How-to's

Heating:

There are two heaters in the house. The thermostat in the foyer covers everything except the playroom, bath and courtyard bedroom. The second thermostat is in the corner of the playroom bedroom. Please help us save energy by turning off the heaters if you have windows/doors open, keeping the thermostat below 68 degrees, and turning them off when you leave the house.

Kitchen:

The disposal is only for very small scraps. It is easily clogged, so please put all food scraps in the trash. If you stop up the sink, the remedy is a little complicated:

Put a stopper in the right hand drain and have a helper push down on it so it remains sealed.
Start the dishwasher until it fills with water (you can hear the jets start to work when the filling has been accomplished). Cancel the run by pushing button on far right of dishwasher panel, and then start a new one so the dishwasher starts pumping out its water.
While the dishwasher is draining and the helper is holding the right-hand drain closed, run enough water in the left hand sink to fill the disposal, and then plunge it so that the blockage just beyond the disposal is removed. As you see IT’S BEST NOT TO CLOG THE SINK WITH ANY TABLE SCRAPS!

Recyclables go into the bag hanging to the right of the Dutch door, outside.
Coffee maker instructions are on the door to the cabinet on the side of the kitchen island. Coffee is in the freezer.
A coffee grinder for whole beans is available. A Keurig K-Cup machine is available with about 2-dozen pods.
Please no crystal at the beach. There are plastic glasses, plates, and cutlery in the closet next to the piano, in a plastic bin with a blue top.
First aid supplies and fire extinguisher are in the butler's pantry in the kitchen.
To run the dishwasher, put no more than 1 Tablespoon of liquid in dispenser, close it. Push “power”, “auto”, “start”.
To use the television in the kitchen, keep the TV tuned to channel 3. Use the black Comcast remote to change channels. The same process works for the television in the master bath upstairs (across from the tub in the cabinet.)
The BBQ is outside the kitchen Dutch door. To operate the BBQ:

Remove vinyl cover
Push and turn the front knob to the left, to the "lightning bolt" icon.
Push the Ignition switch one or two times until you hear the "whoosh" sound that the gas is lit. Make sure you see flames.
Preheat the grill for 10 minutes on high, then scrape the grill with the steel brush that is hanging on the side.
Cook something scrumptious, and eat it! Be sure all 5 controls are in the “off” position and put the cover back on the BBQ.

Cleaning products are under the sink in the kitchen. Extra cleaning products, rags, vacuum, etc. are in the closet next to the piano
You are welcome to use any condiments, dry goods, etc. that you find in the refrigerator, kitchen cupboards or lazy Susans. Please leave us a note if you use up a staple so we can restock for the next guests.
The Zoshirushi bread maker is in a pull-out shelf below and to the right of the sink. There are instructions on the shelf under the bread maker.
Waffle iron, panini maker, Cuisinart, citrus juicer, wok, blender, instant hot water kettle, toaster oven, pop-up toaster, umami rice cooker, salad spinner, etc. are in the butler’s pantry.
A Swiss Raclette appliance is in the closet next to the piano, along with cloth napkins, tablecloths, large roasters and platters.

Hot Tub:

Unhook black clips holding down the cover. For two people, you can just flip the cover half open. For more people, remove the entire cover. Please do not place it on the sand where it will pick up dirt when you put it back.
The hot tub temperature should be set at 104 degrees when you arrive. You can adjust the temperature with the up and down arrows on the control panel.
If you turn on the light in the hot tub, please remember to turn it off when you leave, by dimming it down to zero.
ALWAYS REPLACE COVER WHEN YOU ARE NOT IN THE TUB, and latch the black clips so it doesn’t blow off.
MINORS using the hot tub must be supervised by an adult at all times. Do not let children swim under the cover.
Watch your step when walking through the courtyard to the hot tub. Uneven beach rock pavers are not recommended for high heels!
If it’s too dark in the area by the hot tub, turn on the lights in the greenhouse and the area will be illuminated. Greenhouse light switch is on the wall in the piano room. The switch for the outdoor light by the greenhouse Dutch door is next to that door.
Please remember, the hot tub is not a bathtub. If the water is green or cloudy when you leave and we have to drain it, the charge is $200.

Den:

To use the television in the den:

Turn the TV on with the smallest black remote (Samsung). Push the “source” button at the top of that remote. Click “Comcast” for TV, “DVD” or, for the laserdisc machine, “A/V”. Do NOT highlight “TV” on the screen or you will get nothing! This remote also controls the volume from the TV speakers.
The grey Pioneer remote controls surround-sound volume. Use only “up”, “down” and “mute” on that remote.
Use the Comcast Remote to change channels, view TV Guide, and access On Demand. We have Showtime, Streampix, and HBO for your enjoyment, as well as scores of other channels, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Spotify and Pandora.
Guests are responsible to pay for any pay-per-view movies or other paid special programs.
A printed channel guide is on the coffee table with the remotes.
We have extensive libraries of Laserdiscs, DVDs and VHS tapes.

To view a Laserdisc:

Push power button on Laserdisc machine. Push “open”, insert laser disc, push “close”. Do not push down on the tray while it is open! Please do not let children touch the Laserdisc machine. If it is broken, there may not be a replacement available.
With the small black Samsung remote, push “source” and scroll over to “A/V”, then click.
Someone walked off with the laserdisc remote, so you must manually push “play” on the laserdisc machine.

To view a DVD:

Push power button on black DVD machine. Push “open”, insert DVD, push “close”. (Do not push down on the disc tray while it is open.)
On small black Samsung remote, push “source” at the top, then scroll over to “DVD” and click.
Use black DVD remote to play, or push “play” on the DVD machine.

