Check to see if the breaker in the breaker box is in the "on" position first. If the breaker is on, and the disposal is not working, try the following tests:

1. Push the red reset button on the bottom of the unit under the sink. Test the disposal.
2. Insert the disposal key in the bottom of the unit and turn the key a few times. (The disposal key is the metal tool with turned ends about 6" long that comes with the disposal.) Test the disposal.
3. Take a broom handle (not your hand!) and turn the blades of the disposal inside the sink. Test the disposal.

If all of these tests fail, you may have a service problem. Contact your owner or our office.

Should you lose power in your bathrooms, try the following test:

The upstairs full baths each have a red reset button located in the middle of the outlet by the sinks. Press the reset button in the appropriate bathroom. If the power continues to stay off, please contact your owner or our office for maintenance.

Please note: Both outdoor receptacles are also tied to the bathroom reset buttons. The back deck/patio outlet is tied to the upstairs back bath, and the front porch receptacle is tied to the front full bath. Should you lose power in these locations, press the appropriate reset buttons.

If there is condensation in the frame of the refrigerator doors when you open them, your refrigerator may need to be leveled. To level the refrigerator, adjust the front legs by moving them up and down.

Make sure you vacuum any dust or dirt from under your refrigerator at least once a month to prevent the coils from being covered with dirt. Air must be able to circulate under and behind the refrigerator, or the dust buildup can destroy the motor and cause elevated electric bills.

Your dishwasher has a key sensitivity point on the dial where it will begin to run. Turn the dial slowly and listen for it to start.

• If the water does not drain into the unit, check the breaker in the breaker box to make sure it is on.
• If water is running out of the unit after you use it, check to make sure nothing is preventing the front door from closing all the way.
• If the dishwasher does not drain properly, check under the sink to see if the drain tube has become detached from the hook that holds it in place.
• Be sure to remove food from plates and silverware prior to inserting into the dishwasher.

Check to make sure the breaker is on. Then, before you run the first cycle in the washing machine:

1. Make sure the drain hose is inside the drain in the wall to the side of your washing machine.
2. For water to enter the machine, the water supply valves must be turned on. Turn them on. If they leak, turn the hoses to tighten them. If they still leak, you may need a new rubber washer. The washer is a little black rubber circle that fits inside the hose fitting to seal the hose.
3. If you have a problem with the water being hot when you select cold, the hot and cold water hoses are probably connected to the wrong water supply. Take them off and reverse them. Right side is cold and left side is hot. Make sure you turn the water supply valves off before you attempt to switch them. The first time you use the washing machine, the water will be hot from the pipes sitting in the hot weather. Don't put a cold item in the washer and expect to have cold water.

Your dryer must be connected to the hose that vents the hot air outside.

• If you notice a hot, dry smell every time you run the dryer, check behind the dryer and make sure the hose is still connected to the back of the dryer and to the wall running outside.
• If the hose does not have enough room and becomes crimped, it may cause the dryer to overheat and become damaged.
• Be sure to clean the lint trap after using the dryer. This will save you money on your electric bill and prevent a potential fire hazard.

If you do not have hot water, check to make sure the breaker is on. If the water heater starts leaking, turn off the handle on the water supply (located next to the hot water heater).

If you are going to leave the townhome for a weekend or longer, you may want to flip the breaker off to save yourself money. The hot water heater is the biggest user of electricity and continually keeps water in the tank at a constant hot temperature.

If you begin to have inconsistent hot and cold water, it may be that your thermostat is going bad. If this occurs, contact your owner or our office.

You have two breakers for heating and cooling your townhome. One controls the outside compressor and the other controls the air handler inside your townhome. Make sure both breakers are on.

