Lord Essex Apartments

[ None of the Affiliated Management-managed properties in Montclair are located in Upper Montclair, this is just to answer a FAQ ]

No. Upper Montclair is a neighboorhood in Montclair.

Upper is counted separately in the US Census. The primary Zip Code for Montclair is 07042 and it is 07043 for Upper Montclair. ...but Upper Montclair is part of Montclair, the northern or upper part.

Wikipedia: Upper Montclair, New Jersey

FAQ entry last updated: August 08, 2023 1:59pm

Throw them out in the garbage (not recycling) can in your apartment, then when full, tie it and put the garbage bag in our garbage dumpster.

Some people, we don't know why, think it's OK to just drop them in the street. Don't do that. Don't make anyone else handle your personal protective equipment (PPE). Throw it in the garbage.

Check these sources for more information:
Montclair Health & Human Services
State of New Jersey: Department of Health
US Environmental Protection Agency
Youtube: EPA - Don't Recycle PPE
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
World Health Organization (WHO)

FAQ entry last updated: October 02, 2023 2:15pm

Lord Essex Apartments answering machine: 973-746-8696
Lord Essex Apartments text/voicemail (residents only): Not available online
Affiliated Management phone: 973-992-1555
Affiliated Management fax: 973-992-6838

Any property with less than 50 apartments (31 here), is expected to be a part-time, secondary job. We can not answer the phone directly, because we will either be working for an unrelated job, doing work on the premises outside of our apartment, or enjoying the evening/weekend. However, you can leave us a message by e-mail, voicemail (residents only), text (residents only), answering machine, fax, or paper letter and we will get back to you as soon as we are available. ...sometimes, right away.

There are two phone #s for Lord Essex Apartments. One is the land-line with answering machine, that has been the same phone # for years: 973-746-8696. We will only get answering machine messages when we are at home, in our apartment.

The other is the residents-only number for text and voicemail (does not ring to a phone). We will get voicemails and text messages left at the residents-only number wherever we are. Mon-Fri 8am-10pm, or outside of those hours, for emergencies only. It will only wake us up at night if we already have your phone number in our address book/contacts. You received a note from us and another note from Affiliated Management with that phone number in September 2019, or when you moved in if it was after that. If you lost both notes, let us know, we'll give you the phone # again.

If you ever need it, these are some of the places you can find the land-line number:

Online:
- https://lordessex.com/ Tenant Contact Info
- The Affiliated Management page for Lord Essex
- Google: Lord Essex Apartments Montclair
Outside:
- On the white sign next to the driveway
- Eventually, we will have a sign hung up near our apartment for anyone looking for an office (there is no on-site office)
Call Affiliated Management 973-992-1555 Mon-Fri 9am-5pm and ask them for the Lord Essex phone #

The best way to reach the Resident Managers is e-mail: info@lordessex.com

FAQ entry last updated: December 12, 2023 12:00pm

Wikipedia: ZIP Code

The ZIP Codes for Montclair are 07042 and 07043. 07043 is used by the Upper Montclair neighboorhood.

The extended ZIP+4 ZIP Codes for Lord Essex Apartments are below:

Apartment	Your extended ZIP+4 Code is:
1A (Resident Managers)	07042-1866
1-10	07042-1839
11-19	07042-1873
20-29	07042-1874
30	07042-1839

USPS: Look Up a ZIP Code™

FAQ entry last updated: August 08, 2023 2:04pm

US/state/regional newspapers will probably be left outside by a young person on a bicycle or an adult in a car with a paper route. Contact the newspaper or that delivery person for details.
Local newspapers are usually delivered by mail.

The Montclair Dispatch
Montclair Local
northjersey.com Montclair / Montclair Times
The Montclair Times online
The Star Ledger
The New York Times
USA Today

For a list of some of the NJ and NYC-area newspapers, see the Info & Links Links/Info page

FAQ entry last updated: December 12, 2023 12:01pm

Sorry, no. Mounting a dish (or anything else) anywhere outside of your apartment is not allowed. This includes the side of the building, the roof, fire escapes, and poles in the ground. If you can somehow put a dish 100% inside your apartment, that of course would be fine, but you'd be the first.

FAQ entry last updated: November 07, 2019 12:22pm

Even though the old rabbit ears antennas are not in use too much any more, nowadays there are all kinds of TV antennas that can pick up HDTV, and many TV stations broadcast their digital signal over-the-air. If you can pick up their signal, you can have free TV after paying the cost of the antenna... and the TV.

An antenna in or near windows facing east (towards NYC) are the best chance of success. We get quite a few with a Mohu Leaf antenna from 2013 (Amazon $40) in one part of our apartment. We get even more with a RCA ANT111E (Amazon $10) and an amplifier in another part of our apartment.

FAQ entry last updated: September 06, 2023 11:16am

Dial-up, Verizon DSL, Comcast Xfinity, and Verizon FiOS are available.

Dial-up
Don't get dial-up.

Verizon DSL
Verizon DSL operates over copper phone wiring, all apartments are ready to go for that - if nobody disconnected the phone jack closest to where you want to put your DSL modem/router... The phone jack that you use must be a "POTS" land-line phone jack which connects to wiring in a garage or crawlspace below the downstairs apartment. It will not work with a Verizon FiOS-based jack connected to their equipment which is usually installed in the front closet. Nowadays, DSL is essentially considered to be "ancient". It is the least expensive option and is the slowest option (after dial-up). If you will be streaming videos, it is probably not the right choice for you.

Comcast Xfinity (coaxial cable)
Comcast coaxial cable has been wired in to every apartment already. Unless the previous tenant had Verizon FiOS and they cut the Comcast cable, you should be ready to go for that. If it was cut, then a Comcast cable installer will need to re-connect it to their outside wiring.

Verizon FiOS (fiber-optic cable)
The 4 buildings have been wired for Verizon FiOS already. Wiring originates outside and is run in to your apartment. If an apartment has never had a tenant in it with active Verizon FiOS service before, the apartment may need some wiring done when the first person signs up for it. Generally this takes a Verizon FiOS installer (or two) a few hours to a full day, depending on how the installation goes and what equipment you need. They will install a box (ONT), usually in a closet, and then connect everything else to that. They will also need to run wire from there to an electrical outlet, and plug in a small rectangular box there.

Which one should I get?
If you are not sure which one you want to get... Purely based on what type of wiring can handle the most data, Verizon DSL's copper wiring (thin copper) has the least capacity, Comcast's coaxial cable (thick copper) has more, and Verizon FiOS' fiber-optic cable has the most. Each company offers varying speeds of service for different amounts of $, though, so that's why everyone's marketing-heavy facts-light commercials are so confusing. Resident Manager Jason is a computer/network engineer, feel free to ask him questions if you have any.

If enough demand is expressed for Lord Essex Apartments to provide WiFi to it's tenants, this is something we could possibly do in the future - Resident Manager Jason has done this professionally many times. At this time, we do not offer Internet access for our tenants.

FAQ entry last updated: December 12, 2023 12:01pm

If you have general questions about paying rent online or how and where to send rent payments, or any general billing questions like that, the Resident Managers can answer any of those questions. If you are a current tenant, look at the Pay Rent page on this site or if you moved in recently, in the binder of info left in your apartment when you moved in for more info.

