The Calm Before The Storm
It’s a quiet day. Nothing seems to be wrong. No phone calls from tenants. No outstanding repairs to be done. Suddenly, you get a call, and you find out one of your tenant’s bathrooms is full of mold and their tiles and drywall need to be replaced! Why didn’t the tenant contact you back when the problem was easily fixable?

Often, these large, expensive repairs seem to come out of nowhere. But the problem was developing and getting worse at the same time you thought nothing was wrong. As a property owner, it is costly to undertake large projects. Relying on your tenants to alert you to incipient problems can be risky. Plus, many small problems are hard to notice until they’ve become major issues.

Prevent Problems Now
Preventive maintenance is the best way to address these issues while they are quick and cheap to fix, before they become huge undertakings. Here are a few important aspects of your properties that can be monitored and maintained to help avoid expensive repairs down the line.

Tend To The Outdoors
Trees and other large plants on your properties should be maintained and cut away from electrical wires and buildings well in advance of them becoming a risk. Tree damage can be expensive compared to the cost of hiring landscapers to keep them under control.

Beware The Bathroom
Bathroom maintenance is a must for property managers. Check caulking often in bathtubs, toilets, and sinks, as any small defect can lead to major water damage. This is one of the easiest ways to save money and realize the advantage of preventative maintenance. Spending a few dollars on new caulking is clearly better than finding out your tenant’s bathroom floor is about to collapse due to rot.

Up On The Rooftop
Hiring someone to get onto your roofs and check for water damage, missing shingles, or excessive mold is an easy way to prevent major future repairs. Sometimes, there are no units directly below the roofline, so damage can be building up without being noticed. While up there, check the gutters for build up. Preventing water damage to your building is critical for saving on lifetime maintenance and repair costs.

Proactivity Is Key
Even when things seem to be running smoothly, be sure to keep on top of your properties and be diligent about preventive maintenance. Stay proactive in checking plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling units, and overall structural integrity. Continually double-check the status of the building, before a minor issue becomes a complex, expensive problem. Preventive maintenance can seem like an annoyance, but the time and money it saves in the long-run is well worth the effort.

From: https://www.appfolio.com