In case you are a Haslet rental property investor who also happens to have a few handyman skills, there’s a good chance that you handle a lot of your property maintenance obligations yourself. Even though a few property maintenance and repairs are manageable for the do-it-yourself landlord, some of them carry higher risks. With regards to electrical and plumbing work, your lack of expertise could cause you to accidentally injure yourself or even result in the problem getting worse. For this reason, even do-it-yourself rental property owners must find ways how to avoid a lot of the hazards of electrical and plumbing work – and when to call the professionals.
There are a few reasons why property owners choose to do their property maintenance and repairs personally. From time to time, you may want to save money by solving uncomplicated issues. Occasionally you feel great about yourself because you know that you got the job done. And sometimes, you just enjoy the work itself. But for plumbing and electrical tasks, it is important to know which repairs you can safely do yourself and when it’s smarter to hire a licensed professional.
About electricity, the more you know, the safer you are. Simple maintenance tasks like replacing light bulbs, outlets, and breakers can often be completed quickly and safely. You can keep away from accidents as long as you follow proper precautions and shut off electricity before starting the job.
Any repair or maintenance tasks involving electricity carry inherent risks. And even if you believe you have shut down the main switch, you might be wrong. And if you are not 100% sure about your wiring job, you can damage light fixtures, appliances, and more. Even small mistakes can result in you electrocuting yourself or cause an electrical fire. Instead of preventing yourself from spending money, you’ve now created new, more costly problems – and are likely to put your tenants at risk as well. These are all good reasons to consider hiring a licensed electrician to perform even basic electrical repairs and maintenance.
A similar thing is true for plumbing repairs. Simple fixes like changing a toilet stopper or installing a new shower head are things that most do-it-yourselfers can handle safely. Mainly if it is a maintenance task rather than an urgent repair, basic plumbing fixes shouldn’t take too long or require expertise.
However, the more serious the circumstances, the better you will be calling a professional. In case your tenant contacts you in a panic over a broken pipe, a backed-up drain, or malfunctioning garbage disposal, this is not the time to try and figure out how to fix it yourself. The longer water is flowing unchecked into your rental home, the more damage it will cause. As a property owner, you have to address urgent plumbing repairs in the most expert, most appropriate way as possible. And most of the time, that means calling a plumber who can deliver high-quality service.
Even if you’re not dealing with an emergency scenario, sometimes having an electrician or plumber remains the right option. While it will charge you more than if you did the job on your own, it’s critical to realize that hiring a professional comes with valuable benefits. Professionals typically carry the right insurance, contain the proper tools and equipmentfor each role, and can complete the task more quickly and correctly. All things considered, it might be best to hire someone to handle all of the electrical and plumbing work your rental property needs.
To avoid the hassle of finding a maintenance team, contact the Haslet property management professionals at Real Property Management Meridian, and ask about our services.
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