Summertime A/C Maintenance

Monthly maintenance of your air conditioning unit is especially important during the peak summer months.

1. Make sure the drain line in your air conditioning-heating unit is kept clean and flowing properly to avoid costly and messy backup repairs. When an A/C line backs up, the water overflow often damages walls and ceilings in both upstairs and downstairs condominium units. 

First, set the system to "off" at the hallway thermostat. 

Now locate the rubber drain line -- In most Carriage Homes, the AC/heating unit is inside a large closed cabinet in the living room/dining room area, just above a vented metal panel.  

Remove the plastic cap and plastic tube that you will find stuck into the rubber drain line near the bottom of the AC unit. Carefully pour 1/4th cup of vinegar into the drain line and replace the cap. Wait five minutes, then turn the system back on.

Without this simple preventive maintenance, mold, mildew and algae will grow in your AC condensation drain year-round and eventually clog up the drain line. You may not realize the line is backed up until water begins seeping out onto the floor. By then, water has usually puddled in the floor of the wooden cabinet and been absorbed by adjacent drywall, creating a costly repair.

Using vinegar on a monthly basis throughout the year will keep your drain clean and clear and will not damage your line. If you feel something stronger is needed, you can use Clorox bleach diluted with 3-parts water. However, you should pour a cup of the diluted bleach into the drain very carefully in order to avoid spilling any on the drain pan or any other metal. Wait five minutes -- then flush the line with a cup of water to remove any bleach residue before turning the system back on.

2. Frequently replace the AC filter (behind the vented panel) to save $$ on your utility bill and to reduce stress on the AC/heating unit. There are 30-day and 90-day filters available at most home supply stores such as Home Depot, Lowes and Walmart.

3. Check your thermostat settings to make sure your system is responding properly. If it is not turning on or off when it should that may be a warning sign that your system needs service.

4. A/C units should be serviced twice a year: 

• Service technicians will lubricate moving parts in your AC/Heating unit to prevent friction in the motor that could increase your energy usage and damage the unit.

• The voltage and current on motors should also be measured to be sure they are performing properly. And all electrical connections should be tightened.

• Inspect the drain pan and clean if needed. A drain pan that is clogged can cause water overflow and damage in your house.

• Coils in both the evaporator and the condenser should be cleaned. Dirty or corroded coils will cause your unit to run longer to keep you comfortable.

Have a great tip you would like to share? Email to Mary Jo Pezzi.

Recycling Tips

There are lessons we can learn from our children, who are becoming more consciously aware of the need to "conserve, reuse and recycle" as a personal commitment to protect the planet for future generations. I was astonished to learn that 85% of what we throw away could be recycled!

Yashasvi "Yash" Bhat was a fifth grade student when he and his mother decided to make the effort to recycle household plastic, paper, cardboard, tin cans and glass items. So instead of making one trip to the on-site trash compactor, they made an additional trip to a recycling pickup station a few blocks away.

Yash is determined to promote recycling as a worthy effort, and chose "recycling" as a sixth-grade civic service project. You may have seen a poster that he created -- displayed in the community center and at the bulletin board near the mail boxes.  

(Click image to enlarge) 

Conserve - It's easy to conserve water by turning off the water faucet while brushing your teeth and turning the water on again, only to rinse -- or by adjusting the AC/heating to higher and lower settings. (You can actually reduce your power bill by 7% per month by making a one-degree adjustment higher for AC and one-degree lower for heating.)

Reuse - It's also easy to think of many ways to re-use plastic, paper, cardboard and glass product containers rather than purchase additional containers for shipping, storage, gift wrapping etc.

Recycle - But it takes a conscious effort to sort out the paper, cardboard, plastic, glass items, tin and metal can that can be recycled. It's much easier to throw it all into plastic trash bags that can be thrown into the on-site trash compactors. But the cost in future generations to undo the contamination will be high and unavoidable.

Our city, county and state is mandated to steadily increase residential recycling efforts from 30% to 75% within just a few years, but at this time gated communities are exempt.

Since we do not have curbside pickup by city trash collectors, we must take our recycling to the nearest recycling pickup station that is less than a 5-minute drive away.

