Whether you are a long term renter or a
home owner there are things that must be done around your home when you live in
Cozumel. The process can be costly by island standards and time consuming. Here
are the tasks my family is undertaking this month:
Inspect and clean the roof tops. Debris
accumulates on the roof tops that will fly around in a storm and cause damage
as well as clog your drains. The cement roof will wear with age and eventually
cause leaks that can weaken the walls and ceilings in your home. This year we
will be resealing the first floor roof
of a room we constructed just three years ago as well as the second floor roof.
Resealing both roofs will cost about $5,000 pesos.
Next we must clean, repair, and replace (if
needed) the drain pipes. It is not
as simple as cleaning the gutters around the roof back home. We have unattended
property on two sides of our home, dirt, sand, and leaves make their way into
the tubing very quickly. Cutting over- hanging branches is a necessity. Take
great care to avoid cables and wires.
I took the opportunity to inspect all our
windows during the big rain storm last month. The window caulking held well, but some glass bricks in one bathroom
wall allowed rain in when the storm was coming in from the south.
The south side of our home is totally
inaccessible from the outside. The owners of the property next door keep their
gate locked. The property consists of some crumbling structures, with weeds,
bushes, and trees that have been unattended the three years I have lived here,
possibly for many years. I obtained permission to enter and the key for what I
thought would be a simple caulking task.
Wrong, that entire side of the house had to
be reinforced with cement. That wall
was deteriorating to the point that serious damage could be caused by the next
hurricane that comes along. I contacted a cement worker and had a crew
reinforce the south side of the house.
The procedure on the island is to get an
estimate for the labor, a list of supplies and a start and end date. You
purchase your own supplies and have them available for the workers. The day
they finish the project, you provide lunch and beer.
The
neighboring property is an eye sore and that side of my home has just been out
of sight, out of mind. There is only one
small window that sits high on our bedroom wall on that entire side of the
house. To our dismay, we discovered the Window
Protector was held in place with screws! Anyone could have come along,
unscrewed the rod iron protector, and entered our home in our absence. I
promptly contracted the “Iron Man” to cement in the window protector and
inspected the installation of all the window protectors in our home.
Check all your screens for holes and tears, it is dengue season. Normal wear and
tear will enable the little creatures to get in your home.
I inspected the hurricane shutters; made certain they close properly and located
the keys.
This takes us to metal and iron on the
island. Everything rusts due to the
salt water. A thorough inspection of everything that is metal is a must
annually. This year the rod iron gates, window protectors, and patio furniture
show a minimal amount of rust and just need touch up.
I had not realized that the two new
overhead fans I purchased less than a year ago have metal blades. What I
thought was a little dust on the edges is rust. The inside lid to our washing
machine and almost all major appliances are showing small rust spots. A little
sand paper, rust proofing and a touch of metal paint will extend the life
everything and prevent major expenses and time in the future. (Note that we
also own our gas tanks, their upkeep will prevent having to buy a replacement.)
The water tanks or Tinacas must be cleaned annually. Even though they are kept closed,
stuff grows in there that you do not want to be bathing and washing with.
Air
conditioners need annual maintenance
to keep them operable and running efficiently. I also replace the weather stripping
around the doors as needed.
Inspect all plumbing for slow leaks you might have not noticed. Faucets and
fixtures need replacing often on the island, I do not know if it is because of
the wear and tear or the quality available. The shower heads need to be soaked
in a special solution periodically to unplug clogged holes.
Oil everything wood on a regular basis,
especially wooden handles on knifes brought from the States.
We took out the Generator and did a test run. We had to change the oil and buy a
new spark plug.
We painted
the outside of the house last year. This year we will only do touch up for
spots that are stained, discolored or have been newly cemented.
Last but not least, pull everything out of
storage areas for a good cleaning. It does not matter how clean you keep your
home, the humidity affects everything on the island and we have critters that
will find their way into your home. We fumigate
monthly because of the unattended lots on either side of our property.
