It’s that time of the year again when the freezing cold becomes a massive threat to your rental properties, particularly your pipes. Because of the nature of the weather, your rental home becomes vulnerable to incidents such as a burst pipe in sub-zero temperatures. Nothing will upset your Sylmar renters more than coming home to a flooded, frozen rental home and damaged belongings. As a landlord, it would cost you a large amount of money in repairs not to mention the extensive clean-up that you have to do. Heat taping and wrapping are just some of the ways to prevent frozen pipes.
Heat taping is like an electric blanket for your pipes. It involves an electrical heating element that is bound to a pipe. It keeps the pipe warm enough to keep it from freezing. Wrapping a pipe can be prepared in various methods, from plug-in heating tape to pre-formed foam tube insulation that slides on over a pipe. The covering your pipes need is contingent on how cold it gets where your rental property is located and if your pipes are the right fit for heat tape. Outdoor water spigots should also be protected with an insulated cover.
Keeping exposed pipes protected is as crucial as those that are not frequently noticed. However, as a landlord, it is common to have a full-packed schedule and might find it difficult to get to the pipes in your Sylmar home before the cold hits. So, what does that leave you with? You could be tempted to ask your tenants to do the heat taping and wrapping themselves as it would seem like the best idea, however, deciding to do so could do more harm than good. You have no assurance that your tenants are knowledgeable enough to be trusted with such a task, and although it may seem like it’s not a big deal unless they have home maintenance practice, there’s a good chance they’ll forget an essential step at some point in the process.
You could always try and do the heat taping and wrapping yourself. Although it is correct that insulating pipes is not a tedious task to do, and that the materials are widely available, unless you have familiarity with the job, you’re making a huge gamble with your investment. Pipe insulation will also need to be checked and replaced every year, one more task to add to your already long to-do list.
Of course, with everything else you have to do, pipes might not make it on the to-do list as often as they should. That is why having someone supervise it for you can be the best decision you ever make. Real Property Management Vision will check and maintain the pipes in your Sylmar rental property regularly, providing maximum protection from freezing and bursting with zero effort on your part. For more information about our property management services, contact us online or call us at 818-233-8789 today!
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