For more information visit: 
Orange County Recycling Program

Keep Orlando Beautiful - Events & Recycling

Our Mission is to empower individuals to take greater responsibility for enhancing their community environment through litter prevention, waste reduction/recycling, and beautification.

Carriage Homes Landscaping Update

There have been discussions in the past about removing some of the shrubs in the driveway mediums, shrubs that grow too tall and/or have thick trunks and branches that interfere with opening car doors. Read: Landscape Project - March 2013

The Carriage Homes Board of Directors authorized Mary Jo Pezzi to speak at the Stone Bridge Commons Board Meeting to address these concerns, and she has since done a detailed survey of all Carriage Homes residential property, which is available by calling our property manager, Jessica Coleman at 407-996-5530.

The 172 residential units include 88 driveway mediums, and more than half of them have one or more dead or missing plants at the end of the driveway. 

Owners and residents have until June 1 to rely to a letter that was delivered at the door of every unit, sent by email and posted at the office and at the mail boxes. The question is: Do we want mostly grass in the medium or concrete pavers just at the end of driveways, or lower-growing plants. 

In the first week, 17 residents have responded and 15 have said they would like pavers just at the end. Please be sure to call the office by June 1 to be sure we know what you want. We are open to making these changes to all driveways.

The project is slated to be completed in September 2013.

How To Prevent Community Crime

Neighbor Day is an annual celebration
that encourages "good neighboring"

"Getting to know your neighbors is still the best way to help prevent neighborhood crime," said Pablo Campos, the regional director of our management team. "If you know your neighbors, you know when they are on vacation or not living in the unit. So you can be alert to cars pulling into the driveway or other suspicious activity."

As a good neighbor, here's what you can do to help prevent crime in the Stonebridge community.

1. If you observe an attempted car or residence break-in call 9-1-1. It is very important that you call the police, so they can respond immediately and so they can hear first-hand about a reported incident.

2. After you have alerted the police to any crime-in-progress, the next step is to call Jessica Coleman, our community association manager at 407-996-5530 so that she can send out a mass email and phone alert to all residents. This can be done even after hours through the office number, pressing #4 to report an emergency. You will very quickly receive a call-back from one of the on-call management team members (Caesar, Chris or Jessica) and the alert will be sent to residents ASAP -- alerting everyone to be aware of a suspicious incident or crime.

3. Orlando PD shares a Twitter.com live stream of detailed police calls for our 32835 zip code area. So you can use your computer to see and share police information. You can subscribe to the link at: http://twitter.com/orlpol32835.

4. Orlando PD also shares crime reports at CrimeReports.com, where you can enter an address to pull up a local map, and set time and range parameters to see a display of seven types of crimes reported in the greater MetroWest area, and zero-in on detailed information about crime within a 2-mile radius of Stonebridge Commons.

5. We are considered a "low-crime" community by police and all three security companies that gave presentations April 10th to the Stonebridge Association Board.

6. Orlando PD calls our Stonebridge Commons community "very safe" with only 2 active investigations linked to reported crimes within the last 18 months within our 70-acre community of 662 residential units.

All other known crimes, according to police patrol officers were inside jobs, solved within a short time (ie a boyfriend took a car from his girlfriend, a visiting teen friend stole from a resident and then stole from some people around the pool, as well as a string of thefts from 9 cars reported one day six months ago that turned out to be a resident's son.)

Note: There was mention by a resident that someone was "jiggling" the handle of a neighbor's door, trying to get in or checking to see if the door was locked. However the incident was not reported to police, and the office was not immediately made aware of the incident, so no follow-up was possible.

7. The Stonebridge Commons Association Board met with security companies at 3:30 pm, April 10th to discuss spending $45,000 or less per year to have a security guard at the front gate during peak traffic times, when people "tailgate" behind residents through the gate, although no associated-crimes have been reported. Security at the Clubhouse, pool area and "dark areas" between the wall and the back/sides of units was also discussed. However, within this price range for security, we would only be able to have one security officer on-site for 8 hours per day for gate duty and/or on patrol. The money is not in the budget, and could amount to an additional $8 per month per unit in association fees, although we currently have additional money in a budget reserve fund.

