Archives: July 29, 2011

ApnaComplex
July 29, 2011

Housing Society Knowhow – Monsoon Tips for Ground Floor Residents

Monsoon in India is always unpredictable, and the intensity of showers may vary greatly from place to place, with time. While the heavy rains might not create much havoc in a well planned housing society that has a good drainage system and well established monsoon measures, sometimes due to unprecedented showers, water stagnation and subsequent flooding might occur if the drains get blocked.

monsoon tips for ground floor residents

This might not have much of an effect on all residents, but the ones residing in the ground floor will feel the pinch as water may creep into their homes through cracks and faults, if any. Preparing your ground floor flat for the monsoon and fixing any blatant issues beforehand can help in this regard.

What You Can Do

  • Check the walls and ceiling for leaks

Even minor cracks along the walls can bring about heavy leaks due to the monsoon rains. There are many home care and maintenance products that are available in the market and you can use these to fix minor leaks. If the cracks or fissures are major, opt for professional help and fix them well before the monsoon, because fixing a leak may be tedious at that time.

  • Check the wiring and electrical equipment

Indefinite electrical shutdowns or power cuts are quite common during the rainy season. Additionally, water can seep into faulty electrical panels or equipments around the house and this may create an environment that’s conducive to electrical shocks and breakdowns. List out your electrical appliances and check their wiring. Cover all appliances properly and replace old wires with new quality wires while making sure that they have been proper earthed.

  • Check all wooden doors and windows

Apartments in the ground floor tend to collect more moisture owing to the stagnant water bodies around the outside walls during the monsoon. Increased moisture may cause your wooden doors to swell, and this may ruin the decor of your house and jam the door temporarily as well. Chipping off the section of the door or window that gets stuck will solve the problem in this case. Also, the hinges and locks must be checked for proper operation.

  • Cover the windows and open areas

The windows on the ground floor can be partially covered to guide the rain water away from the wall. This will also allow less damping, ensuring lesser chances of seepages. Also, open areas like balconies can be covered to restrict rain water from stagnating around the house, which may promote the growth of mosquitoes.

  • Roll up your carpets and heavy curtains

Staying on the ground floor results in lesser cross ventilation, leading to more humidity inside. Remove all carpets and heavy curtains and pack them up before the monsoon starts. You can facilitate ventilation by using lighter curtains, as these will help you avoid a damp and humid environment.

  • Maintain all wooden cupboards and drawers

High levels of moisture on the ground floor can often cause your wooden cupboards and drawers to get jammed. You can place camphor in your drawers and cupboards as this will effectively prevent them from getting stuck and causing any inconvenience. Chip off the swollen sections that you find in your cupboard doors.

Planning for the monsoon season well in advance and taking up these preventive measures can help you bring down the issues that ground floor residents normally face during the monsoon.

Get your Society on ApnaComplex – Today!

ApnaComplex is India’s most comprehensive web based housing society accounting, management and communication software. It is designed to make the life of residents and owners a lot better by bringing in more transparency and accountability in managing a housing society. Check out the features of ApnaComplex and sign up your society today to get the benefits! We offer a free 30-day trial as well so that you can try before you buy!

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ApnaComplex
July 28, 2011

Housing Society Knowhow – Keeping the Rain Gutters Clean

Rain gutters are used to direct rain water away from the building. If you ignore the gutters in your housing society building and allow them to get clogged, the rain water will overflow beyond a point and get dumped down along the sides of your house. If you stay in an apartment compelx with basement parking, the water can even enter your vehicles and mess them up.
Keeping the Gutters Clean

Rain Gutters and Drainage

Rain gutters collect water and channel it along the edges of the roof towards a downpipe which drains the water. This prevents the water from seeping through into the building and causing problems related to dampness, and mold and mildew.

Keeping the Gutters Clean

If you have easy and safe access to the roof of the housing society, this can be an easy task. Regularly sweep out leaves and other debris that can clog up the gutters and pipes. If you face difficulty in accessing your roof, it is better to hire a professional to perform the cleaning process, especially during the rainy season.

