All International Village kitchen sinks are equipped with garbage disposals. Garbage disposals are able to “digest” only certain types of food items. To ensure that your disposal continues to operate properly, please adhere to the following guidelines:

• Immediately before placing food items into the disposal, turn it “on” and run cold water into it.

• Most fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish can be placed into the disposal while it is “on” and cold water is running into it.

• Do not wait for the garbage disposal to become full before operating it.

The following is a sample list of items which should NOT be placed into a garbage disposal:

• Never place stringy food items such as corn husks, potato peels, artichoke leaves, or celery stalks into a disposal.

• Never place metal parts/pieces, cigarette butts, glass, clothing, rocks/gravel, paper, or plastic parts/pieces into a disposal.

• Never place grease/cooking oils, celery, artichokes, fruit seeds/pits, banana peels, fruit peels/rinds, or uncooked rice into a disposal.

If your garbage disposal stops operating, DO NOT stick your hand or any other probing object into it. Switch the disposal “off” and wait approximately 30 seconds. Next, look under your kitchen sink and locate and push a small “reset” button that is located on the bottom of the disposal. Test your disposal by attempting to switch it “on” again with cold water running into it. If is still does not function, contact the RSO to submit a Work Order.

If you switch “on” your disposal at any time and it makes unusually loud or irregular sounds, immediately switch it “off” and contact the RSO to submit a Work Order.

Your garbage disposal Work Order is processed free of charge by our maintenance staff unless evidence of one of the items that we have suggested should not be allowed to go down your disposal (Review above) is found during the repair. In such a case, you would be responsible for the cost of the repair, including replacement of the disposal, if deemed necessary by the maintenance staff.

All International Village apartments are equipped with a refrigerator. Standard refrigerators cannot be removed and/or stored by International Village or the resident.

Your refrigerator will operate most effectively and efficiently when it is set at a mid-range temperature setting---usually 4-6 on the temperature dial. We suggest that you resist the urge to set the temperature dial at higher settings. If you feel that your refrigerator is not cooling or freezing food items properly, please submit a Work Order to the RSO immediately.

Your refrigerator is “frost-free.” However, if you notice that ice is beginning to accumulate on the inside of your freezer compartment, it is important to remove it since it will hinder the efficiency of the refrigerator and could lead to permanent damage. Never use a knife, ice-pick, or other sharp object to remove ice from your freezer compartment. This could result in a puncture hole that will cause the refrigerator to stop functioning properly. In such cases, residents are responsible for repair or replacement costs. The safest manner in which to defrost your freezer compartment is to unplug the refrigerator or switch it “off” and allow the ice build-up to melt. Place towels and/or basins appropriately in order to avoid damage to your apartment or surrounding apartments caused by excess water leakage. Contact the RSO, if desired, for alternate defrosting methods.

It is recommended that you clean the interior and exterior of your refrigerator regularly in order to keep the accumulation of food particles, spills, dust and dirt manageable. We suggest cleaning your refrigerator with a mild soapy solution or all-purpose cleaner and sponges, rags, or non-abrasive scrub pads. Periodically, it will be necessary for you to move your refrigerator in order to keep the areas beneath, behind, and adjacent to it clean.

Place a work order at the RSO to replace the light bulb inside of refrigerators when they burn out.

STOVE/OVENS AND STOVE HOODS

All International Village kitchens are equipped with gas stove/ovens. Stove/ovens are accompanied by an exhaust hood mounted directly above the stove/oven for ventilation of fumes and smoke.

It is strongly recommended that residents clean the interior and exterior of their stove/ovens and stove hoods regularly in order to keep the accumulation of food particles, spills, dust and dirt manageable and to prevent attracting insects. Periodically, it may be necessary for you to shift your stove/oven in order to keep it and the areas adjacent to it clean. Stovetops and stove hoods can be effectively cleaned with an all-purpose cleaner and rags, sponges, or non-abrasive scrub pads. Ovens may need to be soaked for a short time period with an oven cleaner (e.g. Easy Off) and then wiped off with sponges, rags, or light-heavy duty scrub pads.

Place a Work Order at the RSO to replace stove hood and oven light bulbs when they burn out. Stove hoods require standard incandescent light bulbs (60 watts or less). Oven light bulbs must be replaced with an “Appliance Bulb.” Ask a salesperson for help if you are having difficulty locating this special bulb. The International Village maintenance staff will replace stove hood and oven light bulbs for you, if necessary, at the cost of replacement bulbs.

If you feel that your stove/oven or stove hood is not operating properly, please submit a Work Order to the RSO.

All International Village apartments come equipped with a microwave oven. Care should be taken when heating food items in the microwave to avoid overheating and associated fire hazards. Never heat food items in an unattended microwave oven.

If you feel that your microwave oven is not operating properly, please submit a Service Request to the RSO.

Water that is leaking or overflowing from sinks, toilets, or showers and tubs is considered a high priority at International Village because of the extensive damage that can potentially be caused by it. Always treat water leaks, water overflows, or improper draining as an emergency and call the RSO or RA after hours to report the situation immediately.

Never flush paper towels, feminine hygiene products, or any other item not described as toilet tissue/paper down a toilet regardless of what the product’s packaging may state. If your toilet water does overflow, the first thing to do is to shut off the water supply to the toilet by twisting (to the right) the valve located behind the toilet near the floor. Next, contact the RSO or RA after hours.

If a sink, shower, or tub does not drain properly, never use drain-clearing chemicals (e.g. Liquid Plummer, Drano, etc.). Contact the RSO or RA after hours immediately.

Though not an emergency, water dripping from faucets or showerheads and toilets that “run” continuously are wasteful and should be reported to the RSO during regular business hours (i.e. Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm PST). Work Orders can be submitted for any improperly functioning faucet, shower/tub, or toilet at no charge to the resident.