Guest Blog: Between Residents: 5 Things You Should Check

By Mike Wilson, General Manager, Blue Sky Plumbing & Heating

Although it’s tempting to just give the place a quick spit-and-polish before turning it over, after residents leave is a great time to get some preventive maintenance done on your rental property. There’ll be no need to work around the residents’ schedules, no need to move their stuff out of the way, and since the property has been all cleaned out, there’s going to be less unpleasantness, especially in the bathroom, which is a great place to start.

Inspect the bathrooms

Check the tile, grout and caulk in the bathroom. Any water leaking from the shower can penetrate behind the wall and lead to major damage over time. Right now, fixing the grout and touching up the caulking is a cheap repair.

Turn the water on and check the fixtures to make sure they are working properly. Leaky faucets can be nuisances, but they’re fairly easy to fix. When the previous residents left, they might have worked hard to squeeze the faucets shut to stop marginal leaks out of fear that they might be charged, so go around and turn all the water faucets on and off. Turn on the tub valve to ensure the showerhead is still performing well and if it’s a tub and shower combo, engage the diverter. If the head is not flowing well or spitting water out of the tub area, it may be time to replace the showerhead due to hard water deposits, or give it a soak in a scale removal solution. This can prevent the new residents from calling you for service later.

Read the entire blog here.