When you’re looking at property maintenance, don’t forget to include major appliances in your property management plan. Placing quality appliances in your Buford rental properties will surely draw renters while presenting as a considerable future expense. When appliances are not properly maintained, they may fail faster and require replacement more frequently.
There are some simple points that landlords and tenants can use to keep your appliances working for a longer period of time in your rental homes. By adopting a few simple precautionary habits, you can be certain that each appliance lives up to its full potential. Believe it or not, the first task of keeping an appliance running is to read the appliance’s manual. A good landlord will provide a copy of all appliance manuals and encourage their tenants to read them.
Basic maintenance improves the longevity of individual appliances by a whole lot. For example, refrigerators need their gaskets and coils cleaned on a regular basis. The gaskets are the plastic strip that forms the seal around the refrigerator door. A few times a year, wipe down the gaskets; this prevents gapping. It’s also extremely simple to clean the coils; find the cover and remove it and then vacuum or use a soft bristle brush. If the refrigerator you own is the type that has filters built-in, then make sure to schedule when to change these for your renters. This would ensure that it gets done properly and on a regular basis.
Dishwashers also need to be periodically checked and the gasket cleaned with soap and water. It’s easy to do it and does a lot to help the appliance stay watertight. Check the filter regularly and remove any debris. You should also make sure your dishwasher is level with the floor. An unbalanced dishwasher would shake and the vibrations could damage both the machines and dishes. On top of maintenance for the mechanical aspects, you can also extend your dishwasher’s lifespan by running a hot water cycle with vinegar or a dishwasher cleaner every few months.
When dealing with washers and dryers, the proper use does a great deal to maintain the condition of your units. The most common cause for failures and poor performance is overloading the machines. Loads that go above the machine’s limit strains the motor, belts, and transmission, leading to rapid wear and tear. Request your tenants to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations about load size. Additionally, you should regularly check the dryer vents and have them cleaned to avoid buildup. When lint and debris build up in the external vent, it can lead to motor or thermostat failure – not to mention being a serious fire hazard. We recommend double-checking the vents each time you replace the filters.
Although these tasks to maintain your appliances are really simple, they still require you to set aside time and energy. Encouraging renters to help with the tasks is the first step, but checking to see if they’ve completed the tasks can be quite the challenge. Save yourself some time and money by getting the experts at Real Property Management Executives Greater Atlanta. We offer large appliance care as part of our regular property evaluations and maintenance services, reducing your expenses by lengthening the lifespan of all major appliances in the home. To know more about what we can do for you, please contact us online or give us a ring at 678-504-8580.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
