WASHINGTON TENANTS

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General Power Problems: Make sure that the fuses for the utility box are all on. Sometimes they can be flipped to the “off” position due to a power over-load, so make sure they are all in the “on” position. You can also reset the breaker by flipping it to the “off” position, and then flipping it to the “on” position right after.

 

Garbage Disposal: Many garbage disposals come with a “reset” button on the underside of the appliance. Hitting the “reset” button will clear up the problem in 90% of the cases. If the reset button does not work, you can also try using an Allen-wrench (one usually comes with the disposal, and can usually be found in a near-by drawer, or below the sink. If you put the wrench in the middle of the disposal under the sink, you can turn the rotor and free-up anything that might be causing the disposal to malfunction. And as always, make sure the breaker is on for the disposal.

 

Stove/Oven: If your stove is powered by gas, make sure that the gas is turned on to the house before concluding that it’s “broken”. Also, some stoves require a pilot light to be lit if there was a disruption in the flow of gas to the stove.

 

Heat: Make sure that your thermostat is programmed correctly, and has fresh batteries in it. Also check to make sure the furnace pilot light is on. If the pilot light is not lit, first determine if gas is flowing into the unit. If it is, then follow the instructions on the side of the furnace to relight the pilot light. If you are unsure of how to do this, and the instructions on the furnace do not help, there are many resources that will walk you through the process online. Also make sure that the vents for the air are all open throughout the house. If you do not feel comfortable doing this, please submit a maintenance request for assistance.

 

Clogs: Clogs should always first be tackled by using a plunger. If that does not work, you should try a pipe-clearing solution such as Drano. If both of these do not work, please submit a maintenance request.

 

Frozen Pipes: Some properties are prone to having pipes freeze during very cold temperatures. There are a few things you can do to avoid this from happening: Keep all the faucets in the house running at a trickle while the temperature is still a threat (both hot and cold water). If a sink has a cabinet below it, open up the cabinet doors so the warm air from the house can flow around the pipes ad help keep them warm. Also make sure that all water supplies that go to the outside of the house are shut off and properly drained.

 

Toilet Problems: We are happy to come out and repair a toilet that constantly runs, or is leaking. Before we could out, please make sure that the toilet is not just leaking because the ball in the tank is stuck. This happens every once in a while, and all that is required to fix it is to take the lid off the tank and lift the arm up a little bit. This will push the valve closed and stop the toilet from trying to refill.
 

If your toilet is whistling (yes, they can do that) it is usually caused by water rushing into the pipes for the toilet too quickly. To fix this, all you need to do is close the water valve at the back of the toilet (it is usually an oval-shaped knob). Once the valve is closed, reopen it slowly, as you flush the toilet. It should be opened enough to let water in, but not enough that it continues to whistle. If this does not fix the problem, we can come take a look.

If you were able to fix the problem yourself, please go to your open maintenance requests in your portal and cancel the request you just submitted.