Ensure that the gutters are smooth and allow the water to flow freely towards the downspout. Any rough edges or ridges on the surface can cause water to collect and not drain properly. If you have a problem with falling leaves and other wastes, you need to clean it regularly to prevent stagnation of water and overflow.

Water stagnation can also cause other problems. Stagnant water can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other pests. You can install mesh or wire covers over the gutter as these will prevent the buildup of debris. This step will also bring in the concept of proper maintenance of the covers, as if you let them get blocked, rain water will not seep through to the gutters and instead, will spill over the sides of the building.

Trim the Trees

If you find that there’s a tree that has branches hanging near the roof, it should be a definite cause for concern. Leaves and seeds from the tree will find their way into the gutter eventually. You can try trimming the branches that actually reach over the roof so that this problem is eliminated. You can either do this on your own or talk to the housing society maintenance team.

‘Doing it Yourself’ Methods

To clean the gutter, scoop out the dirt and leaves and dump them into a canvas bag. If the downpipe is clogged, insert a hose down the pipe and turn on the water. The force of the water should clear out any blockage and flush it out of the pipe. You can then hose down and clean the gutters to clear away any remaining dirt.

If you have installed gutter covers, you should sweep away any dirt and debris from it and clean it up with a hose.

If the covers are blocked, you need to remove them and do a thorough job of cleaning and clearing the covers before putting them back in place. Put the covers back on and wipe off any dirt remaining in and around the area.

Call for Help

If you are facing a serious problem of blockage and debris build-up, it is better to call in professional helpers. In fact, it is a good idea to hire a professional through your managing committee to clean up the rain gutters at least twice a year.

Keeping the rain gutters clean not only ensures proper drainage of rain water; it also prevents water stagnation in the gutters, which can invite mosquitoes and other insects. Clean gutters and downpipes drain away the water and redirect it back to the ground, away from the housing society, from where it can eventually flow underground and replenish the water table.

Get your Society on ApnaComplex – Today!
ApnaComplex is India’s most comprehensive web based housing society accounting, management and communication software. It is designed to make the life of residents and owners a lot better by bringing in more transparency and accountability in managing a housing society. Check out the features of ApnaComplex and sign up your society today to get the benefits! We offer a free 30-day trial as well so that you can try before you buy!
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ApnaComplex
July 14, 2011

Cost Cutting In A Housing Society – The Importance Of An Energy Efficient Refrigerator

Refrigerators are one of the major energy hungry appliances in a housing society. They might use less power than the air conditioners or the electric water heaters present in all flats in a housing society, but you can turn off the AC or the water heater. The refrigerator is a continuously run appliance that you cannot switch off.

Think of your refrigerator and then think of the number of houses in your housing society. How many refrigerators does it translate to? The total energy cost would be eye popping. And that is just limited to your housing society, while the city is bound to have more such societies by the dozen.

Cutting Electricity Costs

Wouldn’t you jump at an option to save on all that expense?
You don’t have to go back to using earthenware pots and storing food in cool dark shelves and there are many practical solutions that you can choose.

Energy Efficient Models

The solution is to go and buy an energy efficient model to replace your old energy guzzler. If your fridge was bought in the 1990s or earlier, consider getting a new model. The newer refrigerators are vastly more energy efficient than the older models. More efficient compressors and better insulation, results in much lower power consumption.

Newer energy efficient models have to follow more stringent energy use standards. With all the competition, most companies try to provide more energy efficiency than the standard required by the BEE. You can benefit from the same.

Lower Electric Bills

There’s a reason why every resident in a housing society should care about this issue and the most important point is to cut costs. You are sure to be paying utility bills every month – wouldn’t you love to see your power bills go down? Replacing them with energy efficient models means lower power consumption, and lesser costs.  Look for BEE labels on the products; they are an assurance that the models follow the standards set by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency.