For specific billing questions, including your balance, you need to speak to someone in the Affiliated Management accounting department (Accounts Receivable). For contact information, look under Contact Contact Information at the top of this page. The Resident Managers do not handle anything billing related at all after your first payment when you move in.

FAQ entry last updated: December 12, 2023 12:02pm

Sorry, no. Damaging of your windows is not allowed.

If you need to put a window fan in or something like that, and want to ensure that the window stays closed down on to it, we can provide you with a vinyl-window lock that will not damage the window.

If you will be using a window air conditioner, make sure you get a support for it that non-destructively rests against the window and brick outside. Do not screw in to anything.

Do not put tape on the window. Also, you may want to try wedging a thin rubber door stop into the window gap to keep it closed, or put a properly sized 2x4 vertically at the the top of the inner window sash, bracing it closed. Just make sure it does not damage the window at all.

FAQ entry last updated: November 02, 2021 9:33am

Lord Essex Apartments is a relatively small apartment complex with husband & wife Resident Managers. Though they do live in an apartment on-site, the property would need to be about double in size for there to be a full-time staff, and even then there would not be a receptionist.

The best way to reach us is usually by e-mail, we check it regularly day, night & weekends. We check for new voice messages most often between 9am and 5pm, Monday through Friday.

If you ever have an emergency situation, call and leave a voicemail at the residents-only text/voicemail number that we (and the management company) gave everyone in two notes under their apartment door when we started in September 2019. If we are away, that same number will forward to whoever is on call while we are gone.

For our contact information, look under Contact Contact Information at the top of this page.

FAQ entry last updated: December 12, 2023 12:02pm

No. The Resident Managers live on-site, but there is no management/rental/maintenance office. If you need to reach them, e-mail, call, or fax. If you are a resident, you can also send text messages.

The Resident Managers are part-time. We ask that you do not knock on our door without speaking to us first. We have other (unrelated) jobs. Jason works from home most of the time. Ann is elsewhere at work during the day. We can not have people knocking on our door constantly, but we do have very flexible schedules. As long as you e-mail or call us first, we can usually be available day or night.

For any lease or billing related issues, contact the Affiliated Management office M-F 9am-5pm.

For contact information, look under Contact Contact Information at the top of this page.

FAQ entry last updated: December 12, 2023 12:02pm

Either just e-mail us your new info, or even better, e-mail, fax, or mail us a completed contact-info.pdf form from the forms page.

We can also give the Affiliated Management office your updated info if you want, but they usually just ask us for it whenever they need to contact someone in the building.

FAQ entry last updated: December 12, 2023 12:02pm

On the 1st Thursday of every month. All exterminator dates are listed on the Calendar page. The next one is automatically displayed below.

If the typical exterminator day falls on a holiday, they will come the following business day (M-F). They may also come on a different day if snow is expected on the usual day.

With the exterminators handling many different Affiliated Management apartment complexes in the northern-NJ area and other customers in addition to Affiliated Management properties, if you notify us too far in advance, you may get lost in the shuffle.
If you would like us to have the exterminator spray in your apartment, let us know 24-72 hours in advance of the monthly day that they come here (see below) and we will add you to the list. Include your reason for requesting them, they need to know what supplies to bring with them.

If you're not sure what type of insect it is, send a picture, we can forward it to them for identification. If they will be coming to your apartment, and it is dead, keep it in a Ziploc bag for them to see it.

If you have any issues beyond just seeing a bug or two, we can set up an appointment for you.

Our understanding is that if you have children or a cat, you should keep them away from it until the sprayed spray is dry.

If you have any questions for the exterminator company directly, look for their sticker inside one of your upper kitchen cabinets. If you do not have one of the stickers, contact the Resident Managers for their phone #.

Unless it falls on a holiday or during snow - The next exterminator visit should be Thursday, May 2nd

FAQ entry last updated: December 27, 2023 11:24am

You can pay your rent online, by mail, or in person (at the office). See the Pay Rent page for details.

FAQ entry last updated: December 12, 2023 12:02pm

Compact fluorescent (CFL) light bulbs should not be thrown away in the garbage because they contain mercury.

You can bring them to any The Home Depot, they should all have a display near the entrance or the returns register where you can place them for recycling (for free). The closest one is in Bloomfield. Lowes stores do this too, the closest is in Paterson.

You can also hold on to them and bring them to Essex County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day in May or October. For more info, see our Garbage & Recycling page.

You can find more info about CFL recycling/disposal here:

FAQ entry last updated: December 12, 2023 12:02pm

In 2020, due to COVID-19, PSE&G stopped reading meters or entering any buildings in general unless it was an emergency. They resumed meter readings around August/September 2020. This caused many issues, including surprisingly high bills, their meter reader employees leaving and finding a new job - after several months off, who can blame them...

After several estimated readings, PSE&G automatically sends out a letter - the same letter whether you live in a house that has a meter in the basement, or an apartment complex with meters in a locked utility room that you can not go in. If your PSE&G bill shows "estimated", this means that the meter reader was a no-show, they did not read your meter. If this happens, call 800-436-7734, use their app, or use your web site account at https://nj.pseg.com/

Everyone that has ever lived at Lord Essex Apartments has had an account with PSE&G. The meter reader has keys to enter the building themselves. They have had the keys since the property was built.

In case they loose the keys, we have provided them with the code for a key box where they can use alternate keys. The Resident Managers have been doing this long enough to know where the meter readers work out of, who their supervisor is, etc. If keys or code changes, we tell them directly and mail new keys. During the pandemic, their customer service centers are closed, so they don't have the staff that they normally do there. It takes them longer to get voicemails and letters.

If PSE&G needs new keys, or the correct key box code, they must contact the Resident Managers (or Affiliated Management 973-992-1555). If they do that, we can meet them or they can come to us, we can give them new keys and tell them where to go and how to get in. As this is written, we last provided them keys, code and instructions in mid-January 2021. And have provided instructions several times since then each time a new meter reader is sent who has no idea where to go.

As of April 11, 2023, here are upcoming meter reading dates according to the schedule that they provide on their web site (https://nj.pseg.com/):

2023:

April 6
May 8
June 7
July 7
August 7
September 6
October 5
November 3
December 6

2024:

January 8
February 6
March 7
April 8

If you call customer service, from what we've heard from tenants, they may tell you that they will not call us, that they don't know who the owners are (we have the keys, who cares who the owners are?). They can leave voicemail, e-mail, text and we'll meet them, or they can pick up keys from us at Lord Essex Apartments. If they will not ask the management company who the Resident Manager is, the proof that we are who we say we are, is when we give them keys that work, and information that is correct. (right?)

This will be an ongoing issue for all involved, until PSE&G finally replaces the old meters with new ones that can be read remotely from outside. They've been available for a while, they are just upgrading them veeeeery sloooooowly. If they contact you with a generic letter about replacing your electric or gas meter, even if it will only be a newer non-smart meter, make the appointment, then let the Resident Managers know when it is. You will need to be there so they can confirm that your electricity and/or gas are OK in the apartment after they finish. If you are in the "A" building, they will need to contact us also to get where the electric meters are. If you are in the "B" building, you can let them in to the basement as long as they have the appropriate ID, uniform, meter number and such.

