Winter Reminders
Bathtubs, Sinks, and Showers

• Do not wear shoes in a bathtub for any reason. Shoe soles carry gritty particles that can scratch surface regardless of material.

Cabinets

• Be careful not to overload cabinet shelves with heavy items such as canned foods, pots or pans. Overloading your shelves may cause them to break. To prevent this, distribute the weight of heaver items among many shelves.

Circuit Breakers

• Circuit breakers and fuses protect electrical wiring and equipment in home from overloading.
  
• Circuit breakers may be reset by switching breaker to full off and then back to full on.
  
• The electrical service entrance provides power to the service panel. It has been designed for the electrical needs of the house. Do not tamper with this cable.

Power Failures

• In case of a complete power failure, first determine if your neighbors have power. If they do not, notify the power company.
  
• If the power failure affects only your house, check master switch and circuit breakers.
  
• If one circuit breaker continues to trip, check if it has been overloaded. If not, call an electrician.
  
• Failure to fix a short circuit could result in a fire. (see “Electrical Receptacles” in Your New Home handbook)

Countertops

• Countertops should be protected from hot pots, pans or baking dishes.
  
• Do not cut food directly on countertop because the knife may dent or nick surface. Instead, use a cutting board.
  
• Countertops made of plastic-coated wood or metal may be cleaned with a detergent solution.
  
• Stubborn stains can be rubbed off of Corian and other non-pours solid surface countertop materials with abrasive household cleanser or fine sandpaper.
  
• Because marble is easily stained or etched, it should be protected according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Disposals

• Always read Manufacturer’s instructions.
  
• Always use cold water when disposal is on.
  
• Do not put grease in garbage disposal.
  
• Avoid grinding fibrous materials like banana peels in your disposal.
  
• Avoid grinding bones or other hard materials.
  
• Should the drain become clogged, do not put chemicals down the disposal (See also “Drains” in Your New Home handbook.)

Reset Buttons

• Disposal will turn off if it is overloaded with a something it can’t grind. If this happens, turn switch off, remove substance obstructing disposal’s operation, wait three minutes, and push reset button. (See instruction booklet for location.) Turn switch on. If it does not start, turn off and check if circuit breaker was tripped.
  
• If circuit breaker was tripped, turn off circuit breaker (safety precaution) and use a mop or broom handle to turn rotating plate in disposal unit until it turns freely.
  
• Restore current, push reset button, and turn disposal switch on.
  
• Some disposals come equipped with a special wrench or tool that can be inserted either in a hole in the bottom of the disposal (under the sink) or into the top of the rotating plate. Turning the wrench a couple of times should loosen the material enough so that the disposal will start.
  
• Warning: Be absolutely sure circuit breaker is off before inserting a broomstick, wrench, or anything else to remove material when disposal is stalled.

Garage Doors

• Moving parts of garage doors should be greased every three months with a substance specially designed for garage doors.
  
• The screws that fasten the hardware to a wood door should be tightened every 12 months.

Driveways, Walks, and Steps

• Protect your driveways, walks, and steps by removing snow and ice promptly.
  
• Take care not to gouge paved or brick surfaces while chipping ice.
  • If you cannot remove a stubborn layer of ice, use cat litter or sand for traction.
  
• Avoid applying salt in any form. Repeated thaw and freezing with salt and chemicals can damage concrete, brick, mortar, and asphalt, and salt will kill grass, shrubs, and trees.

Electrical Receptacles

• Test your GFCI receptacles monthly by pressing the “test” button.

Faucets

• Cleaning the aerators will be your most frequent task in maintaining faucets. An aerator adds air to the water as it leaves the faucet and eliminates splashing. It also reduces water usage, thereby saving you money. Aerators are most common on kitchen and bathroom sinks.
  
• To clean an aerator; First make sure the drain is set, then unscrew it from the mouth of the faucet, remove any deposits, remove and rinse the washers and screens, replace them in their original order, and put the aerator back on the faucet.

Gas Fireplaces

• Do not smoke while cleaning or lighting fireplace.
  
• If you suspect a gas leak, evacuate the home and call the gas company immediately from a neighbor’s house.
  
• Follow manufacturer’s instructions for maintenance, safety, and use of gas fireplace.

Foundations

• Proper ventilation will bring normal drying-out process to its conclusion as steadily as possible. Do not try to speed up the process by creating extremely high temperatures during the winter. The house will dry out unevenly, which will exaggerate the effects of normal shrinkage.
  
• Using exhaust fans when excessive moisture is being generated, (i.e. when cooking or using the shower) will keep moist air outside home, and keep dampness down to a minimum.

Heating Systems

• Adjust registers in various rooms or the dampers in ducts from furnace to registers to regulate individual room temperatures.
  
• If home has a heat pump, do not set back thermostat unless you will be away for a prolonged period of time.

Filters

• For efficient heating, filters should be replaced at least every three months during heating season.
  
• Read instruction manual for your system for specific directions.
  
• Radian-type heating systems do not have filters.

Reducing Utility Bills

• Close windows and doors when heating/cooling system is running
  
• Adjust thermostat settings to 68º F (or lower)
  
• Open drapes or blinds on the sunny side of the house during winter days to take advantage of passive heating from the sun’s warmth
  
• During winter vacations, do not shut off heat or pipes may freeze or burst.
  
• Lower thermostat during sleeping hours and when your home will be unoccupied for a prolonged period.

Frozen Pipes

• Never leave house unheated during cold weather to prevent pipes from freezing.
  
• During extended periods of severe cold, provide at least a little heat for unused rooms and baths that are generally not heated.
  
• If a pipe should freeze, proper defrosting may prevent damage.
  
• Pipe must be thawed slowly to prevent formation of steam, which could cause it to burst.
  
• First restore heat to affected part of house.
  
• Open all faucets connected to lines so that steam can escape.
  
• Begin thawing at frozen point nearest faucet. Use a thermometer to help locate this point.
  
• A heat lamp set at least 6 inches from drywall or panel type wall will thaw pipes behind it.
  
• A hairdryer or heat lamp can defrost exposed pipes.
  
• Air from hair dryer should be directed parallel to the pipes. As pipe thaws, move heat toward frozen area until completely thawed.
  
• If a large amount of pipe or an underground pipe is frozen, call a plumber.

Roofs

• Remove ice blockades from gutters and downspouts, and attempt to remove built-up ice and snow from lower portions of roof.

Water Heaters

• Every three or four months, check the temperature and pressure relief valve on water heater to be sure it works properly.
  
• Noises in pipes may be from air or steam. Steam may be from the water being too hot. Reduce temperature of the water to help. (See also “Plumbing” and “Faucets” In Your New Home handbook.)