Maintenance FAQs

If you've lost electrical power...

Your circuit breaker is designed to protect your home against an overload and will automatically trip and cut the current if a fault ever occurs. If this occurs in your home, you need to locate the circuit box and reset it.

Before resetting your circuit breaker, you also need to make certain there are no dangerous situations in your property. Make certain anything plugged into the circuit has been unplugged and the situation that caused the circuit to overload initially has been resolved.

Flip the circuit breaker back to the ON position to restore power. If the breaker trips again or you aren't able to reset it, submit a repair request.

Older Homes with Fuse Boxes

If you live in an older property and have a fuse box, refer to the information here.

GFCI outlets are commonplace in most kitchens, bathrooms, and outdoor locations. These outlets provide additional protection against electrical shock.

If your GFCI outlet isn't working or has tripped, you'll need to press the TEST button. This will cause the top button to pop out and you should hear a loud click. Push the top button back in to restore the outlet's power.

If your outlets continue to trip, make a repair request so we can further troubleshoot the issue.

If you're living in an older rental property, you may not have modern circuit breakers. Fuse boxes are an older style of electrical box that have fuses for each of your circuits inside. Should an overload occur on the circuit, the fuse blows to break the circuit.

In order to restore electrical power, you'll need to replace the blown fuse. Of course, you'll want to make certain that the overloading situation has been fixed before proceeding. To properly do so, remove or unplug anything plugged into the circuit.

Please note, the new fuse MUST have the proper rating. For example, 15-amp fuses work with circuits rated for 15 amps. 

Safely Installing Your Fuse

When you are removing a blown fuse or adding a new one to your fuse box, take caution not to touch the metal parts. Most fuse boxes have a master switch, which will allow you to cut power temporarily and avoid any accidents.

If you continue to experience difficulty after replacing the fuse, make a repair request.

There are plenty of great resources available for how to clear a garbage disposal. Learn more using the link below:

How to Unclog a Garbage Disposal: WikiHow

Have questions about how to use your sink's disposal function or what you can and cannot place inside? Get equipped with the right information here.

You should never smell gas in your rental home, but there may be a common explanation. Find troubleshooting tips here.

Do you have a gas fireplace in your home? Learn how to light the pilot light.

Have you lost hot water access? First, verify that you have electrical power. If you're having any trouble with your circuits, refer to the questions about fuse boxes and circuit breakers.

Next, locate your hot water heater and check that the light is lit. If your heater is gas-powered, you may need to relight the pilot. You can check the tutorial above for how to light a pilot light.

Finally, verify that the settings on the tank are accurate. If anything is amiss, make updates and wait 15 to 20 minutes before testing the water temperature again.

Review the information here to determine how to change your furnace filter: How do I change my furnace filters?

Please try to troubleshoot your problem before making a repair request.

1. First, is it possible that there is a problem with your circuit? Check the information above for more details on how to restore electrical power.
2. Next, try to use the thermostat to troubleshoot your issue. Does everything look accurate? Can you cycle the system off and back on again to restore the defaults?
3. Finally, check for a switch next to your HVAC system that looks like a light switch; it's easy for this to get switched off and cause the system to turn off.

If you continue having problems, make a repair request.

If a doorknob makes a hole in your wall, you can patch this pretty easily. Learn how here  How to patch a doorknob hole in a wall

Drains clog pretty regularly, due to debris being flushed down the pipe. Learn how to resolve this following the steps outlined here: How to unclog my drain

The information below should help you determine what's causing your dishwasher problems.

Learn how to resolve this problem easily here:  I put the wrong soap in the dishwasher -- now what?

Need to shut off water to your property? Learn how here: How to turn off main water supply

Use this information to test that your smoke detectors are working properly: Testing smoke detector / maintenance

Vent issues are the root cause of many clothes dryer problems. Check how to clear your vent here.

Use this resource to learn how to fix common problems with refrigerators.

If your garage door isn't opening and closing properly, the sensors may need to be realigned. You can learn how to do this by watching this video. If you keep experiencing problems, contact us for help.

Please browse our Quick Fixes for the most commonly reported maintenance issues. You may find an easy fix for your issue with no waiting for a maintenance person to visit.

Make sure gas service is on. Check thermostat on hot water tank. Is pilot light lit? Check breaker panel or fuses.

Check thermostat on tank and turn down.

Try plunger. If still clogged call maintenance. Note: if tenant caused clog then you will be accountable for bill.

Remove hair from drain. Try pouring drain cleaner down the drain.

Make sure Gas service is on with utility provider. Check thermostat. Try changing batteries in thermostat. Replace filters. Furnace covers on correctly? Is pilot light lit? Breaker tripped?

Clean food out of bottom of dishwasher. Clean float. Rinse dishes before washing. Use jet dry once a month. Jet dry prevents hard water build up.