Cost to the Environment

In most areas, electricity is generated by burning fossil fuels like coal. These release carbon-dioxide into the air. The more energy you use, the more carbon dioxide is added to the atmosphere. This traps heat on the earth’s surface, causing the green house effect. That is why summers are getting hotter every year.

Even if you don’t particularly care about ecology, it still comes back to affect you. The hotter the climate gets, the more you need to use appliances like the AC and the fridge. That again translates to higher energy bills.

Depletion of Fossil Fuels

The more power you use, the more fossil fuels are used up. The problem is that these are not sustainable energy sources and one day, they will run out. So, until safe viable alternatives are found to satisfy the ever increasing need for power – electricity or motor fuel – we need to conserve what we have.

Energy Rating

As of 2010, BEE labeling has been made mandatory for Frost Free Refrigerators, while labeling is still voluntary for Direct Cool systems. These star rated refrigerators might cost a bit more. But when you factor in the cost savings in terms of lowered electric bills, you could probably recover the cost in two or three years. That is not bad for a machine that would probably be used for around a decade, if maintained well.

A housing society comprises several residences. Count the total cost in terms of money, energy, and the cost to the environment. If the members of your housing society get together and decide to use energy efficient appliances, think of how much you could be saving.

Get your Society on ApnaComplex – Today!

ApnaComplex is India’s most comprehensive web based housing society accounting, management and communication software. It is designed to make the life of residents and owners a lot better by bringing in more transparency and accountability in managing a housing society. Check out the features of ApnaComplex and sign up your society today to get the benefits! We offer a free 30-day trail as well so that you can try before you buy!

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ApnaComplex
July 7, 2011

Organizing Pool Parties In A Housing Society – The Dos and Donts

Residents in every housing society will be striving to come up with fresh ideas to organize get togethers. If you feel that you’re facing the same fix, why not throw a pool party, if your housing society has a pool? A pool party is a great way to have fun.

But organizing a pool party will be the hard part, and you’ll have to take care of all the intricacies involved as a team. If you keep it simple and plan ahead, you can have a great and safe pool party. Get your housing society association to prepare the pool first and you can chip in with the other residents and contribute effectively.

Organizing Pool Parties

Pre-Party Planning

Plan your party well. This way, you will encounter fewer hassles during the party. Plan out the many sections during the party and how the event will progress. List out the performers, if any, and create a detailed schedule.

Invitations

First send out fun invitations. They can be a simple ‘you are invited to our pool party’ to beach themed cards accompanied by matching confetti. If you live in a big housing society, you could probably just have the invitation delivered by hand.

Clean the Pool

Help the housing society association along with the other residents to ensure that the pool is clean and freshly filled for the party.

Divide the Area Around the Pool

Ensure that there is an area where the guests can change their clothes. Divide areas for lounging, playing games, may be even a barbeque. Probably, the housing society would’ve planned these divisions too, when they built the pool. Once you divide the area, things will run smoothly.

Arrange for Food and Drinks

Depending on the type of party you are arranging, you can plan for some light snacks and drinks, or a tropical themed fare.

Provide Lots of Towels

Be prepared with lots of clean towels for the guests. If you don’t have enough towels to go around, ask the guests to be sure to bring their own.

Dry the Surrounding Tiles

Ensure that the area around the pool remains clean and non-slippery. This will help you avoid nasty accidents.

Provide Pool Toys

Have a lot of inflatable rafts and tubes and toys, for both the adults and kids. These can help them stay afloat and increase the fun quotient.

Supervise the Kids

Kids are the ones who are probably going to enjoy the party the most. But make sure that one or more of the adults take turns watching the kids, to keep them safe.

Arrange for Some Music

Arrange for some nice beach themed music and play them through the poolside speakers. Don’t make it too loud, as it can disrupt conversations that people maybe having.

Organize Games

Organize fun games to keep the guests entertained. Search the net for some nice party game ideas and implement the same.

