Should BOD's Be Able To

Started by LetA • 13 replies • 304 views

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LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679

Posted:

It seems more than just once in a while it is quite frequent that one of
the items below occur more frequently than once in a while.
It probably would be nice if one of us BODs could address the issue immediately
and put a bandaid on the issue and have the vendor address the issue during the day
and not have a vendor come out after hours.

Should BOD's Be Able To do certain actions in the HOA until the vendor or
service provider can come out to fix or address the issue?

Things like

Raising the temperature in the pool or jacuzzi heater.
Checking to see if a breaker tripped on either the pool or Jacuzzi pump.
Checking the breaker to the drinking fountain.
Turning off the water to one of the community's various irrigation lines if
there is a leak.

Open the gates in case of a power interruption. Despite assurance from the PM
that the gate operators are on a battery backup to automatically open the gates
if the power goes out.

AidylP1 (California)
Posts: 108

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By LetA on 01/29/2024 8:45 PM
It seems more than just once in a while it is quite frequent that one of
the items below occur more frequently than once in a while.
It probably would be nice if one of us BODs could address the issue immediately
and put a bandaid on the issue and have the vendor address the issue during the day
and not have a vendor come out after hours.

Should BOD's Be Able To do certain actions in the HOA until the vendor or
service provider can come out to fix or address the issue?

Things like

Raising the temperature in the pool or jacuzzi heater.
Checking to see if a breaker tripped on either the pool or Jacuzzi pump.
Checking the breaker to the drinking fountain.
Turning off the water to one of the community's various irrigation lines if
there is a leak.

Open the gates in case of a power interruption. Despite assurance from the PM
that the gate operators are on a battery backup to automatically open the gates
if the power goes out.

yes, yes and yes

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

So why are you not doing that?

The only concern I would have is raising the temp in the pool or jacuzzi.
That should be a set once and forget.

SheliaH (Indiana)
Posts: 6,964

Posted:

If you have a designated person who knows what he or she is doing and let's the other board members know, I don't see a problem.

I agree with Tim on the pool and jacuzzi- don't you have programmable thermostats to take care of this? Set one temperature and be done with it.

If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it. Marcus Aurelius

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

Do you have people who know how to do that? That is one of the reasons why a HOA does not jump. How many people know where the breaker is for the fountain and have access to the panel?

As for temperature changing, your never going to make everyone happy on what it is. Playing around with it too many times can cause some mechanical issues after awhile. Most of the places I have worked, the thermostat is controlled off site. The thermostats do nothing or are under lock and key.

There is nothing wrong with preventing damages or doing some routine things that would be non-issues. Just make sure the people doing it know what they are doing.

Former HOA President

LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MelissaP1 on 01/30/2024 4:17 AM
Do you have people who know how to do that? That is one of the reasons why a HOA does not jump. How many people know where the breaker is for the fountain and have access to the panel?

As for temperature changing, your never going to make everyone happy on what it is. Playing around with it too many times can cause some mechanical issues after awhile. Most of the places I have worked, the thermostat is controlled off site. The thermostats do nothing or are under lock and key.

There is nothing wrong with preventing damages or doing some routine things that would be non-issues. Just make sure the people doing it know what they are doing.

As to the location of the panel, it is on the exterior wall of the poolhouse. For some ungodly reason, almost all modern breaker panels are outside uggh
As for the temperature, I don't know if it is the factory master setting that keeps lowering the temperature anywhere from 1 to 5 degrees, but it is enough
to make a significant comfort in the jacuzzi.

My biggest hangup with the breaker panel on the exterior wall is beside the padlock, it is open season for tampering and moisture intrusion.
And yes, a few years ago someone cut the hasp off the breaker pannel, shut everything off. They stole the pool & jacuzzi pump and spa heater.

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

It doesn't sound like a good idea to leave a panel unlocked. Plus the environment could change how the hot tub heats/cools. Many places would put a small lock on these items. That way not anyone can come do what they want when they find out how to do it.

Former HOA President

LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MelissaP1 on 01/30/2024 10:59 AM
It doesn't sound like a good idea to leave a panel unlocked. Plus the environment could change how the hot tub heats/cools. Many places would put a small lock on these items. That way not anyone can come do what they want when they find out how to do it.

