Often, there are simple remedies to your maintenance concerns. Please review the tips below before requesting service.
HVAC: Not cooling or heating
- Make sure you’ve connected your gas or electric service and your bill has been paid.
- Check to ensure all air filters have been changed on a monthly basis.
- Check all floor or ceiling vents to ensure they are open and not blocked by furniture, etc.
- Check breaker panel box, which is usually found in a garage, laundry room, or utility room.
- If breaker has tripped to the right and is in the “off” position, flip breaker to the left.
- If breaker is in the “on” position, flip breaker to the right. Wait 1-2 minutes. Flip back to the left to attempt resetting the system.
NO WATER: (Hot or Cold)
- Make sure you’ve connected your gas, electric and water services and your bills are paid.
FROZEN PIPES
When we are experiencing temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius) please allow water to drip from the hot and cold sides of a faucet on the lowest floor of your home. Also, leave cabinet doors under sinks open to allow heat to the plumbing, particularly if they are on exterior walls. Make sure all exterior water hoses are disconnected from the spigots. If there is a separate shut-off valve for the hose spigot available, turned it to "off". Please also make sure that your home's thermostat is not set below 60 degrees even if you are away. Also, if the water heater is locate in an exterior storage closet, it is best to leave the light "on". See more information here:
TOILETS: Overflowing
If your toilet starts to overflow, you must act quickly. Turn off water by turning the water supply valve clockwise. Clean up all water and allow the toilet to drain. Everyone should own a plunger for each bathroom. Plunge vigorously to clear the line. Then turn the water back on and flush the toilet. If you cannot clear the line or there is a main line back up call maintenance at 919 783-1855 x561 immediately and do not use the toilet.
TOILETS: Constantly clog or run, leak from inside tank
- Try plunging the toilet to clear clog. (Avoid using thick, 2-ply toilet paper like Charmin. Never flush diapers or feminine hygiene products).
- Check valve at the rear of tank by turning it counter clockwise to ensure the valve is fully opened
- Remove tank lid and check flapper and flapper chain to make sure it is sealing. Check float to make sure it isn’t set so high that water runs into the overflow tube. http://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-fix-a-running-toilet/
LEAKY FAUCETS: Kitchen or Bathroom
- For single swivel faucet, ensure handle is facing forward
- For dual faucet, ensure both handles are turned to the extreme off position.
GARBAGE DISPOSAL
A garbage disposal is one of the most useful gadgets in your kitchen. However, you just can’t put anything and everything in the disposal. Never put bones, pits, shells from shellfish, banana peels, celery, coffee grounds, corn cobs and husks, onion skins, potato skins, beans, rice, glass, string or metal through the disposal. Never pour oil or grease down the drain.
Run your garbage disposal on a regular basis. Even if you don't have anything to grind, turn on the cold water and run the disposal every few days to move the parts around and avoid corrosion of the blades.
THE CORRECT WAY TO USE DISPOSAL:
- turn on the cold water for 15 seconds
- with the cold water running, turn the disposal on and slowly put a small amount of small food scraps only into the disposal
- when the grinding has stopped, turn the disposal off
- run the water another 30 seconds to clear the disposal and then turn the water off.
GARBAGE DISPOSAL: Does not turn on
- Check GFCI equipped wall switches closest to faucet and push the reset button if it has tripped.
- Check reset button in cabinet underneath sink on base of garbage disposal. If it’s popped out, press it in and try running the disposal again.
- Hand-crank the disposal to break up jams. One of the best ways to fix a disposal jams is to put an allen wrench in the slot at the outside bottom of your unit and manually turn the blades to free it up.
- Check other outlets along the wall in kitchen.
- Check breaker panel box for a tripped breaker and reset if necessary.
GARBAGE DISPOSAL: Does not drain or makes abnormal noises
- Carefully check for any foreign objects that may have fallen into the drain. (Do not turn on while your hand or any object is in the disposal.)
- Try plunging the opposite side of sink to free up clog.
DISHWASHER: Does not power on
- Some dishwashers have a wall switch which looks like a light switch. Make sure the switch is turned on.
- Check GFCI equipped wall switches closest to dishwasher; push the reset button if it has tripped.
- Check breaker panel box.
- If breaker has tripped to the right and is in the off position, flip breaker to the left.
- If breaker is in the on position, flip breaker to the right. Wait 1-2 minutes. Flip back to the left to attempt resetting the system.
REFRIGERATOR: Not powering on, not dispensing ice, or not staying cold enough
- Check the plug connection to ensure fridge is plugged in.
- Check icemaker lever to ensure it is in the on/down position. Remove any excess ice from the interior ice dispenser/ice bucket.
- Check temperature gauge in freezer or fridge. Gauges are located inside and at the front of the appliance.
DRYER: Not drying clothes
- Check lint traps. Remove lint after each load of drying to prevent build-up/dryer ducts clogging.
- Check hose in rear of dryer for kinks.
- Check the plug connection to ensure dryer is plugged in.
WASHER: Not powering on, washing clothes, spinning properly, or making knocking noise
- Check washing machine’s connection making sure it is plugged in.
- Avoid over-loading machine.
- Check hose at back of washer.
- Check for any foreign objects stuck in washer barrel.
- Check to make sure washer is level.
- Stop washing cycle. Open lid. Evenly disperse clothes.
GARAGE DOOR: Not opening/closing properly
- Check for foreign objects blocking the sensors located on lower right and left sides of door.
- Check batteries in remotes
- Check breaker panel box.
NO LIGHTS: Bathrooms, kitchen or laundry room:
- Check GFCI equipped outlets; push the reset button if it has tripped.
- Make sure your light bulbs are not burned out.
- Check breaker panel box.
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When you clean your bathroom, you probably scrub the tub, toilet, mirror, and sinks. But when was the last time you cleaned your shower head? If you can’t remember or you didn’t even know you could actually clean a shower head, then it’s definitely time.
In five easy steps, you’ll have a clean shower head that delivers the perfect shower stream.
- Pour vinegar* into a regular sandwich baggie. If your shower head is a bit large, you may need a gallon size baggie.
- Put the vinegar-filled baggie over the shower head.
- Attach the baggie with a rubber band.
- Leave overnight.
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