Sunscreens and Shades

Provide the guests with sunscreens and shades. If there are trees around the area of the pool, they can be used after obtaining due permission. You can also put up umbrella shades.

First Aid Kits

Keep such kits handy, and hope that you’ll never need them. After all, it may come in handy if a kid falls and skins his knee.

The Table

Cover the table in a bright colored cloth. Use bright flowers as the centerpiece. Keep plates of food ready and the drinks cool and fresh. Arrange for the food along with the other residents and keep vegetarian and non vegetarian items separately.

Pool parties are a nice way to beat the heat during summer. If you live in a housing society, it can be easier to arrange. You can have the housing society association prepare the pools and arrange for the chairs. Pool parties are by nature informal and so, a great way to meet people and get acquainted.

Get your Society on ApnaComplex – Today!
ApnaComplex is India’s most comprehensive web based housing society accounting, management and communication software. It is designed to make the life of residents and owners a lot better by bringing in more transparency and accountability in managing a housing society. Check out the features of ApnaComplex and sign up your society today to get the benefits! We offer a free 30-day trial as well so that you can try before you buy!
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ApnaComplex
July 6, 2011

Conserving Water In A Housing Society – Tips For Every Household – Housing Society

Water is a precious resource and the world over; it is also a dwindling resource – even in a housing society. Increasing human population is piling a huge demand on the overall water resources, and reservoirs are drying up and water tables are correspondingly going down. Housing societies everywhere are looking for ways to conserve water usage and replenish water reserves.

Conserving Water In a Housing Society
There are several ways through which the residents in your housing society can conserve water:

  • Leaky Faucets – Check for leaking taps. The eternally dripping water can slowly add up to gallons of waste water in a short time. Fix all leaks immediately after pointing them out.
  • Flush Tank Leaks – Check to see if your toilet tank leaks water. If you suspect a leak but cannot be sure, add some coloring to the water in the tank. If the water in the toilet bowl colors up without the flush being used, it means you have a leak. Fix the leak as soon as you can.
  • Displace Water in Flush Tanks – If you have a flush tank that takes in a lot of water, you can cut down on that extra water. Fill a water bottle with sand and put it inside the tank. This displaces the water in the tank, and the tank takes less water to fill up. Don’t displace too much water. Insufficient water won’t clear the toilet in one flush and will result in people doing multiple flushes.
  • Install New Flush Tanks – Low flush or controlled flush systems can help you conserve a lot of water as the flush can be controlled throughout.
  • No Bathtubs – Filling a bathtub takes a lot of water. So avoid using bathtubs and use showers instead. These are better and will keep you free of sweat.
  • Restrict Water Flow in Showers – Use low flow shower heads or install flow restrictors in your showers. This way you can cut down the water flow through your showers.
  • Take Short Showers – Do not take long baths. When you are soaping up, turn off the shower. Turn it on only when you need to wash off the soap. Letting the water run throughout can waste a lot of water.
  • Prevent Clogging of Water Pipes – Salt content in water can quickly clog your water pipes. Your housing society should consider installing desalination or water softening systems to ensure clear water gets pumped through the water pipes.

How can this help conserve water?
When water flows out slowly from taps, people have a tendency to leave it running for longer. Also, they leave it on to fill buckets with water, and then might forget to turn it off. In these and other ways, water pipe clogging may result in water wastage. Steady, smooth flow of water through pipes and taps ensure more efficient usage.

  • Don’t Leave Water Running – When you are brushing your teeth or shaving, close the tap. Turn it on only when you need to clean the brush or the razor. Use a glass of water to rinse your mouth, instead of keeping the water running. Teach children to turn off water taps properly.
  • Washing Machines – Use your washing machine only when it is on full load. Using the machine when it’s on half load can result in a lot of water wastage.
  • Washing Dishes – When you are washing dishes, do not keep the water running. Turn the tap on only when you need to rinse the dishes.
  • Recycling – Try installing water recycling systems. Recycle non-toilet water for use in non potable purposes – like flush tanks, car wash, watering the garden etc.
  • Rain Water Harvesting – You housing society can harvest rain water by collecting it in overhead filter tanks, or by redirecting the rain water to the ground to replenish water beds.
  • Avoid Hoses – Use a broom to clean your front porch or yard and don’t hose it clean. If you must use water to clean it, fill a bucket with water and sprinkle it, then sweep it. Use soap and sponge to clean your car.
  • Watering Your Garden – Water your lawn and plants during early morning or at dusk. This decreases evaporation, and gives the plans more time to absorb the water.

