It’s easy to believe that you don’t have any responsibilities regarding an apartment as a tenant. It’s not your property, after all. You aren’t liable for certain things, but you should always take care of the unit you’re using. Therefore, it’s time to learn these excellent maintenance tips for apartment residents and find out more about your duties as a renter.
1. Take Care of the Plumbing
Plumbing is one of the most essential parts of any apartment or home, as you can’t live somewhere without properly running water. However, many tenants don’t know precisely what they’re responsible for regarding the pipes and general fixtures, like sinks, toilets, bathtubs, etc. One of the best maintenance tips for apartment residents is to start with the basics. For example, you need drains that let water flow correctly for cleaning, brushing your teeth, and more.
If you notice a clog, it might be a good idea to get some Drano and try to clear it yourself. It might not be a huge issue, so there’s no need for a plumber. You can also follow some hacks and unclog your drains with vinegar and baking soda. A few leaks could also be easily fixed, but you should consider calling your homeowner and giving them a heads-up. You can email them, too.
If there’s damage because of something you did, you should be responsible for it. Use your common sense. However, significant problems such as pipes bursting or other issues need to be handled by the current owner. Typically, a landlord needs to have a professional plumbing inspection, which should ideally be done before a new tenant comes in. Unfortunately, that’s often skipped, especially when there are no visible issues.
2. Check Your Appliances Regularly
Some appliances like garbage disposal, fridges, and dishwashers come with the apartment, and you can use them. However, you must be careful and ensure they’re always running correctly. You have to follow instructions and clean them with the right products to avoid having to call for appliance repair. A
significant error most tenants make in their apartments is overflowing the dishwasher and sometimes adding too much soap. That’s going to cause a huge mess, and it could lead to further damage.
Your garbage disposal might smell over time, so adding citrus peels to freshen it up is always a good idea.
You’ll also have to keep the stove, drip pan, and fridge clean. If you let grime accumulate, it might take some effort to take off, and your landlord could charge you some clean-up fees or deduct them from your security deposit when you move out. These maintenance tips for apartment residents are all about looking ahead. Ignoring issues and letting things get dirty will only cause more problems when you try to leave. It might not be your property, but it’s essential to care for it.
3. Call For Help In Emergencies
Some people might hesitate to call any technicians or the homeowner when something happens, thinking they might be blamed and have to pay for it. Others try fixing the problem themselves, which is a huge mistake. It’s always better to contact the landlord or the property manager when there’s an urgent matter because it could affect the structure’s integrity and lead to more significant issues.
The owner will tell you if they have specific handymen they trust and get them to visit the apartment. For example, some people are only comfortable working with certain local locksmith companies, so you must be careful and respect your landlord’s specifications.
Otherwise, they can give you the go-ahead to hire someone, and the bill can be sent to them later. Your responsibility is to be vigilant and efficient in those situations so the problem doesn’t extend and ruin the property. You must also maintain good communication with your landlord and a cordial relationship. Let’s continue learning more maintenance tips for apartment residents.
4. Dust and Check Your Air Conditioning
Your apartment’s air conditioning system and furnace will be used frequently, and you must maintain them properly. Ultimately, the dust and debris that clogs the vents come from your dead skin and other particles. Therefore, you should try to keep it clean and dust it as often as possible. Some of the best maintenance tips for apartment residents are recommended for your safety.
Doing this will help with your health. You don’t want the gathered dust to spread around your apartment’s air. Your family has to breathe that every single day. Some kids even develop allergies because of too much dust in the air vents. Therefore, you could hire an air-con expert for inspection and maintenance if you’re unsure how to keep it clean.
Just remember to let the landlord know someone is coming to work on the house. The only issue is that you might be responsible for that bill because it’s not necessarily an emergency. If you want to avoid investing that money, you could learn how to open vents and check them yourself. Dust them as best you can. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just needs to be enough not to obstruct airflow and to avoid damaging your health.
5. Clean the Apartment Regularly
Cleaning your apartment regularly is simply common sense. You don’t have to do a deep clean every week, but carpets or furniture must remain stain-free. You can check the walls, paint over them if there’s an issue, and keep your kitchen and bathroom spotless. You have to think about this apartment as if it were yours in this case.
Apartments covered with carpet are some of the hardest to maintain, so it’s a good idea to hire an area rug cleaning service when possible, particularly if you have kids or pets. The kitchen stove and exhaust hood accumulate grease quickly, and it’s better to clear them as soon as possible so it doesn’t become harder to clean later.