FAQ entry last updated: December 12, 2023 12:03pm

Top-level emergency, something like a car crashing in to a building and you hear hisssss, especially if you also see fire or smoke:

Go outside, far away from the problem area
Call 911 with your cell/mobile phone or go to a nearby business to call
If you are sure there is a gas leak, you could call PSE&G's emergency number before the fire department arrives. Their emergency number is 800-880-7734.
If it is happening on or near Lord Essex, let the Resident Managers know ASAP. Leave voicemail at the Residents-only phone # 24/7.
(the fire fighters may need the Resident Managers to access certain areas)

If you know what natural gas smells like (...the additive in it), and there is a STRONG GAS SMELL IN AN ENCLOSED AREA - an apartment, garage, the laundry room, but you do not know where it is coming from:

Open windows (or the garage door)
Remove cell phones and any source of spark/fire from the area
Let the Resident Managers know, leave voicemail at the Residents-only phone # 24/7
If you don't hear back within 1 minute, call the PSE&G emergency # 800-880-7734, wait for them to arrive
(They may call the Montclair Fire Dept if they feel this is necessary)

If you know what natural gas smells like (...the additive in it), and you smell it just a little bit in an enclosed area, or the smell comes and goes - an apartment, garage, the laundry room, but you do not know where it is coming from:

Open windows (or the garage door)
Remove cell phones and any source of spark/fire from the area
Let the Resident Managers know, leave voicemail at the Residents-only phone # 24/7
If you don't hear back within 5 minutes, call PSE&G at 800-436-7734

If you know what natural gas smells like (...the additive in it), and you smell it outside:

Call PSE&G 800-436-7734, tell them where you were when you smelled it and what time it was; they can send someone with a gas detector to check that area
If it was on or near Lord Essex property - let the Resident Managers know by any non-emergency method that you like: e-mail/text/voicemail...

If one or both Resident Managers are on-site at the time, they may be able to locate it or shut off the gas supply to that area before they arrive.

If you are not sure it is gas and it's not a mega-emergency, ask the Resident Managers. Sometimes people smell the coating (polyurethane) on hardwood flooring after floor sanding is done in an empty apartment and assume it is gas. They can let you know if any work-with-a-smell was done near your apartment. Sometimes people smell wet/rotting leaves in a garage (which they themselves should sweep out <g>) and think that is gas also.

Natural gas does not have a smell itself, what you are smelling is an additive. The Resident Managers have smelled it many times. Let them know, they can smell around where you noticed it possibly before PSE&G arrives.

PSE&G has gas detectors that can pick up gas in parts per million. If in doubt, call PSE&G.

FAQ entry last updated: November 22, 2023 11:50am

You may find that you are receiving mail for previous tenants. If someone moves out and fills out a Change of Address form with the US Postal Service, that only lasts for 1 year. If they don't have people/companies that send mail to them update their address, it will be delivered to their old address after it expires. (or if the mail carrier makes a mistake and misses the CoA)

The US Postal Service will deliver mail to any name at your address. They have no idea who should receive mail there.

If you get any mail that says "or current resident", "or current occupant", or anything like that - that is yours, even if it says someone else's name.

To make sure the sender updates their records, write on the letter "Return to Sender - No Such Addressee" and then send it out to be returned. Without adding a note, it may end up back at your door again.

FAQ entry last updated: March 26, 2022 4:38pm

As of March 2023, here are your choices as far as the Resident Managers know. As always, you should pay attention to signs and/or call the Montclair Police Department or Montclair Parking Utility to verify where you can and can not park - especially if there is a fair/festival/outdoor event nearby.

Make sure the Resident Managers have all current vehicle information for any vehicle that will park in your assigned parking space or garage. That includes vehicles with a temporary licence plate #, loaner cars, etc. Any unknown vehicle is subject to ticketing by the Montclair PD and then towing to an impound lot at the owner's expense.

If any of the Montclair Township web site links stop working, start at montclairnjusa.org and look for the new URL off of their menu.

Parking options

Park in your assigned parking space
Park in your assigned garage (Lord Essex only)
Lord Essex Apartments:
Park on Claremont Ave or North Mountain Ave any time except for 2am-5am and when snow covered
Montclair Mews Apartments:
Park on Grove St or Claremont Pl any time except for 2am-5am and when snow covered
Get a parking permit online for any non-county road (Grove St and Bloomfield Ave are county roads) to be able to park a specific vehicle from midnight to midnight on day #1, until 8am on day #2.
You must print out the permit, do it from work if you don't have a printer at home.
If you PDF-print it and send it with enough notice, the Resident Managers may be able to print it for you and you can pick it up from them.
Montclair Township: Online Parking Services
[ Example of printed permit (PDF) ]
Call for more info from the Montclair Parking Utility 973-509-4997 or e-mail MPU@montclairnjusa.org
Call to confirm where/when you can park with the Montclair Police Department non-emergency number: 973-744-1234
There is a chance in the future that the Montclair Parking Utility will handle parking enforcement (i.e. they could give you a ticket), but as this is written, it is still handled by the Montclair Police Department
Park in one of Montclair's public parking lots, probably requiring paying a meter or getting a permit - have your visitor follow you there, park one car there, drive the other one back to Lord Essex Apartments.

NOTE: If you park somewhere in the street or a lot where you're not supposed to, the PD may issue a digital ticket and you will not know about it until it arrives by mail days later.

See also: eCode360 Township of Montclair, NJ: Chapter 228 Parking, Chapter 230 Parking Lots

FAQ entry last updated: December 12, 2023 12:03pm

Our garbage and recycling dumpsters are emptied on Monday and Thursday.

For a huge amount of additional information, see the Garbage & Recycling page.

FAQ entry last updated: December 12, 2023 12:03pm

You can smoke in your apartment, or outside at least 10 feet away from any building.

If you smoke in your apartment, even by an open window, be aware that it will coat walls, appliances, light fixtures, etc. and that usually results in an adjusted security deposit to cover the costs for extra cleaning and painting when someone moves out.

At Lord Essex Apartments, you may not smoke in any common areas: Not in the entrance stairwells, laundry room or or any other indoor common area. This includes any type of smoking (cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, pipes, hookahs, bongs, e-cigarettes, ...), including electronic devices. For more information see:

When smoking outside, please try to avoid smoking near apartment windows.

Montclair and Essex County have banned smoking in public buildings and township-owned property such as public parks and recreation areas.

Essex County has banned smoking in any county-owned park and within 25 feet of any Essex County building entrance. This includes Grover Cleveland Park (Caldwell/Essex Fells), Verona Park, South Mountain Reservation and Recreation Complex, Eagle Rock Reservation, and others in the area.

FAQ entry last updated: December 12, 2023 12:03pm

Door closers are required by law. Their purpose is essentially to contain a fire and to decrease the possibility of a robbery if you are bringing in groceries or new furniture.

They can not be removed, but they can be adjusted. However, as they are adjusted, they must be able to fully close and latch after being let go from 45 degrees. They may close and latch differently in the summer heat than they do in the winter cold (a wood door expands and contracts), it must work all year. We already do this before a vacant apartment becomes occupied.

If your neighbors drive you crazy letting theirs slam all the time, ask them to prevent it from slamming. Unfortunately, we can not adjust it to prevent that.

