A Landlord's Guide to Proactive Property Maintenance

Are you the type of landlord who thinks property maintenance means fixing things when they break? Seems logical enough, but we're here to tell you, with years of first-hand experience behind us, that this method will cost you way more money and stress than necessary.

Being proactive about maintenance is absolutely essential if you want to keep your sanity and profits intact.

Why reactive maintenance will drain your bank account

It's 2 AM on Christmas morning, and your tenant calls because the water heater just exploded, flooding their apartment. Now, you are paying emergency rates for a plumber and dealing with water damage, potential mould issues, and a cold Christmas lunch.

That emergency water heater replacement that costs $3,000 at midnight could have been prevented with a $150 annual flush and inspection. Reactive maintenance costs a lot more than preventive care. The emergency repair costs are one thing, but the collateral damage that comes with it is an unnecessary cost that can be avoided.

Building your DIY maintenance approach

There are plenty of maintenance tasks you can handle yourself. These are the low-hanging fruit that can save you hundreds of dollars and prevent bigger headaches.

The beauty of DIY maintenance isn't just the money you save; it's the intimate knowledge you gain about your properties. You start noticing patterns and potential issues before they become real problems. We've broken it down into seasons to help make it easier:

Spring

This is when you should be checking gutters for winter debris, looking for roof damage from those brutal winter storms, and testing all the outdoor faucets to make sure nothing froze and cracked. Inside, replace HVAC filters, test smoke detectors, and re-caulk around tubs and showers where you see any gaps.

Summer

Clean refrigerator coils (you'd be amazed how much dust builds up back there and makes your appliances work harder). Check for pest entry points around the foundation and make sure deck railings are still solid.

Autumn

Get serious about winterisation. Clean gutters one final time after the leaves fall, and check all the weather stripping around windows and doors. Spending an afternoon sealing drafts will save your tenants money on heating bills, which makes them much happier.

Winter

Make sure walkways stay clear, and check basements for any signs of leaks.

When to call the Good Maintenance pros

There are some things you absolutely should not attempt yourself, no matter how confident you feel or how many YouTube videos you've watched.

Anything electrical beyond changing a lightbulb needs a licensed electrician. Major plumbing work, especially anything involving gas lines, is strictly professional territory. The same goes for your HVAC system.

Those annual tune-ups might seem expensive, but they're preventing thousands in replacement costs and keeping everyone safe from carbon monoxide issues.

Roofing work is another area where the risk of injury is too high, and most people don't have the right equipment or expertise to ensure repairs will actually hold up.

Setting up annual professional inspections

Do you have a regular HVAC check for both the heating and cooling systems? Do you have an electrician perform a safety check every couple of years, or a plumber inspect the major systems annually?

These things prevent problems. It's as simple as that. One of our HVAC technicians can spot a part that's wearing out before it fails completely, and our electricians can identify potential fire hazards. Professionals, like the team at Good Maintenance, can catch the small stuff that saves you from the big disasters.

Plus, when you have documented professional maintenance records, it's gold when dealing with warranty claims, insurance issues, or even selling the property. It shows you've been a responsible owner who took care of the asset.

Call Good Maintenance today

When you treat maintenance like any other business expense (because that's exactly what it is), you keep ahead of problems. Your tenants can be your best early warning system, too. When they trust that you'll respond quickly to their reports, they're more likely to mention that dripping faucet before it becomes a flood.

Building that relationship starts with showing them you're proactive about maintaining their home, and the expert team at Good Maintenance is here to make this a smooth process. Give us a call today!