Using Your Home's Fireplace this Winter
NEVER USE A FIREPLACE WITHOUT CONFIRMING IT IS SAFE AND READY TO USE!
As fireplaces are generally considered cosmetic in nature, and not the primary heat source for your home, any cleaning or inspections are the responsibility of the resident. It is your responsibility to have the fireplace inspected if you intend to use it. If your home has a fireplace and you hire someone to clean and inspect the fireplace make sure they are insured and check online reviews to confirm they have a solid reputation. If the fireplace is deemed unsafe to use for reasons other than cleaning, let us know and we will further evaluate your request but may not necessarily perform repairs.
Freeze Prevention
Winter is upon us and we’re getting closer to our first hard freeze. To get ahead of potentially frozen pipes we’d like to provide some info
Purchase and install exterior spigot covers sold at most local hardware stores.
If they’re not available, heavily wrap exterior spigots with towels, and a plastic bag can be used to make it water resistant, and secure with tape or other fasteners.
Open the cabinet doors for any water fixtures on exterior walls
If you will be out of town
Send a friend or family member to the home to prep it if you're already away from the home or are unable to get it ready.
during a freeze drip exterior spigots at a fast drip. Almost to the point of a low stream.
If you're unable to prep the home you can notify us and we'll try to send someone to the property, however you will be responsible whether we are able to get someone over there and will be charged for the visit. We will do our best to get over to the property.
It is important that you leave your heater set at 60 degrees or higher to prevent interior water breaks whether you are away from the home or not.
Please make sure your heater is in optimal working condition before the freeze. Please also take note that if your heater goes out after hours, we will make every effort to get it repaired as soon as possible, but we cannot promise a same-day repair. The more lead time we have the more likely we can get a vendor out before the temperature drops. We do have a few portable heaters available to loan out in cases where we deem necessary.
Check out these three resources below:
- How and When to Drip your Faucets
- How to find and turn off your water shut-off valve.
- How to Shut Off Your Water in a Water Emergency
Lockboxes
As the Holiday Season sets in and slows the real estate market, we are using this as an opportunity to catch up on small tasks including fieldwork If you have a lockbox at your property that needs to be picked up, please reach out to your property manager to request this service.
Annual Inspections
Our dedicated Field Operations Technicians will be contacting you to schedule your annual inspection. Be on the lookout for communications from them to schedule a time to come by.
Resident Benefits Package HVAC Filters
We are wanting to ensure all residents that have enrolled in our Residents Benefits Package are now receiving their HVAC filters. If for any reason you have not yet received your HVAC filter, please feel free to contact your Property Manager to inquire about the status of your filter delivery.
Pets and Postal Mail
We recently came across an interesting article published by the US Postal Service that we want to share regarding the number of dog attacks on mail carriers. This is especially applicable if you have any animals living with you.
Thank you for being a resident of a Stone Oak rental property! Please don't hesitate to contact our staff if we can help with anything.
Routine Maintenance Reminders
- Maintenance Requests: We still receive a lot of maintenance requests that state something vague like "washer" or "AC" without any other info about the actual issue. We cannot act on requests like this and will require that you provide more info, so any request like this will only delay a resolution to the issue. Make sure you provide as much info as possible in your request including pics if possible.
- Maintenance Portal: Please make a list of any items you want to submit, and then list all issues together as one request including as much info as possible and attach photos if applicable. We will then evaluate whether they should be split up or not.
- Smoke and CO Alarms: As a reminder don't ever unplug and remove smoke detectors because they are beeping. Change the batteries and if that doesn't work please notify us. We find a lot of tenants unplug them and bury them in a closet or drawer instead of replacing batteries.
- A/C Filters: Make sure to check and change every month or as required by the type of filter. If any HVAC systems in your home have a reusable filter you are still required to clean them periodically, so please make sure they are kept clean.
- Toilets: "Flushable" Wipes CANNOT be flushed. Do not put anything down the drain except water, human waste, and regular toilet paper. Food, toys, feminine products, wipes, towels, wrappers, condoms, and other objects do not break apart and go down the drain. Clogs of the plumbing system may be charged back to you, so it is best to avoid this by not putting anything down any of the drains aside from water and human waste.
- Disposal Systems: This includes using the sink disposal as a garbage chute. These appliances are not meant to dispose of large quantities of food and should only be used as a last resort after all food items are scraped off dishes into a compost bin or trash can.
- Drainage: Shower, bath, and sink drains can get clogged up over time with hair and other organic matter. Do not use Draino-type products as they are extremely acidic and will do more harm than good by damaging the pipes while usually failing to fix the drainage issue. The best way to address this is to use a disposable drain snake that can be obtained from any hardware store for a couple of dollars. Please note that if we send out a vendor for this and it turns out to be this very issue you may be charged back for the cost. Here is a video on how to use those - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOb4MJ6widg
- Emergency Maintenance: this extension should not be called unless you have an issue involving Flood, Blood, or Fire. Do not call the emergency line to follow up on existing work orders or submit a new request that is not an emergency. In case of an emergency call 911 if needed and then contact us after everyone is safe. Remember that we do not monitor emails after hours, so if you submit something considered an emergency online and do not call we may not know until the next business day.
Other Maintenance Notes:
If you'd like to inquire about, or update an existing request, submit the form at stoneoakmgmt.com/maintenance or call 512-617-6766 ext-5.
Maintenance time frames continue to be extended due to the pandemic. Please allow at least 5 business days before requesting an update from our team unless it is an emergency.
For basic DIY tips and tricks to solve some issues quickly, visit our DIY rental property maintenance page.
Your Tenant Portal & Electronic Statements
The system will generate a statement even if you're moving out, so there is no need to contact us if you receive this and are moving. All charges, including any prorated rent, will be adjusted as needed when the deposit is processed.
If you are not using the portal app that keeps you logged in please take a look at the linked flyer for more info. This can eliminate forgotten passwords, and help with easy updates/access to maintenance requests and all other account details.
AppFolio Tenant Portal Information
