General Maintenance Tips

Oven Not Working - Before calling for repair, try the following troubleshooting tips;

1. Is the stove plugged in?
2. Check that the stove/oven fuses are not blown.
3. Has the oven timer been activated?
4. Is the breaker in the electrical panel on?
5. Did you pay your hydro bill?

Water Conservation

1. Ensure taps are turned completely off when not in use. Do not tighten so much that it is difficult to turn them on later.
2. Do not allow children to play, unsupervised, with the water hose nor allow it to be left on for extended periods of time.
3. Complete a Request for Repair form to have taps repaired once a leak is detected and to have your toilet repaired when you hear it running on.

Hydro Conservation

1. Turn lights off in rooms that are not being used.
2. Turn off appliances, televisions, stereos, etc. when not being used.
3. Do not leave windows and doors open for extended periods of time when the heating is on.
4. Turn heaters/furnaces down a couple of degrees when going to bed at night.
5. Do not turn off heaters and operate only one or two to heat your home.
6. Do not use the oven to heat your home.
7. Turn air conditioning off and use the fan only, or set it at low, when you are not home.

Air Quality back to top

Excessive moisture or humidity in the air can cause mold to form and grow in your home and can lead to poor air quality. Lifestyle, i.e. cooking, washing, etc., contributes to the moisture level in a home. Try these steps to control humidity:

1. Turn the fan on in the bathroom whenever having a shower or bath. Leave it running for fifteen minutes after you have finished.
2. Fresh air exchange is crucial. Open your windows and room doors and allow fresh air to circulate around your home. In the winter, open windows just a crack for half an hour each day.
3. Ensure your dryer is properly vented to the outside. Clean the vent and piping of lint regularly to ensure peek efficiency and to avoid a fire hazard.
4. Use the fan located above the stove when cooking.
5. During the winter condensation may form on your windows. Wipe excess moisture off windows regularly.

Carpet Maintenance back to top

1. Vacuum carpets at least once a week.
2. Pick up large food particles immediately.
3. Remove footwear before walking on carpets.
4. Do not allow mud, grease or oily substances to be tracked onto the carpet.
5. Clean carpets, either professionally or by using a carpet cleaning machine, once a year. A specific accident or occurrence may require this to be done before the year is up.

Baseboard Heaters, Furnaces, Hot Water Tanks back to top

1.	Do not store items surrounding or on top of heaters, furnaces or hot water. Maintain two to three foot clearance around this equipment.
	2. No heat - baseboard heaters;	Check breaker is on at electric panel. Adjust thermostat. Is Hydro on/paid ?
	3. No heat - gas furnace;	Check breaker is on at electric panel. Check wall switch is in "ON" position. Adjust thermostat. Is hydro and/or gas on/paid?
	4. No hot water - electric & gas;	Check breaker is on at electric panel. Was hot water recently used in a bath or load of washing? Is hydro or gas on/paid?

Toilet Plugged back to top

Plugged toilets are caused by foreign objects being flushed down the toilet. Many items such as toothbrushes, toys and combs have been found stuck in toilet bowls. This is considered a chargeback to the tenant and can be quite costly. To avoid these costly charges:

1. do not leave young children unattended in the washroom;
2. keep the toilet lid closed when not in use;
3. do not flush excessive amounts of toilet paper at one time; more than one flush may be required;
4. invest in a toilet plunger as it can sometimes clear a blocked toilet and potentially save you a service charge;
5. avoid keeping items on top of the toilet tank.

Clogged Drain back to top

Drains clog up because something other than water and liquids have been disposed of. Clogs can occur quite quickly or build up over years, depending on what has been poured down the drain. To avoid drain clogs;

1. do not pour grease, oil, wax or fat down the drain;
2. clear food particles off dishes into the garbage and not down the drain;
3. be careful that objects such, as popsicle sticks, do not go down the drain; and
4. pour boiling water down the drain and/or use a biological or enzyme drain cleaner occasionally to help avoid buildup. These solutions are friendly to the environment.