Home Care
Home care: Steps for basic home care before calling maintenance.
GAS
- Gas shut off- To turn off gas to your house, find the main shut-off valve near the gas meter (usually outside) and turn the handle a quarter turn until it’s perpendicular to the pipe, using a large adjustable wrench or channel locks; this stops the flow, but never turn it back on yourself—call your utility company to safely restore service after an emergency.
WATER
- Water shut off at the street- Steps to Shut Off Water at the Street
- Locate the Meter Box: Walk from your house towards the street and look for a concrete box with a lid, usually near the sidewalk and mailbox.
- Open the Box: Use a long screwdriver or pliers to lift the lid, or find the keyhole and use a pentagon key if present, being careful of wires.
- Find the Valve: Inside, locate the water meter and the customer shut-off valve, which is typically above the meter and has a lever or nut/handle.
- Turn the Valve:
- Lever Handle: Turn it 90 degrees (a quarter turn) to the right (clockwise) until it stops, pointing towards the street.
- Nut/Wheel: Turn it clockwise until it stops, often requiring a curb key or adjustable wrench.
- Confirm It’s Off: The arrow on the valve should point towards the street, and the meter should stop spinning (if you checked for leaks).
- Turn the water off under the sink or at the back of the toilet-
For Quarter-Turn (Ball) Angle Stops:
- Locate: Find the valve under the sink or behind the toilet.
- Turn: Rotate the handle 90 degrees (a quarter turn) so it is perpendicular to the water supply pipe.
- Check: Open the fixture’s faucet to ensure water has stopped.
If the Valve is Stuck:- Tap Gently: Place a small bucket underneath, then gently tap the valve body with pliers in 30-second intervals to dislodge sediment.
- Work it: After tapping, slowly try turning the handle back and forth (open and close) to loosen it further.
- Call a Pro: If the handle breaks or it still won’t close, shut off the main house water supply and replace the valve, as it’s likely defective.
ELECTRIC
- Reset at the gfci- outlet
Step-by-Step Resetting:
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- Unplug Everything: Disconnect all appliances and devices from the GFCI outlet and any other outlets on the same circuit.
- Locate Buttons:
Find the “TEST” (usually black) and “RESET” (usually red) buttons on the outlet faceplate.
- Press RESET: Push the “RESET” button firmly until you hear a click, indicating power is restored.
- Test the Outlet: Plug in a device to confirm it’s working.
If It Doesn’t Reset:- Check the Circuit Breaker: Go to your home’s electrical panel and see if the breaker for that circuit is tripped (in the “OFF” or middle position). Flip it fully off, then back on.
- Try Pressing TEST First: Some suggest pressing the “TEST” button first, then “RESET,” or ensuring the tripped indicator light (often red) goes out after pressing “RESET”.
- Look for Other GFCIs: If your outlet has no buttons, another GFCI upstream (in the same room or nearby) might control it; find that one and reset it.
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- Reset at the breaker- Step by step
- Safety First: Turn off lights and unplug appliances in the affected area to reduce the load on the circuit.
- Locate Panel: Find your breaker box (usually in a garage, basement, or closet) and open the cover.
- Find Tripped Breaker: Look for a switch that’s either fully off or in the middle (tripped) position, not aligned with the “ON” switches.
- Firmly Flip to OFF: Push the tripped breaker all the way to the OFF position to reset its internal mechanism.
- Flip to ON: Flip the switch firmly back to the ON position; you might hear a click.
- Test: Restore power to your lights and appliances.
