5 Home Maintenance Tips for Landlords
Being a landlord often means being spread thin across multiple tasks from managing tenant relationships to maintaining the property’s value. Maintaining the property plays a role in both of these segments, since keeping up with maintenance tasks will ensure your property is in good condition while keeping the tenants satisfied. With that in mind, you will have to follow a regular property maintenance schedule as well as be prepared for any issues that might come up unexpectedly. Here are five maintenance tips that you’ll find useful whether you’re a newbie or an experienced landlord.
#1 Prepare Your Budget
First and foremost, you will need a budget for unexpected issues and repairs. Renting any property brings additional expenses, no matter how careful the tenants are. This is simply something you cannot control. The level of expenses you’ll face will depend on the damage and the age and condition of the home. Either way, make sure your repair budget can cover the maintenance costs of your rental property with ease.
#2 Exterminate Regularly
Whether or not you have an insect or rodent problem, you should still exterminate regularly as a part of your property maintenance routine. These little intruders can cause a lot of damage to the property and they’re often very difficult to spot. That’s why you need to have a professional come and examine the situation every now and then to ensure there are no hidden pest infestations that could hinder your property’s value or affect the tenants’ experience in the unit. Although regular extermination can be a bit pricey, these preventive measures can save you a lot of money in the long run.
#3 Check for Water Damage and Leaks
While you’re doing property maintenance, always check for water damage and leaks. These can occur for multiple reasons, especially after heavy rains, snow storms or during hot and humid days when pipes tend to start “sweating.” Make sure to check for soft spots on the ceiling, around boilers, and around the water heater. Any signs of water droplets near windows, showers, or toilets should be taken seriously as there could be serious problems hiding behind these small clues. The earlier you detect water leakage, the easier it will be to handle the problem and prevent further damage. Keep in mind that detecting leaks will prevent the formation of dangerous molds which are difficult to remove.
#4 Check the Air Systems
Checking the quality of air conditioning and forced air systems in the property is a crucial part of the home maintenance routine.The filters in air conditioning and heating units should be changed at least two times a year. Make sure to use a high efficiency filter that’s suitable for the air system installed in the property. If you replace the filters regularly, you will prevent the clogging of air ducts and reduce potential expenses in the long run. Unclogging air ducts can be very expensive and it’s always best to try to avoid these issues.
#5 Examine Shower Caulking and Grout
Last but not least, make sure to always examine the shower and tiles in the bathroom. The material between tiles might loosen after a while, meaning it will no longer be waterproof. The waterproof seal is necessary in the bathroom to prevent water damage and mold. If you notice a hole or a crack in the grout and caulking, make sure to replace it immediately to prevent further damage.
Perform Property Checks Regularly
Keeping up with unexpected problems can become unbearable if you don’t set up a preventive maintenance routine in time. Hence, make sure to create a maintenance checklist and don’t forget to include the points listed above. A few other tasks you can add to the list include testing all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and keeping up with laws related to the regulation and maintenance of a rental property in your area.