Note: All three security companies said an "armed" patrol would be totally inappropriate at Stonebridge. Quote -- "An armed officer at the gate and on patrol sends the wrong message. It sends a negative message and escalates the perceived need for more guns in the community. People wonder, 'Why is there an armed guard? This must be a bad neighborhood. Maybe we need a gun.'"

Crime prevention and a proposal to hire a security company will be discussed and voted on at a Stonebridge Board Meeting set for 6 pm Monday, April 15th at the Clubhouse.

It's crazy how few of us know our neighbors: their names, their phone numbers, what they're about. The explosion of online "social" networking has only made it easier to avoid face-to-face contact in the real world. Think of what you might be missing: Collaborators, friends, emergency contacts, sugar? "If we wish to rebuild our cities, we must first rebuild our neighborhoods," said Harvey Milk. ... So this Neighbor Day, summon the courage to ask the guy in unit 101 what his name is .. again, and check out some community events.

Click links for more details about NeighborDay and how to create a Collaborating Neighborhood.

Italian Veggie Pasta

This is a 30-minute dinner for two -- or double the recipe for a healthy family meal.

Ingredients: 
1/2 box (8oz) of Linguine, one can (14oz) of Hunts petite diced tomatoes  one large clove of fresh garlic, one medium red onion, one zucchini, one yellow squash, and 1/2 cup of fresh Romano Pecorino cheese. Season with basil and oregano, and some McCormick Grillmaster Montreal Steak pepper.

Preparation: Cut the zucchini, yellow squash and red onion into thick slices, cutting each slice in half. (Optionally, you may also want to remove the seeds in the middle of the yellow squash.) Then peel the outer layers from a fresh clove of garlic and cut it into very thin slices.

Let's Cook: Choose a large sauce pan or kettle. Add water until it is 3/4 full, then add 1 teaspoon of rock salt aka "Ice Cream Salt." Bring salted water to a boil, then add 1/2 box of Linguine and follow cooking instructions (usually 9-11 minutes.)

Meanwhile, Saute the garlic and onion over medium-high heat with 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. After a few minutes, add the zucchini and yellow squash and stir the mixture until the veggies are coated with oil. Cover the skillet and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook 5 minutes. Remove the pan lid. Add the can of diced tomatoes and generous amounts of seasoning. Simmer together for a few minutes.

Drain the Linguine and dump it into the skillet. Mix well and serve on large plates. Add about 1/2 cup of shredded or thinly sliced Romano cheese over the top of each portion on the plates. Mix and wait a couple of minutes for the cheese to partially melt before serving. 
~ This recipe from Mary Jo & PierGiorgio Pezzi.

Have a great recipe you want to share? Email it to Mary Jo Pezzi.

Carriage Homes Landscaping Concerns

Landscaping is again in the news. The Carriage Homes Association has been asked for comments and recommendations concerning the proposed replacement and possible re-design of residential landscape areas.

The Stonebridge Commons community board will take these recommendations into consideration when they move forward with plans in the next few weeks to get bids and begin replacing plants that have died, and other plants that may need to be replaced.

There have been discussions in the past about removing some of the shrubs in the driveway mediums, shrubs that grow too tall and/or have thick trunks and branches that interfere with opening car doors. Grass or plants that commonly grow close to the ground were previously suggested, before the major landscaping project last year. There was also discussion about re-designing the landscaping in front of houses in order to create a 2-foot area on the other side of driveways that would allow people to step out of parked vehicles onto a mulched area rather than into plants and shrubs.

We would like your recommendations and feedback about distressed and/or inappropriate plants. We need your input ASAP so that we can present our recommendations in a couple of weeks at the next Stonebridge Commons Board Meeting (date/time TBA.)

Post your comments here or email Mary Jo Pezzi.

AC-Heating Unit Tip

Here's a tip that should be done monthly, but a least semi-monthly to make sure the rubber drain line in your air conditioning-heating unit is kept clean and flowing properly to avoid costly and messy backup repairs.  

