Preventive maintenance is an important part of Mobile property management. A successful preventive maintenance program allows us to establish consistent maintenance and repair systems that improve the safety of your property and the performance of its systems and functions.
It also prevents major repair costs.
If keeping maintenance costs down is a priority for you as a landlord or an investor, it’s important that you pay attention to planned maintenance and routine inspections.
Preventative Maintenance Reduces Emergency Repairs
Repairing and replacing a furnace or an air conditioning unit or an appliance can get expensive.
These expenses are increased when a tenant calls with an emergency. Instead of responding to every emergency, we recommend that you focus on extending the life of your HVAC system, your roof, your plumbing, and your appliances. The only way to do this is with a preventive maintenance plan. When you pay attention to these systems throughout the tenancy, you’ll have fewer emergencies and lower expenses.
Maintaining Your Heating and Cooling Systems
One of the most expensive systems in your rental property is the heating and cooling system. In Alabama, the air conditioning is especially critical during our long, humid summer season. Scheduling an annual inspection of your HVAC system will help you prevent expensive emergency repairs.
Most companies will provide an ongoing service plan where a licensed technician will inspect your system annually and make sure it’s working properly. This attention once or twice a year will also extend the life of your furnace and your air conditioning unit. The heating and cooling of your property will be more efficient. Your tenants will appreciate it too, as it will improve their air quality inside the home and keep their energy costs down.
Rental Property Plumbing
Water damage can be one of the most expensive issues for Mobile rental property owners, and it’s rarely inexpensive to fix. Small leaks might not seem like a big deal, but if you ignore them for a week or even a few days, they can turn into larger leaks that damage floors and walls and eventually lead to rot and mold.
Avoiding leaks and plumbing problems is important. When you’re inspecting your rental property or checking it before and after tenants move in and out, look under sinks. Check the floors around toilets and tubs to be sure there isn’t any softening. Look for drooping or discolored ceilings and walls that might tell you there’s a problem with water.
Other preventative measures concerning water include cleaning your gutters. You don’t want leaves and debris to get caught there, driving water towards your home. Flush out irrigation systems and sprinklers. When it comes to ongoing maintenance, preventing leaks and floods has to be one of your primary concerns.
Preventative maintenance requires the cooperation of your tenant as well. It’s important to establish a good relationship with your resident and express the importance of reporting maintenance issues right away. Deferred repairs are always more expensive and far more time consuming than immediate and preventative maintenance.
If you’d like to talk in more detail about what we do to maintain your Mobile rental property, please contact us at IRBY Property Management.