More of the Townside Resident Handbook
DISHWASHER - This appliance is the most common cause for a tenant charge on maintenance. Before using a dishwasher, make sure you have cleared your garbage disposal of all debris and have run clean cold water through the drain line. IF YOU DO NOT AND THE SINK BACKS UP OR THE DISHWASHER LEAKS, YOU WILL BE CHARGED.
When loading the dishwasher, do not overload. Do not cover up the center section of the bottom; in some models there is a plastic water tower, which rises up during the wash and rinse cycle to disperse water. If this is blocked, water cannot get to the dishes and often the tower will be broken causing a tenant charge.
Always know and understand where the water-dispersing source is in the machine and do not block it. When loading dishes, glasses belong on the top rack; do not place them too close together causing the force of the water to knock them together thus creating glass breakage. Do not overload the unit or load dishes too close to the door. This can interfere with proper door sealing and cause the machine to leak while in cycle. All dishes, pots, and pans should be rinsed first to remove large food particles or dried on foodstuffs. DO NOT TURN YOUR DISHWASHER ON AND LEAVE.
When unloading the dishwasher, always look down into the drain to make sure there is no silverware, plastic ware, or broken glass that could work its way into the pump and cause major replacement requirements. Objects found in the pump or drain will be charged back to the lessee along with whatever replacement parts are necessary. Approximately one-two cups of water left at the base of the dishwasher are normal.
Always use regular name-brand dishwasher detergent; generic brands can cause oversudsing; do not substitute handwashing dish detergent or clothes washing detergent; it will create major problems to the appliance. Even a tiny bit can cause major damage. A dishwasher needs to be run at least once a week to prevent damage to the parts and malfunctions which will require a service call.
DISPOSAL - Garbage disposals represent a frequently misused appliance. Contractors find everything from meat bones, corn cobs, bottle caps, silverware, glass, toys, etc. in the disposals or problems from just overloading. Any such work will be a tenant charge. Always run water before, during, and after disposing of waste material. When a disposal will not come on from overload, allow the motor to cool and check the reset button which is generally located on the side or bottom of the unit under the sink. If a contractor is sent out and only resets the unit, the tenant will be charged. Always completely clear your disposal before running your dishwasher.
HOT WATER HEATERS - A hot water heater can be powered by electricity or gas. If you have a gas hot water heater and have not had your gas service turned on, you will not have any hot water. A gas hot water heater also has a pilot light, which needs lighting; this should be done by the gas company at the time of utility turn on. Some gas hot water heaters have a switch marked “vacation” (Berryfield, for example). This could be the problem, so please check it first before calling for service. Upon initial move in and anytime your electric hot water heater stops working, always check the breaker in your circuit breaker box or check the fuse. If your hot water heater starts leaking, call us for service.
When the weather gets colder, you will wait longer for hot water and you will turn your faucet further on the hot water side during showers simply because the water coming through the pipes is colder than in warmer months. This does not mean anything is wrong with the hot water heater. Regardless of your water heater's power source, make sure it is full of water and that the water supply is on to the unit before lighting it or turning on the power.
All water heaters have a safety relief valve or a "pop off valve". If water is dripping or pouring from this valve, shut off the heater immediately and the water supply if necessary. Remember to turn off the heater first.
HEAT - There are various types of heating systems---oil forced air, oil baseboard, gas baseboard, gas forced air, heat pump, electric baseboard, electric ceiling cable, electric forced air, solar, woodstove, etc. KEROSENE HEATERS ARE NOT PERMITTED UNLESS AUTHORIZED IN WRITING BY THE REALTOR. ALWAYS LEAVE YOUR HEAT ON 55-60 DEGREES IN THE LATE FALL AND WINTER TO PREVENT PIPES FROM FREEZING; IF THERE IS DAMAGE TO THE UNIT, YOU WILL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE. THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IF YOU LEAVE TOWN FOR A WEEKEND OR THE HOLIDAYS. If you have a forced air system, you are responsible for changing your filter once a month. Any malfunction or damage to the heating unit as a direct result of your not changing the filter will be billed back to you as a tenant charge.
OIL HEAT - Never let your oil tank run dry; this will allow your pump to pick up sludge from the bottom of the tank, clog your oil system, and prevent the furnace operation even after the tank is refilled. The servicing required to clean and restart the furnace will be a tenant charge. Automatic fill service should prevent your tank from running dry.
If your oil heat will not come on, be sure the breaker is on and all switches are on. Also, check any fuses for signs of being blown. If you appear to have a power supply, try pressing the RED RESET BUTTON located either on the burner control or the control in the flue. WARNING: NEVER PRESS THE RESET BUTTON MORE THAN ONE TIME WITHOUT THE UNIT STARTING UP. IF IT DOES NOT START, CALL FOR SERVICE.
