Maintaining Your Abode

A few issues were asked during the association meeting about general maintenance of the lofts, so I thought I'd do a quick overview of some home maintenance tips.

Track Lights - According to my friend, who is an electrician, track lighting can be a little sensitive at times. What I've noticed is that bulbs that I think have gone out, really haven't. Just flick the switch at the top of the bulb, or even touch it, and it will go back on. I heard someone say they've replaced all of their track light bulbs already, but I have yet to change even one.

Dryer

I never received an owner's manual for the washer / dryer, so if anyone wants to share any pertinent information or links to the Bosch website, that would be great.

Here's what I do know.

#1 - Clean out your lint trap frequently (picture above) This helps keep air flowing, and helps your dryer to not overheat.

#2 - Clean out lint trap #2. This involves opening up the door on the bottom left side of your dryer, turning the two light-blue hinges, and removing a tray.

This stuff will build up fast, so help extend the life of your dryer by taking care of it.

Hot Water Heater - Not enough hot water to fill that big tub all of the way? One way to help out is to turn up the temperature of your hot water heater.

WARNING - Make sure you read the warnings on your heater. Basically, if you turn up the temperature too much someone could unwittingly turn the faucet all the way to "Hot" when washing their hands and burn themselves.

Another aspect to consider is your dishwasher. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be affected, but it is something to consider.

Okay, if that didn't scare you away, then get a Phillips screwdriver, and remove the two screws holding in the bottom plate (see picture). Inside, you'll see a Styrofoam cover with a little handle on it. Remove the Styrofoam and you'll see something similar to the picture above. There should be a dial in that can be turned from"C" to "A", and after that, it just says "Hot" Turn it to a level of your choosing, and wait a few hours for the tank to heat up. Test the water for both safety and practicality (ex. does it fill up my bathtub, and does it not burn me when the faucet is turned to "Hot")

Obviously this will increase your electric bill, so you might reverse the process in the summertime to save some money.

Kitchen Lights - Kevin assured us that there was a surprisingly easy way to change our kitchen lights. I've thought long and hard about this, and unless there is some special tool that can reach up inside, then you'll have to take the light apart.

Get a ladder, unscrew two of the pins, remove the clear cylinder, place it on a table, remove the last pin and the white glass. Inside there is a 40 W candelabra bulb. You'll notice that your bulb will say "Type G", but that just refers to the shape of the bulb (ex. some are straight and some have curly tips, etc.) so any candelabra bulb will do.

Replace the bulb, the white glass, and one pin. Now here's where it gets tricky. While holding the clear glass cylinder with one hand, insert a pin through the holes and try to line it up with the screw hole. Everything will want to spin and twist, so take your time. You might need to twist the top a little bit before you try putting the glass on to make sure the holes are lined up. Good luck!

HVAC Filter - This filters the air that gets blown when using your heating and cooling system. Jerry recommended changing it every month; I'd say, depending on how dirty it gets, change it every season. One thing that might help extend the life of your filter is to vacuum behind and around the water heater and washer. A lot of dust accumulates in that area, especially with the dryer being there.

Changing the filter is easy. Remove the two screws at the bottom, remove the filter, and replace with a new one. Make sure you know size of your filter before going to the store (16 x 20 x 1) and pay attention to the filter you remove, so you know how the new one should go back in.

Remember, a filter needs to be able to create an air flow. If it looks like your filter is being sucked up, and you can't feel a draft with your hand when the unit is working, then you need to replace your filter. If you make your unit struggle too much, it could break prematurely.

Water Filter - Inside your refrigerator is a water filter. It's on the top right side. by the lightbulb. Press the button to the left of the GE symbol and the flap will fall open. If the filter wasn't already installed, you'll need to remove the cover that shipped with the unit. I found I was unable to do it with my fingers, so I had to use a pliers. The space is pretty tight, so you might want to remove your top shelf before trying this feat. After the shipping plug is removed, insert your new filter. The manufacturer recommends replacing the filter every six months. The cost is around $40 per filter, but some places give you a discount if you buy in bulk. Here's a link for a GE GSWF Water filter.

P-Traps - Kevin mentioned that if you are gone for an extended time, the water in your P-trap (below your sink) may evaporate, thus allowing sewer gas to rise through your plumbing. Simply run the water for a few minutes, and the water will block any gasses from coming up.

That's all I can think of for now. If you have ideas to share about home maintenance, post a comment below.