First, set the system to "off" at the hallway thermostat. 

Now locate the rubber drain line -- In most Carriage Homes, the AC/heating unit is inside a large closed cabinet in the living room/dining room area, just above a vented metal panel.  

Remove the plastic cap and plastic tube that you will find stuck into the rubber drain line near the bottom of the AC unit. Carefully pour 1/4th cup of vinegar into the drain line and replace the cap. Wait five minutes, then turn the system back on.

Without this simple preventive maintenance, mold, mildew and algae will grow in your AC condensation drain year-round and eventually clog up the drain line. You may not realize the line is backed up until water begins seeping out onto the floor. By then, water has usually puddled in the floor of the wooden cabinet and been absorbed by adjacent drywall, creating a costly repair.

** Also frequently replace the AC filter (behind the vented panel) to save $$ on your utility bill and to reduce stress on the AC/heating unit.

Using vinegar on a monthly basis throughout the year will keep your drain clean and clear and will not damage your line. If you feel something stronger is needed, you can use Clorox bleach diluted with 3-parts water. However, you should pour a cup of the diluted bleach into the drain very carefully in order to avoid spilling any on the drain pan or any other metal. Wait five minutes -- then flush the line with a cup of water to remove any bleach residue before turning the system back on. ~ This tip from Aimee Hamburger.

Have a great tip you would like to share? Email to Mary Jo Pezzi.

Board of Directors: Carriage Homes & SBC

Carriage Homes/August 2012 - There were not enough votes by owners present or by proxy for a quorum in order to have the election and annual meeting of Carriage Homes at Stonebridge Commons Condominium Association Inc. 

A simple majority: 87 of the 172 Carriage Homes owners was needed. But only five owners were represented in person and fewer than 20 proxy election votes were received. 

Five people had written to the board secretary, expressing a desire to serve on the board. They have become the current board members. At the Aug. 29, 2012 organizational board meeting that followed, the board nominated and voted for the following officers:

Carriage Homes Board of Directors 

Stanley Chlastawa, President
Manoj Desai, Vice President
Sudar Bhat, Treasurer
Aimee Hamburger, Secretary
Mary Jo Pezzi, Director

Mary Jo Pezzi is the only board member without previous experience on the board.

Stonebridge Commons/October 2012 - There were not enough votes by owners present or by proxy for a quorum in order to have the election and annual meeting of Stonebridge Commons Community Association, Inc., the main community board that represents the owners in Carriage Homes, Mandalay, Ventura  and Vistas. 

Therefore, the people who expressed a written desire to serve on the board were not considered; and the existing three board members nominated and voted on owners to fill empty board seats at the organizational meeting that followed, Oct. 17, 2012. Members of the board then elected officers, who will serve until the next annual election in the fall of 2013.

Stonebridge Commons Board of Directors 

Greg Morrison, President.
Om Mendiratta, Vice President
Isreal Lopez, Secretary/Treasurer
Stanley Chlastawa, Director
Hoyt Layson, Director

The newly chosen Stonebridge Commons board members include representatives from each of the four secondary association boards. Greg Morrison is the current secretary-treasurer of the Vistas board; Om Mendiratta also serves as a Vistas board member; Isreal Lopez is vice president of the Ventura board; Stanley Chlastawa is president of the Carriage Homes board; and Hoyt Layson is president of the Mandalay board.

Stonebridge Commons Community Management


Jessica Coleman is the current Stonebridge Commons Community Association's on-site manager. Pablo Campos, who is often on-site, is the regional director for our current management company, 
FirstService Residential

FirstService Residential (formerly The Continental Group) also manages a website for the  Stonebridge Commons Community.
Office Hours are Monday - Friday 8 am to 5 pm

6302 Ducados Pointe at Stonebridge Commons

Metro West - Orlando 32835

Telephone: 407.996.5530

The next Carriage Homes Association board meeting is at 6 pm, Tuesday, April 9th in the Clubhouse to discuss "Landscaping" "Crime" and "Recreation areas." - Join the discussion.