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Effective December 13, 2013, all strata corporations of five units or more in British Columbia, must complete a depreciation report as required by the Strata Property Act, unless they have passed a three-quarters vote each year they wish to be exempt from the requirements.
 
Over the life of every building, owners are required to periodically make decisions, and take action, to maintain and renew the various physical components of their buildings.  Each of these decisions and actions can impact the lifespan of the building components. 
 
The degree to which maintenance impacts the service life of the building assets will depend on their durability and exposure conditions, as well as the quality of the maintenance program.  It is important to be proactive rather than reactive in the maintenance and care of buildings.  Proactively maintaining building assests, such as common property and the property that a strata corporation has to maintain and repair under their by-laws, will result in lower long-term costs, protection of property and asset value,  minimized disruptions to residents, and lower risks for all property owners.
 
The Condominium Home Owners Association of B.C.is a non -profit association serving strata owners since 1976.  You can get all the information on Depreciation Reports from this association by visiting their website, or follow this link:
 
http://www.choa.bc.ca/_members/_pdf/400/400-007_Depreciation_reports_Guide_Mar_1_2013.pdf

 

 

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By now, many homeowners have probably replaced most of their incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs, and no doubt have noticed how long these newer, energy-efficient bulbs last. Now, light-emitting diode (LED) lighting is the latest trend on the scene. Once used primarily for industrial and commercial applications, LED lighting is gaining ground at home - and there are many good reasons for that.

LED bulbs work in a unique way. Instead of emitting light and heat in all directions, an LED lights move electrons through a semiconductor material, creating light that shines in a specific direction. In LED bulbs used to replace standard bulbs, multiple diodes are used to create bright light while generating very little heat. While quite expensive compared to the older bulbs they replace, high power LED bulbs are more than twice as efficient as CFLs and eight times as efficient as incandescent bulbs, and can last as long as 20 years.

LEDs are often associated with cold, white light - and that was a fair assessment until not long ago. Now LED bulbs are available in warmer tones that are easier on the eyes (and more flattering). Like incandescent and CFL bulbs, there are LEDs made to fit standard light fixtures, recessed lighting fixtures, candelabra bases, dimmable fixtures, and even some landscape lighting. LED floodlights and spotlights are becoming more popular, particularly because they need replacement so infrequently. Other advantages of LEDs are that they contain no mercury or other toxic materials, are very unlikely to break if dropped, and reach full brightness as soon as they are switched on.

Homeowners should look for Energy Star rated LED bulbs, which have been tested to meet EPA standards of color quality and consistency, energy efficiency, and stable performance. Inferior products may make a lot of promises but may not deliver. By replacing the bulbs in their most-used and hard-to-reach fixtures, homeowners can start saving energy - and money - right now.

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Big holiday meal preparation and clean up can lead to a lot of waste in the kitchen drain and garbage disposal.  Also, a house full of guests equates to additional toilet flushes, dishwashing, laundry and showers, all of which put a strain on a home's plumbing system.

 

Avoid a visit from your plumber this holiday season by following these clog-prevention tips:

 

1.  Never pour fats or cooking oils down drains as they solidify in pipes.  Instead, wipe grease from pots with paper towels and discard in the trasn.

 

2.  Avoid putting stringy, fibrous or starchy waste in the garbage disposal.  Poultry skins, celery, fruit and potato peels, for example, cannot be sufficiently ground up.

 

3.  When hosting guests, it's a good idea to wait ten minutes between showers so slow drains have time to do their job and water has the time to reheat.

 

 

Check out the illustration of how to dispose of food properly at:

 

http://www.rotorooter.com/plumbing-basics/fun-facts/what-goes-down-the-drain/?CID=2013.11.21+Residential+Thanksgiving&lid=how+to+dispose+of+food+properly&ET_RID=306722472

 

This information was provided by ROTO-ROOTER Plumbing and Drain Service.  As always, if you are in need of assistance with any plumbing or drain problem, professional Roto-Rooter plumbers are available 24/7!  You can call them at 604-736-1323

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