As the equinox occurs and the leaves start to descend, this can at times cause gutters to get blocked with rubbish. To make sure that you keep your Cambridge rental property in exceptional shape every year, it is essential to have cleaning gutters a regular task for your property maintenance routine. But who should be responsible to clean them out? Though requesting that your tenant execute the chore may seem like a great proposition, there are also important reasons why you should not have them perform regular gutter maintenance. Even if they look like they understand what they are executing, asking a tenant to clean your rental property’s gutters could lead to serious injury or property damage, both of which could result in expensive problems later.
Functioning gutters are an essential part of preventing expensive repairs. Overflowing gutters can bring about damaged foundations, roofs, and other structural elements of the property. They can also entice insects and other pests, as well as other health hazards like mold. When your gutters are not cleaned consistently, they can trigger major setbacks that you might not be able to observe until it’s too late.
Cleaning gutters is not a difficult task, but it does consume a lot of time and you may be apprehensive of how to perform it appropriately. The right equipment is required, and proper safety procedures should be observed. Most gutters can be cleaned with a ladder, hose or sprayer, and a trowel or plastic scoop. Utilizing these tools, you can easily remove large debris from the gutters to keep water flowing in the right direction. It’s essential to confirm that you move debris away from the downspout and check vertical pieces of the gutter for blockages. Flushing these parts with a hose can be quite effective in most cases. Other strategies could involve using a power washer to get the more stubborn dirt out of gutters and downspouts but must be used with care or risk damaging the gutters or even the house itself.
This is one of the reasons why asking your tenant to perform gutter maintenance is not a good idea. Your occupant may not recognize how to clean a gutter without damaging it, or even without causing damage to the roof, siding, and other areas of the house. Even occupants with clear goals may accidentally cause damage that will be expensive to repair. Also, if an occupant cleans the gutters but executes a bad job of it, you may not realize that there is an issue for months or even years. Taking for granted that the job might have been completed well could cost you months or even years down the road.
One more angle to examine is your occupant’s well-being and welfare. To reach the gutters, it is often necessary to use a ladder and other equipment notorious for causing accidents and injuries. By one estimate, there are more than 36,000 deaths from falling off ladders in the United States every year. Ladder-related injuries are even higher, with more than 164,000 accidents reported annually. With such a great threat, it is not a smart idea to urge your occupant to ascend a ladder and accomplish property service on your lease. Should they fall and hurt themselves, you could be sued and found liable to pay their medical and legal expenses.
Cleaning the gutters on your rental property once or twice a year can keep your occupants unharmed and avoid exorbitant servicing costs. Whether you perform it by yourself or appoint an expert to accomplish it for you, the period and charges incurred are minute compared to the consequences for not ensuring your gutters are properly maintained. At Real Property Management Boston, we include regular gutter maintenance with our other quality property maintenance services in Cambridge. With our support, you will have more occasion to take on the better components of your real estate investing business. For more information, contact us or call us at 617-996-0708 today.
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