Preventative Maintenance: Landlord’s Guide to Avoid Costly Emergency Repairs for Your Winton Rental Property

Preventative maintenance isn’t always as attention-grabbing as emergency maintenance. When a water heater explodes at your rental property in the middle of the night, there’s a flurry of activity and an immediate response. When a fire breaks out, your tenant’s safety is your first concern and then you’re going to think about quickly stopping the spread of the fire and saving your investment home. 

If you want to avoid these costly and stressful emergency issues, make preventative maintenance a priority. We know that by keeping up with the systems and functions of your home, we can protect the condition of your home and keep both routine and emergency maintenance costs lower and less frequent. 

Here are some of the things we think you need to consider when you’re establishing a preventative maintenance plan.

Service and Inspect your HVAC System

Your heating and cooling units are going to be some of the most expensive systems in your Winton rental property. Prevent surprise repairs and expensive catastrophes with a preventative maintenance schedule. When you contract with an HVAC company to have them conduct an annual inspection, you can be sure your heating and cooling systems are working properly. This will cut down on repair requests and help you optimize the functionality of your furnace and air conditioning units. 

With an annual service contract, you’ll have an HVAC technician inspecting and servicing your system once or twice a year. Not only does this save you money and headaches in the long term, well-maintained HVAC systems also operate more efficiently. You’ll get a longer lifespan out of those units.

Another good reason to take care of preventative HVAC maintenance is that an annual contract with a company usually means you’ll get discounts when something breaks or needs attention outside of their routine visits. 

Pay Attention to Plumbing in Winton Rental Homes

Water damage is expensive to repair and remediate. You should be hyper-vigilant about leaks and water intrusion at your rental home. Every time you’re in the property, take a few minutes to check for moisture and leaks. Look under sinks and behind toilets. Check the roof for signs of deterioration. Make sure your irrigation or sprinkler systems aren’t backed up, leaking, or rusting. Drain the water heater every year or two to prevent leaks. 

If a tenant reports that a faucet is dripping or a toilet is running, make those repairs a priority. Water can damage a home quickly, and if it’s left unchecked, it can create situations where mold and rot can develop. This will only add to your maintenance bill. 

Put Together a Team of Vendors and Contractors 

You can’t have a good preventative maintenance plan without a great team of vendors. Create a list of licensed and insured vendors and contractors who are committed to caring for your investment property. If there’s an emergency in the middle of the night, you don’t want to be looking for a plumber. You want to have someone reliable and responsive who will answer your call. 

Develop relationships with professionals before you need them, and listen to their advice and recommendations when it comes to caring for your property. Make sure all of the vendors you work with are licensed and insured to prevent risk and liability.