by Alex Mauro
In the rental housing world, maintenance teams are the first responders who rush to the scene of property emergencies, rescuing and restoring homes, amenities and common spaces when disaster strikes. They are the unsung heroes who swoop in to conduct repairs when damage occurs, central systems fail or appliances require replacement.
Multifamily communities position their maintenance teams as safety nets to resolve any physical problems that arise at the property level. While maintenance technicians respond admirably, it’s reactionary by design and an outdated dynamic that costs rental housing operators thousands in unnecessary damage each year.
Moving Past a Passive Approach
A passive approach to property maintenance carries inherent costs. When maintenance teams are positioned to merely react to property issues as they happen, communities resign themselves to inevitable maintenance emergencies. Water leaks will eventually result in flooding. Unchecked humidity will produce mold. And the expense of water damage repairs is no drop in the bucket.
According to a report from Angi (formerly Angie’s List), the cost of water damage restoration averages $3,814, per home, but can climb to $16,000 and beyond. Burst pipes range from $1,000-$4,000. Mold mitigation averages $2,225. Drywall repair alone averages $550. If you apply this data across a multifamily community where water damage is rarely contained to a single unit, the repair costs compound significantly.
Water leaks along shared walls impact both residents and one unit’s floor is another’s ceiling, requiring repairs to multiple homes. Key factors influence overall water-related repair costs, including how long the leak or pipe break went undetected, the volume of water released, how many homes were impacted, and whether mold or structural damage was introduced.
Water damage isn’t the only culprit for unnecessary spending. Aging appliances and unserviced HVAC systems become an energy sponge. Ceiling and vent fans left running continuously can overheat and become fire hazards. Vacant homes and after-hours amenities can also become black holes for energy consumption. Most of these issues can be curtailed through a proactive maintenance schedule and the implementation of water detection technologies.
Preventive Maintenance
The easiest way to limit costly repairs is to prevent issues from occurring. A preventive maintenance plan, automated through a comprehensive maintenance workflow platform, assigns preventive maintenance tasks at regular intervals to ensure key property infrastructure remains in working order. Tasks can be scheduled at strategic intervals, with a manageable monthly, quarterly or annual pace that ensures critical updates are conducted regularly without inundating service teams.
Appliances can be scheduled for service or replacement according to manufacturer recommendations. A schedule can be established for vent and ductwork cleaning. Pipe fittings and seals can be replaced prior to failure. Sink, toilet and shower caulking can be updated on a predetermined schedule. Appliance recall notices and installation dates can also be tracked through mobile maintenance systems, so both unplanned repairs and periodic replacements are incorporated seamlessly into the workflow. Maintenance teams equipped with workflow management tools that incorporate preventive maintenance tasks address potentially costly problems before they surface.
Early Detection Powered by Technology is Preventive Maintenance Too
Leak Detectors Support Risk Mitigation
While preventive maintenance is essential, water leaks occasionally emerge between routine inspections and early detection is critical. Smart leak detectors, which issue alerts to maintenance teams at the first sign of a drip, empower maintenance teams to respond and make repairs immediately. Early detection can be the difference between soaking up a small puddle beneath a sink or tearing out flooring, drywall and conducting mold-removal measures in multiple homes.
By eliminating invasive and time-consuming repairs, smart leak detectors not only save money but also improve resident satisfaction. When water damage forces property managers to relocate residents to a different unit or hotel as repairs are being made, it’s a direct monetary cost and also a hit to resident satisfaction and potentially renewal rates. Catching leaks before they have a chance to spread and inflict damage keeps residents happy and in their homes.
Smart Thermostats Support Service Teams
While leak detectors identify water leaks at the source, smart thermostats include precision technology that measures moisture levels in the air, with humidity and flood sensor features built in. The software incorporated into smart thermostats generate real-time notifications to on-site teams in the event of humidity concerns. Prompt humidity detection prevents long-term exposure to condensation levels which could result in warped flooring or even mold if it goes unnoticed.
Smart thermostats also allow operators to set appropriate moisture thresholds based on the geography and climate of each property location. For example, the building materials and finishes used in a Miami apartment community require different sensor settings than a property in an arid, high elevation location like Denver. Customization establishes another layer of protection and further cost savings.
AI Enhances Proactivity
AI-powered maintenance workflow systems elevate preventive maintenance efficiency by simplifying logistics for both in-house and centralized service crews, and both creating and monitoring inspection timelines. The AI oversight helps ensure annual inspection compliance so property teams don’t find themselves behind schedule.
AI also ensures prompt response times by routing urgent tasks — such as those generated by leak detectors or humidity sensors — to the nearest technician and assigning tasks requiring a specific skill set to qualified technicians. Service teams can leverage AI to monitor the usage hours for appliances, furnaces, HVAC components and other property systems, and generate alerts when warranties expire or end of lifespan approaches. Such features enable teams to act proactively to avoid system failures, and also budget for pending equipment replacement.
The Reality of Proactivity
Insurance Implications
Management companies with detailed preventive maintenance plans may also incur lower insurance premiums for their assets. Well-maintained, inspection-compliant properties with a comprehensive preventive maintenance playbook represent a minimal risk and are viewed more favorably by insurance adjusters. Reduced insurance premiums present a savings opportunity at both the property level and across entire portfolios.
Proactive Maintenance Produces Results
Property issues will always arise that require immediate attention, but a balanced, proactive approach using digital tools and scheduling helps to limit those instances. Waiting for problems to present themselves invites unnecessary repair costs and puts maintenance teams at an unfair disadvantage. Solutions that streamline workflow while automating both preventive maintenance schedules and early detection alerts empower maintenance technicians to stay a step ahead of their properties’ needs. The results of a proactive approach are enhanced asset integrity, improved resident retention and a collective cost savings, making implementation the only logical reaction.