Maintenance Guide for Tenants

• Look for the valve which is located to the LEFT behind your toilet tank
• Turn the knob to the RIGHT (clockwise) to close the valve and stop water flow

• Remove the toilet tank lid
• Lift up the fill valve (or float ball)
• Pull out the water tube
• Reach down and turn OFF the water valve (turn valve CLOCKWISE)

• Check for sounds of running water, trickling, or hissing sounds
• Add 25 drops of food coloring to the inside of the toilet tank
• Wait 15 minutes…if no dye shows up in the toilet bowl, no leak exists
• If dye appears in the bowl, the toilet needs repair. Please log a maintenance request through your tenant portal.

• Turn off water from the faucet if possible
• Locate water lines below sink which lead to water valves
• Turn water valves to the RIGHT (clockwise) to stop the water flow

Find the proper plunger for the drain in question.

For an inexpensive solution for a clogged or slow drain, watch this video on using a Drain Stick.

Watch these video tutorials for:

• Toilet
• Bathtub
• Garbage Disposal
• Kitchen Sink
• Bathroom Sink

• Make sure the power is OFF. Safety First!
• Insert the special wrench into the bottom of the disposal and start turning it back and forth until the jam frees up.
• Make sure there is nothing stuck in the disposal causing a jam.
• Press the reset button (also located on the bottom of the disposal).
• Turn the power back ON.

• Locate the pipe that leads to the outside spigot
• On the pipe, there will be a valve located somewhere between the wall and the water supply
• With the round knob style, turn right to shut off/left to turn on
• For the lever style, turn the lever parallel for on/perpendicular for off
• When you close off the valve for the fall/winter, go outside and open the valve and leave it open to relieve the pressure
• See this video for Shutoff Instructions

• Purchase MERV 8 or 10 Filters
• Replace Filter when Dirty, usually 30 days.
• Turn off the power switch to the furnace
• Locate the filter.  Usually between the return air boot and the furnace
• Remove the cover and remove the old filter
• Replace with a new one – IMPORTANT: air flow arrow on a filter to point in the direction air is traveling (being “sucked” to).
• Check the filter monthly. A good habit is to check the filter each month when making your rent payment.
• A clean filter will ensure your Furnace/A/C is running smoothly and keep electric costs to a minimum.
• See this video for Replacement Instructions.

• Replace the Filter
  • Purchase MERV 8 or 10 Filters
  • Replace Filter when Dirty, usually 30 days.
  • Turn off the power switch to the furnace
  • Locate the filter.  Usually between the return air boot and the furnace
  • Remove the cover and remove the old filter
  • Replace with a new one – IMPORTANT: air flow arrow on a filter to point in the direction air is traveling (being “sucked” to).
  • Check the filter monthly. A good habit is to check the filter each month when making your rent payment.
  • A clean filter will ensure your Furnace/A/C is running smoothly and keep electric costs to a minimum.
  • See this video for Replacement Instructions.
• Contact our Service Department for Repair.

• Locate the filter, twist to the left to remove, twist right to install
• Some may have a push-button system
• Reset the filter button to reflect a new filter has been installed

The filter should be changed every 6 months. Please note that each fridge will have its own unique filter system – you can find details for each in the manual or by searching online

• Water Softeners are critical to prevent mineral (calcium, magnesium, etc) buildup on the plumbing fixtures as well as inside the pipes.  If this occurs, it is expensive to remove and many times requires expensive repairs.
• Hard water can also damage appliances that use water such as refrigerators, dishwashers.
• Add Softener Salt Pellets to a level just above the Water line.  If you use Salt Crystals, be careful to not over fill past the water line.

• First, realign the key so it is in a vertical position (12 o’clock)
• Apply light pressure to a smaller disc around the key (called a plug)
• Pull and remove the key from the lock

• Disconnect the smoke detector by twisting counter-clockwise
• Replace the battery with a new one (this will most likely stop the chirping)
• If it is still chirping, remove the battery and hold down the test button for 15 seconds to drain any remaining charge
• Insert the new battery and reattach it to the wall/ceiling
• If this doesn’t fix the problem, please contact Marchant immediately

• Run vent fans in bathrooms when showering to prevent condensation
• Turn on vent fans in the kitchen when cooking
• In extreme situations, you may need to install a dehumidifier in your home

USPS mail:

• • For one or two pieces, write “FORWARD” in bold letters and place back in the mailbox for collection.
  • For a recurring issue, contact your local postmaster (this will be someone who works at your local post office. Calling the national 800 number will not do you any good here. You’ll want to go in, in person, and talk to a real employee). They can put a flag on your address and automatically mark mail for the previous resident Return To Sender or Forward, depending on the situation.

