When Making Repairs or Upgrades to Core Systems What Should You Consider?

It's never exciting to have to make repairs to your Long Beach rental, but that doesn’t mean you should neglect your core systems. Well maintained air conditioning, plumbing and electrical are necessary to keep your tenants happy and reduce the cost of long term maintenance on the core systems. 

When should you consider repairs over upgrades? How do you know when it's time to upgrade your core systems? 

Join us as we go over the importance of your rental’s core systems, when to consider repairing and when to simply upgrade a system.

HVAC System

The HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system in your Long Beach rental makes sure your tenant is comfortably warm during the winter seasons and cool during the summer heat. Most HVAC systems have a lifespan of 10 to 20 years depending on maintenance and use. Inconsistent maintenance or an accumulation of debris on the HVAC unit can cause unwanted wear on the HVAC system. Usually HVAC units older than 10 years can appear to work just fine, but may have lost much of their efficiency over time. This can lead to an increase in your tenant’s utility bills which can upset tenants or cause them to move out.

When should I replace my HVAC system?

If your HVAC system is less than 10 years old and has been maintained properly, you should consider having a trustworthy HVAC repair company have a look at your system. They should be able to know if your system is worth repairing. Oftentimes if a unit is over 10 years old and causing issues, you’ll be recommended to replace the HVAC unit entirely. Trying to repair an older HVAC system may cost half of what a new one would cost to install. Many homeowners will recognize that a repaired system isn’t worth it in the long term. 

Plumbing 

Many homes in Long Beach were originally built in the 1940’s, in those times galvanized steel and cast iron pipes were popular and the standard for plumbing. Although these materials have a long lifespan, galvanized steel being 20 to 50 years and cast iron being 75 to 100 years joints and fitting can still fail long before the pipe does.

Currently the most commonly used pipes in homes are copper, pvc, and cpvc, though PEX plumbing has been growing in popularity for its ease of installation and flexibility which lowers installation costs although more expensive than pvc. PEX has fewer joints and fittings whereas pvc and copper are more rigid which requires a fitting for every angle and a couplers for longer runs. There is no best material for plumbing, price, time and the scope of the job tend to determine what should be used.

How do I know if my plumbing is bad?

Typically a tenant may notice plumbing going bad before the landlord does, unless you live onsite. If your tenant notices the following problems, it may be time to consider replacing your plumbing:

• 
  Strange odor in the water - this usually means there's a buildup of bacteria within the pipes.
• Discolored water - water with unusual or brown colors can indicate rust in the water due to corrosion.
• Slow drain - if a drain doesn’t unclog after cleaning agents or plumbing snakes. Your drain pipe may be severely corroded.

If the plumbing in your Long Beach rental has never been replaced it may be only a matter of time before a problem arises. It's better to stay ahead of the problem since replacing old pipes before they break can prevent water damage which can save you thousands of dollars over time. For large items such as replacing plumbing consider tackling these projects when a tenant vacates and prior to the new tenant occupying your rental.

Electrical

Electrical wiring in rentals often gets neglected, but should be a priority. Older homes like the ones in Long Beach CA could still be using wires with cloth insulation which can lead to electrical fires and thousands of dollars in damages. Sure electrical work can be expensive, but preventative maintenance in this case can save lives. For this reason we always recommend you hire a skilled electrician to do any repairs or upgrades.

How do I Know if My Rental Needs to be Rewired?

Some homes may not need a full rewire, others may just require an upgraded panel to a higher amperage or add a few circuits to the existing panel to meet the needs of modern homes. Below are some signs to keep an eye on that may indicate the need for electrical work.

• Circuit breaker trips often - When a breaker trips often, this can indicate an overload of the circuit, a short circuit, a ground fault or a faulty breaker. This may require more circuits to be added to the panel. If this isn’t possible due to lack of space you may need to upgrade the panel to a higher amperage.
• Old wiring -  Old cloth wiring can be potentially dangerous especially when newer wires are connected to them. This may require an electrician to inspect your panel, switches, and outlets to determine if your rental needs a full or partial rewire.
• Short circuit -  If the home has outlets or lights that are off while there all the circuit breakers are on, this may indicate a short circuit. This should only require an electrician to replace the damaged wire however, an electrician may recommend additional circuits to avoid overloading any individual circuit.
• Old panel - From the mid 1950’s to the early 1980’s homes may have installed a Zinsco electrical panel, these panels if in good condition are not a problem. But when there is even a small problem with Zinsco panels it can be dangerous and expensive. These should always be replaced as the breakers for Zinsco panels often cost more than 10 times the price of modern breakers.

Making sure the core systems in your Long Beach rental are well maintained and properly functioning can lead to happy tenants which will provide steady income. If you are unsure you need to replace the plumbing, electrical or HVAC systems or need help finding trustworthy tradesmen call us at (562) 888-0247 or feel free to fill out our free rental analysis to see what your rental could yield today.