Museum Tower Owners Association
Newsletter
550 Front St  San Diego CA  92101

High-rise Flooding - Special Edition

Sep 26, 2006

"The Pinnacle in San Diego is the culmination of all we have learned designing, planning and constructing landmark buildings in North America. Securing the finest on-the-bay location in Marina has inspired our team to create San Diego's ultimate urban residence, unrivaled by any other in California."
Michael De Cotiis, President & CEO
PINNACLE INTERNATIONAL
 
October Board Meeting - date TBA
Finance Committee Meeting - Oct 3 to discuss budget

v Minutes from the August Board Meeting have been posted to our website   v

Flooding - A high-rise nightmare!

This is a subject of great concern to the residents of any high-rise building and one with which we are all too familiar at the Pinnacle.  While there may be no need to belabor the subject it is worth noting that, as residents of a 36 floor tower, we cannot be too vigilant.

I witnessed first hand the destructive power of uncontrolled water as it was pouring out of a wall on the 7th floor of our beautiful building.  See for yourself from the following 2 pictures.  This is what the hallway looked like as water poured out of unit 705 & 706 on the night of Sep 12.

    

The photos below (left) show some of the consequences of water damage - the removal of drywall, baseboards, wallpaper, etc. and on the (right) the Harbro damage control vehicles parked on the Market St sidewalk adjacent to our building.  Emergency crews quickly mobilized to bring damage under control.  Unfortunately because of the great volume of water the damage was considerable and affected approximately 15 condos in the building.  Flooding affected floors 2-7, 10th & 19 floors as well.

     

As if the flooding itself was not bad enough it was discovered that at least one homeowner and one renter had NO insurance on their property!! So what lessons are to be learned from all this?  Very simple ones.

Take all necessary precautions to protect yourself NOW: 

  1. If you do not have insurance - GET IT.  (This applies to homeowners AND renters)

  2. If you do not have wire re-enforced hoses connected to your washing machine - BUY them and get them installed.

  3. Consider purchasing a water detection system that will: a) sound an alarm, b) contact emergency services, and c) even shut off water valves in your unit.

  4. Turn off your washer valves when you leave your unit for extended periods.

  5. NEVER wash your clothes or dishes when your unit is unoccupied.

Statistics Reveal the Importance of Water Detection

Water damage is quickly becoming recognized as a major threat to commercial and residential buildings and it is likely that water detectors may soon become "required" just as smoke detectors are today.

Last year alone, insurance claims for damage from water leaks exceeded $23 billion.

Accidental water damage is a major and costly problem in both commercial and residential buildings. Sudden water eruptions usually occur without warning—often when no one is present. Silent leaks can go undetected for days or even months.

Recent statistics reported by the Environmental Protection Agency and studies performed by the insurance industry indicate that water represents a very costly threat to homeowners.

  • One drip per minute will result in the loss of 7 gallons of water per month resulting in significant water and mold damage.
  • In 2003, insurers paid over $23 billion dollars to correct accidental water damage.
  • In addition, insurers paid out over $3 billion dollars for mold related damages.
    Many of these started with a slow leak that was undetected for some period of time.
  • If wet or damp areas are not dried within 24 to 48 hours after a leak occurs, mold will grow.

According to the “Wall Street Journal”, water damage is the second highest claim against insurance companies next to weather-related floods.

Although the sudden disaster resulting from a water fixture failure (air conditioners, toilets, refrigerators, water heaters, etc.) is the most recognized type of problem, the little leak can be equally disastrous. When slow leaks are finally detected, mold is usually present. And mold remediation is very expensive.

Immediate response to the presence of unwanted water, whether from a major or silent problem, is essential in order to avoid costly damage.

comments from the editor:

Water Detection - first line of defense

Following the most recent flooding in our building I had installed in my unit a water detection system that I personally believe should be a requirement in all high-rise buildings.  The significance of water damage in towers such as ours is too great to not take extraordinary measures of prevention and control.  When water leaks can be confined to a single unit that is one thing.  But due to the risk of damage to other units and to common areas - every precaution must be taken to minimize risk and damage.

I direct your attention to www.dtection.com not to push a particular product but to share with you valuable information that may help you decide what course of action to take to help protect this valuable property we call the Pinnacle Tower.  A simple search of the internet will show you that High-rise flooding is a very serious issue and there are products available to help.  Fortunately for us at the Pinnacle we have a homeowner who is in the business of water detection and will gladly assist you.  In fact - a group rate purchase may be available if enough people sign up for the product and service that Pete has.  For more information or to add your name to a list of interested parties please email Pete at:  sdwaterdetection@cox.net or call him at 619-857-2289

Stop the Water - NOW !

In addition to detecting a water problem there are devices that will also shut off water valves in an emergency.   Again all of this information is available from the internet and Pete will assist you.

Note:  After contacting my own insurer I was told they offer discounts for burglar alarm systems but not for water detection systems.  How ridiculous is that?  If there is anyone in the building who has insurance that will offer such a discount let me know so I can share that information with others. - Pat McArron

< Here is where the big rupture occurred - inside the wall of the Master Closet of 706.

From our Facility Director:

The status on the water damage is that Harbro is putting together a detailed estimate for Fireman’s Fund, our HOA insurance company. Once that is accepted they will begin repairs to the units first, then common areas. Some owners have already started the repair process. The person leading the repair crews is Kevin and his number is 858-243-2156

All complaints that need to be officially addressed need to be in writing to me, so we can take care of the matter. They don’t have to disclose their names.