FAQ entry last updated: March 26, 2022 4:50pm

You are allowed to have one or two 100% indoors-only cats. They must be spayed/neutered (when old enough). For our records, we require a physical description, male/female, name, and a picture. We keep a list of all cats in case of fire or other emergency, or if one gets out by mistake.

Cats are required to be licensed in Montclair. If asked by Police or Animal Control, you must be able to provide proof of current rabies vaccine. See the Montclair Township web site, Dog & Cat Licenses page.

We are sorry, but dogs are not allowed, of any size or noise level. You may not even have a dog visit temporarily.

A fish bowl or small fish tank is allowed. You must get approval from Affiliated Management for a tank that is more than a gallon or two. One crack can cause severe damage to your floor and anything below your apartment. You (and/or your Renter's Insurance) would have to pay for the repairs.

A turtle in an enclosed tank is allowed.

For any other pets, even if you assume it would be obviously OK, contact Affiliated Management to check before you get it.

At this time, there is no pet deposit or fee, but you would be required to remove all traces of your pet before moving out. That is, extensive cleaning, ensuring that no future tenant with allergies would be effected by it. If repairs had to be made or a cleaning company had to be hired because you had a pet in the apartment, then those charges would be passed along to you.

If you are interested in adopting a cat or additional pet information, some local options are:

Montclair Animal Shelter Pet Adoptions
PAWS - Pound Animal Welfare Society of Montclair
PAW - Partners in Animal Welfare - Montclair
Rosemarie's Rescue Ranch - West Caldwell:
- Web site
- Facebook page

FOWA Rescue - Wayne (*)
Mt Pleasant Animal Shelter - East Hanover (*)
Lists:

* = The Resident Managers have personal experience with these

Contact us if you are going to adopt a cat, before you go. They may require a letter or a phone call verifying that you are allowed to have one in your apartment.

Pets inside decals:

ASPCA (free)
Canine company (free)
Search amazon.com for "pet window decal"
petrescuestickers.com

FAQ entry last updated: December 12, 2023 12:03pm

No.

A visitor can leave a bicycle up against the side of a wall for a few minutes, but beyond that, it would have to go inside your apartment. Preferably without leaving dirt tracks in the entrance stairwell.

You can not leave anything else outside, other than, of course, your vehicle in your assigned parking space or garage.

Some people have put decorative items outside in the dirt where bushes and plants are. Though specifically forbidden in the lease, at this time, nobody will mind those being there as long as they are not obtrusive, do not cause any safety issues, and do not generate complaints from other residents.

FAQ entry last updated: March 26, 2022 5:18pm

Contact the laundry company for a refund. They own, service, and collect the coins from the machines. Make sure you tell them if it was a washer, a dryer, and the number on it.

If there is ever a problem with a machine like a dryer is not drying well enough (after you clean out the lint trap), it is not draining water, or any other mechanical issue like that, contact us. That way we can keep an eye on it's progress, put an Out of Order sign on it, and we can contact their service department.

FAQ entry last updated: March 26, 2022 5:13pm

Do not ever screw in to, nail in to, tape, or otherwise damage the windows. As the saying goes: You break it, you bought it.

The best way to secure a window is to close both sashes, and lock it.

If the window slides up and down, push the top all the way up, push the bottom all the way down, then lock it. Don't assume it is locked, try to move it.

If you want to secure a window that is partly opened, so it can not be opened further (without a sledgehammer), then you can use vinyl window locks for up/down sliding windows.

Vinyl window locks are available through Amazon.com and at Home Depot. We have never purchased any ourselves there, but you might also find them at Ace Hardware (Clifton, Caldwell, Livingston) or True Value Hardware (Upper Montclair, Bloomfield, Nutley).

Example(s) of vinyl window locks that work with Lord Essex Apartments' windows are:

Defender Security U 10547 Sliding Window & Sliding Door Lock, 1-1/2 in., Diecast, White, For Vinyl Windows & Doors
Prime-Line U 10547

Do not use aluminum window locks on any windows, those are made for metal windows and will damage vinyl ones.

If the window itself, glass, tilt latch, or lock needs to be repaired or replaced, contact the Resident Managers. They usually have extra latches and locks, or can have a window company repair it.

FAQ entry last updated: November 01, 2021 4:54pm

If you live on a close-to-ground apartment, and we were the Resident Managers when you moved in, and we were not too busy (like when there are 4 apartment renovations at the same time), we may have left a bag of vinyl window locks when you moved in.

If you need one on upper floors because, for example, you would like to leave your fire escape window cracked-open, but prevent any evildoers from opening it further from outside, you can use one of these window locks to do that.

You can also do that if you put a window fan in the window and would like to ensure that the window sash holding it down does not open any further.

The locks clamp on to the side of the window frame above the sash that you are trying to hold from moving up any further. The sash is the two halves of the window that slide up and down. Place the lock on the window frame as shown in the pictures. Turn the handle clockwise to tighten, counterclockwise to remove it: "Lefty loosey, rightey tightey".

If the actual window locks that are attached to the window are not working, contact the Resident Managers. Make sure the top sash is all the way up and the bottom sash is all the way down, before you try to lock it. Sometimes one will drag the other. If the tilt-latch is broken or missing, the window will probably not line up correctly.

FAQ entry last updated: November 01, 2021 4:57pm

We are certainly not entomologists or exterminators, but from what we have seen, spring and summer are the times when many insects thrive most in this area. Then in the fall, insects try to get inside to get out of the cold. It's nearly impossible to keep every single one of them out. Other than the common housefly, mosquitos, bees, wasps, etc. you may also see ones going up the wall that may look like certain types of Firebrats or Silverfish, but they are probably a house centipede and usually near trees and bushes you will find Stink bugs.

If you do see a Stink Bug, scoop it up on a piece of paper and either dump it in the toilet & flush, or dump it in to a Ziploc bag, and throw it in the garbage. DO NOT SMOOSH IT or vacuum it up or you may experience where they got their name. You can throw it outside too, but it may just find it's way back in again, or lay eggs...

If you see only a few, try something like:

Ortho Home Defense Max
Spectracide Bug Stop Home Barrier

You can usually find them at Home Depot, Target, some hardware stores, garden centers, and supermarkets. You can use those to spray a protective barrier across your window sills that should prevent or at least minimize them from coming in that way. We did this before you moved in, if you moved in after we started here.

Make sure you let us know in advance, if you want us to ask the exterminator to spray in your apartment when they come every month on the 1st Thursday.

If you will be sprayed, try to keep food and paper products in lower cabinets in a sealed container. If you have an ongoing problem, take pictures, make notes of where and when you see them, and give us or the exterminator that information to help figure out what type of insect it is and where it is coming from. Different insects eat different material, and different types require different treatments.

If you ever see a large number of bugs inside or outside, contact us right away.

FAQ entry last updated: December 12, 2023 12:03pm

Verify it is not just a GFI/GFCI outlet trip
Verify that it is not just a breaker in the apartment
See if the entrance stairwell lights are out or not
If at night, see if the outside lights are out or not
If it's everywhere, report it to PSE&G:
Call 800-436-7734
Go to their web site: nj.pseg.com
Use their app
Text OUT to 47734
Contact the Resident Managers to make sure they know

1:
If only one outlet is not working, check to see if the outlet is a GFI/GFCI outlet - one with test/reset buttons. This is most common in kitchens and bathrooms, because they are required to be there by building code. If so, try the reset button. Some have a small light on them when they have power. Some regular looking outlets with no test/reset buttons, may be connected (in the wall) to a GFI/GFCI outlet elsewhere in the same room.

