- Know the location of your electric breaker box and how to reset a breaker.
- A toilet plunger is a basic house item that you must have on hand to resolve minor clogging. Don’t use super thick toilet tissue or flush tampons, paper towels or ANYTHING other than the bare essentials down the toilet. Some thick two-ply toilet papers will clog up sewer lines. Septic safe TP only such as Scott 1000 tissue or Scott “rapid dissolving” tissue.
- Know the location of water shut off knobs for toilets and sinks.
- Dust heater vents and radiators periodically to facilitate best air flow. Furniture and other impediments must be placed at least 10 inches away from baseboard or upright heat radiators or they will impede proper air flow to circulate the heat, as well as be at risk for damage.
- Treat provided appliances with care and general respect. In particular don’t overload washing machines (technically a “full” load of clothes is ¾ to the top to leave room for the clothes to move around in the agitated water). Never wash rugs or blankets in the home-grade clothes washer; go to a laundromat to wash large items. If you have a high-efficiency washing machine it will need special detergent and you should not use as much as you use in a non-high-efficiency washing machine. Educate yourself on these types of machines please if you have one.
- Don’t put too much debris, or let broken glass fall into a garbage disposal. If yours breaks and you can’t reset or clear or troubleshoot it we may remove the disposal and replace with a basket drain.
- Clean out the dishwasher drain filter at the bottom inside once a month.
- Never use Draino in any drains in this rental. Draino corrodes pipes.
- Know how to change out batteries in smoke detectors, CO monitors and thermostats if the monitors are beeping or if a thermostat is not responding to input. Maximum wattage for light bulbs in hard-wired light fixtures is 60 watts.
- If you get mail for a previous tenant or anyone who isn’t currently living at your new address write “Not at this address” and put back out for mail carrier
- Vacuum carpet at least twice a month. Dirty carpet wears out more quickly.
- Know how to unclog a garbage disposal (watch a YouTube video).
- In the case of having a furnace in your unit, for best air quality and most efficient furnace operation change furnace filters 3 – 6 times each winter season. Do not store anything flammable within 2 feet of gas furnaces or water heaters.
- Make sure to open the fireplace flue before starting a fire. Fireplace tools—especially big tongs and a poker—are important safety items to have in the house if you use your fireplace.
