Instructions

EMERGENCY SHUTOFF VALVES

All of these are on the front right side of the house as you face it, on/adjacent to the exterior wall of the garage.

Electricity: lift open the right side of the circuit panel cover & turn off breakers as necessary

Water: to close, gently rotate the red handle of the valve 90 degrees toward you until the handle is horizontal.

This will shut off water to the interior of the house & to the exterior faucets but not to the irrigation system. A leak in that system requires closing a different valve. See below.

To open, gently rotate the red handle of the valve 90 degrees toward the wall until the handle is vertical.

Natural gas: to close, use a wrench to turn the valve flange (at the tip of the arrow in the photo) 90 degrees clockwise (or counterclockwise) so that the flange is horizontal

Mildew & Mold Prevention

Please set the fan timer in each bathroom to run the fan for at least 30 minutes during/after showering or bathing.

Fireplace (gas)

To use:

Open the front paneled glass doors.
Push the round (damper) knob at the top of the fireplace to the right (to open it). The fireplace will NOT operate if the damper is closed.
Turn on the switch on the wall to the left of the fireplace to ignite. This will cause a buzzing sound, which is normal. If the gas doesn't ignite after a few moments turn the switch off and then on again; repeat as needed.
The fireplace will stay lit while the wall switch is on.
To turn off the fireplace, turn the wall switch off.
Once off, push the round (damper ) knob to the left to close it. Be careful - it may be hot.
Close the front paneled glass doors.

The fireplace can only burn the natural gas plumbed to it - do NOT burn paper, wood, refuse, etc.

Attic

Additional storage space is available in the attic above the garage. This is accessed via the rope handle attached to the pull-down door in the ceiling of the garage.

Things to be aware of:

The door does not have a hydraulic system. When you pull its rope the door wll come down under its own weight. Be careful to stay out of its way.
The weight limit for the attic ladder - body weight plus whatever you are carrying - is 250 pounds.
The switch for the attic light is in the attic just above the door, on your right as you are facing the ladder
Step on and place items only on the ceiling joists and the plywood on them - NOT the attic floor itself! The attic "floor" is just drywall, which is too weak to support any weight. If you step on it you will fall though, causing injury & damage!
Fold the door up and back upon itself when you are done. Use the rope handle to gently return it to its original closed position.

Whole House Fan

Do NOT operate the whole house fan while the fireplace is operating - it will draw smoke and soot into the house! Also, do not operate it while the heat is on - it will exhaust the heated air outside.

A whole house fan draws in outside air through open windows, circulates it through the house, then directs it into the attic where it is vented to the outside. The net result is that the outside air replaces the inside air. It is normally used in the evening/night, when the outside air is cooler than the inside, to inexpensively cool the house. The fan is very economical to run, only requiring the energy of a few light bulbs, and less than 5% of the energy of an air conditioner.

To use:

Be sure that the fan grille (in the hall ceiling, the one closer to the dining room) is uncovered.
Be sure that the fireplace is off & its damper and glass doors are closed (their handle is on the right). This is very important to prevent soot and ash from being sucked from the fireplace into the house!
Be sure that the furnace is off (otherwise you will be blowing out the warm air you paid to heat).
Open, partially or fully, one or more window(s) in the room(s) you wish to cool. The larger the window opening the more air flow/cooling that room will receive.
Turn on the fan using the wall-mounted or portable remote control; turn it off when the desired interior temperature is achieved. The fan must be turned on and off manually using the remote - it does not have a thermostat.

Irrigation System

The system has been set to use the minimum volume of water necessary to maintain the lawn and landscaping. In addition, it has an intelligent controller which takes into account recent weather to adjust watering times - more water if hot & dry, less water if cool & wet . Do not shut off the system or change its settings. Please notify the property manager or owner if you notice any problems such as a sprinkler which is not working, a break or leak in the system, dry/brown areas of lawn or shrubs, or excess water outside the lawn/shrubs. The system will be adjusted or repaired.

To turn off water to the irrigation system first remove the green cover at the ground surface (it may be covered with mulch or leaves). Then turn the red valve handle below it 90 degrees clockwise so that it is perpendicular to the pipe. This will not turn off water to the house or exterior faucets. To do that see the top of this page.

Water Softener

Like other homes in the area, the water is fairly hard. There is no water softener currently, and one is not required to live comfortably. However, the house is plumbed to accommodate a water softener, and one has been used without difficulty in the past. If you would like that service it could be installed, with owner permission. You would be responsible for installation and removal costs, and monthly service cost.

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