Your housing society can get people to practice simple water saving techniques to conserve water. Recycling water and rain water harvesting systems are another way for a housing society to combat water shortage. If all these measures are practiced, you can help reduce the strain on water resources and help replenish them.

Get your Society on ApnaComplex – Today!
ApnaComplex is India’s most comprehensive web based housing society accounting, management and communication software. It is designed to make the life of residents and owners a lot better by bringing in more transparency and accountability in managing a housing society. Check out the features of ApnaComplex and sign up your society today to get the benefits! We offer a free 30-day trial as well so that you can try before you buy!
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ApnaComplex
July 5, 2011

Energy Efficient Air Conditioners For Housing Society Residents – How To Purchase One

With global warming increasing temperatures significantly, every resident in your housing society must be feeling the heat. The sale of air-conditioners has been on an increase the world over, but air conditioners are power hungry monsters. They use up a lot of energy to keep the room cool and use more power than the other appliances in each house in a housing society.

Choosing the right air conditioner

How can you and the other members of your housing society plan to cut your costs (to the pocket and to the environment) while buying air-conditioners?

You can do this by opting for energy efficient models. More importantly, your housing society should ask all residents to look for energy star ratings on the ACs that they buy. The higher the energy efficiency, the more stars will the air conditioner have. Air-conditioners work by removing the humidity from the air, and then cooling the drier air.

You should know what you’re looking for when you buy an energy efficient air conditioner.

What You Should Look For

  • Cooling Capacity – For this, you need to understand about British Transfer Units. The cooling capacity should be something that you perfectly need as having a huge AC for a small room can be a waste.
  • Energy Efficiency – Look for the Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) when you buy an air conditioner. This is the ratio between the cooling capacity of the AC and its power consumption (Watts).
  • Coefficient Performance Rating (COP) – This is very similar to the EER. It is generally expressed as the ratio of cooling produced to the amount of energy used – energy output to energy input.
  • BEE Energy Star Rating – The Energy Star Rating rates the efficiency of the air conditioner in relation to the power usage. The more stars, the more efficient the given unit is.

A little bit about BEE Energy Star Ratings

BEE has made affixing Energy Ratings Labels mandatory for all room ACs from 2010. You might have to spend a bit more when you buy these energy efficient units. But then, air conditioners are the most expensive equipments in a home in terms of power consumption. So this additional investment should be well worth it, and help you save on energy bills through the life of the machine.

General Tips for Housing Society Residents

Here are some general tips that housing society residents can follow when buying air-conditioners. Take into account the size of the room, the heat, and the humidity levels in your region. Consider too, the number of people who can fit into the room and keep cool.

  • Size of Room

If you buy an AC that is too small for the room, it will be overworked trying to pump out all the humidity and cool the air in that big space. If you buy an AC that is too big, the room may cool too quickly, before all the moisture is removed, leaving the humidity hanging in the air.

  • Number of People

If just one or two people occupy the room, a small AC in relation to the size of the room might suffice. If more people need to be accommodated into the room, consider a higher capacity AC. The more people there are in a room, the more body heat they generate and the more the AC needs to work to keep the room cool.

  • Programmable Units

Look for programmable models. These can be programmed to provide optimal cooling during the early part of the night, then they can be automatically be switched off in the cooler hours of the early morning. They can also detect the area that needs cooling and adjust the settings automatically.

