Preventative Maintenance keeps tenants happy and keeps your long term costs low. Paramount Property Management Inc. has been managing homes Boise, Meridian, Eagle, Star, Kuna and Idaho City for over 10 years. We can help keep your rental home in check with regular maintenance checks and repairs.
Recommended maintenance for properties includes:
- Heating and cooling systems
- filter and regular tune ups and cleaning of systems
- Pluming/water maintenance
- From checking sinks and drains inside the home, to septic systems and gutters. Repairs and regular check-ups will keep your home from suffering expensive water damage.
- Painting
- Painting makes home look and smell fresh. Gone are the days of bleak white walls. The most popular rental homes boast custom colors that appeal to many. Repainting exterior brightens curb appeal. Keeping up with paint will prevent damage to wood, fencing and home interior. Especially important in rooms that get a good deal of sun or humidity.
- Appliance repairs/replacement
- Old appliance can leak causing damage to surrounding flooring and walls. Keeping up with appliances with fridge filter changes, and dryer vent cleaning will also keep you home safe.
- Landscaping structures
- Fencing will rot and lean, sprinkler heads can burst and leak, overgrown trees can cause a problem when branches break or trees fall.
- Fireplace or chimneys
- Keeping a chimney cleaned, gas fireplaces checked for leaks and wood stoves cleaned and correctly insulated with bricks is very important to your tenants' safety and the properties efficiency for heat.
- Gutters
- Water runoff around the foundation can cause serious problems.It can undermine the foundation, and create soil conditions that attract termites. A well-designed gutter system directs runoff from the roof safely away from the foundation. Keeping gutters cleaned will also extend the life of your roof and keep the property safer in freezing weather. Gutters need to be cleaned annually.
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5 Items that are easy to maintain and worth the money to keep up on.
- Dryers - Dryers cause approximately 2,900 residential fires each year34% of them are due to poor maintenance. The main culprit is lint buildup, and that most often occurs in the vent ducts. It is important to remove the dryer from the vent and have it cleaned out all the way truth the duct. You will be amazed the amount of lint, leaves and birds nests that can accumulate in the vent.
- Septic System. It is recommended that you pump a septic tank every five years. Tenants should also be educated on what not to flush and the proper care of septic systems. Ignoring your septic system or delaying repair can cause damage to the property, as well as damage items in the home. If your tank has a transfer pump, instruct your tenants to keep an eye on the visual alarm. Prompt response to a signal can also avert a backup and expensive cleanup.
- HVAC Maintenance. In Idaho we have cold months, pollen months and dusty months. Although nationally it is recommend that furnace filters be changed every 6-12 months. In Idaho it is recommended that furnace filters be changed every 4 months. Energy.gov says that filter maintenance can lower the energy bill by 5% to 15%. Failure to change filters can lower the life expectancy of a furnace system. Paramount Property Management sends tenants new filters every quarter to make sure units are cared for. Disposable filters are also better than the metal filters that require routine cleaning. It is also recommend that furnaces and air conditioners be cleaned and tuned up by a professional once a year.
- Inspect and Clean the Chimney and Fireplace. Fireplaces that are in use should have the chimney inspected once a year. Soot deposits should be removed if they are thicker than 1/8 inch. Chimneys should be inspected to make sure they are structurally sound. Trees should be confirmed and trimmed to make sure they are not above and around the top of the chimney as they are a fire hazard.
- Sprinkler Systems and hose bibs. In Idaho many properties have irrigation from April to October. It is important that when sprinklers are turned on they are inspected. Broken heads waste water, but can also cause undue wear on the property when they are watering in the wrong direction. In the winter systems need to be properly blown out to prevent pipes from breaking. Leaving hoses hooked to bibs, or allowing hose bibs to leak can result in larger leaks under the home in crawl spaces.
Paramount Property Management is here to help you maintain your rental property. Keeping it safe and profitable for you and your tenants.Source: Top 5 Preventive Maintenance Tasks for Landlords Last updated on October 3, 2016 by Chris Deziel at landlordology.com