To view a VHS: Insert VHS tape into the TV in the playroom. Push “play” to view VHS. This is an old machine and sometimes won’t release the VHS. Sorry! There is an extensive collection of VHS tapes (especially for kids) in the den. There is also a VHS/DVD machine up in the fort in the garage.

Playroom:

To use the pinball machine. Turn on toggle switch under the machine, near the front right leg. Wait patiently. Sometimes the machine turns on right away; sometimes it takes 5 minutes to warm up and turn on, and sometimes it doesn't turn on at all. It is an antique and we can't control these phenomena! When (if) you hear the audio on the machine, begin, push the round chrome button next to the coin slot on the front of the machine: once for one player, twice for two, thrice for three and four times for four players. Launch the pinball with the knob on the right and have fun!
Do NOT unplug the pinball, or you will turn off the dehumidifier which keeps this antique game from succumbing to the ocean air.
Please put back any games, toys, puzzles, art supplies, etc. in the playroom when you finish playing.

Dining room and Living room:

If you have more than 10 for dinner, you can use the 48” table in the piano room as an extension to comfortably seat 14. Casual place mats, and long tablecloths are in the closet next to the piano.)
All lamps in the living room have either low/high settings, or are on table-top dimmers. If the lamp doesn't seem to operate, it is probably because the table-top dimmer is turned all the way down.
The switch to operate the outdoor floodlights is in the corner of the piano room at the floor outlet.
Please be sure to turn outdoor lights off when you go to bed.

There are instructions for using the wood fireplace near the fireplace. Be sure the damper is OPEN before you make a fire. Be sure the gas starter is turned all the way off after your fire is going, and PUT THE KEY AWAY. If the key is in the slot and a child turns on the gas when no fire is present, this could cause a disastrous explosion.

Bedrooms:

If you have children or anyone else who might wet the bed, PLEASE protect our mattresses with pee pads, located in the linen closet in the Master bathroom.

The mysterious secret bedroom is accessed through the bookcase.
Extra King, Queen and Twin sheets are in rolling plastic bins under the beds.

Master Bedroom:

You can turn on and dim all of the lights by the switch as you enter the room, or with the wireless remote switches on each side of the bed. Please park the small white remote in the wooden bowl so it doesn't get lost.
We have wireless Internet signal in every room in the house, from two stations: one is on the desk in the bedroom at the top of the stairs. Please don’t let children unplug any cables. If the Wifi stops working, turn off the power on the large black power hub on top of the desk (you may need the eraser end of a pencil from one of the desk drawers), wait one full minute, and push the power button again to reset. The password for the Wifi will be given to you upon arrival. The second Wifi repeater is under the king bed next to the window in the “secret bedroom”. Be sure it is plugged in.

Laundry room and Garage:
Washing machine:

Put one washing soap pod in the bottom of the washer before loading clothes.
Put one capful of fabric softener on the near right container.
If you want to add bleach or powdered Oxiclean, use the far right dispenser.
Set dial on the washer for type of clothes, temperature of water, etc. Push the start button for 3 seconds.
If you forget something, push “pause” and wait until the washer unlocks. Then push the start button again for 3 seconds.
PLEASE do only full loads in the washer to save water!

Dryer:

Clean lint from filter by lifting it up on the inside front of the dryer every time you use it.
Load clothes.
Set sensor or time dry and temperature. I use “wrinkle prevent” also, for most everything
Push “start”

Ping Pong:

There are spare ping pong balls in a bag on the wall next to the table. There are also at least 50 balls in the room, so if you run out of balls, pretend it is Easter and start looking. There are two sets of lights for the ping pong table: one on the wall next to the door by the dryer, and one in the middle of the tool wall.

Ironing:

There is a small ironing board you can use on top of the dryer, to the left of the dryer. There is a full-size ironing board by the garage refrigerator. The iron is on the wooden bookshelf. If you want steam, use tap water.

Keys:

We have combination locks to the house and the garage. The combination will be provided at check-in.

Fire extinguishers:

In the butler’s pantry in the kitchen.
On the right-hand side of the fireplace.
In the garage, on the floor near the door.
Fuse Box/ Breaker switches: The electrical panel and breaker switches are in a panel in the small room between the front entry and the living room (under the stairs). The panel is hidden by the picture of the smoking cowboy. The main breaker panel is outside, on the corner of the garage.
The gas meter (for shut-off in case of emergency) is on the outside garage wall, behind the garbage cans.
In Case of Power Outage: Living on the edge of the ocean, we are at the “end of the line” for power restoration. So if it goes out, it may not come back for hours. There are flashlights/outage lights plugged in outlets around the house, and in the butler’s pantry. Keep the freezer and refrigerator closed as much as possible to avoid food spoilage.
Candles and lanterns are in the butler’s pantry, near the floor on the right. PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL IF YOU USE CANDLES OR OIL LANTERNS, AND NEVER LEAVE THEM BURNING UNATTENDED!

Garbage Service:

Our garbage men are sweetie pies! They come down and retrieve the cans and drag them up to the street on Tuesday mornings, and return the empties.
If you want to dispose of anything, please put it in the appropriate container (green waste, recyclables, garbage.) If they are full, place any plastic garbage sacks inside the garage and close the door. Raccoons will rip them apart if left outside.

Gas Shutoff:

If you smell gas, there are two places to shut the gas off through the entire house
On the wall where the trash cans are, go about half way toward the back. There is a wrench in a plastic bag hanging from the wall just above the gas meter. Turn the valve ¼ turn to the off position
In the laundry room, on the wall just to the left of the dryer, about one foot off the ground, is another gas shutoff for the whole house. That one may be easier to turn off than the big meter. Call Kirstie at 831 595 0670 or Hannah 831 521-9680 right away. If you are concerned about a gas leak, call 9-1-1.

House How-to's