4 Maintenance Tips That Save Money - Park City Property Management
Maintenance is a necessity of any Park City property management operation. One type of maintenance that can sometimes be neglected is preventative maintenance. Simple kinds of preventative maintenance or checks can eliminate some costly repairs and save you a lot of money down the road. This is a great landlord help for Park City property management. Today I would like to cover 4 types of preventative maintenance or checks that are very easy to do but if neglected can cause serious problems.
1. Dryer Vents
Many people don't give a second thought to the dryer vent. You stick your clothes in the dryer, turn the machine on and in a little while you've got some nice warm, dry clothes. Dryers can build up a significant amount of heat and a clear vent is necessary to keep the heat at a safe level. Vents can become clogged over time by lint build up, reducing the ability of the dryer to actually dry clothes. This puts a strain on the dryer, causes drying times to double or more, and can become a fire hazard. Sometimes birds or other small animals can build nests in dryer vents. In fact I've even seen a bird build a nest inside the dryer, right on the motor! Adding a cage to the outside of a dryer vent is a great idea for Park City property management.
2. Water Leaks
I have seen a small water leak from the back of a dishwasher that went unnoticed for a time and caused over $8,000 in damage. Take the time to inspect all the plumbing fixtures and components in your property. Check under sinks and look for any staining or warping of the cabinets. Run all the fixtures and put water through all the drains to see if anything shows up. You should also check around the bottom of the hot water heater if it is getting close to replacement time. Depending on your water hardness and mineral content you may only get 10 years before your hot water heater develops a leak. Run the washing machine and dishwasher through a quick wash and drain while checking for leaks under the dishwasher and behind the washing machine. Simple checks like these can catch a leak before it can cause significant damage to your long term rentals in Park City.
3. Air Filters
Of course everyone understands that an air filter helps pull dust, pollen, dander, etc. from the air of a home. This keeps the air clean and fresh, cuts down on allergens and odors. But what many people don't know is that a free-flowing air filter greatly increases the efficiency and service life of furnaces and air conditioners. Clogged air filters reduce the amount of air flow which reduces the system's ability to heat and cool the property. For heaters and clogged air filter creates additional heat in blower motors and heat is the enemy of electric motors, reducing service life and causing premature failure. For an air conditioner the reduced air flow can cause coils to freeze up, particularly at elevations that are commonly seen in Park City property management.
4. Smoke Detectors
Perhaps the most obvious but often overlooked item is testing smoke detectors and replacing batteries. All it takes is a simple push of the test button to make sure the unit will still alarm. Changing the batteries regularly will also ensure you have a working detector should a fire ever happen. If you would like a little more information about fire prevention you can check out my blog post "Fire Safety For Apartments - Park City Property Management".
If you would like more information about preventative maintenance, or further information about Park City property management in general click the link below for a free consultation. You will receive valuable information specific to your property that will help you make an informed decision. You will also receive a free, no-obligation quote on our property management services. At CC Realty we specialize in making investment property ownership a trouble free experience. Please contact us today for your free consultation.
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