Apartment “Fixer Upper” Questions Answered
Dear Apartments.com:
The roof in my kitchen leaks almost incessantly. What do I need to do to repair it?
Leaky in Lincoln, ME
Dear Leaky,
If you are a renter, you are not responsible for a leaky roof. Your landlord will need to determine where the leak is coming from, which can be a tricky task. A professional can do a controlled flood test or use an infrared detector to try and determine the source of the leak. Of course, these tests will cost money and your landlord may not be too quick to want to fix the problem. However, a leak can cause mold problems, which is a major health concern and should not be taken lightly. Contact your local health department and ask them to come and view the leak. Having the health department in your building will hopefully be enough encouragement to get your landlord to fix your roof.
Dear Apartments.com:
My toilet won’t flush and my landlord won’t come out and fix it right away. Is there anything I can do?
Stuck in St. Ignace, MI
Dear Stuck,
If you can’t use your toilet, you should be entitled to emergency service, but you may want to know how to fix this problem on your own anyway. Take the lid off of the top and examine the parts inside. Check the handle, lift arm, chain, flapper valve (the part that flaps back and forth) and the connections between each of the parts to make sure all are functioning. Look online for a diagram of toilet parts. You can bend the lift wire to shorten it and bend the trip lever toward the center so that it isn’t scraping the tank side. If this doesn’t work you can try to bend the float arm upward to correct a water level that is too low. The water level in most tanks should be 1/2 to 3/4 inch below the top of the overflow pipe. These are all quick solutions but if you can’t fix it, tell your landlord you need emergency maintenance service.
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