2:
Every apartment has an electrical panel with breakers in it. If only a few outlets or lights are not working, but others are, check the electrical panel. It is usually located in the hallway outside of bathroom and bedroom(s), some apartments have it in the kitchen. This normally happens with an overloaded circuit, when you have too many things plugged in to a group of outlets or a single outlet (think the outlet behind the tree in A Christmas Story or the outlet in the garage in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation ). This can also happen when an electrical device is not working normally, when it draws too many amps - if the device has a filter, check that.

3:
If no breakers are tripped and everything in the apartment is out, check your entrance stairwell upstairs-light. That one is always on, unless it needs a new light bulb. Check the outside lights if it's night time. If they are out too, then the whole building is probably out. Contact PSE&G at 800-436-7734 or do it from their web site, www.pseg.com (from your smartphone or other mobile device with a connection). After that, if you can, let the Resident Managers know that yours is out and that you contacted PSE&G.

4:
Do not assume that someone else in the building has already called PSE&G. Every apartment should individually call or report it online when the power is out so they know how many people are effected. You can usually get an estimation of when power will be restored if it is a known problem.

5:
The Lord Essex Apartments answering machine will run off of a battery backup until it runs out. If you have an old land-line phone that does not require a power adapter, that will still work in a power failure - but with Verizon FiOS it will stop working after it's battery backup runs out (usually in a closet.

If you have medication that must be refrigerated, and no way to keep it cool, let the Resident Managers know.

Convenience stores and supermarkets will have an inexpensive styrofoam cooler, ice, a flashlight, candles, etc.

In an extended natural-disaster type power failure, as with Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and the blizzard in 2011, we will provide alternate common area lighting. We have battery powered lights, glow sticks, etc.

FAQ entry last updated: December 12, 2023 12:03pm

Short answer: ...because that is the correct way to do it.

Long answer:

Jason is a System(s) Administrator. Someone that works on servers and networks, and has been using the Internet, and working with Internet-oriented companies for a long time.

Long-time computer users, especially computer and network engineer types, consider "top-posting", or replying at the top, to be incorrect. Some even consider it to be rude, or a breach of Internet etiquette (aka. netiquette). top-posting is especially frowned upon in Usenet newsgroups, mailing lists, and user forums - depending on the target audience.

top-posting has become common in recent years because Microsoft started making that the default setting in their e-mail software, and it spread to smart phone manufacturers wanting their business as well. Now many people find it faster to simply reply at the top, leaving the entire original message below, with no reference points and no chopping it for brevity or understandability. This is the same as using forward instead of reply. [ This is not very helpful when you send and receive several hundred e-mails every day ]

Jason certainly doesn't expect you to change how you write e-mail, but he's not going to either. :-)

If you care to read more about posting style:

FAQ entry last updated: March 26, 2022 5:09pm

If you have not seen your neighbor in a while and you are worried about them, especially if they are elderly or are ill, let us know and we can try to contact them or their emergency contact(s).

If you are truly worried for their well being, call the Montclair Police Department at 973-744-1234. When they arrive, tell them to contact us.

FAQ entry last updated: March 26, 2022 5:06pm

If you get locked out, send a text message or leave a voicemail, at the residents-only phone # that we gave you. If either of us are at Lord Essex Apartments at the time, we will let you back in as soon as possible. There is no fee for this unless you do it constantly.

None of our personal or Lord Essex Apartments phones ring at night because we get apartment calls, marketing calls, calls from contractors, and the rest 24/7. Only leaving a voicemail at the residents-only phone # that we gave you, from a resident phone # in our contacts, will wake us up. Locking yourself out is not considered an emergency, it's a self-imposed inconvenience. In case we are asleep, out, or on vacation when this happens to you, we highly recommend that you leave a copy of your keys with a local family member or trusted friend.

We keep a copy of everyone's keys in a locked key locker, which is in a locked room. If you loose all copies of your keys, we can give you our copy so you can get more copies made.

Our predecessor left us with hundreds of keys, most of which are not labeled, or do not work. If you like, you can leave us a copy of your keys for us to keep in our new (October 2019) key safe.

If someone steals your keys (from you), we can have our locksmiths come to re-key the locks. You would have to pay for that. Once our locksmith's invoice arrives at the Affiliated Management office, that amount would be added to your next rent bill.

Do not call the fire department. If they bash in your door(s), you will have to pay for a new solid-core fire-rated door and the labor for our carpenters to replace it, and have a damaged door until they are able to do it. This is generally thought to be, in our opinion, for home owners who have no other option. Not apartment renters.

FAQ entry last updated: March 15, 2024 10:37pm

Park somewhere else temporarily. Abide by street signs, ordinances, etc. but park in the street if allowed at that time. In Montclair, street parking is allowed up to 2am (if not snow covered). DO NOT PARK IN SOMEONE ELSE'S ASSIGNED PARKING SPACE. (we don't need two problems instead of one) Notify the Resident Managers, however you would for a non-emergency. If it's not just a delivery person who will be gone any minute, and the RMs don't know who it is, they may be able to put you somewhere else temporarily.

The Resident Managers keep a list of all tenant vehicles and vehicles that tenants allow to park in their assigned parking space. We also have a list of previous parking violators who can be ticketed and towed without warning due to a previous offense.

If someone is in your parking space, if possible, take down the following information:

License plate (including state)
Vehicle color
If at night, guess or tell us that you can't tell
Vehicle make
Accura, Ford, Honda, Lexus, Nissan, Toyota, ...
Vehicle model
...if it says
Exact time that you first saw it there
...if you did not e-mail/call right away
If you can e-mail or text a picture of it, in that location, even better

If we know who's vehicle it is, we will contact them immediately. If not, they will get a note from us in their windshield, and if they are still there after a few hours, they can be ticketed by the police department and then towed by a towing company that we have a contract with.

Only management can tow people, residents can not.

Note: We can not hear the land-line phone ring while we are sleeping.
Note: Someone being parked in your parking space is not an emergency.
If someone is in your space, do not leave a voicemail at the residents-only number before 8am, after 10pm, or during the weekend. Instead, e-mail or leave a message on the answering machine and we will handle it when we are available.

Until the other vehicle leaves or is removed from your space, you can park in the street until 2am (but not when snow covered). You can get a parking permit from Montclair's web site to print out and put in your windshield if necessary, but read the details there and the signs on the street. If in doubt, call the Montclair Parking Authority 973-509-4997 or e-mail MPU@montclairnjusa.org and/or look through the MPU web pages.

If there are any vacant apartments available with a parking space at the time, we may be able to allow you to park there in the evening after the showings and contractors are done for the day.

As long as they've been there long enough where they wouldn't be gone before the tow truck arrives, we will call the police department, have them ticketed, and then the tow company.

FAQ entry last updated: December 12, 2023 12:04pm

Short answer: You are.