Check thermostat, set correctly. Front and Back grills clean. Clean out drain hole.

* Make sure the emergency gas valve is turned on
* Check to be sure pilot light is lit
* If you are not able to get the pilot light lit, contact Marchant and we will have an experienced vendor assist you

* Mold can grow most anywhere that spores land and find moisture and a comfortable temperature
* Mold is typically found indoors at levels that do not affect most healthy individuals
* Almost every home gets some type of mold - the trick is to clean it up before it spreads
* The most visible type is mildew, which begins as tiny black spots. This is the stuff you see in grout lines in your shower, on damp window casings, etc.

* Floss - not bio-degradable
* Grease, Oil & Fat - like heart disease, these will decrease the flow of pipes over time
* Band-aids - these are plastic and not bio-degradable
* Medications - contaminates the water supply
* Disposable Wipes - EVEN if they say you can, Don't!
* Paper Towels - these do not break down like toilet paper
* Feminine Hygiene Products - including cotton pads and swabs
* Cat Litter
* Condoms
* Hair

* Look for the valve which is located to the LEFT behind your toilet tank
* Turn the knob to the RIGHT (clockwise) to close the valve and stop water flow

* Turn off water from faucet if possible
* Locate water lines below sink which lead to water valves
* Turn water valves to the RIGHT (clockwise) to stop the water flow

* Check the Filter! Change often (at least every three months) 95% of all service calls are due to dirty air filters
* Check thermostat setting - set Fan to "auto", set system to "Cool"
* Check air handler/furnace - you should hear it "rumbling", if not, check to make sure it is plugged in and switched on
* Check circuit breaker - make sure it is not 'tripped'
* Check to be sure the drain line is not clogged
* Check the fan unit outside - is the fan spinning and clear of leaves and branches?

* Make sure the power is OFF. Safety First!
* Insert the special wrench into the bottom of the disposal and start turning it back and forth until the jam frees up.
* Make sure there is nothing stuck in the disposal causing a jam.
* Press reset button (also located on the bottom of the disposal).
* Turn Power back ON.

* Locate the air-intake grill that holds the filter.
* Open grill, remove old filter.
* Replace with new one - IMPORTANT: air flow arrow on filter to point in the direction air is traveling (being "sucked" to).
* Check filter monthly. A good habit is to check the filter each month when making your rent payment.
* A clean filter will ensure your A/C is running smoothly and keep electric costs to a minimum.

* Collect liquid grease to be recycled
* Wipe pans clean with a paper towel
* Rinse pans with cold water
* Food scraps go in garbage, NOT the garbage disposal

* Remove toilet tank lid
* Lift up the fill valve (or float ball)
* Pull out the water tube
* Reach down and turn OFF the water valve (turn valve CLOCKWISE)

* Some outlets are known as GFIs located near wet areas of your home (i.e. kitchen and bathrooms)
* When power becomes overloaded they will 'trip' (stop working).
* Press reset button on them to power back on (usually small button in the center of the outlet plate)
* Still not working? Check other GFI outlets in the home and reset. If that does not work, find the breaker panel and check for flipped switches. Flip back to "On" to restore power.

* Slow water flow from your fridge? Try changing the water filter
* Filter should be changed every 6 months
* Each fridge will have its own unique filter system - you can find details for each in the manual or by searching online
* Locate the filter, twist to the left to remove, twist right to install
* Some may have a push button system
* Reset the filter button to reflect a new filter has been installed

* Wet burners are usually why a gas stove top will not light
* When cleaning, avoid using too much water that will make the burners wet
* Try to clean using a damp cloth only
* To dry out, turn oven on to 350 degrees for 30 minutes

* Check for sounds of running water, trickling or hissing sounds
* Add 25 drops of food coloring to inside of toilet tank
* Wait 15 minutes...if no dye shows up in toilet bowl, no leak exists
* If dye appears in bowl, toilet needs repair. Please log a maintenance request through your tenant portal

* First, realign key so it is in a vertical position (12 o'clock)
* Apply light pressure to smaller disc around the key (called a plug)
* Pull and remove the key from the lock

* Disconnect the smoke detector by twisting counter-clockwise
* Replace the battery with a new one (this will most likely stop the chirping)
* If it is still chirping, remove the battery and hold down the test button for 15 seconds to drain any remaining charge
* Insert the new battery and reattach to the wall/ceiling
* If this doesn’t fix the problem, please log a maintenance request.

* While low water pressure can be annoying, it is often easily remedied
* Click here to view a guide on ways to troubleshoot this issue Click Here

* Condensation is caused by high humidity in your home
* Run vent fans in bathrooms when showering to prevent condensation
* Turn off vent fans in the kitchen when cooking
* In extreme situations you may need to install a dehumidifier in your home