Tired of maintenance calls from your tenants? So this 5-step guide will help you reduce or eliminate future headaches.
Over the years, I have found that the areas with the greatest maintenance problems are: plumbing, drains, toilets, appliances, and heating / cooling. Those are the areas you need to focus on when preparing an empty home for a new tenant. Are you ready to start?
These are the 5 steps to follow:
Step 1. The plumbing: Check each faucet and make sure it is working properly. The water should stop dripping when the hot and cold water knobs are closed. Repair as necessary. Next, look under each sink with a flash light while the water is running and make sure there are no leaks in the supply lines and the drain. Repair as necessary.
Next, check the water supply line going to the bathrooms and check for leaks or evidence of a leak. Then check the operation of the showers and bathtubs. The water control knobs should be secure and the water should stop when the valves are closed. Notice how the water flows from the shower head. If it is clogged, soak it in vinegar or CLR chemical.
Next, inspect the water heater for signs of leaks at the base and in the water supply line to the top of the tank. Repair or replace as necessary. Next, inspect the washer’s water supply lines for leaks and repair as necessary. Next, check that the outside faucets / taps are working properly and that there are no leaks.
Step 2. Drains – Check and test all drains, including: sink drains, tub / shower drains, and washing machine drain. If you find a clogged or slow drain, repair with a plumber’s snake. Bathtubs, showers, and sinks are always clogged with hair and foreign objects like toothpaste caps.
Step 3. Toilets: I always rebuild all toilets with a fluidmaster toilet repair kit. I’ve been very lucky with the repair kit and they cost less than $ 25.00 each. Toilets are a widely used item and must be rebuilt with each vacancy. This will save you maintenance calls in the future.
Step 4. Appliances: The biggest problems with appliances are the dishwasher, garbage disposal, and stove burners.
Check the dishwasher by running it through its full cycle. Remove the bottom cover on the base and make sure there are no leaks while it is running. Repair any leaks.
Next, check the inside of the dishwasher and make sure it is draining properly at the end of the wash cycle.
If a motor dies in a dishwasher, it is more profitable to replace the dishwasher with a new one.
Next, test all burners on the stove to make sure they are working and heating up. If not, you will usually have to replace the burner element that is not working. Tenants generally destroy a burner element with excess fat / oil when they are cooking.
Next, test the oven and make sure it is heating up properly.
Refrigerators tend to accumulate a lot of dust around the condenser coils at the back of the refrigerator. A wet / dry vacuum works well to clean them.
Then clean the drain hole and the drip tray. The drain hole is often clogged with food particles. Consult your owner’s manual for the location of the drain hole and drip tray.
Garbage disposals: I always take them out of mid- to low-end homes because they cause excessive maintenance calls. Tenants think they can put anything in a garbage disposal. Wrong! Save yourself the headaches by eliminating them.
I also eliminate dishwashers in low-end homes for the same reasons and I should.
Step 5. Heating and Cooling – The HVAC system should be inspected and serviced once a year and the boiler filter should be replaced once a month.
By following this rental property repair and maintenance guide, you should see a reduction in calls from tenants. Giving you more free time to spend with your family.