Long answer:

You should always assume that you will have to shovel your parking space, or wait for the sun to melt the snow in it.
[ If you wait for the sun, and you are on a hill, that will result in the hill being covered with ice at least in the evening... ]

In fall/autumn as they become more widely available, you should purchase a shovel and an ice scraper, maybe a plastic container of salt or ice melt (salt + calcium or magnesium). You can usually find a shovel at amazon.com, The Home Depot, hardware stores, sometimes supermarkets, CVS, or Walgreens.

If you are physically unable because you are elderly or are visibly injured (crutches, a cast) and have nobody that can help you, contact the Resident Managers. ...though, if you are physically unable to shovel snow, please consider that you may not need to go for a drive in it.

You are more than welcome to hire kids with shovels or someone with a snowblower, but keep in mind that you will be held 100% responsible for what they do.

Task	Responsible party
Apartment power, gas, TV, phone, Internet-access bills	Tenants
Sewer, water bills	Lord Essex Apartments
Heat	Lord Essex Apartments' boilers
Hot water	Lord Essex Apartments' water heater
Purchasing & changing apartment light bulbs	Tenants
Cleaning the apartment	Tenants
Tightening or replacing toilet seat	Tenants
Toilet plunger	Tenants ...but if you can't clear the clog yourself, Lord Essex Apartments
Repairing building-owned... Air conditioners baseboard heaters bathroom exhaust fans faucets light fixtures microwaves ranges (stove/oven) range hoods refrigerators toilets	Lord Essex Apartments ...unless it is tenant-damaged, then tenants (financially)
Common area light bulbs	Lord Essex Apartments
Building hallway welcome mat	Tenants
Apartment Comcast Xfinity equipment, wiring	Wiring: tenants, equipment: Comcast
Apartment Verizon FiOS equipment, wiring	Wiring & battery: tenants, equipment: Verizon
Clearing snow from parking space	Tenants
Replacing broken blinds	Lord Essex Apartments orders and replaces them, charge added by Affiliated Management to tenant rent bill (when the bill for the blinds arrives there)
Lost keys, no security issue	Lord Essex Apartments will provide a key for free that you can get copied at Ace Harware, Home Depot, etc.
Lost keys, security issue	If someone stole your keys, or you wrote your address on your key chain and lost your keys, or you have a stalker, ... Charge from our locksmith would be added to rent bill We have a lock-out device that we could put over the doorknob until they arrive
Locksmith due to worn lock	If our locksmith re-keys it to the same key - Lord Essex Apartments

Visitors

Visitors are fine, but there are limits.

Any time someone is house sitting for you or anything like that, please let the Resident Managers know to expect someone they don't know to be there.

Whoever is on the lease for the apartment is 100% responsible for what their visitors do. You must be with them when using any building facilities like the laundry room, garbage/recycling areas outside, etc., they must follow all rules that tenants must follow for this property, and if they cause damage or other issues, the tenant(s) they are staying with will be held responsible for that.

If they are unfamiliar with laws of Montclair, or Essex County, or New Jersey, or the USA, the tenant(s) must help them with that.

Make sure your visitors know that they can only park in your assigned parking space (while you are elsewhere, after you notify us), or in a public parking location, abiding by signs where appropriate (permit only signs, no street parking 2-5am, etc.). If they park in an assigned space in the parking lot for another apartment, their vehicle may be towed away without warning, especially if the Resident Managers don't know who's vehicle it is, and they will have to pay a hefty fine to get it back from an impound lot.

So, if you want to have your friend from school visit you for a month, ask Affiliated Management about that, before they arrive. See the Contact Info page.

Roommate

Even if it is a girlfriend, boyfriend, or even your adult child, if you want someone to move in with you, let the Resident Managers know, and they can apply just like you did when you moved here. Affiliated Management would then determine if they need to be added to the lease, or complete alternate documentation. After that, no problem, they can move in.

Any roommate not authorized by Affiliated Management is against the rules of the lease and even a girlfriend/wife, boyfriend/husband, it's complicated, significant other, gender-fluid life partner, or family member living with you without permission is potential grounds for eviction - of course everyone would rather them be authorized then have that happen. You can not sub-let (whether you are there or not) to anyone.

FAQ entry last updated: December 12, 2023 12:04pm

Lord Essex is in Ward 2

Montclair Township: Find Your Ward

FAQ entry last updated: April 02, 2020 3:13pm

Remote: CR2032
Keypad: 9V

More than a few people have a hard time replacing the batteries without breaking something, so the Resident Managers can replace the battery for you. Mon-Fri daytime.

For the remote, put a Post-it note or piece of non-destrictive masking tape (i.e. painter's tape or regular masking tape, but not duct tape or electrical tape), or something else on it specifying which garage it is and drop it in our mailbox. We do not have a mail slot, we have a post-mounted black mailbox outside at the front/grass end of our yard. Our apartment is 1A, around the corner from 1-4 (not inside the front courtyard).

For the keypad, just let us know you think it needs a new battery, and we'll replace it whenever we get a chance.

FAQ entry last updated: March 19, 2023 11:05am

If your garage has a LiftMaster or Chamberlain branded garage door opener with WiFi, and the garage door opener is also in range of the WiFi in your apartment, only then would you be able to open and close your garage door using a smartphone/tablet app. See these:
LiftMaster myQ Connectivity
Chamberlain myQ Smart Home
myQ

The Resident Managers do this with their garage, which is directly next to their apartment. They may be the only people that would be able to do this, unless someone is very lucky and just happens to end up with a garage directly below their apartment...

Everyone already has access to a garage door opener remote and an outside keypad, so will probably not miss it if they are unable to use this feature.

FAQ entry last updated: June 28, 2023 1:35am

Every garage door opener is connected to a sensor on the left, and a sensor on the right.
They are required by federal law in the United States.
The sensors are there to prevent a child or an injured adult from being crushed by the garage door.

The sensors use an infrared beam, aimed at each other, which you can not see.
If there is any obstruction - your foot, leaves, cobwebs, etc., that will cause the closing garage door to open again.
This can also happen if someone kicks a sensor by mistake and moves it out of alignment.
If the light on the garage door opener blinks, this confirms that the door opened again due to the sensors.

If there are leaves there, bring out a broom and sweep out your garage. If you have a compressed air can that you would use for cleaning off your computer keyboard, or a battery powered blower for clearing leaves out of your garage, that would work also.

If it still will not stay closed after clearing debris away from the sensors and pulling anything attached to the bottom of the garage door off, let the Resident Managers know.

FAQ entry last updated: June 28, 2023 1:27am

For an animal attack or an animal struck by a vehicle, call the Montclair Police Department non-emergency number 973-744-1234.

If you find a lost cat or dog with a collar, if there's contact info on there, try the owners directly.

If there is a collar, but no contact info, try the Montclair Animal Shelter. They should be able to check for a chip and may be able to find out who the owner is.
Hours may change, but as of August 2022, they were open 1-4pm daily.
973-744-8600
77 N Willow St, Montclair, NJ 07042
MTAS@MontclairNJusa.org
Montclair Township page
Facebook page

You could also try posting on local web sites, contact them via Facebook or Twitter DMs... Baristanet, Montclair Local, Montclair Patch, Nextdoor Montclair, TAPinto Montclair

If you find an injured animal, here are some animal hospitals in the area. Just keep in mind that if you bring it to an animal hospital and the owner is unknown, you will have to pay for it.

