A rental home’s garage contributes a huge amount to the home’s appeal. But even well-meaning tenants who want to keep the appeal could still be inadvertently damaging a rental home’s garage. Damage does happen to garage interiors, garage doors, windows, and other elements, but it doesn’t mean that misuse or neglect caused it.
There are instances when a tenant would try to be helpful, but the problem is that they don’t really know how to properly clean or maintain a rental home’s garage. When that is the case, expensive and unnecessary repairs are often the result. By giving your Kalamazoo tenants the right information, you can do a lot to prevent unintentional damage and keep your valuable investment in good condition.
A garage is an important part of a quality single-family rental home. An excellent garage door increases the home’s curb appeal, while the interior, windows, cabinets, and even the garage door opener can have a big impact on a tenant’s satisfaction. But none of these elements should be neglected. All of them should be properly maintained to keep them working well. If one component is damaged, it would affect everything else, making the entire garage a problem instead of a benefit.
The garage door needs regular cleaning and maintenance since it’s the most visible exterior element. It is important that it stays working properly and looking nice. A tenant could inadvertently damage a garage door in various ways, from not knowing what basic maintenance tasks are needed, to attempting to do these very tasks while using the wrong tools or cleaning products. For example, not every garage door is made from the same materials. Some are painted, while others are vinyl or metal. If a tenant attempts to clean a garage door with the wrong tools, they may be causing extensive damage to the door instead. There are a few people that think it’s a good idea to power spray a painted door clean. Harsh household cleaners can also damage a door’s exterior finish, causing far more harm than good.
Beyond the looks, a garage door also needs functional opener, springs, hinges, and rollers to be able to close and open properly. These components may rust, wear out, or break over time and through heavy use. In fact, if a garage door is noisy, it may mean that the door’s hardware is in trouble and needs to be lubricated. The useful life of a garage door can be greatly extended just by doing this one simple maintenance task.
The windows, floor, and cabinets in a garage are the parts that usually suffer from unintentional damage. A leaking car engine could be a problem since oil stains on concrete floors aren’t easy to deal with. Exhaust fumes, dirt, and other substances can accumulate on windows and seriously compromise the tracks, locks, and glass. Cabinets may be crushed or broken by heavy storage items or even parking a vehicle too close. Similar to the garage door, all of these things can easily be prevented by making sure they are regularly cleaned and maintained. The problem is that a lot of tenants don’t know the proper way to do it.
For instance, dealing with motor oil stains require a distinct process that is different from cleaning up other substances. The correct tools and cleaning materials must be applied or else the attempt to clean it may make things worse instead. Harsh chemicals or scrub brushes can scratch or damage windows and window tracks as well as cabinets, but regular household cleaners may not be enough to get the grime off either. So that continued wear and further damage would be prevented, it is best for a tenant to have all the right information and a good amount of oversight. This way, they can ensure that the rental home’s garage is kept in remarkable condition.
Keeping track of a tenant’s cleaning and maintenance record can be time-consuming and difficult for property owners. That is why a professional property management company is needed, and choosing to have one is a good decision.
At Real Property Management Investment Solutions, we aid the property owners in educating their tenants on the proper care and upkeep of their rental homes in Kalamazoo and conduct regular checks to ensure that such tasks are being done. The property management professionals in our team can shield your valuable investment from unintentional damage and prevent expensive and unnecessary repairs. Don’t hesitate to contact us online or give us a ring at 616-419-8880 to know more about what we can do for you.
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