• To heat and cool your townhome, the air vents must be open. Please read the manual that comes with the system to acquaint yourself with a heat pump system.
• It is very important that you change the air filters on a regular basis to operate your heat pump system efficiently. The filter is located inside the air handler in the mechanical closet of your kitchen. To remove the filter, the two levers at the top of the air handler slide in and the panel will come right off, revealing the filter. Remove the filter and replace it once a month. Filters can be purchased from a local hardware store, Walmart, Kmart, etc. Filter size is 16x20x1. If you are renting a home that is owned or managed by our office, routine filter changes will be completed by our staff.
• The townhome has backup heating and cooling systems. If you don't have heat, don't panic! Switch the lever on your thermostat from "normal" to "emergency heat". This will produce heat from the air exchanger inside rather than from the heat pump outside. USE YOUR EMERGENCY HEATING SYSTEM FOR SHORT TERM HEATING ONLY UNTIL THE SYSTEM CAN BE REPAIRED! Using the emergency heat for an extended period of time will dramatically increase your electric bill.

**************VERY IMPORTANT*************
DO NOT TURN YOUR HEAT OFF DURING THE WINTER AND LEAVE YOUR HOUSE! THIS MAY CAUSE YOUR PIPES TO FREEZE AND BURST, THUS FLOODING YOUR HOUSE. DURING THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS BREAKS, YOU MAY TURN YOUR THERMOSTAT TO 60 DEGREES BUT NEVER TURN IT COMPLETELY OFF!

If your kitchen sink is dripping, run the water for a while and then use the sprayer. This may stop the dripping. Make sure you don't leave leaks unattended. A leak, if left unattended, could cause significant damage to the townhome.

If the water pressure from the faucet is weak, turn the water off, remove the filter, and clean it (the filter screws on and off). Be careful to screw the filter back on tightly or water will continue to leak. There are water cut-off valves under each of the sinks and your toilets so that you can always turn the water supply off by turning the valve off.

A constantly running toilet may need an adjustment of the water level mechanism inside the tank. If left unattended, this could cost you a lot of money on your next water bill. If your toilet continues to run, you may just need to jiggle the toilet handle to fix the problem.

To fix a running toilet:

1. Remove the tank lid at the back of the toilet.
2. Check the level of the water in the back of the tank to make sure it is not way above the "water level" line on the overflow tube.
3. If the water is overflowing into the white tube, turn the blue plastic screw clockwise at one-half-turn intervals.
4. Flush commode to check the new water level setting. If the water level is still too high, repeat the procedure.

If the pipes are leaking onto the floor behind the toilet, turn off the water supply valves under the toilet and call your owner or our office immediately.

The water shut-off valves to your tubs are accessible through the wooden panels in the backs of the bedroom closets.

• For an unstoppable stream or drip, you may want to turn off the water supply to the tub until you can get a plumber.
• If all the water does not go up into the shower head when you switch it to shower, it may be that your water diverter valve is defective.
• If your tub faucet continues to run after you have turned off the water, make sure you have changed your shower diverter back to normal. If it continues to drip after you have done that, then you have a different problem. Call your owner or our office.

View your ceiling occasionally to ensure that you do not have a water leak. If you see a stain, call your owner or our office immediately. If the leak appears to be coming from an upstairs bath, turn off the water supply valves under the toilet. Make sure you have the shower curtain inside the tubs when you shower. Never ignore a water leak or running water!

On windy days, make sure you hold the storm doors until they are closed and latched. Strong winds may cause the pneumatic opener to break. Doors are adjusted to close properly when installed. You are responsible for maintaining them.

Functional smoke detectors are an important part of fire safety. If you have a smoke detector that is chirping or has a flashing light, this indicates that the battery may need to be replaced. Call our office immediately.

Smoke detectors are hard-wired with a battery backup in case of power failure. They are wired in a series to alert the whole house if there is smoke present, so it is normal that they all go off together. DO NOT attempt to remove the smoke detector as it could result in electrical shock or damage to the smoke detector, yourself, and/or wiring. You will be responsible for any such damage that occurs from attempting to remove the smoke detector yourself.