Maintenance is one of the core responsibilities of a landlord, and it is crucial to keep the rental property in top shape. But did you know that there are different kinds of property upkeep? There are preventive maintenance and reactive maintenance, both of which are needed to keep your property safe and appealing to tenants.
Key Highlights:
- Preventive maintenance focuses on routine inspections and servicing to stop issues before they occur, helping landlords avoid costly breakdowns, extend equipment lifespan, and maintain tenant satisfaction.
- Reactive maintenance addresses problems only after they arise, such as burst pipes, faulty wiring, or mold, requiring quick response times and often leading to higher, unexpected expenses.
- The biggest differences between preventive and reactive maintenance include timing, cost, downtime, convenience, and risk level, with preventive being planned and low-risk, and reactive being urgent and potentially disruptive.
- Preventive strategies are ideal for critical systems and aging infrastructure like HVAC, plumbing, and electrical setups, where regular upkeep prevents emergencies and supports property longevity.
- Reactive maintenance works best for low-priority or inexpensive issues, as well as unforeseen events like weather damage, making a balanced approach essential for effective property management.
What Is Preventive Maintenance?
Preventive, also known as proactive maintenance, is the process of performing property upkeep to prevent repairs or replacements in the first place. Seasoned real estate investors know the importance of preventive maintenance well enough, as it reduces instances of costly breakdowns, prolongs the lifespan of equipment, and minimizes tenant complaints. Listed below are examples of preventive maintenance:
Quarterly HVAC System Inspections
Your heating and cooling system regulates the temperatures of rental units to keep tenants comfortable. Doing so every three months is the perfect frequency for inspections, since you also need to change your HVAC air filter often.
Cleaning Gutters and Plumbing Inspection
This is especially important when the rainy season is about to begin, since clogged gutters can cause a lot of problems. With dirt and debris in the way, the water can’t drain properly, resulting in overflows. This can cause basement flooding, water intrusion on walls, and even the erosion of your property’s foundation. The inspection of your plumbing can also help you spot leaks before they result in burst pipes.
Testing Smoke and Electrical Systems
Neglecting your electrical system and smoke alarms is the perfect recipe for disaster. Faulty wiring can cause electrical fires, and when your smoke alarms don’t work, it can lead to delayed response times for you and your tenants. It goes without saying that this is dangerous. Keep in mind that Texas law requires working smoke alarms in rental properties.
Routine Inspections In Rental Units
If you have more than one rental property or a multi-family property, conducting inspections for each one can be tedious. Nevertheless, it is still necessary. Checking the walls, ceilings, furnishings, appliances, and systems keeps the rental in good condition, which will help with tenant satisfaction. This will also help you find pest infestations or mold growth in their early stages.
What Is Reactive Maintenance?
As opposed to preventive maintenance, being reactive is when you address rental property issues once they emerge. It is also known as corrective maintenance is since your goal is to fix what’s broken or faulty. Examples of reactive maintenance include:
- Fixing a burst pipe
- Repairing faulty wiring
- Replacing or repairing HVAC units
- Cleaning up mold growth
- Getting rid of pest infestations
While there are many potential issues in a rental property that can be mitigated with proactive maintenance, you should still be prepared to address problems should they arise unexpectedly. You must respond to tenant maintenance requests as quickly as you can, all while coordinating based on urgency and risks.
Key Differences Between Preventive vs. Reactive Maintenance
Timing
- Preventive: You address issues before they happen
- Reactive: You solve problems after they occur
Costs
- Preventive: Expenses are more predictable since they are scheduled, and the costs are spread out
- Reactive: The expenses will be sudden, and since there were no measures in place to prevent the problem, the costs are often higher.
Downtime
- Preventive: Downtime is minimal, since you typically only check if something needs repairs or replacement. Should there be an easy, it is often an easy fix since the issue is found before it gets worse.
- Reactive: The downtime, since the problem has gotten worse before it was addressed, can be significant.
Convenience
- Preventive: Since routine inspections are scheduled, you can inform your tenants ahead of time, and they can plan around the inspection, causing little to no inconvenience.
- Reactive: With the urgent need for repairs or replacement, the tenant will be displaced without warning, causing inconveniences for both the landlord and the tenant.
Risk Level
- Preventive: Risks are low to zero since you are merely checking if there are issues you can resolve, and if there are, they are typically minimal due to routine inspections.’
- Reactive: There will be a higher chance of emergencies, which can lead to incidents that put you and your tenants at risk.
Which Is The Right Approach?
The answer is that both can be the right approach for particular circumstances. Preventive maintenance is better conducted for critical systems and aging infrastructure. Things that need long-term care and continuous upkeep to keep operations smooth, such as HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems.
Reactive maintenance is for low-priority or inexpensive items. As long as it won’t put you, your tenants, or your property in danger, you can leave certain assets to corrective maintenance. This can also apply to unpredictable issues like weather damage or other natural disasters.
Preventive vs. Reactive Maintenance FAQs
What kind of maintenance should I conduct for my rental property?
- Both types of maintenance are suited for various circumstances. A hybrid strategy is needed to maximize your time, resources, and property value.
Does preventive maintenance reduce repair costs?
- Yes, as long as you allot your efforts to the right tasks. Low-priority assets should be left to reactive maintenance, as it only puts unnecessary expenses on your rental property.
What are the main benefits of preventive maintenance?
- The main benefits of proactive maintenance include reducing the costs of repairs, extending equipment lifespan, preventing tenant harm, and retaining property value.
What are the main benefits of reactive maintenance?
- The main benefits of corrective maintenance include lower upfront costs, easier maintenance management, and better resource allotment.
How often should I conduct routine maintenance?
- As a rule of thumb, the minimum time between regular maintenance should be three months. This allows you to check on assets and systems that require more frequent upkeep than others.
Reducing The Stress of Maintenance Duties
As a property owner, several maintenance needs fall under your responsibility. It’s not just to boost tenant satisfaction, since regular and corrective maintenance is needed to retain the value of your real estate investment.
We know how time-consuming and stressful it can be just to coordinate maintenance schedules alone, so let us take it off your hands. Area Texas Realty & Management can conduct both preventive and reactive maintenance for you, ensuring that all parties involved are satisfied.
Do you want to be a hands-free Houston landlord? Give us a call, and we can discuss how you can get started.
