As a rental property owner looking to keep your tenants happy and maintain your investment, air duct cleaning should be near the top of your to-do list.
Property maintenance is easy when you know what you’re doing. Neglect it and you’re in for headaches. Service it regularly and you can sleep well at night knowing your tenants will be happy, and your costs will be low.
Let’s take a closer look…
Over one-third of landlords ranked property maintenance & repairs as one of their top concerns this year. With inflation impacting everyone, that trend will only continue as yearly maintenance gets more expensive.
Today we’re diving into exactly why preventive maintenance is so important. I’m also sharing how you can drastically cut your maintenance costs while keeping your tenants happier than ever before.
You’ll learn:
- Why Indoor Air Quality Is A BIG DEAL
- The MOST Important Tasks To Include
- How To Cut Maintenance Costs By HALF
- How To Build a Sustainable Maintenance System
Why Air Duct Cleaning is Important for Rental Properties
When it comes to rental property maintenance, most landlords spend their time fixing leaky faucets, patching up walls, and replacing burnt out light bulbs.
While those are important, there are things going on behind the scenes your tenants won’t notice right away…
But as a rental property owner, you’ll notice.
Your HVAC system has air ducts literally begging for cleaning.
Every day those air ducts trap dust, allergens, and debris. The National Air Duct Cleaners Association found the typical 6-room house accumulates 40 pounds of dust per year in its ductwork.
Yup. 40 pounds.
Regular duct cleaning allows your HVAC system to run more efficiently because it doesn’t have to work as hard to distribute air throughout your property.
Here’s the breakdown:
Clogged = HVAC works harder = Higher energy bills = Angry tenants = Vacancy
Help yourself out by scheduling annual air duct cleaning for your rental properties.
Why Your HVAC System Should Be A Priority
Did you know the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that 25-40% of your heating and cooling energy is wasted when your HVAC system has a contamination problem?
That’s cash flying out of your rental property every single month.
But it doesn’t stop there.
Your HVAC system won’t last near as long when it’s not properly maintained. While there’s no official consensus, some HVAC systems can last up to 30-50% longer with good maintenance and cleaning. We’re talking thousands of dollars in savings.
Moral of the story:
Investing in preventative maintenance for your HVAC system is a no-brainer. Cleaning your air ducts is one of the best ways to protect your ROI.
The Rental Property Maintenance Tasks You Can’t Ignore
Air duct cleaning is one of the best HVAC maintenance tasks you can do to protect your investment. But it’s not the only thing.
Don’t just focus on your HVAC system either. All aspects of your rental property will require maintenance.
From sprinkler systems to roof inspections. Each system in your rental property should have annual or bi-annual maintenance checks.
Here’s a few of the big ones to consider for your maintenance calendar:
HVAC:
- Air duct cleaning
- Replace air filters
- HVAC inspections
- Check ducts for moisture & mold
Outside:
- Clean out gutters
- Roof maintenance/replacement
- Check foundation
- Maintain landscaping to prevent drainage problems
Inside:
- Flush water heater
- Test smoke & CO detectors
- Plumbing inspections
- Maintain appliances (PC Manuals)
This is just a small fraction of the maintenance tasks you should be doing annually. Don’t worry about memorizing this list. We’ll talk about building a maintenance schedule in just a bit.
Creating A Rental Property Maintenance Schedule
If you’re like most landlords, you maintenance as issues pop up.
The faucet is leaky. You call a plumber. The dishwasher goes kaput. You hire someone to fix it.
What’s wrong with this picture?
Everything!
Squirrel!
Sorry, I got distracted there for a second.
Maintenance shouldn’t be reactionary. When you do things that way, you’re inviting huge expenses.
Why?
Because preventative maintenance allows you to spread costs out.
Instead, do this:
Divide up your maintenance tasks by quarter. HVAC (including air duct inspections) should be done in the spring and fall. Exterior work is best during the summer months. Winter is for maintaining your indoor systems.
Benefits of a maintenance schedule:
- Fewer emergency repair calls
- Reduced overall maintenance costs
- Longer tenant leases
- Maximize property value
Pro tip: document, document, document. Every single maintenance visit should be logged with detailed notes.
Date of service, how much it cost, who you used, what was done. Future you will thank you when you have a detailed maintenance history.
Indoor Air Quality & Tenant Retention
Let’s say you have a great rental property. Your tenants are happy as clam. Everything is going smooth.
Then you start having some maintenance issues.
Do you know what every renter complains about at one time or another?
You guessed it, air quality.
Here’s a few of the most common complaints:
- Property smells musty/stale
- Dust accumulates too quickly
- Can’t stay warm/cool enough
- Higher than expected utility bills
- Allergies act up when indoors
When air quality becomes an issue, nine times out of ten you can trace it back to your HVAC system and dirty air ducts.
The moral of the story? Pay attention to your HVAC maintenance and take air duct cleaning serious.
Preventative Maintenance Is Always Cheaper
I’ve worked with quite a few lazy landlords who think they can save money by neglecting maintenance.
It never turns out well.
Saves a few hundred dollars now =/= Avoided a few thousand in repairs later.
Take air duct cleaning for example.
If you decide to forgo air duct cleaning for a few years, you may save $100-300. Great!
But then your HVAC system breaks down and needs replacing (costing you $3,000+).
Not only did you just lose $300, but you have angry tenants on top of needing to pay for expensive repairs.
Doesn’t seem so smart now, does it?
When you focus on preventative maintenance, you eliminate these types of surprise costs.
Air duct cleaning is expensive? Sure. But you’ll never know until you get it done.
Then price out how much an HVAC unit costs.
You’ll come to the same conclusion I did.
Preventative maintenance costs are small fees to pay to protect your largest investment.
Wrapping Up
Maintenance doesn’t have to be a huge headache. When you know what tasks need to be done regularly, it becomes simple.
Air duct cleaning should be on every rental property owners maintenance checklist. Dirty air ducts can lead to a variety of problems. Not only does it effect your HVAC unit, but it’ll make your tenants miserable.
Don’t neglect maintenance. Build a system that works for you. And always stay one step ahead of repairs.
Your wallet will thank you!
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