The bathrooms should also be cleaned thoroughly because moist spaces can become a bigger issue. If you neglect things, the homeowner might not renew your lease. Dust and vacuum when you can, and be careful with chemicals on certain surfaces. Using the right product is one of the best maintenance tips for apartment residents.
6. Recycle Your Garbage
Some cities have started implementing fines for houses that don’t follow proper recycling protocols. Therefore, you have to start discarding your garbage correctly. It’ll also help the environment, which is vital in this day and age. You can start doing it yourself if there are no assigned recycled bins in your apartment complex or your rental.
Separate your garbage into plastic, cardboard, paperboard, aluminum cans, newspapers, office paper, plastic bags, and more. These materials are the easiest to recycle, and you can throw them in their respective bins or go to the local recycling center for more information. The point is to not throw them out with food, liquids, etc. It might ruin the material and make it impossible to reuse it at all.
You can always search for more information on recycling and check with the homeowner if there are specific procedures to follow. Property managers are always searching for good renters, so it’s important to maintain a stellar reputation so you can renew your lease or find another place. Recycling properly can help with that, and recommendations from previous landlords can make your future easier.
7. Take Care of the Garden
If you live in an apartment complex or a rental with a garden, it’s best to take care of it. Any major and expensive gardening endeavors, such as cutting down big trees, should be handled by your landlord. However, this is your home. The best maintenance tips for apartment residents consist of treating this property as if you are the owner most of the time.
You have to be proud of the place you live. You are investing money in more than just a roof over your head. Therefore, mow your lawn and trim your bushes. Water the plants on your balcony and discard anything that can cause issues like weeds and bugs. Be attentive to your surroundings because overgrown plants can also cause problems for the property, aside from making things look ugly.
You should also inform your homeowner of any issues, like a dangerous tree branch encroaching on the apartment. That might be dangerous for your family during a storm or a strong wind. Therefore, don’t disregard your garden because you think it’s not your problem.
8. Don’t Let Moisture Accumulate
One of the worst things that can happen to a house is mold and mildew, which can easily accumulate in bathrooms and kitchens. That’s why every tenant must keep their homes as dry as possible. The bathroom fan helps, so you need to alert the property manager if it’s malfunctioning. Make sure the steam is gone before turning it off.
Some people don’t know that some cleaning products are so abrasive that they ruin some surfaces, which can build moisture. Therefore, be careful with the products you buy and how you handle them. You can always use vinegar, the most effective and natural way to remove mold. Your shower mats and rugs must be washed thoroughly because they are the most susceptible to mold and mildew.
Check your windows and sills because water particles can quickly gather after rain. Wash your curtains regularly and clean your blinds with cloth and soap. Afterward, throw that cloth in the washer and keep all your kitchen rags clean and dry. These next maintenance tips for apartment residents should be easier.
9. Prevent Pests
If you constantly keep your apartment clean and tidy, you won’t have problems with pests. However, it’s still important to be attentive. Many apartment leases specify that pest control is a tenant’s responsibility, mainly if it was thoroughly inspected and fumigated before you moved in. If you see a rat, you need to call someone or buy some traps. The same goes for cockroaches, ants, bed bugs, and more.
If the pests weren’t there before, it’s entirely your fault. Therefore, keep food in your kitchen. Don’t leave open containers lying around. Clean up crumbs and wash the dishes as soon as possible. You can also spray insecticide or buy natural repellents, just in case. The point is to find a solution quickly because rats and cockroaches can easily reproduce.
No one wants to live in an infested place. These creatures can make your family sick by contaminating your food. You also can’t just move away because you signed a lease, or the landlord will take your deposit if they find out about the pest problem. Maintenance is the key to preventing any fights with property owners.
10. Check Your Alarms
This maintenance tip might be the most forgotten one, but it’s just as essential. Your landlord should install an optimal smoke detector with working batteries before you move in. They might have included an excellent security system as well. However, you must check that those items are functioning.
You don’t have to conduct this check as regularly as other maintenance tips for apartment residents, but it’s a good idea to do it every six months. Inspect the smoke detectors, but alert your family and your landlord when you’re about to do it. The alarm should be heard everywhere in your house because it needs to wake everyone up in case of fires. All you need to do is hold the test button, which will start beeping in a few seconds. It should be loud and annoying. You don’t want it to be muffled or weak at all.
If there’s something wrong, place new batteries, and try again. If that doesn’t fix the problem, call your landlord. Smoke detectors have a lifespan of ten years, so it might be time for new ones. You can similarly check your security alarm system, depending on what kind of model has been installed.
If you follow these maintenance tips for apartment residents, you won’t have problems with your landlord while renting, and you’ll be able to recover your deposit fully when you decide to leave. Be responsible and smart wherever you live!