Monthly changing of filters with forced air systems is essential for proper operation.
GAS HEAT - Forced air gas heat has a pilot light; this light should be lit by the gas company at the time of utility turn on. If you have not had your gas turned on, you will not have heat. If you have your gas on but do not have heat, contact us for service. You may also contact the gas company if you have questions; they can often render assistance or advice. At the Ellett Road Duplexes, Berryfield, and some Rutherfords, if you run out of hot water, you will not have any heat until the tank has reheated. This is especially true in the a.m. with a lot of showers. You can tell if your heat is controlled with your hot water heater; there are pipes connecting them. Be certain all breakers and switches are turned on and that there are no blown fuses.
HEAT PUMP - Heat pumps are a very clean, safe, and efficient source of heat; they also provide air conditioning. They work differently than any other heating systems in that they do not create heat. They simply transfer heat from one place to another. During cooling, heat is absorbed from the indoor air and released outside, leaving the indoor air with less heat, making it cooler. During heating, the cycle is reversed. The pump absorbs heat from the outdoor air and releases it inside, leaving the indoor air with more heat and making it warmer.
The coils of a heat pump operate at lower temperatures than other systems. Therefore, the air at the supply vents of a heat pump system may feel cool compared to other heating systems.
A normal range of heat pump supply air temperature would be 85 degrees Fahrenheit to 110 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on existing indoor and outdoor air temperatures. Regardless of how cool the air coming out of the vent may feel to you, if the room temperature is normal, your heat pump is working properly.
Although we think of winter air as very cold, it still contains a great deal of heat. Heat exists down to -460 degrees, so a heat pump has no problem heating your home at temperatures in the +20 degrees and above ranges. When the temperature drops below that, your heat pump may need the help of a resistive heating element backup system to maintain efficiency. Not only does the supplemental heat source help the heat pump during colder weather, but it also serves as an auxiliary or "emergency heat source" in the event of a mechanical failure in the heat pump. There is an "emergency" or "supplemental heat" light that comes on when the backup system is on; it is normal for this to occur periodically during very cold weather (below 20 degrees). If it stays on all the time under normal weather conditions, call us for service.
Air movement across the indoor and outdoor coils of a heat pump is very important to its operation and efficiency during both heating and cooling. Therefore,
Filters should be replaced on a monthly basis.
Do not close off more than one supply vent at a time.
Keep air return grills unrestricted so that air can flow back to the indoor unit.
Keep outdoor unit unrestricted from shrubbery, snow and storage.
Keep area around indoor unit free from storage (this may also prevent necessary air flow as well as cause a fire hazard).
DIRTY AIR FILTERS, TRIPPED CIRCUIT BREAKERS, OR IMPROPER THERMOSTAT OPERATION ARE THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF SYSTEM FAILURE; SOMETIMES ALL THREE PROBLEMS ARE FOUND. THESE WILL BE CHARGED BACK TO THE LESSEE.
Dirty filters will cause a heat pump to overheat itself during the heat mode or freeze the indoor coil during cooling. The outdoor unit and not just the indoor fan must be running for proper operation. If you are having trouble with your heat pump, make sure your outdoor unit is running; if it is not, you should call us for service.
Know how to operate your thermostat properly or call for assistance. Be very careful when adjusting the temperature setting. To do this properly, shut the system off, set your temperature, then wait 5 minutes before turning it back on. Repeat these steps each time you adjust temperatures. Adjusting temperatures while the system is running, turning the system on and off rapidly, power surges, or short power failures may cause tripped breakers or equipment failure.
The fan on/auto switch, located on the thermostat, is for the indoor circulating fan only. It should be left in the auto position. This will bring the fan on only during heating or cooling. By turning it to the on position, the fan will run continuously. This fan switch does not affect the heating or cooling aspects of the system. MAKE SURE YOUR SWITCH IS NOT IN THE "ON" INSTEAD OF THE "AUTO" POSITION BEFORE YOU CALL FOR SERVICE.
During heating, heat pumps have a defrost cycle. This keeps ice from accumulating on the outdoor unit. Frost is normal to see on the outdoor coil, but not a large build up. If you detect a water vapor (which sometimes appears to be smoke), the unit is defrosting and this is normal. The outdoor fan does not run during defrost, only the compressor runs. If you have a large accumulation of ice that is not being defrosted, call for service.
REMEMBER:
KEEP FILTERS CLEAN AND AIR FLOW UNRESTRICTED.
ALWAYS CHECK CIRCUIT BREAKERS BEFORE CALLING FOR SERVICE.
