When you’re looking at property maintenance, don’t forget to include major appliances in your property management plan. Quality appliances in your San Gabriel rental properties appeal to renters while also presenting as a notable 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 applying a few simple precautions, you can be confident that each appliance lives up to its full potential. Believe it or not, the first step to keeping an appliance running is reading the appliance’s manual. A good landlord will provide a copy of all appliance manuals and encourage their tenants to read them.
Basic maintenance goes a long way toward improving the longevity of individual appliances. For instance, 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. Wipe down the gaskets a few times a year to prevent gapping. Cleaning the coils is also straightforward; just remove the cover and vacuum or use a soft bristle brush. If your refrigerator has filters built-in, it would be helpful to create a schedule to replace these for your renters. This would ensure that it actually 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 maintaining the mechanical aspects, you can also lengthen 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. Overloading the machines is the most common mistake people make and it leads to breakdowns and poor performance. Loads that exceed the machine’s capacity places extreme strain on the motor, belts, and transmission, leading to rapid wear and tear. Ask 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 the external vent starts gathering lint and debris, it can lead to motor or thermostat failure, and make itself a serious fire hazard. We recommend double checking the vents each time you replace the filters.
Although these maintenance tasks are really easy and simple to do, they still require both time and effort. Asking renters for their help is an essential first step, but making sure that they actually perform the tasks can be tough. Save yourself some time and money by getting the experts at Real Property Management Fairmate. 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. Please contact us online or call us at 626-691-9749 to learn more.
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