Do some research and ask around before shopping for your AC. With the range of models now available, you can choose the best fit for your needs and save on the energy front if you just keep the basic things in mind. If every resident in the housing society has an energy efficient air conditioner, a lot of energy can be effectively saved, with minimal wastage.

Get your Society on ApnaComplex – Today!
ApnaComplex is India’s most comprehensive web based housing society accounting, management and communication software. It is designed to make the life of residents and owners a lot better by bringing in more transparency and accountability in managing a housing society. Check out the features of ApnaComplex and sign up your society today to get the benefits! We offer a free 30-day trial as well so that you can try before you buy!
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ApnaComplex
July 4, 2011

Solar Water Heaters For A Housing Society – The Types Available

If you find that the electric water heater in your housing society flat is sending your power bill soaring through the roof and still can’t do without the comfort of a hot shower, you can install a solar water heater.

Are you hesitating because they cost a fortune to buy and install?

Think of the money that you’ll save on electricity over time. The solar water heater will more than pay for its cost over time in saved electricity costs. When other members of the housing society start following your example and install the same, your housing society will effectively turn into an environment-friendly zone. You can even get the solar water heaters installed in a bunch, bringing down the overall costs.

Buying the Right Solar Water Heater

Basics About Solar Water Heaters

Solar water heaters use the sun’s energy to heat the water and for this reason there will be no utility bills to pay. The sun’s energy is free!

If your housing society is located in an area that receives a large amount of sunshine throughout the year, solar water heaters can be the most efficient solution for your power consumption problems.

The basic units of a solar water heater are collectors and tanks.

  • Collectors – This part of the solar heater collects the sun’s energy in the form of heat, in tubes or pipes. Water or a heat transfer fluid flows through the tubes, and is heated up by the energy stored in the collectors.
  • Storage tank – This is where the heated water is stored.

Solar water heaters can differ by the type of liquid flowing through the tanks – either water, or heat transfer liquids.

  • Open Loop Systems – These allow household water to run through the collectors, heating it directly. If your housing society water is not salty or acidic, this is a good system to use. If your water is salty, your housing society can think about installing desalination or water softening systems.
  • Closed Loop Systems -These generally use some anti-freeze liquid as the heat transfer medium. This liquid runs through the collectors, gathering heat along the way. This heat is then transferred to the water held in the storage tank. This type of system is mostly used in colder climates, where freezing is a constant problem.

Solar water heaters can also differ by the process in which the water or liquid is moved through the system.

  • Active Systems

Active systems use electric pumps and valves to circulate the liquid through the collectors. These systems are more expensive. They also use a little bit of electricity. For this reason, they won’t work during power outages. But the power requirements for the pumps are very low, and these systems are more efficient, as they actively keep circulating the water inside the collectors.

  • Passive Systems

These systems do not rely on pumps and valves to move the liquid through the collectors. These can be further classified into:

Batch Heaters or Integrated Collector Storage (ICS) Systems

These are the oldest type of solar heaters. As the name implies, the collectors and the water storage are one unit. The storage tank is placed inside an insulated box, with a glazed side facing the sun. This transfers the heat to the tank, heating up the water inside.

Thermosiphon Systems

This system relies on heat and gravity to keep the water circulating and flowing through the collectors. In Thermosiphon systems, the storage tank and the collectors are separated. The storage tank is located above the collectors. It works in this way – water flows through the collectors, heating up. Hot water rises, so, the heated water rises to the tank above. Cooler water from the tank sinks back, allowing the hot water to slowly fill the tank. The colder water then flows back through the tubes, continuing the process.

Solar heaters can also differ by the type of collectors used:
The energy collectors in a solar water heater consist of a network of pipes through which the liquid runs, getting heated in the process.

  • Flat Pane – Flat Pane Systems cover the whole network of pipes with one or two panes of glass, which absorb the heat and transfer it to the pipes.
  • Evacuated Systems – In Evacuated Systems, glass tubes surround individual pipes in vacuum. This reduces heat loss.