UPS and FedEx parcels:

• • Call the carrier and tell them a package was misdelivered to your house, to someone who no longer lives there. They will come and pick up the package and will send it back to the shipper. You don’t need to be home for this — just leave it on the porch and let them know it will be there waiting for them. While you’re on the phone with them just let them know that this happens frequently and you’d like it to stop.

Mildew can grow most anywhere that spores land and find moisture and a comfortable temperature. Make sure the humidity in the home is less than 30% and adjust humidifiers to maintain levels at 30% or lower if needed.

Almost every home gets some type of mold – the trick is to clean it up before it spreads. The most visible type is mildew, which begins as tiny black spots. This is the stuff you see in grout lines in your shower, on damp window casings, etc.

Click here for more information on mold and mildew and how to clean it up.

Ants entering in the house are much like flies.  They enter through windows, doors, and other openings.  Especially in the spring and summer time once the snow melts.  And just like flies, your landlord is not responsible for keeping them out.  Ants are attracted to food sources, fragrances, and water.  The way to get rid of ants is to remove the sources of attraction.  Even if you kill the nest (which is usually outside), a new colony will find its way in.

Click here for instructions for the kitchen.

Click here for instructions for the bathroom.

• Collect liquid grease to be recycled
• Wipe pans clean with a paper towel
• Rinse pans with cold water
• Food scraps go in the garbage, NOT garbage disposal.
• Cleaning out garbage disposals and kitchen drains is the responsibility of the tenant.

• Floss – not bio-degradable
• Grease, Oil & Fat – like heart disease, these will decrease the flow of pipes over time
• Band-aids – these are plastic and not bio-degradable
• Medications – contaminates the water supply
• Disposable Wipes – EVEN if they say you can, Don’t!
• Paper Towels – these do not break down like toilet paper
• Feminine Hygiene Products – including cotton pads and swabs
• Cat Litter
• Condoms
• Hair

Some outlets are known as GFCI and are typically located near wet areas of your home, such as the kitchen and bathrooms. When power becomes overloaded, they will ‘trip’ and stop working. To restore power, press the reset button on the GFCI outlet, which is usually a small button in the center of the outlet plate. If the outlet still isn’t working, check other GFCI outlets in the home and reset them. If that doesn’t work, find the breaker panel and check for flipped switches. Flip the switches back to the “On” position to restore power.

Click here for a video tutorial on resetting a tripped outlet.

Is your hot water off?

• Make sure gas service is on.
• Check the thermostat on the hot water tank.
• Is the pilot light lit?
• Check breaker panel or fuses

Click here to learn how to reset a tripped breaker.

Is your hot water TOO hot?

• Check the thermostat on the tank and turn it down

• Make sure Gas service is on with the utility provider.
• Check thermostat.
• Try changing batteries in the thermostat.
• Replace filters.
• Furnace covers on correctly?
• Is the pilot light lit?
• Is the breaker tripped?

Click here to learn how to reset a tripped breaker.

Is your dishwasher leaking? Maybe it’s not draining?

• Clean food out of the bottom of the dishwasher.
• Clean float.
• Rinse dishes before washing.
• Use jet dry once a month. Jet dry prevents hard water build-up.

Is your fridge too warm or too cold? Is it leaking?

• Check thermostat, set correctly.
• Clean Front and Back grills.
• Clean out condensation tube and drain hole if water is present inside.
• Follow THESE instructions for handling food.

• Make sure the emergency gas valve is turned on
• Check to be sure pilot light is lit
• If you are not able to get the pilot light lit, contact our office and we will have an experienced technician assist you

• Check the Filter! Change often (at least every three months) 95% of all service calls are due to dirty air filters
• Check thermostat setting – set Fan to “auto”, set system to “Cool”
• Check air handler/furnace – you should hear it “rumbling”, if not, check to make sure it is plugged in and switched on
• Check circuit breaker – make sure it is not ‘tripped’
• Check to be sure the drain line is not clogged
• Check the fan unit outside – is the fan spinning?
• Make sure the outside A/C condenser is free of cotton, leaves or other debris, if not, use a hose with a light spray to clean

If only one faucet has low pressure, it is very likely it is simply a clogged aerator.  See this video on how to check.

• Wet burners are usually why a gas stove top will not light
• When cleaning, avoid using too much water that will make the burners wet
• Try to clean using a damp cloth only
• To dry out, turn the oven on to 350 degrees for 30 minutes

• Make sure the opener is plugged in
• Make sure the visor remotes have fresh batteries
• Make sure the track release cord is engaged – run the opener a few times to see if it will reengage
• Make sure the sensor eyes were not kicked out of alignment

Program Visor Remotes

Program Keypad