight the pilot. Follow manufacturer's instructions for relighting the pilot, usually labeled on or near the combination control. If there are no instructions, follow this general procedure: Turn on the gas to the pilot by setting the manual control knob to the pilot position. While depressing the control knob or pilot ignition button, light the pilot with a long match or a lit soda straw. Continue depressing the knob for 30 seconds. Release the control knob: if the pilot goes out, light it again, this time depressing the knob for one minute. If the pilot does not stay lit, the thermocouple may be faulty. If the pilot stays lit, check to see that the flame envelopes the thermocouple. Turn the manual control knob to the ON position. Replace the front access panel.

Preferred Vendor List

The following is a list of preferred vendors that offer quality work at affordable prices:

Gas & Electric

Xcel Energy

(800) 895-4999

Heating & Cooling

JL Heating

(720) 404-6680

Comfort Master Heating

(303) 257-3545

Plumbing

Colorado Remodeling

(303) 505-5696

Sewer

Colorado Sewer Service

(303) 424-0448

Appliance Repair

Appliance Emporium

(303) 369-8888

Carpet Cleaning

Docs of Denver Carpet Cleaning

(303) 771-4632

Glass and Screen repair

Macon Glass & Mirror

(303) 595-3125

Tree Trim and removal

My Denver Tree Service

(303) 984-9656