On the subject of property maintenance, your property management plan should include major appliances. Quality appliances will attract renters to your Ocala rental properties while presenting as a substantial future expense. When appliances are not properly maintained, they may fail faster and require replacement more frequently.
There are some suggestions landlords and tenants can take to make your appliances last longer in your rental homes. By exercising some simple precautions, you can guarantee that each appliance lives up to its full potential. To keep an appliance running, the first thing you should do is read the appliance’s manual; it may sound obviously simple but the truth is that it is often neglected. 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. Case in point, 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. To prevent gapping, take time to wipe down the gaskets a few times a year. It’s also quite easy to clean the coils; open the cover and vacuum or use a soft bristle brush. If the refrigerator you have comes with filters, you can ensure that the filters get replaced properly and regularly for your renters by setting up a schedule for it.
Dishwashers also need to be given some attention regularly and it’s not difficult to clean the gasket with soap and water, yet this simple task helps make sure that this appliance stays watertight. Check the filter regularly and remove any debris. You should also make sure your dishwasher is level with the floor. The vibrations caused by an unbalanced dishwasher could harm the machine and your dishes. In addition to making sure the mechanical aspects are dealt with, you can also increase your dishwasher’s lifespan by running a hot water cycle with vinegar or a dishwasher cleaner every few months.
On the topic of washers and dryers, proper use helps a great deal to maintain the quality of the units. Overloading the machines is one of the usual mistakes people make and this causes machine failure and sub-standard performance. Loads that are too big places excessive strain on the motor, belts, and transmission, leading to rapid wear and tear. Urge your tenants to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations about load size. Along with that, you have to check the dryer vents and clean them periodically 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.
These maintenance duties may be simple but they still take time and energy to do. 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. Why not save yourself some time and expenses by calling on the experts at Real Property Management Diversified? One of the things we offer is regular property evaluations and maintenance services; this includes large appliance care. By extending the lifespan of all the major appliances you end up saving a lot of money. Feel free to contact us online or by phone at 352-854-2221. We’ll be glad to answer any of your questions.
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