There was a lock on the electric panel, but it was cut off with a metal cutting saw. A proper lock hasp was never replaced on the panel. just a
drywall screw holds the panel door shut. This I pointed out numerous times to no avail, I get blown off by the PM. As for the Equipment room,
the aforementioned items are locked in the equipment room.

BTW nobody can give me a definitive answer on this, not the SNHD, can't find a definitive code requirement.
Currently, the emergency shutoff switch is encased in a weatherproof outlet receptacle, the switch is a standard light switch.
The emergency switch is tied together with the spa heater and the jets. Our resident PITMFA always monkeys with both the emergency switch
and the timer switch to the jets. I would like to find out if we can separate them. I do not see any earthly reason the heater needs to be shut
off along with the jets if the emergency switch is activated, only the jets should be nixed in an emergency. I am also getting a song and dance
from the PM about relocating the Emergency switch next to the 911 call box and encasing the spa emergency switch in a case that you see on
commercial fire pull stations.

DeanJ
Posts: 1,786

Posted:

Raising the temperature in the pool or jacuzzi (If the system is working properly, why would the temp need to be increased?’

Checking to see if a breaker tripped on either the pool or Jacuzzi pump.
Checking the breaker to the drinking fountain. (Circuit breakers don’t trip on a properly operating appliance)

Turning off the water to one of the community's various irrigation lines ifthere is a leak. (Not an issue if they have the tool)

Open the gates in case of a power interruption. Despite assurance from the PM that the gate operators are on a battery backup to automatically open tastes the power goes out. (Once again, why isn’t the system working properly? Do expect a board member to get up at 2AM every time the power goes out?)

LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By DeanJ on 01/30/2024 7:27 PM
Raising the temperature in the pool or jacuzzi (If the system is working properly, why would the temp need to be increased?’

Checking to see if a breaker tripped on either the pool or Jacuzzi pump.
Checking the breaker to the drinking fountain. (Circuit breakers don’t trip on a properly operating appliance)

Turning off the water to one of the community's various irrigation lines ifthere is a leak. (Not an issue if they have the tool)

Open the gates in case of a power interruption. Despite assurance from the PM that the gate operators are on a battery backup to automatically open tastes the power goes out. (Once again, why isn’t the system working properly? Do expect a board member to get up at 2AM every time the power goes out?)

Well for one, the temperature on the jacuzzi heater is set to 102, and the temperature probe in the tub says 99

As for the various water irrigation systems, the lids are a simple plastic cover that one can pull off with their
finger and the valve is a solenoid that twists 45 degrees to turn the water supply on and off
As for the breaker to the drinking fountain, all breakers at the pool the breaker box is located on an exterior wall.
On occasion, rain and moisture gets into the panel and will trip breakers.

MichaelS56 (Minnesota)
Posts: 859

Posted:

The PM does not blow off the Board. The PM works for the Board and does the work that the contract stipulates. Not having the panel secured is a potential liability issue that the Board could be facing if the panel is mishandled.

DeanJ
Posts: 1,786

Posted:

So which is incorrect, the temperature probe or the heater? If you fix one of them the board doesn’t have to come out to address your petty complaint the water is 3° too cool.

How do you know occasional rain or moisture is tripping the breakers. Outside breaker boxes are designed to withstand rain and moisture. Resetting tripped breakers is a poor practice than can lead to fires.

LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By DeanJ on 02/05/2024 7:42 PM
So which is incorrect, the temperature probe or the heater? If you fix one of them the board doesn’t have to come out to address your petty complaint the water is 3° too cool.

How do you know occasional rain or moisture is tripping the breakers. Outside breaker boxes are designed to withstand rain and moisture. Resetting tripped breakers is a poor practice than can lead to fires.

3 degrees is the difference between bathtub water and a proper comfortable temperature for a jacuzzi.

As for the breakers tripping, heavier than usual rains do in fact trip breakers in an outside panel.
Happenens at my house about once a year.

DeanJ
Posts: 1,786

Posted:

102°F may be your personnel preference. According to online sources, 100-102°F is the standard operation range. For every person wanting 102°F, there is another complaining that is too hot.

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