Housekeeping and Pest Control
Residents are responsible for maintaining their rooms and apartments at a level of cleanliness that discourages pests, mold, bacterial growth, and other health and safety hazards. This responsibility applies to kitchens, appliances, furnishings and any bathroom contained within the space or any bathroom with access limited to a specific, small group of residents (e.g., bathrooms associated with an apartment, a designated cluster of student rooms, or a suite such as those in Baits II Houses, Northwood Community Apartments, North Quad, Munger Graduate Residences, or Oxford Housing. For more information see also, Hallway and Bathroom Cleaning on the Housing Website.
University Housing may conduct proactive Health and Safety reviews in residential spaces up to twice a year.
You are expected to call the Plant Operations Call Center (POCC) number 734- 647-2059 promptly if pest activity is discovered and cooperate fully with the University’s prevention and/or treatment program for the elimination of pests on the premises. Every University Housing facility is inspected periodically for signs of insect activity as part of the routine inspection process. Inspections sometimes involve minor applications of insecticide and/or flushing agents. You will be notified prior to each inspection. It is not necessary to be present for such inspections and no preparation will be required. If a problem is identified, a more thorough inspection and treatment will be scheduled; this typically requires some preparation by residents. Use of commercially available pesticides by residents is not allowed (see Prohibited Items).
Rooms and Apartments with Kitchens
Cupboards, Cabinets and Shelves
Do not use adhesive-coated or self-stick products to line cabinet or closet shelves. Do not cover cabinet doors or kitchen walls with aluminum foil, plastic wrap or newspaper. This becomes a breeding ground for pests and is also an extremely dangerous fire hazard
Garbage Disposal
Do not allow grease or hard waste such as meat/poultry, bones, eggshells, rice, tea bags or fruit pits to enter the disposal.
Kitchen Stoves
Some apartment stoves are gas appliances. Pilot lights cause the stove to have warm spots. The oven has a safety delay of up to one minute before igniting. If you hear or smell a gas leak, vacate the apartment immediately and then call the Plant Operations Call Center (POCC) at 734-647-2059.
Northwood, Oxford, Baits, and Munger Graduate Housing
Garbage should not be placed in stairways, breezeways, courtyards, vestibules, patios, storage rooms, or anywhere other than in the designated areas such as dumpsters and trash chutes.
Maintenance Requests and Repairs
In order for University Housing to provide efficient, quality maintenance service, you are required to report all problems, defects or dangerous conditions as soon as they become apparent. You must also notify the other occupants, guests and invitees of any defects or dangerous conditions and take due precaution to avoid injury to persons or property until the defect or condition can be repaired.
The University agrees to keep facilities in reasonable repair during the term of the contract and maintain the room or apartment in compliance with applicable regulations. The University will make all necessary repairs within a reasonable time after notice of the need for repairs. Problems with essential services such as heat and hot water or correction of a hazardous condition will be addressed by the University and fixed as soon as reasonably possible.
Submitting Requests for Maintenance or Repair
Emergency requests (such as loss of electricity, gas leak, water problem, or heat problem) should be called into Plant Operations Call Center (POCC) at 734-647-2059.
For non-emergency repairs submit an online FIXIT request. By requesting a repair, you grant permission for facilities and maintenance personnel to enter your room or apartment when you are not present.
There will be cases when a work order has been submitted by someone other than a resident of the contracted space (examples of maintenance include work such as installing a window screen or replacing a peephole). It may not be possible for advance notice to be provided to the residents. Notice will be provided after maintenance work has occurred in the space.
Northwood residents are responsible for the initial handling of these common maintenance problems:
- Lighting pilot lights on the kitchen stove/oven. A pilot igniter is available in NW
units - Replacing burnt-out light bulbs (refrigerator, stove, or ceiling)
- Plunging clogged toilets
Munger Graduate residents are responsible for the initial handling of these common maintenance problems:
- Plunging clogged toilets
If efforts to resolve these problems are not successful, residents should submit a service request online or by contacting POCC at 734-647-2059 for all emergencies and pest problems. Other concerns such as condition of furniture and appliances, grounds or snow removal problems, parking issues, lock-outs, cable TV, and questions concerning programs and services should be directed to your Community Center during regular business hours.