Call for an animal control officer 24/7 862-621-9113
Animal Emergency and Referral Associates (AERA)
Opened 24/7 - 975 Bloomfield Ave, West Caldwell 973-788-0500
(moved from Bloomfield Ave in Fairfield to former Sears Hardware location)
Veterinary Emergency Group - Clifton
Opened 24/7 - 790 Route 3, Clifton 201-438-7122
Belleville Animal Hospital
See web site for off-hours phone #
Animal Hospitals in Essex County, New Jersey

As this is written, Montclair Township's Animal Control web page is here:
https://montclairnjusa.org/cms/one.aspx?pageId=5949040
Call them at 862-621-9113 or call the Montclair Police Department non-emergency number 973-744-1234. Montclair Animal Control will come out if you have wildlife in your apartment, but not in a garage.

If you see an uninjured larger animal outside (fox, coyote, bear) that will not leave on it's own, contact the NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife 609-292-2965.

If you see a mouse in your apartment, contact the Resident Managers, and they will contact the exterminators who can place bait stations.

If you have a squirrel or racoon (!) in your apartment, the Resident Managers can contact the exterminators, who will then contact an animal trapping company that they use.

Montclair Township Knowledge Base: Nuisance Wildlife
Montclair Township Knowledge Base: Animal bite

FAQ entry last updated: August 11, 2022 2:41pm

Resident Manager Ann is Ann. No e.

FAQ entry last updated: December 06, 2020 3:47pm

Except when you have a large living room center window and two smaller ones on the sides (the center one will not open), all apartment windows can be tilted-in for cleaning. Lift up the bottom sash a few inches, then push the two latches on top of it towards the center, and it will release. Push back in place until you hear and feel a solid click and then it should slide up and down again as usual. Repeat for the top sash. Do not twist the sash diagonally, it may come out if you do that.

If you want to hire window cleaners for the living room window, make sure you first confirm with Affiliated Managmement that it is OK. Keep in mind that if they cause any damage, you are responsible to pay for the repairs (then their insurance or maybe your own renter's insurance reimburses you). Also notify the Resident Managers to confirm no outdoor work will be done at the time, and notify your downstairs neighbor that they may want to close their windows, if you are on an upper floor.

Normally, residents can not use garden hoses or any other tools and supplies that are around the property in spring, summer, and early fall. If you purchase the hose-type (vs the pole-type) of Windex Outdoor, and give at least 24 hours notice before you want to do it, ask the Resident Managers if they can bring a hose close to your apartment so you can use it with a Windex Outdoor sprayer, and then they will turn on and off the water for you. Do not do it yourself. Some hose spigots leak, some do not have handles, some have an automated timer on them, ... Let the Resident Managers do it.

FAQ entry last updated: July 14, 2023 12:54am

American Royal Hardware, 251 Park St, Upper Montclair
Facebook TrueValue Yelp
Saunders Hardware, 627 Valley Rd, Upper Montclair
Major Hardware Supply, 589 Pompton Ave, Cedar Grove
The Home Depot, 60 Orange St, Bloomfield
The Home Depot, 955 Bloomfield Ave, Clifton
Ace Hardware, 490 Bloomfield Ave, Caldwell
They have a (slow) machine that scans the key and exactly duplicates it automatically
Clifton Ace Hardware & Paint Supply, 741 Van Houten Ave, Clifton
7-Eleven KeyMe key duplicating kiosk:
7-Eleven - Montclair (24/7): 15 Bloomfield Ave, 973-337-6461
7-Eleven - Verona (not 24/7): 287 Bloomfield Ave, Verona, 973-239-6198
Any locksmith

FAQ entry last updated: December 06, 2023 12:31pm

The most commonly used indoor air conditioner cover that we've dealt with is the Frost King AC11H. When it is very cold outside, you may feel cold air coming in the air conditioner vents. This cover would block that cold air from coming in.

You can find them at least on Amazon, Home Depot, and in the winter probably more widely available at many other hardware stores and home centers.

The cover has a plastic liner that goes over the air conditioner on the inside, and then a quilted and washable cover that goes over that. If fits air conditioners up to 20" x 28".

If you moved in when we were Resident Managers, we left one in the apartment for you to use in the winter if needed, and so you know exactly what to get if you need additional cover(s). We can not provide any additional covers, only when someone moves in.

If you have your own personally-owned window air conditioner, there are smaller sizes such as the AC9H which fits units up to 18" x 25". Frost King also makes an outside cover that you could put on the outside part of your personally-owned window air conditioner.

FAQ entry last updated: July 21, 2022 2:06pm

Water utility

Montclair Water Bureau & Sewer Utility:
973-744-4600

Montclair Township - 2022 Drinking Water Quality Report
2022 Water Quality Report (PDF)
Montclair & Glen Ridge Annual Drinking Water Quality Report 2021 (PDF)
njwatercheck.com: Montclair Water Bureau
EWG Tap Water Database 2021 Update - Montclair Water Bureau

Water supplier

North Jersey District Water Supply Commission (NJDWSC)
973-835-3600

Backup supply

After the Nutley large water main break in October of 2022, temporary water supplies were set up. Montclair received extra gallons per minute from New Jersey American Water Company and hooked up Montclair fire hydrants across streets to neighboring towns' fire hydrants. Then a more long term/higher supply backup connection was set up by digging channels through Grove St and making a connection to Passaic Valley Water Commission. As long as that connection is maintained, Montclair has a high capacity backup in case of future issues.

FAQ entry last updated: November 30, 2023 10:08am

No.

It was assumed not, but the main water supply pipe coming in to Lord Essex from Montclair Township was "officially" confirmed to not be lead when the Montclair Township Water Bureau had the Lord Essex water meter replaced in 2023.

Affiliated Management has had a testing company do lead water testing at Lord Essex. Samples were taken in multiple locations in multiple buildings, high elevation, low elevation, etc.

All water pipes in Lord Essex buildings, or underground between Lord Essex buildings, that the Resident Managers have directly seen in utility rooms, garages, and inside walls during apartment renovations and repairs, have all been copper or PEX (a type of flexible plastic).

For information about pipes outside of Lord Essex, those running underground below Claremont Ave, N Mountain Ave, Upper Mountain Ave, Bloomfield Ave, and those coming to and from township water suppliers, contact the Montclair Township Water Bureau.

Montclair Water Bureau & Sewer Utility
973-744-4600

FAQ entry last updated: November 30, 2023 10:19am

What happens when the water main is off

If the water main is turned off, whether that be due to work done by the Montclair Water Bureau or our plumbers who have a contract with Affiliated Management, here are some tips/suggestions and general information so you know what will happen.

When the water main is turned off, no new water will come in from Montclair Township.

Why?

If plumbers are going to replace a faucet or repair a shower or bathtub or toilet, the water supply to that faucet/shower/tub/toilet must be turned off. If those shut-off valves do not work, meaning that they do not stop the water, water continues to trickle or drip or flow out a lot, then they must be replaced. Sometimes you can use a different shut-off valve below the apartment, or one that turns off an entire building, but other times that is not available. To replace shut-off valves, or to install new pipes, the water main must be shut off to all of Lord Essex.

Is heat effected?

No, heat is a closed-loop of separate water pipes.

