For a rental property owner, the heating and cooling system is one of the biggest pieces of equipment in the building and one of the most common sources of tenant calls. A furnace that quits on a holiday weekend or an air conditioner that dies in a July heat wave means an unhappy tenant, an urgent call and a repair made on the worst possible schedule. A lot of those calls can be headed off with a little planning.
Prevent the emergency calls
Many no-heat and no-cool calls trace back to a short list of causes: a clogged filter, a dirty flame sensor, a failed capacitor, a plugged condensate drain or a thermostat with dead batteries. Most of those show warning signs a technician can catch on a routine visit.
A sensible schedule for a rental looks like this:
- A heating checkup each fall before the season starts, covering ignition, the flame sensor, the heat exchanger, venting and carbon monoxide testing.
- A cooling checkup each spring, covering capacitors, contactors, the condenser coil, refrigerant charge and the condensate drain.
- A water heater check during one of those visits, looking at venting, the temperature and pressure relief valve, sediment and signs of leaks.
Make sure every unit has working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and check them at each visit and every turnover.
Run a filter program
Tenants forget filters. It's not their equipment, and it's easy to overlook. A clogged filter restricts airflow, overheats the furnace heat exchanger, can freeze the air conditioner coil and makes the blower motor work harder. A few ways to handle it:
- Have filters changed at each scheduled maintenance visit, with changes in between on a set calendar.
- Deliver the right size filters to the tenant on a schedule, with clear instructions to shut off power at the furnace switch before changing one.
- Where the equipment allows, install a media filter cabinet. Those thicker filters go longer between changes, which suits a rental.
Write the filter size on the equipment and in your property file so nobody has to guess.
Document everything and use turnover
Keep a simple record for each unit: equipment make, model, serial number and age, filter size, and the date and findings of every service visit. That file helps you budget for replacements before they become emergencies, answer tenant complaints with facts, and show a buyer or lender how the property has been cared for.
Turnover is the best time to look closely, since the unit is empty and everything is accessible. A turnover check should cover:
- Running both heating and cooling, and confirming the thermostat works.
- Replacing the filter, and noting whether one was in place at all.
- Making sure return grilles and supply registers are open and unblocked.
- Checking the condensate drain, the area around the furnace and water heater, and any signs of leaks.
- Recording the equipment age and condition so you can plan ahead.
JM Mechanical handles repair, replacement and maintenance for heating and cooling equipment, water heaters and indoor air quality. To set up maintenance on your rental units or schedule a turnover check, call (513) 667-8484 or request service online.