Tips for Common Tenant Emergencies

 

Electrical:

My lights are on, but my power points are not working . This is most often caused by a faulty appliance (toasters, blenders,heaters etc).

Go through the process in the video and check the (RCD) switches in fuse box each time you  plug an appliance back in. Once the switch trips back to the “Off” position, you’ll know  which appliance is responsible. Discontinue using it and you can put the fuse box switch back on and you’ll be all set.

The best place to start is in the kitchen because that’s where most appliances are. Keep in mind that heaters and hair dryers are also known to trip the (RCD) switches in the fuse box.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
Please be aware that if an electrician or agent attends your property and the cause is found to be a
faulty appliance that belongs to you, you will be responsible for the electrician’s costs.
Please follow this procedure to protect yourself from unnecessary costs.

 

Water Leak:

I have a water leak and need to shut it off until a plumber arrives.

Houses/Townhouses:

Your water meter box will likely be on the far left or far right side of your property within a few meters of the boundary. In townhouses, the box is normally in the front courtyard area.

Units:
For a unit, the concept is the same as what is shown in the video, except your unit’s water shut off valve will generally be inside the unit somewhere.

Top left: Metal ball valve with a blue handle. Top right: Hand holding a socket wrench. Bottom: Red-handle valve inside a white wall compartment. From Yes property agents website

They are typically be found in the following places:

– Near the toilet
– Near or under the laundry tub
– Under the kitchen sink
– Behind a cover like in the last image

The shut of valves can look like any of the below depending on the property.

It’s also a good idea to shut off water to your property if you are going to be away for an extended period of time. A leak that doesn’t get caught early can cause a lot of damage to your personal belongings and the property.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
Please be aware that if an plumber or agent attends your property and the cause is found to be a
faulty appliance that belongs to you, you will be responsible for the electrician’s costs.
Please follow this procedure to protect yourself from unnecessary costs.

My Hot Water Runs out Quickly.

If your hot water runs out quicker than normal, it’s possible that excess air is trapped in your  hot water tank. This means that less water can heat up because air is taking the up the space where the water normally sits.

Step 1:

Find the pressure relief valve on the side of your hot water tank. It will look similar to one of these:

Close-up of a hand adjusting a pressure-relief valve attached to a water pipe. An arrow labeled Pressure-relief valve points to the valve, and another labeled Discharge pipe points to the copper pipe connected below. From Yes property agents website

 

 

 

 

 

Before you do anything else:

DO NOT stand near the exit point of the discharge pipe as hot water will eventually come out.

Step 2:

Pull the lever on the relief valve.

– If there is no hot air in the system, water will come out of the discharge pipe straight away. Once this happens you can stop and put the lever off. You’ll know you’ve done it right when water stops coming out of the discharge pipe.

– If there is hot air trapped in the system, you will hear it hissing out of the discharge pipe.Once it’s all out, hot water will start coming out. Once this happens you can stop and put the lever off. You’ll know you’ve done it right when water stops coming out of the discharge pipe. Your hot water should now last longer than before.

If you’ve done this and your hot water is still running out, please contact the office. Be aware that in the colder months, hot water can run out faster than in other months especially if multiple people shower immediately after each other and/or a dishwasher is run around the same time of showers being taken.
Each property has a different sized water tank, so your tank may be working fine. It may just need some time to re-heat water when it’s in heavy use.

I Have No Hot Water

Step 1:

Check if the Hot Water (RCD) switch on the fuse box has tripped to the “Off” position. The fuse box can normally be found in the following places:

– Houses: near your electricity meter on the side of your house – Townhouses: in your garage or an internal cupboard

– Units: generally in an internal cupboard It looks like this. Switch colours may vary and there is normally a cover over the box. The Switches often have names above or below them indicating what they’re connected to.

 

An open electrical panel with multiple switches and circuit breakers. The panel has a transparent cover and is mounted on a patterned wall. Labels indicating amperage and other specifications are visible above the switches. From Yes property agents website

Step 2:
If the switch for the Hot Water is “Off”, put it back in the “On” position.
If it stays on, you’ll need to allow some time for your hot water heater to heat up the water in the tank.

If it’s stuck in the off position or keeps turning back off when you turn it on, we’ll need to arrange an electrician to assess the situation. Please call the office (or emergency number after hours) and we’ll be able to help.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
Please be aware that if an agent attends your property and the cause is found to be a faulty appliance that belongs to you, you will be responsible for the electrician’s costs.
Please follow this procedure to protect yourself from unnecessary costs.

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