Property managers and real estate professionals face a unique challenge in trying to keep their properties protected. How do you protect dozens, or even hundreds of properties from environmental hazards when you can’t physically be at all of them at once?

The goal is to keep track of all of your properties while weighing the physical and financial harms that could stack up due to hazards. Problems like burst pipes in the winter leading to water damage, sewer leaks, carbon monoxide or even excessive heat in the summer are all issues that need to be monitored at your properties.

As stressful as all of these can be, there are ways for you to manage these risks, so you can have peace of mind. Here’s a look at three of the major hazards to look out for and what to do about them.

Flooding & water damage

Water damage isn’t something that only happens during major weather events. Burst pipes, water heater failures, roof leaks, sewage backup and appliance malfunctions are all also part of the water damage umbrella. All of these could be happening right now and go undetected for days.

Water damage is one of the most common issues for property owners all around the country. According to RubyHome, 98% of all houses in the United States will experience some level of water damage and 1 in 60 insured homes make a related claim each year. This issue can also be incredibly expensive costing thousands of dollars.

There are things you can do to prevent this though. From cleaning your gutters and having your properties inspected each year to installing water sensors in order to detect issues as early as possible. You should be trying your best to prevent water damage related issues so that you don’t need to pay for repair costs.

Extreme temperature changes

When HVAC systems completely fail or temperatures plummet or rise extremely quickly, your rental properties can become dangerous for your tenants. If temperatures quickly drop over the course of a day, you don’t have time to notice that an old furnace system, or HVAC system has failed. Both heat waves and frozen conditions alike can cause many problems for you and your tenants.

Catching these types of issues early is incredibly important. One of the biggest things to do on your rental units is hire a company to conduct regular maintenance on your systems. It is recommended to do this biannually, once before the summer and once before winter to ensure your systems are all in working order. Another preventative measure is installing temperature monitoring in critical spaces, like basements, attics and supply areas where people might not be going as often.

Carbon monoxide leaks

Carbon monoxide is often referred to as the “silent killer”. This is because by the time victims of carbon monoxide poisoning have their first symptom, they are often already in critical danger. So, prevention is the key with this hazard.

Thankfully, the solution is quite simple. Installing carbon monoxide detectors in all of your properties is both inexpensive and fairly easy to maintain. You should place dedicated carbon monoxide detectors on each floor and living space. For maintenance, make sure to get the batteries replaced approximately every six months if they are not hardwired, and the entire detectors replaced every five years to ensure they are all working.

An environmental monitoring service offers extra piece of mind. In addition to having the CO detectors throughout the homes, a monitored system will alert central station when the CO detector alarm is triggered. This facilitates the prompt dispatch of emergency services.

The properties you manage require major safety investments. But, keeping your tenants, buildings and HVAC systems safe, requires maintenance and tracking. Investing in prevention or early detection of issues can significantly cut down the cost of potential problems in the future.

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