As a property manager, or if you are looking for property management jobs, it is important to understand the importance of scheduled property maintenance.  Most properties that you are over include several water heaters, furnaces, and other types of appliances that can be used on a daily basis.  These types of appliances and units need scheduled maintenance as they are used so often.

Furnaces need to be green stickered each year to make sure that they are running free of issues.  This usually involves hiring a furnace service company to go through all of the furnaces in the property.  This type of scheduled property maintenance will help to reduce the risk of fire or carbon monoxide poisoning.  Another appliance that need scheduled maintenance is water heaters.  The biggest reason these guys need attention is because calcium and mineral buildup can happen with the hardness of the water you run in the properties.  Blocked valves or pipes can lead to poor efficiency which will cost you much more in utility payments as the water heater will have to work over time in order to make the water hot.  It’s a good idea to drain these once a year to make sure that mineral deposits are flushed out of the lines.

Any natural gas appliance in the home should also be checked such as a gas stove or oven.  The last thing you want is for there to be a leak which could lead to an explosion or fire.  Having these appliances checked out will help you to feel better about keeping your job, and it also protects you in the event that something catastrophic happens.  As a property manager, it is very important to be able to know that you have done all that you can to keep your tenants and properties safe from potential hazards.  This protection is also a huge protection to the firm that employs you and can reduce the liability they face if something bad does end up happening.

Learn how much do property managers make

Learn how to drain a water heater here.

If you are searching for property management jobs, it is a very important to understand the tips to proper property maintenance.  As a property manager, you will be ultimately responsible for the property maintenance of the individual units, the complex, and the complex grounds of the properties that you will manage.  Maintenance is extremely important to property management firms as it can prevent future issues and ultimately save the firm a lot of money.

The case in point is that i knew of an individual that managed a property who never performed consistent drain cleaning duties in the washing room and laundry room.  What seemed as a harmless omission of duty ended up being a huge deal when during a large rain storm, the washing machines were unable to drain which caused some major flooding.  Because the wash rooms were on the middle level of the complex, water seeped through to the units directly below the wash room which caused thousands of dollars worth of damage.   This individual was fired because of this instance as there were clear guidelines set by the property firm about regular drain maintenance.

From this example you can see how important property maintenance is when becoming a property manager.  We will now discuss several tips which should be followed to ensure that you avoid some of these costly maintenance problems.

Tip:

1. Always follow the maintenance schedule given to you from the Property management firm.  This is your insurance policy, and if other things happen that are out of this scope of responsibilities, you are exempt from blame.  By following the guidelines set forth, you will be covering yourself in case of an issue.
2. Always log the dates when maintenance occurs.  This is also a safety technique that will help you cover your job in case of an issue.  If the firm can see that you have performed regular maintenance, they will clear you from the responsibility and give you the authority to deal with the necessary actions to repair it.
3. Going above and beyond the list given to you can’t hurt, as long as you keep within your maintenance budget.  Nothing sets a firm on fire more than a manager that spends a whole bunch of money on repairs that are not in the regular maintenance schedule.  If you do go above and beyond, make sure you do it sparingly, or report potential hazards to the firm first before taking action.

By following these tips, you will be a much better property manager and will be able to perform the property maintenance needed to keep a complex running smoothly.