Owning your own house brings with it a lot of responsibilities. Not only is it a financial investment, but you are solely responsible for making sure that your house is well maintained. If any problems do arise, there are a variety of professionals you can call for repairing and remodeling Gainesville homes. However, some emergencies require immediate attention or they will result in significant damage. In order to avoid this, here are several solutions every homeowner should know.
1. How to Cut Off Water Supply to Your Home
If a pipe bursts or a faucet breaks, you will need to know how to prevent water from causing any permanent damage. First, you will need to know where the water cutoff is located, which should be somewhere between your house and the meter near the street. In most cases, the cutoff is located under a metal cover that may be next to the driveway or in your yard. Otherwise, the main cutoff may be above ground. If you have difficulty finding it, your water company should be able to help. Next, you will want to purchase a tool that will help you turn the valve off and on.
2. How to Pull Circuit Breakers or Fuses
Circuit breakers and fuses are used to provide your home with electricity. In modern houses, there are individual circuits that are installed and responsible for each appliance. When an emergency strikes, it will be more beneficial to turn off a specific breaker or fuse instead of cutting off all of the power to your home. In order for this to happen, you should label each breaker and fuse so you know what each is connected to inside your house.
3. How to Cut Off Water Supply to Major Appliances
Many of your large appliances are connected to the water supply, such as dishwashers, ice makers and washing machines. If something goes wrong and you must shut off the water, you should know where the cutoff valve is. This wheel-shaped control for your dishwasher and ice maker are most likely located underneath your sink, and the one for your washing machine is behind it. Make sure that you turn off both the cold water and the hot water supply for your washing machine because it has two different valves.
4. Where the Fire Extinguisher is Located
In the event of a fire, you will have to act quickly. You will not have time to search your home for the fire extinguisher. Instead, make sure you have a fire extinguisher in your kitchen and at least one on each floor of your house. Also, make sure that you also know how to properly use it so that you do not waste valuable minutes in an emergency situation. If you ever use a fire extinguisher, even if you are merely testing it, you need to get it refilled. To get it refilled, contact your local fire department to see if they will do it for you or you can hire a company who also has experience recharging fire extinguishers.
5. How to Turn Off the Main Power Switch
In extreme situations, you may be forced to shut off the power to your entire house. In these scenarios, you need to locate the main power switch, which should be in the fuse box or circuit breaker. Typically, you can identify it because it is larger than all of the other ones.
Remodeling Companies in Gainesville, FL
When you decide to hire home remodeling Gainesville, FL, services, you should be able to solely focus on making your house reflect your unique style and needs. However, if you do not know how to properly care for your house in emergencies, you will instead have to use your Gainesville remodeling resources to restore your home to its original condition. Visit Quality DesignWorks today to see our showroom.
