Preventive Maintenance Schedule for Rental Properties

Each month, test a rental's smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms and check the heating and air conditioning (HVAC) filter; every 3 months, drain a quart of water from a tank water heater; service the cooling system each spring and the heating system each fall, cleaning the gutters and inspecting the roof both times; and clean the dryer vent once a year. Replace smoke alarms 10 years after their manufacture date, and save for each major system by dividing its replacement cost by the years it has left.

Monthly, quarterly, and yearly tasks

Smoke alarms with a nonreplaceable 10-year lithium battery get no battery changes; the whole unit is replaced on the manufacturer's schedule. Place CO alarms on every level of the home, near each sleeping area, and inside near the door to an attached garage, at least 15 feet from any fuel-burning appliance and as the manufacturer's instructions direct.

Tenants are home for the monthly tasks, so put alarm tests and filter checks in the lease, supply filters, and test every alarm yourself at move-in and at each inspection. State law can decide who owns alarm upkeep: in California, the owner is responsible for testing and maintaining smoke alarms and may enter to do it during normal business hours with written notice (24 hours is presumed reasonable), and the tenant must report an alarm that stops working. Rental property inspections covers scheduling those visits.

Spring checklist

• Cooling system. Book a tune-up with a licensed contractor before hot weather. ENERGY STAR recommends checking the cooling system each spring and the heating system each fall, including the condensate drain that carries water away from the cooling coil.
• Gutters and downspouts. Clean them and confirm the downspouts discharge water 2 to 3 feet away from the house. Trees that overhang the roof add leaves, so trim the branches or clean more often.
• Roof. Inspect the roof surface, shingles, eaves, and soffits (the underside of the roof overhang), plus the flashing, the metal strips that seal the joints around the chimney, plumbing vents, and skylights. Check the attic for signs of leaks.
• Water heater. Look for leaks and corrosion, inspect the flue (the exhaust pipe) on a gas unit, and test the temperature and pressure relief valve, the safety valve that releases water if the tank gets too hot or overpressurized. The Department of Energy suggests a 120-degree setting.

The University of Georgia Extension checklist lists the gutter, roof, and water heater checks for both spring and fall.

Fall checklist

• Heating system. Have a contractor check the gas or oil connections, gas pressure, burner combustion, and heat exchanger before the first cold night.
• Gutters, roof, and water heater. Repeat the spring checks after the leaves fall.
• Dryer vent. Clean lint out of the vent pipe once a year, or sooner if clothes take longer than normal to dry. The vent should be rigid or flexible metal, and the outdoor flap should open when the dryer runs.
• Outdoor water lines. Before the first freeze, remove, drain, and store hoses; close the inside valves that feed outdoor faucets and open the outside faucets so they drain; and drain sprinkler lines following the installer's directions.
• Exposed pipes. Add insulation to attics, basements, and crawl spaces, and insulate hot and cold water pipes in unheated spots such as the garage and under kitchen and bathroom cabinets, with pipe sleeves or UL-listed heat tape.

Problems found on these visits should go through the same work-order process as tenant requests; handling maintenance requests explains it.

Winter: freeze protection

• Vacant units. Leave the heat on at no lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit, the Red Cross minimum for a home left empty in cold weather.
• Occupied units. Before a cold snap, ask tenants to keep the thermostat at the same setting day and night, open sink cabinet doors, keep garage doors closed, and let cold water drip from faucets served by exposed pipes.
• After snow. Keep the dryer vent flap clear so exhaust can escape.

Budget for replacements

HUD's estimated useful life table, which HUD uses to plan repairs and replacements at multifamily properties, gives these lives for family housing:

To turn the table into a monthly savings amount:

1. List each component with its install date from the receipt or permit. If you have neither, use the manufacture date on the model label; it can only overstate the age, which errs toward saving more.
2. Subtract its age from the expected life to get the years it has left.
3. Divide a current replacement quote by those years to get a yearly amount.
4. Add the yearly amounts for all components and divide by 12.

Example: a 9-year-old water heater has 3 years left (12 minus 9). A $2,100 replacement quote divided by 3 is $700 a year. A 12-year-old roof has 8 years left (20 minus 12), and a $16,000 quote divided by 8 is $2,000 a year. Together that is $2,700 a year, or $225 a month. A component already past its expected life needs the full quote set aside now. Ask your HVAC contractor and plumber for replacement quotes during the spring and fall visits, and see building vendor relationships for choosing them. The reserve belongs with your other savings for the property, which cash reserves for investors sizes. If you would rather hand this calendar to someone else, self-managing vs. hiring a property manager compares the costs.