Page 61 - KHovanian Homes - Pathway to Homeownership

Section 9 | Home Care & Maintenance bathroom. Garages have GFI outlets. We recommend that you avoid plugging freezers or refrigerators into them as the system could trip, causing your food to spoil. If you choose to have these appliances in your garage you will need to contract with a licensed electrician to install a proper outlet that conforms to all local electrical codes. Maintenance Guidelines • If an outlet in a bedroom is not working: • Check to make sure it is not part of a Switched Outlet. See: Electrical - Switched Outlets below. • AFCI’s are controlled at the electrical panel box. Go to your electrical panel box and find the breaker that serves the effected area. Reset the AFCI. If it immediately “trips” again, try plugging in another cord to determine if the original cord is defective. • One GFI outlet may control several outlets in room. For example, you may have one GFI in your kitchen that controls three other standard looking outlets. If an outlet in your kitchen is not operating, check the kitchen GFI first, before going to your electrical panel box. This may also be true in your bathrooms or in other areas of your home where GFI’s are located. • Exterior GFI outlets may collect moisture and “trip” during rainstorms or during periods of high humidity. If this happens, the power will remain off and the receptacle will not operate until it has dried. Once it is dry you will need to reset it. • An electrical outlet or light switch on an exterior wall may produce a slight draft allowing cold air to be drawn into the room. We make a special effort to reduce these drafts; however, some cold air is normal. Draft protection pads that help reduce cool air drafts can be installed by a qualified electrician or are available at hardware stores. • If a GFI receptacle is not functioning, press the Reset button on the wall plate to restore proper operation. If that does not work, check and reset the circuit breaker in the panel box first, then press the GFI Reset button. If the outlet still fails it may indicate a short in the appliance. If other appliances will not operate in the outlet an electrician should be contacted and the GFI replaced. • There are no GFI reset buttons on the electrical panel, only breaker switches. ELECTRICAL - LIGHTING FIXTURES Most of the fixtures in your home (i.e., can lights or other installed fixtures) have wattage ratings inside the unit. This will give you the maximum wattage for the fixture. Using higher wattage bulbs is dangerous and could cause a fire. You may also have a translucent panel for luminous lighting in your kitchen or laundry room. When cleaning the panel wash them in a solution of mild dishwashing liquid and water. Do not rinse them with water as the film on the panel combats the static electricity that attracts dust. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - PRE-WIRED TELEPHONES, COMPUTERS AND CABLE TV See Structured Wiring. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - SWITCHED OUTLETS A wall switch may control certain outlets in your home. These are called Switched Outlets or Half-hots. The wall switch allows you to turn on a light or other appliance from a remote location. Switched outlets are sometimes shown positioned upside down. FIBERGLASS TUBS AND SHOWER BASES Fiberglass tubs and shower bases may be installed in your home. Like most other materials, avoid using abrasive cleansers as they will scratch the surface. Instead, use warm water and a liquid detergent to clean your tub and shower. Avoid dropping objects on fiberglass surfaces or striking the surfaces with sharp objects as chipping or cracking could result. This type of damage is not warranted. Maintenance Guidelines • If you have a jetted tub it is important that you understand how the system works and the proper Edition July 2019 | 43