Tenant calls received after hours are seldom a positive sign. If your phone calls after hours, there may be a maintenance issue with your rental home. What should you anticipate when that call finally does come? Having you ready? Here are some of the most typical maintenance issues that landlords deal with, along with advice on how to handle them. We are also sharing some useful tips on how you will be able to overcome the issues. All you have to do is to pay attention to them, and you will be able to stay away from problems that would come on your way.
Faulty heating and air conditioning
A poorly functioning heating or cooling system is a common maintenance problem for homeowners. No one wants to go without air conditioning, particularly in the sweltering summers. There is however a method they can assist you in looking for problems.
Changing the air filter is often the quickest cure for an HVAC system that isn’t working properly. At least twice yearly, but more often in areas with poor air quality, should be done. If replacing the filter doesn’t resolve the issue, it may be necessary to contact an HVAC professional. To make sure your HVAC systems are prepared for the coldest months of the year, we also advise scheduling routine spring and autumn maintenance.
In the middle of a Texas heat, an AC system that won’t cool is a true emergency. Call a professional right once if your Cc unit begins to malfunction. They may often visit your unit during the day to check on it and diagnose the issue. Additionally, think about signing up for a maintenance program with an HVAC business so they can repair your unit often. Then, perhaps, you’ll steer clear of an expensive shock if anything goes wrong.
Blown pilot light
The majority of older homes with gas heated water heaters have this problem. If your renter complains about a persistent shortage of hot water, you probably need to examine the pilot light, which is the gas flame that burns continually near the bottom of your tank.
This pilot light usually followed by a thermocouple, which is a heat-sensing device that cuts off of the supply of gas if it doesn’t detect a flame. To start, look for dirt accumulation around the thermocouple, since this may sometimes cause the mechanism to malfunction. The thermocouple may be changed or adjusted closer towards the flame if the pilot light keeps going out. Additionally, keep an eye out for any strong gusts near the heater since they may sometimes also blow out the pilot lights.
Burst Fuses
Blown fuses often affect tenants who are without electricity while the remainder of the neighborhood is still connected. Although overloading the circuits—plugging quite so many high-wattage devices into a single outlet at once—is generally the source of this, this may also be an indication of bad wiring.
Each unit must include a breaker box, which should be someplace in the interior. Verify that all of the switches inside are in the proper off or on position, depending on what region each one provides. Until the electricity is restored, try disconnecting more things, beginning with the recent additions. If none of them fixes the problem, you may have to hire a licensed electrician to check sure the wiring is in good condition.
Problems caused by pests
Pests may make homes in buildings. Even the cleanest houses and apartments sometimes have mice or roaches, so it doesn’t indicate that your renters are unclean. This happens more often, particularly in older structures or during seasons changes when bugs start to seek shelter from the weather. But your renters will never like their living circumstances.
We advise you to plan routine exterminations at least twice each month. To stop pests from just moving you the next apartment, be sure to treat every unit in the complex. In the long term, it will be less expensive for you to do this than to lose a renter who doesn’t want surprise roommates since it will help avoid greater infestations of unpleasant pests and rodents.
Clogged drains
Drains clog often as a result of the everyday materials that are flushed down them, but not every blockage necessitates hiring a plumber. Before contacting a professional, you and your renter may attempt a few simple repairs.
There are several commercial items that may be used to clean clogged pipes and drains, some of which are highly efficient. Hair may often be removed from shower blockages using a bent coat hanger. Frequently, running the trash disposals is all that is required to clear blocked kitchen sinks. Before you spend your money on a plumber, try a few of these solutions.
It may be easy to unclog a blocked drain. So, give Draino or similar liquid de-clogger a try first. If it still doesn’t clear the drain, you may either contact a plumber or try a toilet auger but use caution. It will be more difficult to deal with older pipelines. If you do it incorrectly, you might break through the wall or the toilet and cause a much greater issue.
Repairs to garage doors
To put it mildly, a broken garage door may be irritating. Especially in severe weather, you want to reliably bring your vehicle into the garage once you come home. So, if the garage door begins to malfunction, get in touch with a handyman or electrician to diagnose the problem.
Repairs to the toilet
If you don’t notice a running toilet right away, it might increase your water cost. Therefore, contact someone to repair the inside of your toilet if you notice running water rushing from it.
Call someone as soon as you see any leakage or discoloration at the base. Your flooring and subflooring will rapidly be destroyed by a leaking toilet.
Final words
These are the most common property maintenance problems and solutions available to them. Keep these in mind and work on your property maintenance activities accordingly. It will help you to manage and maintain property without any challenges at all.