Faucets

If you turn on a faucet while the water main is off, the last of the water that is already in the pipes will come out and go down the drain. After that, no more water will come out. The pipes in the wall will be filled with air instead of water. Locations that are lower in elevation, such as a downstairs apartment, or the laundry room, may still have some water downstairs, when you run out upstairs, but not much.

Toilets

If you flush the toilet while the water main is off, you will get one more toilet flush from the water that was already in the toilet tank. You can manually fill it up to continue flushing it. If you expect to need to do this - fill up a sink or even your bathtub before the water is turned off. CAREFULLY lift off your heavy+breakable toilet tank lid to fill the tank back up to the fill line. Then you can flush the toilet as you normally would.

Dishwasher

If you try to run a dishwasher while the water main is off, it will not get any water. Newer dishwashers will see that there is no water available and refuse to run. If it does not have that ability, it will try do wash dishes without water and not have any success.

Laundry machines

If you try to run a laundry washing machine, it will not get any water while the water main is off. Modern machines will see that and refuse to run. In the laundry room, you can check the sink in there to see if water is available or not.

Cooking with water

If you will need water for cooking while the water main is off, before it is turned off, fill up a large cooking pot, or a (clean) sink with water. If you have a Brita or Zero Water or other filtered water pitcher, that is another option. Or bottled water.

When the water is turned back on

Once the water is back on, you may experience air sputtering sounds. This happens when air let in to the pipes during plumber work comes out of a faucet, tub spout, or toilet water supply line. A toilet getting air may sound like a knocking sort of noise. Run faucets and showers for several minutes, and flush the toilet to let most of the air out.

Notified before/after

The Resident Managers usually deal with the head plumber, dispatcher or department head. Not necessarily the plumber(s) that will be on site doing the work. And sometimes they feel like they would be bothering us to contact us at all, unless absolutely necessary. (their job is to handle the whole process...) If you would like to be notified, if they tell us when they begin and are finished, let us know. If we are out dealing with other things, this may not be possible right away, but we'll do our best. Just keep in mind that they may need to turn it off, do their work, then turn it back on to test it. It could go off again if something needs to be fixed.

FAQ entry last updated: February 06, 2024 12:10am

As of October 2023, there is now a full gas-powered leaf blower ban. There is no longer a time of year restriction, they are banned 100%. Gasoline powered chainsaws, weed whackers, hedge trimmers, snow blowers, and modes of transportation have no limitations that we are aware of.
Because our landscapers can't plug in an extension cord to blow leaves around all of Lord Essex, and because battery powered ones don't last all day (more like 5-20 minutes), there will be significantly less leaf blowing in the future.

Montclair has a partial leaf blower ban that prevents landscapers from using gas-powered leaf blowers during certain times of the year.

The thinking is that gas leaf blowers cause pollution and they cause noise. This is true.
(also true for gas powered cars, weed whackers, snow blowers, chainsaws, ...)

It would seem that people that wrote up the ordinance have never been a professional landscaper (understandable) or may have never even tried a battery powered blower before (...research), and they assume that you can just buy and use those instead.

Battery powered blowers are available, however, to get a comparable amount of air movement, you would have to run a battery powered blower on the High/Turbo/... setting. This can cause the battery to be depleted in as little as 5-10 minutes. This is of course not reasonable for a company with multiple landscapers all blowing leaves at the same time, at apartment complexes, schools, houses with a large yard, all day long, every day. Not only would they have the expense of purchasing a number of new blowers, but also a truckload of batteries. They can't go back to work and charge them, this can take hours - for one battery... So, for the most part, in our NON-expert opinion, this will definitely decrease the amount of pollution from gas leaf blowers in Montclair, but as also for the most part resulted in almost no leaf blowing or parking lot debris-clearing at all, during the banned time periods. This goes for Lord Essex and most other places. You can also get a blower that plugs in with an extension cord, but this is just not reasonable for a large property.

Until leaving fallen leaves as-is becomes more accepted, or federal, state, county, or local township government steps in with rebates or discounts or incentives to battery manufacturers to get them to work at lowering cost and making the batteries last longer, there will be more debris...

Not leaves of course, but if you see debris/garbage in the parking lot and you are able to, please pick it up. The Resident Managers do this every time they walk by and see something, but the wind regularly blows debris around from the street or neighboring properties, and it's just impossible to get all of it by hand.

FAQ entry last updated: October 23, 2023 1:32pm

As of August 2023, it is illegal to manufacture or sell incandescent light bulbs. It is not illegal to own or use ones that you had before that. (and there is no light bulb police to find out)

Incandescent bulbs do not last nearly as long as CFL bulbs or LED bulbs.

CFL bulbs last longer than incandescent bulbs, but contain toxic things such as mercury and must be disposed of carefully - you can not put them in the regular garbage/trash/rubbish.

LED bulbs last longer than incandescent and CFL bulbs and use the least amount of electricity.

Wikipedia: Phase-out of incandescent light bulbs
Wikipedia: Incandescent light bulb
Department of Energy: New Energy Efficiency Standards for Lightbulbs

FAQ entry last updated: August 17, 2023 2:52pm

If the Resident Managers have scheduled painters to go to your apartment for touch-ups, and you need to mark specific areas so they don't miss anything, use small pieces of blue or green painter's tape.

You can find painter's tape on Amazon, homedepot.com, in person at The Home Depot (60 Orange St, Bloomfield), American Royal Hardware (251 Park St, Upper Montclair), or any other hardware store or home center. Sometimes even Walgreens, CVS, and supermarkets.

Some examples of painter's tape brands are 3M Scotch Blue, Frogtape, Shurtape, Duck, etc. Just be careful - there are many different types. The different criteria for picking one are the stickyness of the tape, the width of the tape, the length of the tape roll...

Clear Scotch tape, packing tape, regular masking tape, duct tape, etc. will probably damage the paint, if not the drywall too.

FAQ entry last updated: February 05, 2024 4:22pm

:-)

Wikipedia: Airplane!

IMDB: Airplane!

FAQ entry last updated: January 09, 2022 1:19pm

FAQ

Is Upper Montclair a separate town?

What should I do with used N95/KN95 masks and vinyl/latex/nitrile gloves?

Where can I find your phone number?

What is my ZIP Code?

Where are paper newspapers delivered?

Can we get satellite TV in our apartment?

Will a digital TV antenna work?

What types of Internet access are available?

I have a billing question, who do I talk to about that?

Can we nail/screw/drill through our windows, window sills, or window frames?

Why didn't anyone answer when I called?

Is there an office at the Lord Essex Apartments complex?

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2023:

2024:

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I am receiving mail for other people, what should I do?

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Parking options

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The laundry machine ate my quarters, how do I get a refund?

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Who is responsible for clearing snow from my parking space?

When does the snow plow come?

Who is responsible for...

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I see someone smoking where they should not, what should I do?

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Visitors

Roommate

What Montclair ward are we in?

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Why did my garage door open again?

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Is it Ann or Anne?

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Where does Montclair get it's water?

Water utility

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What happens when the water main is off

Why?

Is heat effected?

Faucets

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Notified before/after

Why is there so much yard/parking lot debris?

Are incandescent light bulbs illegal?

How should I mark touch-up areas for painters?

Have you ever been in a Turkish prison?