Interior and exterior maintenance & repair tools
Whether you’re a maintenance technician for a large complex or an independent rental owner working on your own property, there are a lot of tools that make interior and exterior maintenance and repair easier and more effective. Here’s a guide to some of the most common ones.
Review all of your resources to make the most effective repair
Acrylic Latex Caulk – A type of caulk that is considered very versatile. It can be cleaned up with water and painted and dries very quickly. Best for caulking around wood trim and thin joints in dry areas.
Building Exterior Checklist – A checklist to identify potential problems before they become costly to repair—or potentially hazardous to residents and community team members.
Butyl Rubber Caulk – Primarily for outdoor use. A great sealant for storm windows and doors, downspout and gutter seams. Fills larger joints well when used with a caulking rod or backer rod.
Drywall – A board made of several plies of fiberboard, paper or felt bonded to a hardened gypsum plaster core and used especially as wallboard.
Grout – Thin mortar used for filling spaces (such as the joints in masonry).
Make-ready Board – A tool that maintenance technicians and office personnel use to track different tasks required to restore a unit back to its original condition after a resident moves out.
Re-keying a Door Lock – Re-keying a lock involves changing the pins inside the lock so that the old key won’t work and a new key will.
Silicon Caulk – The caulk of choice for showers, tubs and other areas exposed to water. Outstanding adhesion with a long life. Mildew resistant and watertight. Silicone caulk won’t yellow or discolor and usually cannot be painted. Must use rubbing alcohol for clean-up. Also releases ammonia during curing; work with it in a ventilated area.
Vacant Lock – A lock used in all vacant units that unlocks with the same key.
Vinyl Latex Caulk – A type of caulk that is acceptable in wet areas. It adheres very well, dries quickly, can be painted and can be cleaned up with water.
To learn more about the tools necessary for effective maintenance, explore the Certificate for Apartment Maintenance Technicians.
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