Detail Notes

You Also Need to Know

Gas Fireplace Heaters

Please observe these rules carefully for your own safety and enjoyment.

These units require no maintenance or adjustment.
They are self-contained, with both air for combustion entering, and gas venting, through the chimney.
The propane tanks will be filled when you take possession. You will need to refill them before you leave.
Our fuel supplier is:

Proctor Gas Inc.,
2 Market Street,
Proctor Vt. 05765
(802) 469-3340.

The units can be turned up for atmosphere in the evenings.

THE GLASS SHIELD OF THE FIREPLACE SHOULD NOT REQUIRE CLEANING. If you decide to clean it ONLY WASH WITH CLEAR WATER AND A SOFT COTTON CLOTH. IT IS CEREMAC GLASS AND WILL SCRATCH WITH WINDEX OR OTHER ABRASIVE CLEANERS

Please note the location of the fire extinguishers.
Heating

The house is heated by gas heating units in each of the fireplaces. There are also thermostats and backup electric heat units in every room. It’s possible to keep costs down by heating only the bedrooms you are using during your stay. Always keep all material (sheets, curtains, bedclothes, etc. away from all electrical heating elements!

Water Filter

All incoming water is filtered (located in the lower bathroom, in the closet behind door). It should be changed with every 7 days of house occupancy. Failure to do so will greatly reduce water pressure throughout the house, even shut down the toilets and shower! See instructions under miscellaneous items.

Plowing

We are fortunate to have a wonderful neighbor, Bob Dellasandro, who usually uses his house on weekends. It is cheaper and easier to have the plowing service do both properties and split the cost with Bob. This system has worked well for many years.
Do not allow the snow to pile up near the house! In the past, snow pushed up near the building created a moat, which leaked into the lower area.

Electrical System

Both upper and lower floors have circuit breaker systems located to the left of the fireplace in the lower apartment. Each apartment has a separate electrical meter. The hot water heater is on a third meter. The 3 meters are outside, to the right of the chimney, under the deck. The on/off switch for the water heater is outside directly below the middle meter.
Should you blow a circuit, first correct the problem and turn off the item that threw the switch. Then go to the lower floor and reset the circuit breaker switch. Power will be restored.

Hot Water Heater

The power switch for the hot water heater is outside the house under the deck where the electric meters are located. Lift up the cover on the small blue box directly below the middle meter. What little heat that might be lost by the heater helps warm the house, so we recommend you leave it on all the time. If you don’t, remind the next person that comes up to turn it on again. It takes over an hour to re-heat the whole tank, and the power is off during peak hours (two peak hours in the AM, another two peak hours in the evening).

Water Turn Off

In the past 30 years the water has only frozen in the pipes 3 times, but 1995 was one of those years. Water running full blast for several days leads to a good deal of damage. You may want to go to the trouble of closing the water valve to limit possible damage. This is not a completely necessary step, but a good insurance policy. This does NOT mean that you can shut off the heat. It does mean that should a pipe break, water damage will be minimized.

In the lower bathroom there is a narrow closet that shares the 1-foot wall with the kitchen sink. There are 3 yellow handles on pipes inside. All 3 are normally set to be straight up and down. The handle on the right, next to the bathroom entrance door, and with the #3 written on it, will shut off the water. Just turn it 1/4 of a turn, 90°, and the water is now off. It will only turn one way.

Reverse the process to turn on the water. Again, under normal (water on) conditions, all three handles will be set to their normal position - straight up and down relative to the floor. .

Other Items

We are responsible to fix anything in the house that breaks by itself.

You are responsible for the repair of broken pipes and water damage due to freezing pipes - and anything else you or your guests break or damage.

All trash is collected at a central location in [the Town of] Killington. The trash collection point is on River Road across from the town library. It is open on a schedule usually published on public access cable channel #13. You will need to go to city hall (in the building right next to the pool) to get a dump permit.

NEVER LEAVE TRASH IN PLASTIC BAGS OUTSIDE THE BUILDING. ANIMALS WILL SCATTER IT ALL OVER THE PROPERTY BY THE NEXT MORNING AND MICE AND RACCOONS WILL BECOME A MAJOR PROBLEM.

Never drive on either side of the house! What looks like a road or parking area is a septic drain field. Damaging the grass even a little leads to erosion when rain and snow from the whole front area runs down hill to the pond.

Always observe maximum bulb size for all lamps. Almost every lamp in the house contains a new (expensive) energy saver light good for 10,000 hours. If any are missing, the renter must replace them.

There is a water well and pump servicing the whole house. It has trouble servicing two showers, 2 toilets, the kitchen sink and dishwasher all at the same time. It is better to run the dishwasher later at night by itself.

The water well itself is located in-between the house next door and our house, just off the driveway. While it is well marked, it is also quite low. As much as possible, please keep the snow cleared so that the plows can see it.

Never ever put anything on top of the 2 Halogen scone lights on the living room wall.

The telephone can reach most of the surrounding towns at “local rates”. You will need a calling card to call long distance.

It is a good idea to test the smoke detectors often. (New battery 11/02).

In case of emergency, a town constable and the Vermont State Police service us. Call the operator (i.e. 911) for assistance. The house is officially located at 2076 Route 100 North, Killington.

The dehumidifier in the basement apartment should be left when you close up the house to prevent moisture. (Note: this item is only required when the temperature outside is above freezing). Set up on the counter in such a way to allow the tank to drain into the kitchen sink. Select “DRY” on the controls.

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Revised: August 06, 2002 .
tim@timbyrne.com