there are two drains in the back parking lot, which can easily become clogged with trash, dirt, and/or ice. when not frozen, they can be easily swept clean with a broom. if they are not kept clean in the wintertime, it is possible for the entire back lot to become a thick sheet of ice. the most efficient way to prevent this is to periodically clear the drain covers while the ice is thin and can be easily broken up (eg., with a hammer). take care to not leave the drain covers off or dislodged, as they can be obscured by snow and present a rather extreme leg breaking hazard. (4/2012 1150)
because the drains end at the side of the house (assuming that they are not clogged - if they are, the water that doesn't end up inside the house ends up at the side, anyway), ice will form even if the drains are clear. an effective way to keep this in check is with salt. (4/2012 1150)
there have been many criminal attempts to use the fire escape to access the house. because of this, it is especially important to keep all windows locked, when not attended. if you catch someone trying to access the house this way, first call the police. even though the police are unlikely to arrive in time to catch them, it is important to file a report. if you can safely make the person aware of your presence, and photograph them, this can both deter the invader and help the police, in the long run. the latch - which normally prevents the lower staircase of the fire escape from being pulled down from below (but doesn't prevent someone from climbing the structure, anyway) - is in a barely functional state, and needs to be fixed. (4/2012 1150)
if there is a problem with flies, look for the dead body AND check for a natural gas leak. flies are as attracted to the natural gas that we use as fuel, as they are to a steaming pile of cow shit - they will come from all over the neighborhood. (4/2012 1150)
When it comes to rats, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If food is being left out, you're going to get rats; if it isn't left out, you won't get rats. It's really as simple as that. Of course, this implies obvious things like making sure that set and serve puts food and late plates back in the fridge instead of leaving it out overnight. Also crucial, however, is tightly covering the first floor trash cans every night. However it needs to get done, the trash cans should be getting covered every night: if that means the house manager himself doing it or it being a part of a Daily Inspections Committee (if that exists).
For killing, use the common spring wood traps - most effective; they also like peanut butter; place them in tight narrow corners, spots you think they may end up going through e.g. behind or next to the fridge, near any small gaps in the wood.
house insulation and drainage is in pretty bad shape. during freeze/thaw cycles, the drainpipes down the side of the house (in the shade) can become frozen shut, while a large amount of ice/snow melt is produced on the roof (in the sun). this causes water to pool on the roof, and pour down over the side of the house. because of this, water can enter the house, and it can start raining into the house from the window frame mouldings. this has been observed in the 64 basement and 66 kitchenette. (4/2012 1150)