So you're wondering about how to handle minor issues that come up in your Tallahassee apartment. The good news is that the vast majority of issues that come up, especially in student apartments are handled by the maintenance staff. So beyond keeping your apartment in Tallahassee neat and clean and taking basic care of the property you won't have to worry about too much. However, some things can be taken care of easily without calling for assistance.
An electrical outlet in the bathroom stops working
You are in a hurry to get to work, you plug in your hair dryer and it won't work! You run into the bedroom and find a plug and turn the hairdryer on, no problem. It must be the receptacle. Is it broken? Should you call maintenance? Don't worry, the most common scenario have a very simple solution.
A Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter or GFCI receptacle is required by code to be installed in any area where moisture increases the possibility of shock, such as, kitchens, bathrooms or outside. The device will interrupt the circuit, if it detects stray voltage. In other words, it shuts off so we don't get zapped. The GFCI detects very subtle differences in current, so sometimes a very hot steamy shower is enough to "trip the breaker". So what do you do when this happens?
If your receptacle stops working the solution is simple. Look for the GFCI receptacle, it may not be the outlet you were trying to use but it is on the same circuit so it will be close by. It will be the electrical outlet with two buttons on it. Push the larger of the two buttons which is the reset button, and the circuit should begin to work again. In some older receptacles the button may be red, but they are all different, newer models now have a LED light that signals to you when it is on or off. Now you know how to handle this quickly whenever it happens.
The toilet is clogged
This can be a problem that you would prefer to take care of on your own rather than calling maintenance. You can generally clear a clogged toilet with a plunger. First, make sure that there's enough water in the toilet bowl to cover the rubber portion of the plunger. Don't flush the toilet if there isn't any water in the bowl, flushing a clogged toilet may cause the bowl to overflow. Instead, grab a cup of water and fill it with water from the sink and pour into the toilet bowl until there is enough water in the bowl. Next, push the plunger up and down without breaking the seal three or four times. Then pull up again, this time releasing the seal, if the toilet has been unclogged the water will drain out. If not, repeat these steps again. If it still is not unclogged, it is probably time to call maintenance or your landlord.
Remember, one of the great things about being a renter is that most maintenance issues are taken care of by the landlord or maintenance staff. So you can enjoy living in your Tallahassee apartment.