Troubleshooting & Emergency Guidelines

Following the guidelines can help you stay prepared and respond effectively during an emergency.

Home » Troubleshooting & Emergency Guidelines

*NOTE, repairs that are tenant caused issues will be subject to fees - section 26 of Rules and Regulations of the lease.

*Always take the necessary precautions and wear personal protection equipment prior to troubleshooting.

Troubleshooting:

ย A/C or heat not working

  1. Make sure both thermostats are on the same setting (heat/cool) even if you have two compressors.
  2. Check if your air filters are clogged/dirty. If they are, replace them with the same kind. Current filter material is fiberglass, sizes can be found on filters and Locke Supply on MLK sells them.
  3. Set the thermostat 5 degrees lower or higher to see if the system works.
  4. If the set temperature was reached, continue, to set the thermostat up or down by 5 degrees increments until the desired temperature is reached. This will allow the system to catch up.

Disposal Not working

  1. Unplug the garbage disposal under the sink. There are two plugs under the sink. Make sure it is the one connected to the disposal and not the dishwasher.
  2. Make sure there are no foreign objects inside the sink (bottle cap, wine toppers, large food items, glass, plastic, ect.)
  3. Plug the garbage disposal back in and turn the switch on to see if the problem was resolved.
  4. If the above doesnโ€™t fix the issue, Check the breaker in the fuse box.

Dishwasher Not Draining

  1. Check the bottom of the dishwasher to make sure there is no food blocking the drain covers
  2. Unplug the garbage disposal and dishwasher under the sink. There are two plugs under the sink. One is connected to the disposal and one to the dishwasher.
  3. Make sure there are no foreign objects inside the sink (bottle caps, wine toppers, large food items, glass, plastic ect.)
  4. Run the disposal to clear out the plumbing lines-dishwasher and garbage disposal have connected plumbing lines. If the disposal is clogged or has food the water from the dishwasher will not drain.
  5. Once this is completed try a quick cycle on the dishwasher.

Clogged drains

  • Use a drain snake to remove any clogged hair.
  • No feminine products should be flushed. Dispose of them in a bin.
  • All showers have a hair catcher. Make sure you use them to help prevent clogged drains.
  • Do not use harsh chemicals on drains.

No Electricity

  • Make sure that your bills are up to
  • Contact the power company to inquire of any power outages in the area.
  • Account holder should also receive emails from power provider.
  • Check the fuse box for the tripped breaker switch.
  • Reset the breaker by moving it to the full โ€œOFFโ€ position and then full โ€œONโ€ position.

Freezer has ice buildup or Frost

  • Open the freezer. Check under/around the drawers and rails and see if anything is causing the freezer to not shut property. Clear out anything causing the issue.
  • Make sure that the door is closed and sealed when shut.
  • Do not overstuff the freezer.
  • Check to make sure the temperature is set to 0 degrees.
  • Ice maker not making ice- check the ice maker arm to be on the โ€œONโ€ position (if applicable)
  • Remove any items around the ice maker.

Washer not draining

  • Bedding (such as comforters) to be done individually. If they are large, take them to the cleaners
  • Bedding (such as sheets), pillows and towels to be done in small loads.
  • Clothing to be done in small-medium loads at a time.
  • Never fill the drum above ยพ. Distribute the loads evenly in washer since the newer washers have a balancing sensor and this will prevent washer from operating and draining properly.

Dryer not drying

  • Make sure the dryer lint is clean before every load.
  • Having a buildup of dryer lint can cause loads to dry slower or take multiple cycles and can cause a fire and/or damage to the dryer system.
  • Was the dryer overfilled? If so, remove some items and try to cycle again.

Washer making loud banging noise

  • The loud banging noise may be caused by the items in the washer throwing off the drum in the washer
  • Was the washer overfilled? If so, remove some items and try to cycle again.
  • Too big of blanket/comforter? Sometimes if the blanket or comforter gets too heavy when it is wet it will throw off the balance on the drum causing it to hit the sides of the washer. If this is the case, the item will need to be removed and taken to a cleaner to wash instead.

Pest control

  • Per the lease, every house gets two complimentary sprays upon tenant request during the lease term.
  • After the two requested sprays, tenants are responsible for pest control.

Raccoon getting in the trash

  • All trash and garbage (including any recyclables) shall always be placed in the receptacles, and the lid kept tightly closed at all times
  • RPH recommends in order to keep the lid closed tight, stretch one or two bungee cords from the metal bar in the front over the top of the lid to the handle

Lady bugs in the house

  • Lady bugs getting into the houses is a common thing that happens towards the end of fall and beginning of winter. They last a couple of days and there is not much we can do about them.
  • We suggest that you vacuum or sweep them up.

Why do certain breakers trip throughout the house and how to fix it?

  • Due to the new code regulations, ARC Fault Breakers are used in all homes. These breakers are per code and are installed in all living areas of the home such as the bedrooms and living rooms. ARC Fault Breakers are designed to detect an arch which is essentially an electric leak caused when a hot wire touches a neutral or ground wire. These are susceptible to โ€œnuisance trippingโ€ due to the items that are plugged into that circuit. 9 out of 10 times if someone is getting a reoccurring breaker trip it is going to be caused by something plugged into a hot circuit and going through the process of elimination of unplugging an item to see if that circuit trips again is necessary to find the culprit. Also, the item causing the breaker to trip does not have to be on. If you go through the process of elimination and/or reset the breaker and still cannot find the problem, please submit a request on tenant cloud.

How to fix a tripped breaker

  • Check the fuse box and locate the tripped breaker.
  • Reset the breaker by moving it to the full โ€œOFFโ€ position and then full โ€œONโ€ position.

Emergency Guidelines:

What constitutes an EMERGENCY maintenance call when the office is closed?

  1. Active water leak.ย 
    • Turn off the main water to the house.ย 
    • Look for red tag in the water heater area)
  2. If ALL HVACs are inoperable.
    • When the temperatures are forecasted to be below 45 degrees, or above 90 degrees.
  3. Active sewer back up
  4. No electricity or water
    • Provided that the bill has been paid and didnโ€™t get shut off
    • There is not a reported outage in the area by the service provider.
  5. Smoke or natural gas emissions
    • Contact the service provider to report it
  6. Fire-CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY
    • Contact the office. If itโ€™s the weekend, call/text the emergency number.

How do I submit an EMERGENCY request?

  1. Submit the emergency through the APPFOLIO account

ย ย ย ย  -MUST include brief description, videos/photos, and location within the home

  1. Follow up by calling 479-527-8795

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