Do you see any value in preventive maintenance?
Many property investors argue that rental properties aren’t trucks or cars. You conduct repairs and maintenance when there are clear signs that intervention is necessary, right?
Actually, as a landlord, you should focus on preventive maintenance. This is an often overlooked aspect of property management that deserves much more attention. That’s because prevention is the key to reducing long-term expenses.
Here are some of the top benefits of preventive maintenance:
- Reduced risk of expensive emergency repairs
- Lower utility bills
- Extended lifetime of electrical, HVAC, and plumbing systems
- Less costly upkeep because issues get solved before turning more serious
Now we are going to look at practical ways you can conduct preventive maintenance in your rental property. This time, our main focus is on your rental property’s roofing. Follow these suggestions to take good care of your property investment.
What are the preventive maintenance measures for roofing?
#1: Check the sealant
Regularly check your roofing for sealant failures. Most often, you can spot this type of trouble near perimeter flashings or penetrations. There might be crazing, cracking, or even the formation of openings.
While you check the sealant situation, see if there are any caulking problems as well. Keep in mind that sealant deteriorates with time. The need for sealant repairs is common.
#2: Clear all debris
Removal of debris is important to keep your roofing healthy. This calls for the removal of dirt, twigs, leaves, and anything else stuck on the roof. All of these materials pose a hazard because they can easily retain rainwater and moisture.
When the debris isn’t regularly cleared, the high localized moisture levels are likely to cause serious roof damage. Additionally, this humidity creates favorable conditions for mold, mildew, and algae.
Another thing to consider is that debris can clog your property’s gutter system. When sticks and leaves block the gutters, water is likely to back up and create issues on the roof surface.
#3: Examine roof penetrations
Any components protruding through the roof surface are known as penetrations. These roofing components are prone to leaks. Pay close attention to the status of the rain collars, conduits, pipe boots, and vent stacks. The same goes for any parts of the HVAC unit on your roof.
When you spot leaks or damage to roof penetrations, you should seek immediate professional intervention. Otherwise, these leaks could lead to greater roofing damage down the road.
#4: Inspect roof anchors
Anchor points are created to protect people against falling from the roof. These are critical safety components of a roof, which means you should get these annually inspected.
#5: Seal suspect areas
Did you find any points of deterioration that haven’t caused a leak yet? The best course of action is fixing these tiny defects as soon as possible. There is no point in waiting it out and repairing the roof once these weak spots have caused an actual leak.
Sealing minor faulty areas will create long-term savings. Full-blown leaks are likely to result in additional property damage. Plus, repairing a major roofing leak will cost you more in terms of work hours and materials.
#6: Scrutinize the roof surface
A visual inspection of your rental property’s roofing goes a long way. Many common issues can be spotted just by taking a good look at the roof system’s current situation.
Here are the main things you should keep an eye out for:
- Are there deformed edges or missing tabs on a sloped roof?
- Any blisters or fish mouths?
- Is there any gravel missing from a built-up roof?
- Can you spot holes or cracks on a single-ply roof?
- Have the felts been exposed?
- Do the roof seams and transitions have holes or cracks?
- What is the condition of the coating?
And here are some other preventive maintenance tasks besides roofing:
- Exterminate pests after the first sighting
- Maintain the bathrooms regularly
- Check on the electrical component to ensure safety
- Establish a regular cleaning schedule
- Get the water heater annually serviced
In a nutshell: Preventive Maintenance in Property Management
Preventive maintenance is an important ingredient in the recipe for successful property management. While it’s often overlooked, you’ll save time and money when conducting preventive maintenance tasks.
Roofing is one of the crucial areas that will greatly benefit from preventive upkeep. The costs of fixing smaller issues pale in comparison to extensive repairs of fundamental roofing damage.
Here are the top suggestions for roofing preventive maintenance:
- Examine roof penetrations
- Immediately fix minor deterioration
- Check the status of roof sealant
- Inspect the roof anchors for safety
- Clear all the debris from the roof
- Conduct a visual inspection of the roof surface