Just as autumn is nearing, and the leaves begin to fall, this can normally point to gutters obstructed with debris. To keep your Papillion rental property in prime condition each year, it is crucial to make cleaning gutters a normal part of your property maintenance routine. But who should be responsible to clean them out? Although asking your tenant to do the job may seem sensible, be aware that there are important reasons why you should not have them perform regular gutter maintenance. Even when they seem to know what they are doing, asking a tenant to clean your rental property’s gutters could lead to serious injury or property damage, both of which could result in expensive problems later.
Functioning gutters are an essential part of preventing expensive repairs. Overflowing gutters can often end up with damaged foundations, roofs, and other structural elements of the property. They can additionally bring insects and other pests, plus so many other health hazards like mold. When gutters are not cleaned periodically, they can produce challenges that you might not be able to see until it’s too late.
Cleaning gutters is not a difficult task, though it does demand experience and an understanding of how to proceed correctly. The right equipment is required, and proper safety procedures should be observed. Most gutters can be cleaned with a ladder, hose or sprayer, and a trowel or plastic scoop. Utilizing these tools, you can easily remove large debris from the gutters to keep water flowing in the right direction. You must not forget to move debris away from the downspout and check vertical pieces of the gutter for blockages. Flushing these parts with a hose can be quite effective in most cases. Other techniques may use a power washer to get the more stubborn dirt out of gutters and downspouts but must be used with care or risk damaging the gutters or even the house itself.
This is a portion of why asking your tenant to perform gutter maintenance is not a good idea. Your tenant may have no inkling how to clean a gutter without damaging it, or even without causing damage to the roof, siding, and other areas of the house. Even tenants with the best plans may accidentally cause damage that will be expensive to repair. In the same manner that a tenant cleans the gutters but does a shoddy job of it, you may not realize that there is an issue for months or even years. Assuming the job has been performed correctly could cost you months or even years down the road.
One more significant factor to think about is your tenant’s health and safety. To reach the gutters, it is often necessary to use a ladder and other equipment notorious for causing accidents and injuries. By one estimate, there are more than 36,000 deaths from falling off ladders in the United States every year. Ladder-related injuries are even higher, with more than 164,000 accidents reported annually. With so many risks at stake, it is not a great approach to ask your tenant to get on a ladder to carry property maintenance on your rental. Should they fall and hurt themselves, you could be sued and found liable to pay their medical and legal expenses.
Cleaning the gutters on your rental property once or twice a year can better keep your tenants safe and thwart high-priced renovations. Regardless if you mean to do it yourself or choose a professional to do it for you, the time and expenses involved are irrelevant compared to the consequences for not ensuring your gutters are properly maintained. At Real Property Management Legacy, we include regular gutter maintenance with our other quality property maintenance services in Papillion. With our assistance, you will have more time to focus on the more valuable aspects of your real estate investing business. For more information, contact us or call us at 402-905-0459 today.
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