When you own a property, repairs are inevitable. Here are the five most common repairs you’ll need to perform for tenants:
Whether it’s a leak under the kitchen sink, in the bathroom, or out in a pump house, leaky pipes are common. Many leaks are caused by ill-fitting pipes and broken joints, but sometimes unintentional damage can be the cause. Other causes include:
Broken seals
When pipes are installed, all the connectors get wrapped in seals to prevent leakage. Over time, these seals wear out, and water can start to leak. Seals are easy to repair, and you may not even need to call a plumber. However, if you haven’t performed a specific repair before, it’s wise to call a professional plumber.
Clogged lines that burst
Some clogs can cause pipes to burst. Hopefully, you never need to deal with this kind of clog. You’ll definitely need to call a plumber, and it won’t be cheap.
Corrosion
Over time, rust can eat away at your pipes, and so can household drain cleaners. It’s wise to ban tenants from using drain cleaners and show them how to use a simple drain auger instead. You can buy cheap plastic augers for a few bucks, and it’s worth giving them to your tenants when they move in.
Too much water pressure
Water pressure is nice to have in the shower, but too much pressure can put a strain on your pipes and cause a leak. Have a professional contractor measure the water pressure to put your mind at ease about this one.
Frozen water expanding and contracting
Most pipes can withstand a few cycles of expansion and contraction from frozen water, but it’s not something you should bank on. If your property is located in an area where freezing temperatures are standard, make sure your tenants know to drip the faucets at night when temperatures drop below 32 degrees.
Dishwashers, refrigerators, and stoves will start breaking down at some point. Some issues are easy fixes like replacing a burned-out lightbulb or replacing the heating element. However, other repairs will require a qualified repair technician. You can expect to pay $100 per hour for these services, but the good news is most repairs can be done in under an hour.
If you need to buy a new appliance, buy it used. Just be sure to document the cause of the service call because if the tenant caused the damage, they’ll need to pay for the replacement appliance. For example, some people use sharp objects (like an ice pick) to defrost the freezer and end up breaking through the body of the unit and causing irreparable damage.
Roofs can leak for a variety of reasons. However, regardless of the source, leaks should be repaired immediately to prevent further damage. If you let a leak go too long, you’ll end up with problems like mold, rotted framing, and damaged ceilings.
Fixing a leaky roof is an involved process that should be done by a professional.
Finding the cause of a leaky roof is the tough part. Leaks can be caused by:
Dealing with a pest infestation is one of the most frustrating things you’ll need to handle as a landlord. If your property is a single family home, it’s easier to tell if the problem was created by your tenant. However, with a multi-family apartment complex, it’s difficult to identify the source since bugs travel easily through walls.
Whether it’s ants, rodents, bed bugs, termites, cockroaches, or wasps, you need a plan to handle these calls immediately. Some landlords pass the responsibility of pest control to the tenant in the lease that takes effect a few weeks after the tenants move in. Once you have to field several of these calls, you’ll want to do the same.
Garbage disposals are one of the best kitchen tools, yet are so often abused. A well-treated garbage disposal shouldn’t break often, but tenants manage to find ways to break them anyway. Some people think a garbage disposal can handle anything you give it.
Hopefully, your garbage disposal calls will be simple burned out motors or stuck blades. If you have to deal with repairs more than once, you’ll be better off ripping it out completely.
Handling repairs is a full-time job. If you’re tired of dealing with even the simplest repairs, contact Green Residential and find out how we can help.
We’ve got decades of experience managing properties for landlords who have better things to do than field repair calls at 3 am. We’ve teamed up with local contractors who are experts in their industries. Our relationship with these contractors ensures we get the best repair rates to save you money. Contact us today for a free analysis and see how we can help.
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