USE YOUR THERMOSTAT CAREFULLY AND PROPERLY. FOR AIR CONDITIONING, DO NOT SET THE THERMOSTAT BELOW 70 DEGREES. SETTING IT BELOW 70 WILL NOT COOL THE RESIDENCE ANY FASTER. IT WILL FREEZE UP THE UNIT, AND YOU WILL NOT HAVE ANY A/C UNTIL THE UNIT IS TURNED OFF AND ALLOWED TO THAW. IF YOU GENERATE A MAINTENANCE CALL ON A FROZEN UNIT, YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR SERVICE.
DO NOT CLUTTER THE AREA AROUND THE INDOOR OR OUTDOOR UNITS.
SWITCH TO "SUPPLEMENTAL" OR "EMERGENCY HEAT" ON YOUR THERMOSTAT IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO GET THE HEAT PUMP TO OPERATE PROPERLY.
IF WATER APPEARS INSIDE DURING COOLING, SHUT THE SYSTEM OFF AND CALL FOR SERVICE.
ELECTRIC BASEBOARD - These units are usually controlled by individual thermostats. The units should be dusted regularly both on the top and the bottom ledge. Do not bump the units with the vacuum or mop handle. Do not allow any clothing, towels, books, or paper products near the baseboard heater as this can be a real fire hazard. It may take some time to become accustomed to the heating range of the thermostat as the temperature gauge may not be totally accurate. If it fails to operate, always check your breaker or fuse box first before calling for service.
ELECTRIC CEILING CABLE - There are many cable wires running through the ceiling which are not visible because of the sheetrock or ceiling finish work. For this reason, if ceiling cable heat stops working, most owners simply convert to electric baseboard heaters. A wall thermostat generally controls each room. If the heat stops working, always check your circuit breakers or fuses first before calling for service. Do not insert any hooks or brackets into your ceiling.
ELECTRIC FORCED AIR - Never close more than one supply vent; this will restrict air flow. You can adjust them somewhat to balance the temperature from room to room by partially closing vents in rooms with too much heat or air and fully open those in rooms with not enough. Monthly changing of filters is essential for proper operation. Always check your circuit breakers or fuses first before calling for service. Make sure your thermostat setting is in the “auto” position and not “fan”.
WOODSTOVE/FIREPLACE - Do not burn paper or paper products. Wood should be seasoned and purchased from a reputable dealer. Do not burn green wood. Familiarize yourself with the best types of wood for burning. Keep your woodstove/fireplace and chimney/flue cleaned. It should be inspected yearly. There are several local chimney sweeps available. Do not leave a fireplace/woodstove unattended or leave the door open so as to allow sparks onto the flooring. You are responsible for minimizing any and all fire hazards with regard to the use of the woodstove/fireplace. DO NOT USE ANY FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS. Be sure all ashes from the woodstove or fireplace are completely cold before removing them.
FILTERS - All forced air heating and cooling systems have an air filter. This filter may be located at the indoor unit, usually in the bottom section, or it may be located at the return air grill. There should not be and must not be 2 filters in the system. There are several systems with permanent filters. If you have questions, please contact our office.
Where applicable, you are responsible for changing furnace/air conditioning filters once a month. These can be purchased at any local hardware store, usually for less than a dollar a piece. You may use the current filter to determine the type and size needed. The filter is usually located near the furnace and between where the air is brought in from the living space and into the furnace.
It is very important that the filter is cleaned or replaced regularly (monthly is recommended). If your filter is a washable type, simply hose it off, clean, and re-install. If it is a disposable type filter, replacements may be purchased at any hardware store or most department stores. The proper size will be labeled on the filter. These filters are very inexpensive and can keep your utility costs down as well as prevent system failure.
THERMOSTATS - Your heating or cooling system is controlled by your thermostat. The thermostat controls the temperature at which your system turns on and off. Please do not abuse your thermostat or strike it by hand or foreign object. Broken thermostats will be a tenant charge.
NEVER SET THE TEMPERATURE LOWER THAN 70 DEGREES DURING COOLING OR ABOVE 78 DEGREES DURING HEATING. Using a lower setting for the a/c can freeze the unit and cause major damage which could be a tenant charge. Also, the fan on/auto switch should be left in the auto position; the on position would allow the fan to run continuously and the system would appear not to be heating or cooling properly.
Be very careful when setting or changing temperatures. If you have a heat pump, turn the thermostat to off, set the temperature, wait five minutes, and then turn back on. Always wait five minutes before turning the unit back on after it has been turned off. On electric furnaces, there may be a time delay before the unit comes on and a delay before it turns off; this is normal.
