QUICK TIPS

• If you smell natural gas - Get out of your house immediately & call RG&E from a neighbors house 585.546.1100.
• When adjusting water heater temperature, raise temp at small increments & check temperature at a faucet once heating cycle is done before raising again.
• When you have small children and / or elderly people in your household, maximum temperature your water heater should be set is at 115 degrees.
• Check your water heater two times a year. First, run water from the water heater drain valve to sump pump crock, open valve & let run for 1 - 3 minutes or until water is clear. (2) Check your relief valve to make sure it works properly. Pull the lever & release it quickly. You should get a burst of water & it should close positively.
• When going on vacation shut your water off at the main water shut off, lower your water heater setting to "vacation" or "pilot" and lower your furnace thermostat to 50 degrees.
• If you have water lines that commonly freeze the coldest days of winter, leave a faucet trickling temporarily until a permanent fix can be done.
• Turn shutoffs off in basement to regular hose bibs and drain them to prevent freezing. Disconnect hose from faucet or even frost free hosebibs can freeze.
• In the winter months, disconnect hose from frost free hose bib to prevent freezing.
• Check pressure in your house to make sure a consistent 50 - 60 psi is maintained elevated pressures will cause premature wear on your plumbing fixtures.
• Check sump pumps regularly. Pull up on switch or float to make sure pump turns on & off positively.
• Check water powered backup pumps regularly. Unplug sump pump & watch water level rise to a level that kicks back-up pump on. Watch it pump down & shut off. Plug sump pump back in after the test.
• Avoid putting stringy vegetables in your garbage disposal. Feel free to put ice in your garbage disposal, sometimes the grinder blades get stuck and ice will help free it up. Also, grind up a lemon or two occasionally to eliminate any foul odors.