Maintenance Tips

• Test smoke detectors once a month. Press the test button or test with approved smoke detector smoke spray. If new batteries don’t solve the problem, place a service request in your resident portal. 
• It is important to replace the batteries annually. Most units require one 9-volt battery. If a battery is bad typically it will cause the unit to chirp (This usually happens at 3:00 in the morning) Changes the batteries annually will prevent the unwanted wakeup call and of course, potentially save your life in the event of a fire. Have a fire escape plan in place and practice it with all the occupants of the home. 

• Change Every three months (per lease), or more often if the unit has run more than average. If you notice dust accumulating faster, most likely it's time to switch the filter. Replacing the filter regularly not only keeps the systems running at peak efficiency but helps keep the home clean longer between dustings. Date each filter when you install it so you will know when it's time to change. 

• Check the breakers first. 
• Check Thermostat is in the correct position and the set temp is below/above room temp. 
• If the electronic thermostat checks/replace batteries. 
• Check that all furnace covers and in the proper place. 
• Check that switch located near the furnace is in the on position.
• Make sure all utilities are paid on time and the account is in good standing. 
• The filter is clean. 

• In order to prevent damage to the outside unit do not set anything on the top or sides of the unit and keep vegetation cut and groomed at least 3 feet surrounding the unit. 

• Could be a clogged coil drain pipe. 
• If the pipe is free to detach, see if there is a clog, clear it, and reinstall. If it will not disconnect try tapping the line several times to see if it dislodges the clog. 

1. In the event, the disposal becomes clogged and will not spin, turn off the disposal immediately. 
2. First, turn off the circuit breaker in the circuit panel in the basement and unplug the unit. Confirm it is off by attempting to turn it on again then turn the switch back off. Inspect with light to see if something fell into the disposal that doesn’t belong there. 
3. NEVER, EVER insert your unprotected hand into the garbage disposal…unless, of course, you want to lose it! 
4. If you must use your hand to remove objects and debris from the garbage disposal, unplug the unit or turn off the appropriate circuit breaker. Always wear safety gloves to protect your hand from the garbage disposal’s sharp blades. Only after confirming power is off use a wooden spoon handle, chopsticks, or needle nose pliers to remove the foreign object or excess food. If there is no material in the disposal but the blades have become jammed, use the manual disposal tool or hex Allen wrench to dislodge the blades and free them. Simply insert the tool from the bottom side of the disposal “under the sink” and rotate clockwise until the resistance frees up. 
5. Turn the breaker on, plug the unit in, rinse with water, and turn the electric switch to disposal on until the disposal empties itself. 
6. Always run water before and after disposal is in use. If the disposal makes no noise when switched on, check that a breaker is not tripped in the main CB Panel. 
7. Also, there is a device breaker located on the bottom of the unit next to the hex tool insert. Simply press the reset button to reset. Check that a blockage didn’t cause the trip. 

Foods to avoid putting in or down the Garbage Disposal. The kitchen garbage disposal is useful for getting rid of a variety of food scraps, however, many foods can actually damage your disposal or render it useless.

• Fibrous foods: The strings of celery, artichokes, asparagus, lettuce, corn husks, carrots, onion skins and potato peels can wrap around the blades, preventing proper operation of the motor.
• Grease, fats and oils: Greasy foods will distribute a film over the blades, diminishing their effectiveness. Eventually, the grease will begin to decay, causing an unpleasant odor in the kitchen. Pouring grease into a garbage disposal can result in clogged drains when the grease solidifies.
• Pasta, rice, potatoes and beans: Even small particles of these foods will swell with water to form a paste-like substance, and eventually clog the trap or further down the pipe.

The most important rule of thumb: Don’t Put Anything in the Garbage Disposal That Is Not Biodegradable Food. A garbage disposal is not a trash can; it’s for food scraps only. Nonfood items can damage both blades and the motor. When in doubt, throw it out! Keep it clean – Run Regular dish soap in it regularly. Use Ice Cubes, or freeze ice cubes with vinegar in them for more stubborn smells. 

Circuit Breaker Box No Lights or power in part of the home? Could be a tripped breaker. If a circuit breaker is to trip, first unplug any device that may of caused the overload then locate the tripped breaker in the box. (It should be slightly out of line with rest of CBs) Slide the breaker hard left then back hard right into its active state.

If that didn’t fix your issue, it could be a tripped GFCI Outlet. These can be a little tricky at times to track down, because often addition outlets without the trip/reset button are actually tied to a protected outlet that can be in same room or different room. Typical places to look for them are bathrooms, kitchen, garages, and basements. Look for the master outlet that has the buttons and press Test then Reset. This usually corrects the issue but sometimes it could take a couple clicks. (There Could be multiple GFCI outlets in the home, start with the one nearest the power outage-back facing bathrooms have been known to share a circuit)

• Main Water Shut Off: In case of an emergency turn valve clockwise to shut off. 

• Localized water shut-off: each faucet and toilet is equipped with a shut-off valve. Most likely you will not need to shut off valves, however, in the event, a toilet would clog and appear that it may overflow you can quickly reach down and turn the valve to right, to shut the water off to fixture. 
• When toilets clog typically the water level will drop gradually over time. If the water level is too high to insert a plunger, simply wait for 15-20 minutes for the water level to drop enough to effectively the insert plunger and dislodge and clear the blockage.

• Toilet is running 
• Occasionally a toilet may have a tendency to “run” this can happen if the drain flapper leaks or if it needs to be adjusted. 
• Open the tank lid to the toilet and carefully sit on floor where it is out of the way. Check to see if water is spilling over the center black tube, if so the float is either stuck or out of adjustment. If so a simple adjustment is needed. Toilets adjust in different ways but look for either an adjustment screw or a float ball. Turn in small increments to adjust water level down. Flush and refill to see corrected adjustments. If the water level is good most likely it’s leaking from the flapper. Turn off the water and Flush. Lift up the rubber flapper and clean the surface of the flapper and the porcelain where they meet with a rag and soapy water to remove the buildup that may be creating the leak. Turn the toilet on and fill the tank to see if the leak was corrected. If not contact us for repair.

• Water is only warm – Little or No Hot Water 
• Gas Hot Water Heater - check to make sure the dial is not on “Vacation or Low” setting. Turn the dial to right and set it to the manufactures recommended setting. Turning the heater above this setting is less efficient and can damage the valve seals in the plumbing fixtures.
• In the event, gas service is disrupted to the home it may be necessary to relight the pilot light on the water heater. Follow the manufactures directions and lighting procedure on the base of the water heater.