Hi this is Tanya with Envy Property Management, while performing routine rental property maintenance is one of the least pleasant parts about being a landlord, it’s something you should never avoid. Deferred maintenance on a rental property will eventually catch up to you and the last thing a landlord wants to be doing is spending thousands of dollars catching up on the things that should’ve been taken care of long before they became an emergency.
Neglecting these unpleasant tasks can end up costing you more in the long run. According to the personal finance blog Get Rich Slowly, for every $1 that is spent on maintenance, up to $100 of repairs are avoided. With this in mind, I want to go over 6 money-saving tasks you must complete on your rental property in order to avoid becoming the “ugly rental” of the neighborhood.
1. Inspect and Repair Your Roof
While having your roof inspected can be one of those dreadful things you’d rather wait to have done, this is one task that's definitely worth doing to avoid costly repairs down the line. If you wait to inspect your roof until a problem comes up, you will most likely spend much more money getting that problem fixed as opposed to if you’d been able to catch it quicker.
Taking the time to thoroughly inspect your roof allows landlords to proactively detect potential issues in time to take action. Repairing minor damage before it becomes a bigger problem can be a quick, inexpensive fix.
2. Trim Trees
As beautiful as trees can be if they aren’t properly maintained they can cause a significant amount of damage to a home. Faulty tree limbs can have damaging effects, especially if there are high winds or a storm, which are very common in Utah. Last year alone we had 2 major wind storms that caused serious damage to several of our rental properties. You also want to look for trees that are growing close to the home and into the roofline. With the proper tools, you can remove twigs and branches that are growing too close to the home or that don’t look completely stable. Most importantly, be safe. If you have tall trees in your yard, consider hiring a professional tree-trimmer to take care of those higher-up areas.
Another important thing to consider with trees is the damage they can do underground. Large tree roots can grow into plumbing, pipes, and foundations. Be smart about tree maintenance and never try to postpone the upkeep of your trees.
3. Paint Exposed Wood
If your investment property has any wood surfaces on the exterior, including decks, railings, and porches, it’s always, always crucial to ensure any exposed wood is painted at all times. Wood will last a very long time but once that wood is exposed, it will significantly start to deteriorate. Paint will help protect the wood from the outdoor ailments and keep it looking good as well.
4. Clean Gutters
Cleaning rain gutters is a highly dreaded task, however, keeping up on this responsibility could also end up being a big money-saver. Leaves and debris can quickly build up in household gutter lines, leading to water damage to your drywall and molding around the home. Use a tall ladder to access those tough-to-reach areas in your gutters and using a pair of gloves, clear out any visible debris. Gutter guards can also be a great investment because once they are installed, it alleviates the need to clean your gutters as often.
5. Change Out the Air Filter
According to a Hippo survey, 8.2% of homeowners dread having their HVAC system serviced. To avoid needing to get your system fully serviced, homeowners should change out the filter regularly. A dirty air filter will turn a light brown color, and if not changed regularly, it can lead to health concerns. Here at Envy Property Management, we recommend changing out your air filter at least once every 3 months. In the “fire season,” we recommend changing it out monthly. This will help to maintain a functional heating and cooling system that keeps the air clean.
Here at Envy Property Management, we have all our tenants set up on a quarterly air filter subscription. Every 3 months our tenants are automatically mailed a new air filter to change out. The filter is also dated so that when we go in to do our periodic inspections, we can ensure the air filter has indeed been changed out accordingly and is in good condition.
6. Check Fire Extinguishers and Smoke Detectors
Not only can a house fire cause major damage, but you as a landlord are at extreme risk when you don’t have fully operating fire extinguishers and smoke detectors in your rental property. Which is why this task is so important to keep up with. Not only that, but you have to always remember, you have human beings living in your rental property. You as a landlord must be compliant in keeping your property as safe as possible for these people living in your home.
Making sure you have protection against household fires starts with functioning smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. The cost to install these items far outweighs the risk in not having them at all.
That’s it for today’s video on 6 money-saving rental property maintenance tasks you must do. If you want help choosing a Northern Utah property management company with years of experience, please contact us at Envy Property Management. We are a wealth of information when it comes to professional property management of your investment. You can always ask us for valuable tips and extra resources to make the choice simple and painless. Give us a call today at, 801-337-4337, or visit our website at envypm.com where you can easily view our three-tiered pricing plan, so you can choose the package that best fits you and your needs.
