By Jessica Baker, Esq.

The laundry room can be the most dangerous room in your home. While a clothes dryer does not seem threatening, according to the National Fire Protection Association, it is the cause of approximately 15,000 house fires each year totaling millions of dollars in damage.

Dryer lint is very flammable. It quickly accumulates inside the dryer vent and ductwork, putting your unit and potentially the entire community at risk. In addition, dryer lint buildup reduces airflow, increases costs, and can lead to mold and mildew. To prevent this, dryer vents and ducts should be cleaned on a regular basis.

Community associations have a legitimate interest in making sure that all the dryer vents in their communities are properly maintained. The relatively minor cost of having a professional clean a dryer vent and ensure it is in working order can help prevent significant damage to the community.

By Caroline Record, Esq., CCAL

Effective January 1, 2019, the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code, State Fire Prevention Code, was amended to require that all multiple dwellings have an approved 10-year sealed battery single station alarm installed. The proposed reason for this change is that a battery cannot then be used for another purpose, or not changed for an extended period of time, thereby reducing the number of non-working smoke alarms in a building. Thus, any existing smoke alarms that may use a 9-volt battery must be replaced with a 10-year sealed lithium battery type alarm. If the smoke detector is hard-wired, it will not have to be replaced. Likewise, any carbon monoxide detector does not need to be replaced unless it is combined with a non-hard-wired smoke detector.

After January 1, 2019, the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) will be citing those units which do not have the new, required alarms, during its 5-year inspections. Therefore, all unit owners must be advised that their smoke alarms must be replaced. In addition, upon the resale or rental of a unit/home after January 1 date, the new smoke alarms will be required.

For more information, please click here to read the DCA press release.

For more information on this or any other issue concerning your community association, please contact one of our Community Associations attorneys. For breaking news or updates on new blog posts, follow us on Twitter at: @njcondolaw, on Facebook at: njcondolaw, and on LinkedIn at: Hill Wallack Community Association Attorneys.

By Jonathan H. Katz, Esq.

Hill Wallack LLP’s “Classic Condo Cases” is a continuing series in which we look back at precedential Court opinions and discuss why each decision is important for community associations throughout New Jersey.

Siddons v. Cook and Country Place Condominium Association, 382 N.J. Super. 1 (App. Div. 2005).

Quick Take: Community associations have a duty to warn owners of potential, recurring conditions/deficiencies that are known to the association and may cause damage, even if those conditions/deficiencies are solely within a unit/home and not part of the common elements.

Just the Facts: Sandra Siddons owned a downstairs condominium unit; David and Wendy Cook owned the unit directly above Siddons. Both units were part of the Country Place Condominium Association (the “Association”), located in Egg Harbor, NJ. Siddons sued the Cooks and the Association after her unit suffered water damage in excess of $25,000 as a result of a broken dishwasher hose in the Cooks’ unit. The Association was aware that dishwasher hoses in other condominium units (three, to be exact) had previously cracked/broken; however, since those hoses were the unit owner’s responsibility, the Association took the position that it had no responsibility to take any affirmative action to notify the other owners.

“It’s deja-vu all over again.”

To clarify the questions raised by it’s original FAQ (“Frequently Asked Questions”), the New Jersey Department of Health has issued an Updated FAQ regarding the new rules and regulations with regard to the New Jersey State Sanitary Code, Chapter IX – Public Recreational Bathing, N.J.A.C. 8:26. The Updated FAQ clarifies the new lifeguard requirements specifically with respect to “specially exempt” facilities (see picture above).

You can review the UPDATED Department of Health’s FAQ by clicking here.

“Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water…”

To address some of many, many questions that have arisen regarding the new rules and regulations updating the New Jersey State Sanitary Code, Chapter IX – Public Recreational Bathing, N.J.A.C. 8:26, the New Jersey Department of Health has recently published a FAQ (“Frequently Asked Questions”). The FAQ covers questions involving the new lifeguard requirements, “specially exempt” facilities, water sampling, and operational requirements.

You can review the Department of Health’s FAQ by clicking here.

By Jonathan H. Katz, Esq.

In order to help community associations understand and plan for implementation of these new rules and regulations, Hill Wallack LLP will be hosting a free webinar on this topic with representatives from American Pool at 12 p.m. (noon) on February 20, 2018. If you are interested in registering for this webinar, please click here.

Without much publicity or fanfare, new rules and regulations updating the New Jersey State Sanitary Code, Chapter IX – Public Recreational Bathing, N.J.A.C. 8:26, became effective on January 16, 2018. If you live in a community association with a pool, these new rules and regulations will have a significant impact on opening and operating your pool this coming season. These are the most sweeping and important changes that have been made in a number of years, so managers and board members will need to pay close attention.