Pets - Pets are NOT allowed on the second floor.  This is a health and safety requirement.

Amenity Suite & Theater - When amenity room is used it needs to be left in a clean condition when residents are done using it. Do not open Audio/Visual cabinets. All equipment is functional by remote and is set up by American Home Entertainment. Changing settings ruins it for the next person and costs money to be reset.

Safe Driving - Observe speed limit signs in the garage and take care when making turns (use the mirrors).

Parking Control - Obtain your parking stickers from the concierge.  Never leave your vehicle unlocked.  Please make every effort to park your vehicle within your parking stall.  

Worth repeating:  Several Friendly Reminders:

  • Storage - Do not store items in common areas, including on top of storage units and parking spaces. 

  • Anger Management - The Board requests that owners and residents be vigilant and make every effort to avoid unpleasant episodes and if they see any, to attempt as best they can to diffuse them.

  • Balconies - No hosing or excess water to be used to clean balconies.

  • Concierge - No tipping of the Concierge staff.  (This is a condition of our contract with CAL)  A 'Holiday Fund' will be available later this year to all residents who wish to give a monetary contribution.

  • Security - Please keep your unit front doors locked at all times - even when your are home.

  • Garage - Please observe all posted signs in the garage.  Speeding is dangerous and could result in damage and injury.  Park only in your designated parking space.

  • Be careful when entering the garage. Make sure to use the remote every time when entering and exiting.  It is recommended that you not follow another vehicle into the garage. There have been problems with the garage gates closing on cars.  Always use caution when entering and exiting the garage.

  • Responsibility - Owners must take responsibility for their pets to avoid serious fines.

  • Hazardous Materials:  Please leave your household hazardous materials next to the Recycle Bin on the Ground Floor (not in garage) and the staff will put it with other materials to be picked up.

Amanda has left the building

We wish to express thanks to Amanda Montour who these past months has assisted Rich G during the "breaking in" period of the Pinnacle Tower.  Amanda will be missed and we wish her all the best in her new endeavors in Florida as she pursues a life long dream as an artist.

The importance of FACTS & cooperation

As was noted at the most recent Board of Directors meeting (Sep 20),  it is extremely important to let the committee process work in our behalf as interested parties in the future success of the Pinnacle Tower.  Cooperation is essential - which translates into honest open communication with each other.  Obtaining the facts is an integral part of successful communication.  In response to a request from several homeowners a Pinnacle Forum has been created on a trial basis.  The benefits of such a forum will depend on the number of owners who sign on to the service.  The forum is nothing more than a group discussion list limited to members of the Pinnacle Museum Tower Owners Association (PMTOA) only.  The service is free and is hosted by Yahoo.com  Just visit our website to join the discussion list.  At this writing 5 homeowners have signed on to the service.

Children's Museum update -

As most everyone knows by now - construction is in high gear on the new Children's Museum.  Walls are going up with the aide of a huge mobile crane.  Scheduled opening is Fall 2007.  We will let the pictures speak for themselves.

     

      

And from the "OOPS" Dept:  

Take a close look the lower right corner photo above.   Hmm - looks like something didn't quite match up.  As a result - one of our planter boxes will have to be cut and shortened.

The Fire Escape is temporarily CLOSED.

From the "Sad but True" Dept:

Has anyone noticed all of the cigarette butts in front of our Union St entrance?  How about the cans on top of our Union St awning?  What a sad commentary on the lack of respect for our home.  The butts and cans are not from downtown pedestrians - they are from residents and or visitors to the Pinnacle Tower.  If you see anyone throwing anything from their balcony - REPORT them immediately to Rich G or the concierge.  This is not only disrespectful - it is dangerous and should anyone be injured it is a felony!

Dryer Vents - Consider this your endless reminder to clear your interior dryer vents (not just the ones inside your dryer but also the one in the wall).  It cannot be stressed enough just how important this is.  A blocked vent is bad news for you, your dryer, your unit and the moisture build-up that this can cause.

Letters to the Editor:

Yesterday I had a Mexican national couple visiting who are business partners of [ours].  The lady was quite proud of her dress for lunch, which included a pair of white slacks.  Upon returning from lunch, we took them to view our unit in the Pinnacle.  After a nice visit we all departed together.  We entered the elevator and somewhere between floors 11 & 7, a woman entered the elevator accompanied by a black Labrador dog.  The woman was unable to control the behavior of the dog and the dog spotted my pants on the left leg with his drippy nose and then went to our lady guest and not only spotted her left knee but also spotted her crotch.  The dog then rubbed its body on the other leg of her slacks which left dirt residue.  Needless to say that after all this happened, our guest was irate --- and rightfully so!! 
 
This is just another example of the inconveniences that can be expected when you have animals in the building.  A dog that large is very hard to control in a small space the size of an elevator no matter how hard the handler tries to make the dog behave.
 
Just thought I would pass this along.

We are out of town, Pat, but according to our neighbors, we have a leak in our master bedroom and a crack in the ceiling as a result of yesterday's flood. I have sent an email to Rich reporting it and will follow up. We have done nothing else.

On a personal note, thank you for keeping everyone up to date. As an absentee owner, it's great to have you sharing what is going on. Please keep it up. And, if there is something other homeowners are doing regarding leak protection and repairs, would you please share it with us?

Well everyone, that's it for this edition of the Pinnacle Tower News.  Remember - stay in touch with one another and get to know your neighbors.  We have some pretty terrific people in the Pinnacle Tower.  We are a community within a community.  High-rise living has it's own unique requirements for successful and harmonious living.
Pat McArron, editor