Maintenance Troubleshooting Tips

Before making a repair request, read through the information on this page.

• Emergencies

  In a maintenance emergency, call us for immediate assistance (210)695-8252 option 2.

• A/C Issues

  Furnace or air conditioning problems? Check the central thermostat in your home and verify that all settings are correct before making a maintenance request.

  Thermostat

  If your thermostat is not working, check to see if it requires batteries. The batteries may be dead.

  Nest Thermostat

  If you have a Nest Thermostat, you may have to ‘Factory Reset’ it to remove the previous occupants settings, and to connect it to your WiFi if you want to control it from your phone.

  • How to tell which Nest you have
  • Beginners Guide to Nest
  • How to Restart or Reset your Nest Thermostat

  Entire System is OFF

  If the entire system is off, check the electrical breakers. These typically will be in the outside box near the electrical meter. If the breakers are on, and still nothing, submit a ticket.

  System Never Reaches My Target Temperature

  • If the entire system is off, check the electrical breakers. These typically will be in the outside box near the electrical meter. If the breakers are on, and still nothing, submit a ticket.
  • For example, with the A/C off, the home is around 90 degrees inside. If you turn it on, it should only be able to get the home down to around 75 degrees. If you set it for 70, it may never reach that low of a temperature, and this could actually damage the unit.
  • If you have the unit set to a temperature so that it never turns off, it could freeze the coil, resulting in damages. And when the coil thaws out, the water could drain into the home causing sever water damage.
  • Since the A/C was working as designed, this could be a repair that is charged back to the tenant, including water damages.

  If you have questions about your A/C System, let us know. We'll be happy to help.

• Sink Disposal

  If the Sink Disposal doesn't work, there are few things we need to know:

  (NEVER PUT YOUR HAND IN THE DISPOSAL)

  When you turn it on, does it hum?

  1. If so, likely something is jammed in it. Unplug the disposal. Look in there, do you see something obvious? If so, use tongs to remove the item.
  2. If you removed the item, and it is still jammed OR if nothing was in there .... get an allen wrench (look on the bottom of the disposal), using the allen wrench, gently move the mechanism back and forth until it is freed.
  3. If you still can't get it, submit a work order

  No Hum?

  1. Look at the outlet that the disposal is plugged into, it should be a GFCI Outlet. If there is a Reset button on the outlet, try pushing the 'Reset' button directly on the outlet. See if it works now.
  2. There is a reset button (usually they're Red) on the bottom of the disposal, Push the reset and try again.
  3. Check the breaker panel. Make sure that all of the breakers are in the ON Position.
  4. Still Doesn't Work?? Submit a work order.

  Sink Disposal Maintenance (Yeah, who knew??)

  1. Once a month, turn the water on and the disposal. Let it run for 30-60 seconds.
  2. Put a large glass worth of ICE in there, and with the water running, turn the disposal on. This 'cleans it out'. Run it until it sounds smooth again.
  3. Run some lemon skins through it. This will help kill any smells.

• Toilet / Sink / Tub Clogs

  Toilet Problems

  If your toilet has clogged, you can generally use a plunger to push anything stuck in the system through the pipes. Please attempt to troubleshoot in this way before getting in touch with us.

  Drain Clogs

  If your sink or bathtub clogs, there is likely debris blocking the pipe. You may be able to use a plunger to clear the system, but you can also try noncorrosive drain cleaners.

  In the event you are unable to clear the drain, and need a plumber, we are happy to send one out. As part of your lease, clogged drains that are caused by hair, toys or other objects are typically a tenant expense.

  An example of a clogged drain that would not be a tenant expense is if the lines were clogged from underground root intrusions.

• Electrical Problems

  Whole House Outage

  If power is off in the whole house, call the electric company first to check for outages.

  If there are no outages, check your breaker boxes. There are 2. One is usually in the garage, or the laundry room. The other, the main one, is outside by the electric meter, usually on the side of the house.

  If the breakers are fipped off, or partially flipped off, then turn them all the way off and then on again.

  Partial Outage

  If you lose partial power in your rental property, check the breaker panel. Look for one that is off, or partially out of position. Turn it all the way off and then on again. They are typically located in the garage or the laundry room. The main panel is located on the side of the house, by the electric meter.

  Bathroom, Kitchen and Exterior Outlets

  If you are experiencing an outage in a 'wet location' such as the kitchen, bathroom or outside, this could be a GFCI that needs to be reset. The GFCI is an outlet that has 2 buttons in the middle of it. Push the reset button and see if this clears the issue. Many of these outlets will have an orange/red light come on when they trip.

  Where are the GFCI Outlets located?

  • Kitchen - Usually along the counter top and on the side of the island.
  • Outside - Could be in the garage, but could also be any of the exterior outlets. I usually start my search in the garage though.
  • The GFCI could also cause your garage opener to not operate as well since it is usually in the exterior GFCI loop. If you're having door opener problems, check the GFCI as well.

• Hot Water Outages

  If the hot water is completely out, determine if your water heater is GAS or Electric.

  GAS Water Heaters

  Is the pilot light on? If not, relight the pilot light. If you cannot light the pilot light, call the gas company to see if they offer pilot light re-lighting in your area.

  If the pilot light is going out on a regular basis, submit a work order.

  ELECTRIC Water Heaters

  Check the Breaker Panel. This is usually located in the garage. Turn it all the way off, and then back on again. It may take 15-20 minutes to determine if the water is getting hot again.

  If this doesn't fix the issue, submit a work order.

• Garage Door Opener Doesn't Work

  If your garage door suddenly stops working, it could be a simple fix.

  1. Verify the house has electrical power (check lights Inside the house)
  2. If power is on, check your GFCI outlet in the garage. It is similar to the one you see in the kitchen with a reset button on it. Push the RESET BUTTON
  3. If the GFCI didn't fix it, check the breaker panel. Find the one labeled for garage outlets, flip the breaker off then on again.

• Drain is Clogged

  Clogged drains are typically a tenant responsibility.

  First, try removing any blockages with a drain cleaner or a simple tool like this one.

  If you can't clear the drain, give us a call and we'll send our plumber out. You may be billed for the cost of the service if the blockage was caused by hair or other objects.

• Intermittent Water Pressure Inside the Home

  If you are experiencing low water pressure INSIDE the home, but the pressure is fine at the outside water faucets, here are the first steps to help getting water restored to your home.

  If there is a water softener installed, try bypassing it. Most units have a bypass valve that is easily accessible. If this solves the problem, we move to manual regeneration to see if that helps get the unit back online.

  1. If there is an error code, follow those procedures.
  2. Un-do the system bypass performed above.
  3. Run through a manual regeneration cycle.
  4. Go back inside and see if this helps restore pressure.
  5. If it helps, but is not quite there yet, run 1 or 2 more cycles.
  6. If it is still not back to where it should be, let us know and submit a support ticket.