You can also buy hybrid systems which have electric heating systems installed in the storage tank. This can be used on cloudy days when not enough heat can be collected though the solar panels. If your housing society has decided to get residents to install solar water heaters, you can go with the idea.

Residents of the housing society can get together to find out more about Solar Water Heaters. The housing society association can do some more research about the standards, the collector and storage capacity and other features, to find what will suit the residents best.

Get your Society on ApnaComplex – Today!
ApnaComplex is India’s most comprehensive web based housing society accounting, management and communication software. It is designed to make the life of residents and owners a lot better by bringing in more transparency and accountability in managing a housing society. Check out the features of ApnaComplex and sign up your society today to get the benefits! We offer a free 30-day trial as well so that you can try before you buy!

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ApnaComplex
July 2, 2011

Housing Society Events – What The Association Can Plan

Housing Society Events – What the Association Can Plan
This is nothing better than organizing some events in a housing society to bring all members together and foster the bonding. Your housing society can organize some events , but this should be a collective effort and not just one individual’s responsibility.

What Can You Do?
You and the other members of the housing society can organize some activities that will bring everybody together and give them a space to have fun. You can try out one of these event ideas in your housing society.

Events for a Housing Society

Event Ideas

  • Cook Off

You can organize a cooking competition. You can get the participants to make exotic food items and bring the food that they have prepared outside to a tent or marquee to be judged. If you have enough space and the facilities, you can even arrange options for outdoor cooking, and the participants can come out and prepare the food in front of an audience and the judges. You can suggest a food theme, or list the ingredients to be used after consulting with the other residents.

  • Pool Party

Does your housing society have a pool? Organize a pool party! As you are hosting it as a group, plan some theme for the party. Follow the theme for the invitations, decoration, music, food and gifts. This can be a very relaxing option during the summer. Pool parties can be great for your children as well, as they can have some fun in the water.

  • Talent Show

Organize a talent show. Organize different competitions for different talents, if you have enough people. The association should find someone who has a great knack for presentation and anchoring to run the show. Then you can form a committee and list out the participants, weeding out the talented ones among the residents. This can be a very fun and interactive event.

  • Have a Mystery Party

Organize a mystery game. Have a set of people enact a murder or robbery scenario. Plan the story, clue, suspects and circumstances well. The solution should not be random and illogical. You can find a lot of plots and scenario ideas for this on the internet, and you can put forth the idea during an association meeting. A mystery party will serve as a different option from the traditional ones.

  • Organize Fund Raising Events

Are you in the mood for charity? You can also have fun while serving a good cause. If you have people in your housing society, you can put together their talents and cook up a sale inside the complex, with the permission of the other members. This will help in raising some funds, and it will keep everyone occupied. The association can organize a sporting event and find local sponsors and advertisers who will contribute to the charity.

  • Have a Pet Party

If your housing society allows pets, you can include them in your party ideas. Organize events where people can bring their pets and show off their talents, as a pet show can be really good fun, especially for your children.

You can have fun this summer in your housing society by getting creative, as such housing society summer events will involve everyone’s help and satisfy children, elders and every single resident.

Get your Society on ApnaComplex – Today!

ApnaComplex is India’s most comprehensive web based housing society accounting, management and communication software. It is designed to make the life of residents and owners a lot better by bringing in more transparency and accountability in managing a housing society. Check out the features of ApnaComplex and sign up your society today to get the benefits! We offer a free 30-day trail as well so that you can try before you buy!

Leave a comment InHousing Society Smart Living Tips
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July 1, 2011

Apartment Maintenance Knowhow – Getting Rid Of Bees, The Gandhian Way – Apartment Maintenance

Keeping bees at bay is one of the prime tasks of the apartment maintenance crew; because you don’t want bees buzzing around when you are outside in your garden, do you? Worse, they can get inside your house. When it comes to getting rid of bees, don’t immediately think of spraying them or calling the exterminators or your apartment maintenance crew.

While it’s understandable that you may not want bees buzzing around you and that you don’t want to get stung, you should know that killing them is not the only option open to you. Try getting rid of them in the Gandhian way. Drive them away, don’t kill them.

