Routine rental inspections for your Santa Rosa investment property are important in protecting the condition of your property and ensuring maintenance costs don’t get out of control. By conducting an inspection, you have the opportunity to document the condition of the home while checking for any deferred or unreported maintenance issues. It’s preventative and proactive.

Stay organized with a detailed checklist. If you’re not sure what to look for when you’re inspecting your property, we have four good places to start.

Air Conditioning and HVAC

The weather in Santa Rosa is not exactly extreme. However, most rental property owners can clearly remember especially hot years, very dry years, and those uncommon drenching years when the rain never seemed to stop.

Your tenants can potentially need the heat and the air conditioning in the same week. So, your HVAC system has to be working well and efficient. It’s one of the most expensive functions in your home, so you want to make sure the heating, cooling, and ventilation is in good repair and not in danger of malfunctioning.

Checking your air conditioning unit should be part of every inspection you conduct. It’s also a good idea to have the system serviced annually. Have an HVAC technician check and clean the coils, the fans, and the vents. You want to make sure it’s working properly, thereby extending the life of the system. The tenants will appreciate this as well. There will be less of a risk that it breaks down during the hot summer, and a healthy cooling system will improve their air quality and keep their energy costs down.

Inspect the Rental Property’s Roof

The roof of any home is exposed to sun, rain, debris, and even animals that are running across it or trying to build homes inside of it. Inspect the roof for any missing shingles or signs of deterioration. Look for problems with insulation or any potential ways for water to get inside. Clear any debris and trim back trees.

Check Door and Window Locks

Windows and doors need to open, close, and lock. You should check the windows and the doors every time you inspect the Santa Rosa rental property to ensure they’re doing those things. If windows aren’t in great shape, consider replacing them. Vinyl windows are a terrific option. They’re cost-effective, low maintenance, and they insulate the home properly. Window coverings should be checked too; you don’t want breaking or snapping window blinds making the property look run-down and unkempt.

Make sure there aren’t any security issues around the doors to your property. Exterior lighting should be ample, and you don’t want any trees or shrubs blocking a tenant’s view of who might be outside.

Inspect for Leaks and Plumbing Issues

Water can be especially damaging to your rental property and the repairs can be expensive to make. Every inspection checklist should include checking for leaks under sinks and around toilets and tubs. Look for any evidence of plumbing problems and inspect the water shut-offs. Make sure your tenants know where to find those shut-offs in case there’s an emergency. Look at the irrigation systems in your landscaping and make sure your property is protected against water intrusion and damage.

These are some of the main items that your rental inspection checklist needs to include. There’s a lot more to look for during your routine inspections, however, so contact us at Redwood Residential Property Management for more information.