In case you are a Troy rental property investor who also has a few handyman skills, there’s a good chance that you manage a lot of your property maintenance duties yourself. While quite a few property maintenance and repairs are easy for the do-it-yourself landlord, several of them carry higher risks. In terms of electrical and plumbing work, your lack of expertise could cause you to accidentally injure yourself or even result in the problem getting worse. That’s why, even do-it-yourself rental property owners must learn how to keep away from the hazards of electrical and plumbing work – and when to call the professionals.
There are several factors why property owners prefer to do their property maintenance and repairs personally. From time to time, you may like to try to save money by resolving uncomplicated issues. Occasionally you feel good because you know you did the job yourself. And sometimes, you even enjoy it. 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.
Regarding 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 injuries as long as you take proper precautions and shut off electricity before starting the job.
Nonetheless, any repair or maintenance tasks involving electricity carry inherent risks. Even if you assume you’ve turned off the switch, you might be mistaken. And when you’re not 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. Either way, instead of protecting yourself from wasting money, you’ve now developed new, more costly problems – and probably placed 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.
The same 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. Especially if it is a maintenance task compared to an urgent repair, basic plumbing fixes shouldn’t take too long or require a lot of resources.
However, the more serious the circumstances, the more likely you will be better off calling a professional. In case your tenant calls 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 want to address urgent plumbing repairs in the most efficient, most appropriate way possible. And most of the time, that means calling a plumber who can deliver high-quality service.
Even if you aren’t dealing with an urgent scenario, sometimes hiring an electrician or plumber is the right choice. Though it will charge you more than if you did the work by yourself, it’s critical to understand that hiring a professional comes with valuable benefits. Professionals typically carry the right insurance, contain the proper tools and equipment for each task, and can finish the job 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 Troy property management professionals at Real Property Management Silverstone, and ask about our services.
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