On the issue of property maintenance, major appliances must be part of your property management plan. Placing quality appliances in your Hampton 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 simple tips that landlords and tenants can use to prolong the life of the appliances in your rental homes. By adopting a few simple precautionary habits, you can be certain that each appliance lives up to its full potential. The first step to keeping an appliance running is something so easy but often neglected– reading the appliance’s manual. A good landlord will provide a copy of all appliance manuals and encourage their tenants to read them.
For individual appliances, basic maintenance can do a lot to improve their longevity. To illustrate, 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 your refrigerator is the model that comes with filters, then setting up a schedule to change them for your renters would ensure that the task gets done properly and regularly.
Dishwashers also need to be looked at from time to time and it’s a simple process to clean the gasket with soap and water. This simple thing helps 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 vibrate and those vibrations may harm the appliance as well as your dishes. On top of servicing the mechanical aspects of the appliance, you can also run a hot water cycle using vinegar or a dishwasher cleaner every few months. This will lengthen your dishwasher’s lifespan.
To keep your washers and dryers well-maintained, proper use goes a long way. The most common cause for failures and poor performance is overloading the machines. Loads that are beyond the limit of the machine put unnecessary stress on the motor, belts, and transmission, leading to rapid wear and tear. Advise your tenants to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations about load size. Together with that, you should look at the dryer vents to see if it needs to be cleaned; you have to do this regularly to avoid buildup. When the external vent builds up lint and debris, it can lead to motor or thermostat failure, and even be a serious fire hazard. We recommend double checking the vents each time you replace the filters.
These maintenance tasks may be very simple, but they add up and would require considerable time and effort. Telling renters to help is where you can start, but the problem is making sure that they actually do them. Why not save time, energy, and money by turning to the professionals at Real Property Management Seacoast New Hampshire? We perform regular property evaluations and maintenance services. The scope of the service includes large appliance care, which saves you money by extending 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 603-343-2202.
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