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Maintenance at UAS Housing

Karl Sears

Karl Sears

Maintenance Coordinator

Profile and contact info

Maintenance Requests

As a resident at UAS Housing, you may need assistance with maintenance upkeep from time to time. UAS housing employs a full-time Maintenance Coordinator to assist residents and maintain housing facilities. 

To request assistance with maintenance, fill out a Maintenance Request form. Forms submitted through this process are provided to our Maintenance Coordinator. In some cases, the form will direct you to immediately contact a member of our staff so that we can provide you with more timely assistance. Standard maintenance requests may take several business days to process before outreach occurs. 

Maintenance Requests are processed between 8 am - 5 pm Monday through Friday. Please be as specific as possible when describing the issue; including the location of the problem and a contact number. Incomplete information can lead to a delay in processing.

Heating, Fridge, Freezer, Lock, and Plumbing Problems:

If you are experiencing a problem with your heat (too cold), a failed refrigerator or freezer, a non-functional lock on your unit door, or a plumbing issue, please contact us immediately at (907) 209-6539.

Submit a Maintenance Request

In order to complete your maintenance request, Residence Life or Facilities Service staff may enter your housing unit. This may occur when you are not at home. Staff are directed to knock twice and announce themselves prior to entering any private residences.

Lost Keys

If you have lost a mail key or room key, you will need to submit a Lost Key form for assistance. Visit a Housing Desk location during business hours to fill out a form. 

The key replacement process will take several days. For room keys, you may be issued a temporary key while the lock is re-cored. You will not receive a replacement mail key until the lock is replaced and will need to visit the desk during business hours to check your mail.

For more information about lost keys and associated charges, view the Keys Policy.

How to Maintain Your Unit

Proper maintenance and cleaning of your housing unit will help you maintain a clean, functioning living environment and will also assist you with avoiding cleaning and damage fees during and after your time living on campus. Working with your roommates on the items below will help you with the proper maintenance and cleaning of your unit

Drains in your Housing unit can become clogged if improperly utilized. Clogged drains, if improperly handled, can lead to significant damage to your unit and your neighbors. To best ensure drains do not clog:

  • Do not put food, oil, or chemicals down any drains.
  • Do not allow hair to build up in drains. If needed, purchase and utilize a drain stopper that collects hair.
  • Only dispose of human waste and toilet paper in the toilet.

Juneau is wet and moist. Uncontrolled moisture accumulations can result in mold. Help keep Housing mold-free by:

  • Keeping furniture away from walls when possible to allow for better circulation
  • Keep window shades open when possible to allow better airflow
  • Wipe condensation off of windows
  • Allow the bathroom fan to run for a period after a shower
  • Purchase a bathmat and utilize it in wet areas (i.e. near shower).
  • Use the kitchen fan whenever cooking
  • When not in use, leave bathroom doors open for better air circulation
  • Report leaks immediately
  • Dry wet areas whenever observed
  • Ensure your personal items are dry before storage such as dishes, pans, outdoor wear, backpacks and bags, etc. 

Whenever a spill or other large mess is created, including accidents from animals, be sure to clean immediately. Failure to promptly clean up spills will result in stained linoleum or carpeting. Fluid spills may also soak through the flooring into the subfloor and cause damage or lingering smells that require costly repairs. In the case of a spill, take actions to:

  • Prevent the spill from spreading.
  • Remove any spill residue from the area utilizing cleaners, rags, and water, as appropriate.
  • For vinyl surfaces, cleaning with a mop or disinfectant to ensure smells do not penetrate seams or other areas.
  • For carpeted areas, check out a carpet extractor from UAS Housing to remove any fluid that may have soaked into carpet fibers.

Note that spills that are not properly cleaned and result in vinyl or carpet replacement, or more intensive cleaning will result in cleaning/damage charges being placed upon your student account. When in doubt, ask for assistance so we can help you avoid unnecessary fees. 

Regular Cleaning Items

Utilizing the table below will help you avoid health or safety concerns that could result in cleaning or damage fees, pest infestations, etc.

ItemFrequency
Sweep, Mop, Vacuum FloorsWeekly
Tidy Bathroom SpacesWeekly
Remove All Garbage from UnitWeekly
Clean out Refrigerator of expired itemsMonthly
Run Self Clean Function on OvenMonthly
Remove and clean stove drip-pansWeekly
Wipe out MicrowaveWeekly

Common Maintenance Challenges

If your toilet is clogged and overflowing, immediately reach behind the toilet and look for the water hose connected to the wall. At the point the hose connects to the wall, there is a valve handle. Turn the valve handle until water stops flowing. 

After closing the valve, use a plunger to vigorously plunge the toilet for up to 1 minute. If you are having a challenging time with the plunger provided in your unit, you may check out a different plunger from a housing desk location.

After the toilet is cleared, turn the valve back on. Be sure to clean and disinfect the toilet and surrounding flooring according to the information found in "Spills" above.

If you remain unable to clear the toilet, contact the RA Cell Phone at (907) 209-6539.

If your room feels too cold:

  • Ensure furniture is placed 6-12 inches away from radiators if present
  • Ensure windows are fully secured by opening the window, ensuring the lock is disengaged, closing the window, and re-engaging the lock. Windows may sometimes appear closed while being closed on top of a lock, letting out significant heat.
  • In apartment units, ensure your arctic entry door is closed. Units are designed to better regulate heat when this door is closed. 

If your unit remains consistently below 65 degrees after checking these items, contact the RA Cell Phone at (907) 209-6539.

If your room is too warm:

  • During cold months, turn down thermostats. Opening windows will result in heaters turning on and your space will end up even warmer after the windows are closed.
    • Open windows during the winter months may also cause pipes to freeze and crack, resulting in significant damage. 

If your refrigerator or freezer is keeping items too cold, find and adjust the temperature control on the unit, being sure to make the changes in small increments.

If your refrigerator or freezer is not keeping items cold enough, ensure your door is closing and sealing fully. Check the seal around the door to ensure it is properly seated and ensure there are no food items causing a blockage.

If unable to fix the problem or your fridge/freezer is entirely non-functional contact the RA Cell Phone at (907) 209-6539.

Housing desk locations stock standard lightbulbs for recessed fixtures in apartment units. Stop by the Lodge Desk to pick up a bulb. If you have a tube-style light figure with a lightbulb out, submit a maintenance request.

Residents of John Pugh Hall: All lights in this building are integrated LED fixtures without lightbulbs. Submit a maintenance request.