Overlooked Maintenance Hurting Your Rental Property

Are you frustrated by the amount of required maintenance your rental properties need? You aren’t alone. Studies show that 61% of property owners find that maintenance is a significant pain point. 

One way to ease this stress is to create a comprehensive maintenance schedule for your rental properties. This ensures that you address all areas of the home and can prevent or catch potential problems before they become a major issue. 

We have a list of common overlooked maintenance tasks that owners miss. Be sure to add them to your maintenance checklist, so they don’t hurt your property. 

Clear the Plumbing  

Out of sight, out of mind, right? Not so fast. While you’d hope that your tenants don’t put anything strange down the drain, you just never know. By ignoring your pipes, you risk a clog popping up when you least expect it. 

Have a plumber come out and inspect and clean your pipes to ensure they stay clear and allow for the flow of water. Pay attention to the kitchen sink where your tenant may have poured fats and grease down the drain. Then in the bathroom where hair tends to clog the shower drain. 

Check the Air Conditioner 

This is probably one of the most overlooked elements of a rental home. This is a huge mistake considering that temperatures during our Texas summers can easily reach the mid-90s. Then it feels even hotter when you factor in the humidity. 

No one wants to get stuck for days in that kind of heat with a broken AC unit. Not to mention the potentially serious health risks of an unmaintained unit to your tenants. So do your tenants and yourself a favor and have the unit looked at. 

The best time to have your unit serviced is in the spring during April or May. Have an HVAC technician come out once a year to service the unit. 

There are also a few things you can do on your own. Start by turning the unit off. Then remove debris, clean the fins, and clear the area around the unit.

Flush the Water Heater 

As a water heater ages, sediment can collect at the bottom of the tank. You can flush the unit to remove this sediment. By doing this, you extend the life of the water heater. It will also run more efficiently. Performing a flush once a year is more than plenty to ensure the water heater remains sediment free. 

Check the Attic Insulation 

Many homeowners forget this task because it requires them to climb up in the attic. But you need to check the insulation to prevent a buildup of moisture on your roof. Small critters can get in the attic and destroy the insulation. It can also naturally compress over time and become less effective. 

Having the proper insulation in the correct places will efficiently keep the house cold and warm. It’ll also encourage good airflow which will prevent the buildup of moisture. 

Find the Root of the Problem

No matter what the issue is that arises, focus on finding the root of the problem. All too often, homeowners focus on fixing the damage and not what caused it. To help you maintain your property, take a lesson from the pros and keep detailed records of all maintenance performed. 

This will help you track reoccurring issues. For example, if you notice that your wallpaper keeps peeling in one spot, it could be a sign of a bigger problem. There could be excess moisture in the wall due to a slow leak. 

Your detailed records will show that this is a reoccurring problem and that you need to do some additional investigating. 

Hire the Professionals 

One way to be sure that your rental property receives all necessary maintenance is to hire professionals. A property management company can take care of everything. From annual maintenance to tenant emergencies, a property management company can take care of it, record it, and send you reports. 

Contact our office today and let the professionals at Property Management Inc maintain your property. 

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