Seasonal plumbing prep may be the most underrated thing rental owners can do for their property.
Why? Because most rental owners wait until AFTER something breaks before they call a plumber. By the time most people think about preventative maintenance, the damage has already happened and the bill has already gotten too high. But with seasonal plumbing maintenance, rental owners can:
Avoid thousands of dollars in emergency repairs
Protect their rental property from water damage
Keep tenants happy & leases renewed year after year
All while saving thousands of dollars each year.
Ready to learn how?...
What you'll discover:
Why Seasonal Plumbing Prep is Essential for Rental Properties
Seasonal Plumbing Checklist
How To Choose the Right Residential Plumbing Services
Common Plumbing Mistakes Rental Owners Make
Why Seasonal Plumbing Prep is Essential for Rental Properties
Maintenance costs are a huge headache on any rental property. Between landscaping, appliances, wear and tear from tenants… the list goes on. But water damage and freezing disasters? Now those are expenses that can seriously hurt a rental budget.
Here are a few stats:
Water damage and freezing currently account for about 24% of all home insurance claims with an average insurance payout of $15,400 per claim.
That is millions of dollars every year sucked out of rental owners' pockets for problems that could have easily been prevented.
Seasonal plumbing prep takes care of preventative maintenance so rental owners won't have to worry about it. Instead of waiting around for pipes to freeze or water heaters to burst, rental owners can work with residential plumbers to take care of seasonal maintenance tasks all year long.
Small plumbing problems detected during a routine inspection or maintenance call can be taken care of before they become big, expensive problems.
A $200 fall maintenance call that saves a rental owner from a $10,000 water damage claim come winter? That's a no-brainer.
And when rental owners work with top-quality plumbing services year round, it all adds up. Fewer emergency calls. Fewer tenant complaints. More money in their pockets.
Seasonal Plumbing Checklist
Seasonal plumbing prep doesn't have to be complicated. Each season has different plumbing tasks that should be completed as part of an overall maintenance plan.
Below is a breakdown of important plumbing services that should be scheduled for each season.
Spring Plumbing Prep
Spring is the time for recovery. Winter has likely left pipes and fixtures a little beat up. Once temperatures start to rise, it's important to check for any residual damage.
Inspect all exposed pipes for damage or leaks. Also make sure to check outdoor hose bibs and sprinkler connections. From there, test the water pressure throughout the property. If water pressure is low, it could be a sign of a leak that can't be seen.
Also make sure to:
Flush water heaters to remove sediment buildup
Test sump pumps before heavy rains come
Clean out any debris in outdoor drains and gutters
Summer Plumbing Prep
Summer is when rental properties really start to breathe easy with plumbing. Most repairs and maintenance items are conducted during the spring, so theoretically everything should be in the clear. But water usage is highest during the summer months, which puts more stress on the plumbing system.
Book a professional drain cleaning to keep slow drains and sewer line backups at bay. Check washing machine hoses for cracks or leaks. Lastly, take a peek at any exposed plumbing connections and look for signs of moisture or corrosion.
Professional plumbers should also consider camera inspection of the sewer line in the summer. While it's not always necessary, many plumbing professionals recommend it during warmer months. Aggressive root growth can invade older pipes and lead to serious headaches down the road.
Fall Plumbing Prep
Fall is the single most important time of the year for plumbing prep on a rental property.
Think about it…
Everything done during the fall will determine how well the property performs during winter. And winter is the season when most expensive water damage occurs on rental properties. Recent rental maintenance data shows that roughly 32% of all repair dollars go toward emergency maintenance. Burst pipes and failed heating systems are NOT cheap to repair.
To prepare a rental property for winter, be sure to:
Insulate any exposed pipes in unheated areas
Disconnect & drain outdoor hose bibs
Service water heaters before winter
Test shutoff valves to make sure they work
Winter Plumbing Prep
Winter prep should already be completed. However, there are still important winter plumbing tasks that should be monitored all season long.
Make sure tenants know where the main water shut off valve is located. Oftentimes tenants will report back after the weekend that their kitchen sink is leaking. If they have the location of the valve, they can shut it off until someone is sent to fix it.
Additionally, remind tenants to keep the heat on while they're away. During the holidays it's common for tenants to leave for weeks at a time without leaving the heat on. A vacant rental with no heat = burst pipe.
Pro Tip: Create a Winter Plumbing Checklist for tenants. Simple things like reminding tenants to know the location of the water shut off valve can save thousands. Take 5 minutes and type something up.
How To Find the Right Residential Plumbing Services
When most rental owners think about hiring a plumber, they usually think about responding to an emergency.
Seasonal plumbing prep is about finding the RIGHT plumber for a rental property.
The ideal plumber understands the ins and outs of working on investment properties. Someone who can create a preventive maintenance plan that can be reviewed year after year.
Look for plumbers who offer:
Seasonal maintenance plans
24/7 emergency services
Experience with multi-family or rental properties
Transparent upfront pricing
Hiring the right plumber can mean the difference between preventing a problem vs reacting to one.
Common Plumbing Mistakes Rental Owners Make
Nobody's perfect. Even the most seasoned rental owners make costly plumbing mistakes.
Here are some of the most common ones to avoid…
Not scheduling seasonal maintenance. This is by far the most common mistake rental owners make. They wait until there's a problem before they even think about calling a plumber. By then it's too late. The damage has been done.
Not paying attention to tenant complaints. If a tenant reports a slow drain, act on it immediately. Same thing for dripping faucets. What seems like a small issue can turn into a big expensive problem REAL quick in the world of plumbing.
Going with the cheapest option. Saving money is always the goal. But there's a big difference between budget-friendly and cheap. "Cheap" contractors will often leave issues unresolved, only to charge twice for the same problem down the road. Spend a little extra on quality residential plumbing services.
Neglecting the water heater. Speaking of water heaters. Don't forget about annual water heater maintenance. Rental owners often overlook water heaters because they're not visibly causing problems. Water heaters should be flushed annually to remove sediment buildup. Failure to do so can cause serious problems.
Bringing It All Together
Seasonal plumbing prep is one of the easiest ways to protect a rental property. It prevents water damage, keeps tenants happy, and saves money year after year.
Here's a quick reminder of seasonal plumbing tips for rental owners:
Schedule yearly maintenance with a professional plumber
Use the seasonal plumbing checklist above
Build relationships with quality contractors
Educate tenants on basic plumbing care
Never neglect the water heater
Once rental owners start performing seasonal maintenance on their properties, there's no going back. The time and money saved will speak for itself.
