COMMON MAINTENANCE ISSUES & EASY FIXES
My toilet is stopped up/clogged.
If you are having trouble getting water to flush down your toilet, it almost always needs to be plunged. If you do not have a plunger we recommend buying one. When you plunge, make sure the hole at the bottom of the toilet is completely covered (make a vacuum-like seal). After you have plunged a bit, if it still is not going down, plunge a little more. If you are still having a problem after a lot of plunging, please submit a maintenance request online.
The toilet tank is not filling with water.
This should be an easy fix. Locate the water shut-off valve is near the floor and wall. Make sure it's not turned off. If water it turned on and still not working, please submit an online maintenance request.
My garbage disposal is not working.
Typically if you are having trouble with the garbage disposal, it is an easy fix. First, we recommend pressing the red reset switch/button on the side or bottom of the garbage disposal (located under the sink). If that does not work, check your GFI outlets in your kitchen. Press the test then reset button on all GFI outlets in your kitchen. If that does not do the trick, check your grey electrical service panel. Make sure all of the switches are in the "ON" position. Still no luck? Sometimes under your sink there will be a tool with a hexagonal shaped head. If you have that tool, you can insert it in the bottom of the garbage disposal. Turn it back and forth (many times that will loosen up any food or debris in the disposal). Press the red reset button one last time. If it is still not working, please submit an online maintenance request.
My dryer isn't drying my clothes.
Please make sure your lint trap is cleaned out. We recommend cleaning out the lint trap each time you run the dryer. If that does not help, please submit an online maintenance request.
My dishwasher stopped working.
There are a few reasons a dishwasher might not be working:
First you have to determine if it has power. Check fuses and circuit breakers to make sure one has not blown or tripped.
If breakers are not tripped, please check if there is a switch on the wall, nearby the dishwasher. Some dishwashers are not hard wired. Turn the switch on and run the dishwasher.
If you tried the steps above and the dishwasher still does not work, it is likely one of the mechanical components is broken. Please submit an online maintenance request
My dishwasher is not cleaning my dishes.
Here are a couple recommendations: Please lightly rinse your dishes and scrape off all food before putting them in the dishwasher. Also, do not cover the center of the bottom rack (in most D/Ws that is where the water sprays up). We recommend using powder/granule dishwasher detergent (not liquid). Before you start the D/W, run hot water in your sink. Once the water is hot, start the D/W and turn off your kitchen faucet. Lastly, you may need to clean your D/W (you can clean the D/W by placing a 1 quart bowl full of white vinegar in your bottom D/W rack and run your D/W through 2 cylcles). If none of those recommendations help, please submit an online maintenance request.
We recommend checking your GFI outlets. Those are the electrical outlets with the buttons on them. Press the test then reset button. If that does not work, check your grey electrical service panel. Make sure all of the switches are in the "on" position. Lastly and it may seem obvious, but please make sure the appliances are plugged in. Still not working? Please submit an online maintenance request only if the appliance was in the apartment when you moved in.
My kitchen appliances aren't working.
A light bulb in my apartment has burnt out.
If it is a bulb that you control with a switch, we ask that you replace the light bulb. If it is a unique bulb, we recommend taking the burnt out bulb to the hardware store and matching it up with one there. If it is in a location where it is hard for you to reach, or you don't have a tall ladder, please buy a new light bulb and contact us. We're happy to replace any bulbs that you cannot easily reach next time we're in the building.
I think my A/C or heater is not working.
We recommend first checking your thermostat. Make sure it is where you want it (heat, cool, or off) and that the fan is set on "AUTO" Also, make sure the temperature is set where you want it. If that doesn't do the trick, please check your grey electrical service. Some thermostats will tell you that it's time to change the filter; but just in case, you should check if it needs replacement. Make sure all of the switches are in the "ON" position.
For heat - look at the pilot light. Is it lit? A standing pilot light should be visible when you open the combustion chamber door. If the pilot light is out, it must be re-lit, following the furnace lighting instructions precisely and observing appropriate safety procedures, such as turning the gas valve off and allowing the air to clear for several minutes.
Still not working? Please submit an online maintenance request.
My smoke detector is making a chirping noise.
This means the battery to your smoke detector is about to run out of juice. Please buy a 9-volt square battery and replace the old one.
When I turn my tub/shower on, no water comes out.
This is usually a simple fix. If you have a showerhead that has multiple settings, try to move the showerhead to a different setting. If that does not help, submit an online maintenance request.
The gas stove has been smelling very strongly and/or one or more burners are not working.
Some gas stoves have a pilot light. A slight odor, however, is normal if you have a pilot light that has gone out. To save yourself some trouble and frustration, you may want to clean the tip of the pilot if the light has gone out. Sometimes, grease and food particles can become trapped in the tip, causing the flame to go out. By cleaning it, you make the light easier to ignite and improve the chances that it will stay lit.
To clean the tip, shut off all of your stove controls. Next, lift the range top off or up, exposing your pilot lights to view. Remove the cap or cover on the one that is blown out and remove any debris. You can use a straight pin to clear the gas opening, and using a stiff brush and detergent, carefully scrub the tubes that lead from the burner to the pilot. You may want to scrub a bit the burners too.You can light the oven pilot in the same way that you light the stove, unless it's an electronic. If the burner on this type of stove won’t light, the problem could be caused by an impaired pilot electrode. Still not working? Please submit an online maintenance request.
I'm having water problems.
If you have water leaking from your toilet, kitchen, or bath sinks, turn the water shut-off valve to the leaking appliance to "OFF" until water stops. The shut-off valve for your toilet is near the floor and wall, while the sink valves are under your sink cabinets near the back of the cabinet wall. If you have a leak, please contact us or submit an online maintenance request immediately.