For Renters

Simple Home Fixes You Can Handle Yourself

Many of the most common home issues take about five minutes to fix yourself — here’s how, with official video walkthroughs.

Common household problems that are your responsibility

Under your lease, items like these are typically the renter’s responsibility to handle — here’s how, with short video walkthroughs.

If a service vendor is dispatched for an item that’s your responsibility under your lease, the service call may be billed to you.

How to Change a Home Air Filter2:05

Replace your HVAC air filter

Easy5 minMonthly in FLFlorida ACs run nearly year-round, so filters load up fast. A clean filter every month protects the AC itself, lowers your power bill, and keeps your air healthy.Watch: How to Change a Home Air FilterThe Home Depot · YouTubeHow to Clean Your Condensate Drain Line1:44

Clear your AC condensate drain line

Easy10 minMonthly in FLThe #1 preventable Florida service call. A clogged condensate line shuts your AC down and can leak water into the home — a monthly cup of distilled vinegar in the access tee keeps it clear.Watch: How to Clean Your Condensate Drain LineHomeServe · YouTubeHow to Unclog a Toilet1:33

Unclog a toilet

Easy5 minA flange plunger and thirty seconds of technique clear almost every clog. No chemicals needed — they can damage the porcelain and the pipes.Watch: How to Unclog a ToiletThe Home Depot · YouTubeHow to Stop a Running Toilet Tank3:40

Fix a running toilet (flapper)

Easy15 minA running toilet is almost always a worn flapper — a few-dollar part that stops the sound and the wasted water on your utility bill.Watch: How to Stop a Running Toilet TankThe Home Depot · YouTubeHow to Fix a Garbage Disposal2:54

Reset a garbage disposal

Easy2 minA humming or dead disposal usually just needs its red reset button pressed (bottom of the unit, under the sink). Never put your hand in the chamber.Watch: How to Fix a Garbage DisposalThe Home Depot · YouTube
Identify and Reset a Tripped Circuit Breaker1:21

Reset a tripped breaker or GFCI outlet

Easy2 minA dead outlet or dark room is usually a tripped breaker or GFCI doing its safety job — a reset restores it in seconds.Watch: Identify and Reset a Tripped Circuit BreakerStevesVids · YouTube · 1:21Watch: How to Reset a GFCI OutletLivewire · YouTube · 0:25

If a breaker or GFCI trips again right away, stop — submit a work order instead.

Easy Smoke Alarm Battery Replacement1:44

Replace smoke detector batteries

Easy5 minThat midnight chirp means a low battery. Twist the unit off its base, swap the battery, test, and remount — never leave a detector disconnected.Watch: Easy Smoke Alarm Battery ReplacementDanny Johnson’s Garage · YouTubeHow to Turn Off the Water to Your Home0:42

Find your main water shut-off valve

Emergency prep5 min nowThe five minutes you spend finding it today is the difference between a puddle and a flooded home later. Locate it now, before you ever need it.Watch: How to Turn Off the Water to Your HomeThe Home Depot · YouTubeHow to Unclog a Bathroom Sink1:16

Clear a slow sink or shower drain

Easy15 minHair and buildup clear with a drain tool, baking soda, and vinegar. Please never use chemical drain cleaner — it damages pipes and creates hazards for anyone who works on them after.Watch: How to Unclog a Bathroom SinkThe Home Depot · YouTube

When to call us instead

Anything beyond the fixes above: submit a work order and we’ll take it from there — or use the Tenant Portal.

Emergency

Treat these as emergencies — do not wait, and do not DIY:

  • Water you can’t stop (use the shut-off valve card above, then call)
  • Electrical burning smells or sparking
  • No AC in summer heat
  • Roof leaks
  • Gas smell — leave the home first, then call

For a life-safety emergency (gas, fire, flood), call 911 first. For an urgent property emergency, call (844) 960-4527.

Attempt only what you’re comfortable with; your lease governs maintenance responsibilities. When in doubt, submit a work order — that’s what we’re here for.

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