• It's important to know the location of the main water shutoff valve for your unit and know how the shutoff valve operates. Be aware that each individual plumbing fixture has a shut off on both the hot and cold water at the fixture located in the cabinet under the kitchen and bathroom sink. The toilet shut off (cold only) is located to the left of the toilet on the wall just above the floor. If you are unsure of where your water shut off is, you should contact your building maintenance personnel to locate it prior to an emergency situation.

• If you see water backing up in your sinks, toilet or shower contact you building maintenance personnel right away. Be aware of what you put down the drain and only use the drains for their intended purpose.

• Your unit may be equipped with gas cooking appliances. You should also know the location of the gas shutoff valve to the cooking appliances. It would most likely be located in the cabinet next to the appliance.

• Water softening is a technique that serves the removal of the ions that cause the water to be hard, in most cases calcium and magnesium ions. Iron ions may also be removed during softening. Most of the high rise buildings are equipped with water softeners and you can contact the building maintenance personnel to obtain more information about the softeners and soft water.

• Your unit will be equipped with water saving fixtures and faucets which will require occasional cleaning of the aerator and shower head to remove mineral deposit so that they can deliver the expected performance. Faucets should be dried after each use to maintain the finish. Sinks and toilets should be cleaned on a regular basis to keep minerals in the water from building up on the porcelain finish. If you have questions as to which cleaning products to use check the fixture manufacturer’s website for more information.

• The heating and cooling system will be controlled in your unit by a thermostat which will be a programmable device. The instructions to program the device should be on the inside cover of the thermostat. If the air handling unit is within your unit, the filter will need to be changed as often as once a month to maintain the efficiency of the system. If you don’t know where the filter is located, you should contact the maintenance personnel for your building to locate the filter for servicing.

• The exhaust fan in the bathroom should be run whenever moisture is present. (typically when showering). The exhaust fan may operate on its own when sensing moisture as modern fans have a humistat sensing device to automatically turn the fan on upon moisture conditions and off when moisture has been eliminated.

To learn more about your plumbing system and other helpful information, visit the following links:

• https://www.wqa.org/learn-about-water
• https://www.sjwater.com
• https://theplumber.com/plumbing-handbook/
• https://www.energystar.gov/saveathome/heating-cooling/maintenance-checklist