Environmental and Other Safety Hazards
Information about Environment, Health and Safety Department (OSEH) services and programs and its commitment to the promotion of health, safety, and environmental protection is available online. You can support OSEH’s environmental hazards management and help ensure environmental safety for everyone by not disturbing building materials, including wall and ceiling plaster, pipe insulation and flooring.
Heat
- The boilers which provide heat to the University Housing facilities are turned on in the fall when low temperatures below 45°F (7°C) are predicted for several evenings. This usually occurs in early October, but will vary slightly from year to year. Keep areas around heating units clear and radiators dusted to allow maximum heat circulation. For term break periods, contract holders must follow their closing guidelines regarding heat settings.
- Buildings which utilize Fan Coil Units for heating and cooling (Alice Lloyd, Couzens, East Quad, Mosher Jordan, Munger, North Quad, Stockwell, and West Quad) provide individual control over temperatures within established set points. There are three different modes during normal operation based on outside air temperature. Below 47 degrees F the unit should be in heating mode and heating water is circulating through the fan coil in order to satisfy the room thermostat set-point. Between 47 and 60 degrees F outside temperature, the fan coil will be in ambient mode, meaning it will not produce heating or cooling. At 60 degrees F outside temperature and above the unit will be circulating chilled water and is in air conditioning mode. The purpose of the ambient mode, where no heating or cooling takes place, is to let the heating water cool to below 90 degrees before the building system can begin to circulate chilled water. Keep areas around heating units clear and radiators dusted to allow maximum circulation.
- Northwood I, II and III apartments have hot water heat. Keep areas around heating units clear and radiators dusted to allow maximum heat circulation. Central controls turn the heat off when the outside temperature reaches 60°F (15°C). In most apartment rooms and common areas, slight individual adjustments may be made using a control valve/lever.
- Northwood IV and V heat is controlled by an adjustable thermostat. Keep floor vents clean and clear of obstructions for maximum efficiency. Thermostats are calibrated for a maximum temperature setting of 75°F (24°C). Overriding or tampering with the thermostats creates a potentially serious hazard and is a contract violation. The University recommends that thermostats be lowered to 60°F-65°F (15°C-18°C) at night when everyone is sleeping and when the apartment is unoccupied. This helps save energy. However, setting thermostats below 55°F during the heating season could cause water lines to freeze. Residents may request a high setting thermostat (50°F-90°F) at the Community Center front desk for an additional cost to cover installation and utilities expense.
Snow Removal in Northwood Community Apartments
Snow is removed after major snowfalls from the main connecting walks and parking lot driving lanes. Individual apartment steps and walks are the resident’s responsibility. Shovels are available for use at the Community Center.
Residential Computing (ResComp) Activation /Support
See Academic & Technology Support on the Housing website for more information about ResComp. The amount of the fee charged to each undergraduate resident is available on the University Housing website. This fee is nonrefundable.
Northwood Community Apartments networking services information is available on the ITS website.
Electrical Systems and Devices
Any electrical device or power equipment, such as appliances, cords and power strips, must be Underwriters Laboratory (UL)-certified. Additional information guiding what is permitted and not permitted in University Housing facilities can be found in the Prohibited Items, Safety in Hall & Apartment Communities and within this document. If you are unsure about an item, check with housing@umich.edu or a Housing staff member. Residents will be held financially and contractually responsible for damages incurred as a result of unsafe use of permitted items.
Some electrical outlets in Northwood Apartments are controlled by wall switches. If an outlet does not appear to work, make sure the plug is securely in the electrical socket then turn on the wall switch. If the outlet still does not work, contact FIXIT. The circuit may be overloaded.
Northwood I-II
- Efficiencies: walk-in closet
- One-bedroom: hall closet
- Two-bedroom: the cabinet above the washer/dryer space
Northwood II
- One-bedroom: kitchen closet
- One-bedroom Economy: walk-in closet
- Two-bedroom: first floor closet
Northwood III
- One-bedroom: on bedroom wall
- Two-bedroom: on dining room wall
Northwood IV and V
- Basement
responsible for damages incurred as a result of unsafe use of permitted items.