A rental property preventative maintenance plan is an important part of every landlord’s rental real estate investing strategy. Taking steps to head off major repair expenses by performing preventative maintenance is key to protecting your rental homes in North Carolina and for growing your bottom line. Two semi-annual rental property maintenance items which should be on every landlord’s to-do list are backflow valve testing and HVAC checkups. Let’s take a brief look at the two below.
Semi-annual HVAC Maintenance Checkup for Your Rental Properties
The second item on your twice-yearly North Carolina rental property maintenance to-do list is to have a heating and cooling technician give your HVAC unit a checkup. An air conditioning unit tune-up in spring will prepare your unit for the hot, humid days of summer. Also, by checking your rental property’s HVAC furnace system in October, you will help ensure your tenants have adequate heat in the cold days and nights of winter.
There are two major benefits of this semi-annual preventative maintenance checkups. First, you will save money by not waiting to schedule an appointment during the peak seasons of summer and winter. Secondly, this HVAC service check could potentially identify any minor repair issues before they turn into major repair expenses.
What Does a Semiannual HVAC Service Checkup Involve?
What tests and inspections will a certified HVAC technician perform to ensure your unit is working properly? It is important that landlords ask for specifics from the Heating and Air Conditioning company they are hiring to perform the semiannual checks. You can, however, expect the technician to do the following during the semiannual checkup:
- Test and calibrate the thermostat
- Perform a visual inspection to look for signs of rust, corrosion, etc.
- Check all electrical systems and components
- Test for proper startup, cycling and shut down
- Measure airflow for optimum performance
- Check evaporator coil and condensate drain
- Clean and Check the Heat Exchanger
- Check, Clean and/or Replace filters
- More…
Successful landlords understand the importance of investing in preventative maintenance. Spending money on semi-annual rental property maintenance items like backflow preventer valve testing and HVAC checkups is a smart way to avoid unexpected, expensive repair expenses that harm your bottom line.
What is Backflow and Backflow Prevention
Are you familiar with the term “backflow” and why backflow prevention is important to rental property owners and tenants? Many landlords who own North Carolina rental homes may have never heard of backflow and do not understand the importance of testing and certifying backflow preventer valves twice a year.
Simply put, backflow is the reverse flow of dirty water through the clean water lines, most often from irrigation systems. This unintentional reversal of water is a significant health hazard as it can contaminate drinking water with chemicals, feces, pesticides and other pollutants. Backflow prevention is necessary to protect the drinking water and health of your tenants and their neighbors.
Backflow preventer valves are what will prevent the reverse flow of dirty water into the potable (clean) water supply. These backflow prevention devices block this backflow of dirty water when there is an unexpected or drastic change in water pressure. Even when these backflow valves are installed correctly, they should be tested regularly to ensure they continue to work properly. Most municipalities require backflow preventer valves to be registered, tested regularly and certified as functional every year.
What Does Backflow Preventer Valve Testing Involve?
Backflow testing is critical to ensure healthy drinking water in your rental home and in homes surrounding your rental property. In most cities, testing backflow preventers are required to keep a property in compliance with the local code. The service provider must be certified to inspect backflow preventer valves. Red Door Company works with qualified vendors who service backflow preventer valves in the spring and fall and test the valves annually, making repairs when necessary and certifying to the city that the valve is working.
If you have questions about how to set up a maintenance plan for your rental properties in Raleigh, Durham or Chapel Hill, contact the property management company experts at Red Door Company and we’ll gladly answer your questions and share how we can help you protect your rental real estate investments and grow your bottom line.
