Let’s talk about what property management companies should tell you when you move into one of their residences.
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Monitors
First, they should tell you where the smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector are, how to verify that they’re working, and what to do if one of them goes off. Obviously, if the smoke detector goes off, you get out of your house and call the fire department. If the carbon monoxide detector goes off, you turn off all gas appliances and leave the premises, and call your property management company or the plumbing company.
Water Shut Off Valve
Next, they should show you the water shut off valve that shuts off all the water to your home. You need to know where that is and verify that it works. That way, if you have a plumbing emergency or a severe water leak, you can shut that valve off to immediately stop any flooding and damage. And then you should call the property management company who will call a plumber to come out and solve the problem.
Smell of Gas in the Home
Another problem that you could have is the smell of gas in your home. If you smell gas in your home, you need to turn off all gas appliances and call the property manager. They will call a plumbing company to come out and find out what the problem is and solve it.
Plumbing or Heating Problems
Another thing that they should tell you is that if there are any problems related to plumbing or heating, you should call them. They’ll have a quick response time with the plumbing company that they use. That way, they can make sure you’re not getting ignored, and you get any problems that you need solved, fixed.
Smell of Sewer Gas
They should also let you know what to do if you smell sewer gas. If you smell sewer gas, that could mean there’s a break in the line, or you could have a sewer backup problem. Sometimes you can smell it before you see it.
Sewer Backing Up
If your sewer line starts backing up, your toilets don’t flush, or you have sewage coming up in your tub or shower, on the side of the house or in the front of the house, there should be a set of sewer line cleanouts with caps on them. What you want to do is unscrew one of those caps, and then, of course, call your property management company to come out and get a plumbing company to come clean the lines. The reason you want to take that cap off is because that stops sewage from backing up and making a mess inside the house. Instead, it’ll back up outside. It’s just a good safety precaution so you decrease the amount of mess you have on the inside. Those are our tips for the day. Tenants should call their property managers for help with these problems but if you’re a homeowner who needs help, call Rocketman Plumbing at 505-243-1227 for fast solutions.