No matter the type of residential property you own, maintenance is inevitable to retain the habitability of the place and make it safe for prospective tenants. Depending on the age and condition of your asset, you can adopt various types of maintenance. Preventative maintenance is one such effective and proven strategy that eliminates the risk of potential damage to your property and minimizes repair costs in your rental property.
Here is how preventative maintenance can help Modesto landlords avoid expensive emergency repairs that may affect their rental income.
1. Checking walls and roofs helps you identify structural damage
The experts recommend you briefly check the walls and roof at least twice a year, especially during spring and fall. You can do it yourself or hire professionals to inspect the roof to identify the issues that you have missed. Consider checking the shingles for curls and warps that signal major roofing problems.
The preventative maintenance cost for roof inspection may be around $200 annually. But if you respond reactively to the leaking roof, you may need to replace the entire roof and keep the place unoccupied till then, which may add more to expenses.
Similarly, paint bubbles on the walls could be signs of excess moisture, plumbing leakages, or excessive humidity. If not addressed promptly, these could turn into mold. Checking the structural integrity of the place under preventative maintenance can help you get rid of the bubbling paint by scraping it off or sanding it down to the primary coat of paint more cost-effectively than dealing with the mold.
2. Examining and servicing appliances can save costly replacements
Appliances are a significant investment that you can make to keep your tenants satisfied. If you keep postponing the inspection and servicing of the appliances, it may result in costly repairs and replacements. Therefore, it is necessary to prioritize their cleaning and servicing by yourself or hire professional servicing contractors to take care of all the appliances.
Some measures you can take under preventative maintenance are keeping the washing machine tub clean, brushing the compressor coil of the refrigerator, keeping the outlet pipe clean, cleaning the AC filters, replacing them, and disposing of the leftovers from the coffee machine after every use. It can help you ensure the health of your appliances and prevent you from spending money on replacements.
3. Inspecting drainage and plumbing helps you avoid possible leaks
A leaky faucet, a clogged toilet, a broken pipe, or a busted water heater can turn a good day sour and eat up the extra cash you might have saved for another crucial purpose. However, you can save money with preventative maintenance and understanding how and where these plumbing issues can occur.
A few things you can do to prevent plumbing issues are investigating bare pipes and appliances for water leaks, cleaning clogged drains, watching out what you flush down the drain, checking out the sewer system lines, checking under the sink in your kitchen and bathroom and managing the water pressure.
4. Replacing air filters eliminates the risk of failure
It’s easy to forget about checking the air filter frequently since they are not visible. If you keep postponing air filter replacements, your AC and furnace units may deteriorate over time, bringing extra stress to individual parts or the machine. It may lead the device to use more energy, resulting in an extra energy bill or expensive parts replacements.
The AC and furnace units may cost $1,500 and $3,000 to replace. Adding air filter replacements to your preventative maintenance schedule can help you save money and pay less than $75 for a year’s replacement. You can clean them monthly for dirt or dust, allowing you to inhale fresh air and prevent health problems.
5. Checking the garbage disposal allows you to avoid costly replacements.
Regularly cleaning your garbage disposal and keeping it in good condition under preventative maintenance can save you money on repairs or replacements. You can follow simple ways of maintaining the disposal, such as using cold water while running the disposal, breaking down the large objects into smaller chunks before disposing of them, using cold water while running the disposal, using baking soda or vinegar to keep it germ-free and washing and cleaning the disposal after every use. If appropriately maintained, garbage disposals can last for nine to ten years.
All the above preventative measures can help you save your hard-earned money and maintain the longevity of your asset. But if you are busy with your work and unable to give time to maintenance, consider hiring professionals at New Bridge Management. We carry out regular inspections and conduct proactive upkeep to avoid costly emergency repairs and boost the value of your Modesto rental property.
For more information, contact us at New Bridge Management.
