From the Journal of a Maintenance Technician: Tip

If you live in an apartment complex in any story but the top and your sink backs up without you using it politely ask the neighbors above you to not use their sink. There is a clog down the line from you and whenever water is ran down the drain, it will stop at the clog and rise up until it finds the nearest opening. Water will always find the path of least resistance.

Last holiday season I got a call the night we were to go to my parent's to celebrate birthdays when I got a call from a tenant who had just returned home from a two-week vacation. Dirty water had filled their double sink, fell over the counter, and ran 6 feet away from the cabinets, across the tile to the carpeted living room and hallway. Oh, and if that wasn't enough, it had filled a kitchen cabinet drawer or two.

From the Journal of a Maintenance Technician- Shout Out

So, instead of complaining or ranting, I thought I'd post a shout out. People in professions like mine want to be in your place just as long as you want us to be there. Although there are some aspects and some jobs I really do enjoy doing, I don't want to be in your place very long. Get in, do the job, get out. Whatever the tenant can do to expedite that is fantastic, even though most of the time it's just staying out of the way. On to the shout out. Last week I had to investigate a leak under a kitchen sink. I walk in, lo and behold everything had been cleared out from under the sink so I had full access! To top it off, the  tenant came home and apologized for the mess! Great job tenants on Park Blvd!