Best Practices in Property Maintenance

Keeping your property well maintained involves several tasks carried out routinely. Property maintenance includes everything from daily cleaning to upkeep on the air conditioning, electrical and plumbing. Maintenance may include redesign and refurbishing or building new structures. As manager of an investment, you can do some of the tasks yourself or hire a maintenance crew to do it.

Property maintenance is important in old and new buildings. Each year the manager should do a routine health check to help prevent future costly repairs. A neglected building leads to major problems. For example a gutter that has remained blocked leads to water getting into the building. The gutters are essential for carrying rainwater away from your building and must remain clear to do their job.

The roof is probably the most important part of your structure. A leaky roof can lead to all kinds of major problems, inside and out. Roof checks should be done regularly. Hard to reach roofs might need a professional contractor to inspect them for signs of disrepair. Shingles or tiles slip and need to be replaced quickly, as well as any holes. Animals and water both get in through these holes causing interior damage. Have the chimney checked for vulnerable areas and get the flues cleaned each fall before use.

Inspect your building walls routinely. Cracks in the stone walls need to be filled with mortar while siding should be replaced if damaged. The wood around doors and windows need to be checked for signs of decay. Repair and paint where needed. If you have mold and dirt buildup on your exterior walls, wood deck or concrete patio, use a power washer to clean. Routine cleaning of the exterior will go a long way in keeping property maintenance to a minimum.
Other areas that should be included in your routine care of a property include electrical, carpentry, cleaning, painting, tiling and the garden or patio area.

The electrical maintenance might include rewiring for added appliances, upgrading outdated wiring or installing the wiring for new lighting or electrical needs. The electrician should inspect existing wiring for breaks and to make sure that the electrical box and wires meet current codes.
Carpentry maintenance includes building new structures such as additional rooms or remodeling existing areas. The carpenter reviews the plans for the remodel, establishes a time frame for the work and estimates the material needed. They are experts in property maintenance .

Carpenters can be hired to build anything from a dog house to building a room addition.
Painting the interior is the simplest property maintenance project but gives instant results. You can transform your property with minimal work and time with paint. The surface being painted should be prepared properly for good results. Almost any surface can be painted, just follow a few rules. Check and replace loose caulk around window and door frames. Use a wire brush to clean surfaces of dirt and old paint that has become loose. Fill any small cracks with caulk. Allow the caulk to dry thoroughly before painting. Not preparing the surfaces properly can lead to blistering and peeling paint.

Whether you do the maintenance yourself or hire someone to do it for you, having the correct equipment beginning any type of maintenance is necessary. Protective gloves and eyewear are necessary. If working with a ladder having another person to help is a good safety precaution.
Routine property maintenance helps keep your building and its surroundings in top shape. Finding and quickly repairing small problems before they lead to costly repairs will save the owner time and money in the long term.