Tips for Unit Owners – How to Avoid Damage Inside Your Home

Purchase and install ABC type fire extinguishers for your kitchen and garage. Show everyone in the household where and how to turn off the water, gas and electricity. Shut off the water valves once a year so the valves won’t get stuck in the open position. If a valve is stuck we recommend hiring a licensed, insured plumber to free the valve.

Water shut-off valves are located at:

• The water meter by the street.
• Immediately outside your house by the exterior wall.
• Below sinks.
• Below toilets.
• On top of the hot water tank.
• Under the kitchen sink for “instant-hot” or drinking filter systems.

Replace water supply lines to prevent leaks. Flexible water lines are located: underneath sinks, underneath toilets, behind your washing machine and behind your dishwasher. Flexible water lines should be changed every 5 years or every 10 years at the latest.

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Sensors: test the batteries every month, change batteries every year and replace the sensors every 10 years.
Purchase a gas shut-off wrench and wire it to your gas valve for emergency use. Clean the dryer lint trap weekly. Clean the dryer lint vent duct regularly. Clean the chimney flues annually.
Install a spark arrester screen on top of the chimney to prevent sparks from escaping and keep birds out of the chimney.
If a tub, toilet, shower or sink drains slower than normal, immediately have a plumber snake out all of your drain lines.
When installing “instant hot”, drinking filter kits or refrigerator ice/water dispenser water lines, insist that the installer use water lines that have threaded connections. Do not accept “pressure connection” fittings as they will eventually vibrate loose and leak.