Duplexes, townhouses, and apartment complexes are all popular examples of multi-family homes you can find around the world. They’re incredibly common but can be quite challenging to maintain.
On top of that, landlords and property managers often have their hands full and must dedicate plenty of attention to staying on top of all the maintenance requests. It is yet another factor that makes this task more demanding than usual.
While it’s relatively easy to plan for the landscaping or a weekly cleaning schedule, some issues seem to come out of nowhere and can take even the most seasoned manager by surprise. Luckily, you can create a preventative plan that will help you stay organized and make maintaining your multi-family home much more manageable.
Here’s everything you should keep in mind when putting together your own maintenance checklist.
What Is Preventative Maintenance?
If you’re new to the real estate world, you might wonder what “preventative maintenance” means. In general, it can be defined as a task that includes taking care of all the regular repairs and inspections needed to keep a property functioning properly.
For instance, people living in a multi-family home won’t be satisfied with the place they’re paying for if the outside is filled with junk or the roof is leaky.
Undoubtedly, it’s all self-explanatory. But landlords and property managers are often busy people who may find it hard to maintain every aspect of a multi-family building due to the abundance of various responsibilities.
The ultimate goal of preventative maintenance is to prevent system failures or damages that can be expensive or make it impossible for tenants to keep living in the building. After all, it’s no secret that the earlier you spot the problem, the better you will be able to address it and reduce the risk of accidents.
What Should Your Preventative Maintenance Checklist Include?
To create a schedule that will be both efficient and easy to keep track of, you should start by putting together a checklist of all the maintenance tasks you usually tend to do. It’s also a good idea to provide extra details, such as how long different tasks take to complete and how often you have to take care of them.
Since every multi-property family is different, as is every landlord and property manager, there’s no universal checklist that everyone can use. Luckily, you can grab a pen along with a piece of paper or open an Excel or Word document and focus on specific maintenance categories.
These should include the following:
Roofs and Gutters
It is essential to regularly inspect the roofs of buildings for any potential damage, for instance, caused by harsh weather conditions. You or the professionals you hire should check the shingles and other roofing materials for even the smallest signs of damage.
Additionally, it is crucial to keep gutters clear and clean to prevent water from accumulating near the property. Remember to check all ceilings and drywall for any cracks and make repairs as necessary to prevent them from getting worse.
Leaks and Water Damage
Leaks and water damage can be significant concerns for multi-family homes.
Sometimes, even small leaks can quickly cause serious damage to buildings. Therefore, when inspecting the property, stay vigilant and check for any signs of water leaks, such as drips and puddles.
On top of that, check fixtures such as bathroom faucets and toilets to ensure they are functioning properly and don’t have any leaks. It’s also a good idea to check the ceiling and walls for signs of water damage.
Pests
At least once a year, examining all buildings for potential pest issues is essential. Pest problems can quickly become severe if ignored, and your tenants certainly won’t be happy if rats, cockroaches, or raccoons start showing on their doorstep.
Remember to take steps to prevent tenants from experiencing issues, such as insects or rodents invading their living spaces. If need be, call for pest control to eliminate the problem once and for all.
HVAC Systems and Water Heaters
Preventative maintenance will make it easier to prevent or at least significantly limit issues with HVAC systems and water heaters in multi-family buildings. Performing regular repairs and ensuring that everything works appropriately will boost their performance and extend their lifetime.
Even the simplest tasks, such as changing the air filters regularly or flushing water heaters to get rid of sediment, can work wonders.
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
It goes without saying how important it is to ensure that all the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in the building you’re managing are functioning. That’s why you should test all the devices and check their batteries at least once a year and if any of them seem to be malfunctioning, replace them immediately.
In Conclusion
As you can see, effective preventative maintenance involves several sizable tasks. Still, you can break these into smaller chunks to make them more manageable.
Scheduling is key to success, so don’t wait up any longer. Grab a piece of paper or create your own document to keep track of everything that requires your attention, and soon you’ll have the perfect checklist in hand.
Of course, remember that over time, you may need to do extra tasks or perform them more frequently. Stay patient and flexible, and you should have no trouble ensuring that your property stays in tip-top shape!