Getting Rid of Bees

Why should you care?
You should anyway, not only because all creatures have a right to live, whether you like them or not, but because bees are important to us too. Apart from making honey, bees are one of the most important pollinators of many of our major nutrient sources like fruits, berries, nuts.

Do you like some mustard with your food? Do you like mangoes? Well these crops and plants need bees for pollination purposes. So if you see bees, don’t panic and search for the number of the exterminator in the yellow pages. There are other options:

Eliminate The Attractions

Bees generally seek out water sources. If you have a bird bath or a fountain or even open water containers, they will keep coming back to take a drink. Have your apartment maintenance crew keep the bird bath and the fountains dry until the bees go away.

Empty water buckets and shut off other water sources, like a leaky faucet. Cover the pool. You can also try reducing the amount of flowering plants in your garden. Alternatively, plant them well away from walkways if you have the space. Do this with fruit trees too. The apartment maintenance crew should take measures to keep the swimming pool covered when it is not being used. Pools of water attract bees. Grasses and bushes should also be trimmed.

Keep Them Away From Parties

If you are holding an outdoor party or a family BBQ, keep all the meat and sweet drinks covered. They attract wasps and bees, especially wasps.

Wear light colored clothing – these insects are attracted to dark colors. Do not swat at bees or kill them. This puts them in attack mode, and they will come at you in a swarm. You can hang a mesh bag filled with fruits in a place away from your house. The bees will go for those bags.

Evict them

  • Smoke them out

The apartment maintenance crew can hire a professional to do this. This should be done in the evening. Bees are diurnal, so they go home in the evening. If you cannot hire a professional, then take all the precautions necessary to avoid getting stung.

Put some coal and crimpled paper in a pail and set fire to it. When the flame is strong, put it out. Wear some protective gear to cover your head, and a loose robe and gloves. Carry the smoking pail to the hive. You should wait till there are no more bees buzzing around. Then place this pail under the hive and leave the area.

Make sure you avoid windy days to do this or you’ll end up starting a fire. The smoke going up into the hive will drive out the bees. You will have to do this for many days to make sure the bees are driven away.

  • Relocate the bees

Your apartment maintenance crew can try and find bee keepers who want bees, for honey or for pollination. See if you can find someone who is interested. You can take an effort together to hire a professional to remove the hive from within the apartment complex over to the beekeeper’s land. This way you can both benefit, and the bees get to live in a place where they are wanted.

  • Drench their nests

If you have ground nesting bees, try sprinkling the nesting area with water. Bees don’t like damp homes and will immediately relocate to some other ideal spot.

  • Cover up their homes

If your problem is with carpenter bees (the kind that bore holes though wood), you should wait till you see the bees leave the nest. Then you can cover it up and spray it with insect repellent, preferably the natural kind. You might have to hunt around and do this for all the holes. Use the repellent on the nests till you are sure the bees are not coming back.

  • Use natural repellents

Avoid using chemical sprays and insecticides that will probably do you more harm than the bees. Try preparing some natural home-made repellent. You can easily find these natural formulas, and use them to keep the bees away. Tie up some moth balls in strips of cloth and hang them around the area that the bees usually visit. This sometimes works.

Bees are an important part of the ecosystem, and are vital to our human urvival. So, try to find ways of dealing with bees that do not involve killing them. Some ideas have been suggested above, if you search around, you can find many more.

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This article aims at collating and providing information for benefit of ApnaComplex customers and blog readers. While ApnaComplex has taken every care to ensure the information is accurate, we suggest to please use it only as a guidance for further discussion and action with help of relevant professionals.

ApnaComplex is India’s most comprehensive and value-for-money housing society / apartment accounting and management software. Read what some of our customers say about ApnaComplex and its features. There is a a 30-day no obligation free trial for every complex. Go ahead and register your complex and see how you can manage your complex more easily, efficiently, and effectively.

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