maintenance:misc [HiP Wiki]

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====== House idiosyncrasies ======

===== Re-lighting the Pilot Light for the Imperial Ovens =====

If either of the Imperial ovens in the kitchen (the two rightmost ovens) stop working, check behind the bottom panel to see if the pilot light is lit. If you don't see a flame, set the thermostat knob to "pilot" and press it down. Stick a charcoal lighter in there just to the right of the center to light it. Keep the knob depressed for 45 seconds to allow the thermocouple to heat up. In the case of the center oven, you have to press the knob down quite hard - so hard that the frame behind it gets pushed back a bit. When I (Becca) did this, it actually got stuck in the depressed position. We got it unstuck after pressing on the frame next to it briefly, and it "popped" out and back into its normal position. Warm Walk-In

If the walk-in gets warm, check the following things (in order)

  - Check that the thermometer is correct! We've had a lot of crappy thermometers give us false readings. 
  - Check that the coils are not obscured (see below about the evaporator fan controller). Look behind the the box with the fans in it on the ceiling of the walk-in. If there is something blocking the coils, remove it, if it is ice, you need to defrost by the following procedure: 
  - Turn off the evaporator fans (there is a switch on the ceiling of the walk-in). 
  - Turn off the blue thing on the side of the evaporator fan box. It is the evaporator fan controller (see projects). 
  - Get a hair dryer from the maintenance room. 
  - Melt the ice by using the hair dryer on the high-heat setting (this will take about an hour). 
  - Turn on the evaporator fans.
  - Let the unit run without the evaporator fan controller for about a week. Watch it closely. After a week, try to turn on the evaporator fan controller, again, watching closely.

===== Gates/Door Closers =====

It is important to keep the closers on all doors properly calibrated. There are two hex screws on the side of the units. One is for how fast the door closes (the "swing"), and one is for how hard it slams (the "latch"). The two affect each other, and need to be adjusted together. Backing out the nuts too far will result in a leak of the hydraulic fluid, destroying the closer, and costing you a few hundred bucks!

Oftentimes doors/gates won't close because the hinges need to be knocked back in or the latch is loose. These are simple fixes that CM can teach you how to fix.

===== MaHo 3 Furnace =====

The MaHo 3 Furnace is on the same circuit as the GFCI receptacle in the 2nd floor hallway underneath the exhaust for the network closet fan. Why there is a GFCI receptacle there, nobody knows. If the furnace has no power, check to see if the receptacle needs to be reset. Attic Insulation

We spent a lot of money and time installing blown-in insulation in the attics of NoHo and SoHo (see projects). Its insulating ability is dependent on it staying fluffy. So, don't disturb the cellulosic insulation in the attics! If you must, make sure you re-fluff it when you are finished.

===== Washer Lint Traps =====

These is a ridiculous amount of lint that comes out of peoples clothes when they wash them. Without the lint traps, the sinks in the laundry room quickly clog. Thus you have to buy some lint traps - they look like little stainless steel socks - that are zip-tied to the outlets of the washing machines. They are disposable.

===== Basement ash hole & mystery duct =====

Inside the storage room is an "ash hole" which collected ashes from the old (now inactive) fire place. Do not open this - there is no need to clean it, and it will be messy!

A vent by the pullup bar goes to the 1st floor (by dining room), but serves no purpose.