The Hazards of a DIY Handyman
If you are an Ankeny rental property investor who also happens to possess a few handyman skills, there?s a good chance that you deal with different of your property maintenance responsibilities yourself. Some sort of few property maintenance and repairs are safe for the do-it-yourself landlord, but some carry higher risks. With regards to electrical and plumbing work, your lack of expertise could cause you to accidentally injure yourself or even result in the problem getting worse. Hence, even do-it-yourself rental property owners should learn how to refrain a few of the hazards of electrical and plumbing work ? and when to call the professionals.
There are numerous purposes why property owners want to deal with their property maintenance and repairs themselves. Usually, you are trying to save money by taking care of simple issues. Often you feel good about realizing that you did the job yourself. And sometimes, you might enjoy it. But for plumbing and electrical tasks, it is important to know which repairs you can safely do yourself and when it?s smarter to hire a licensed professional.
As for electricity, the more you know, the safer you are. Simple maintenance tasks like replacing light bulbs, outlets, and breakers can often be completed quickly and safely. You can stop the mishaps as long as you take proper precautions and shut off electricity before starting the job.
Even any repair or maintenance tasks involving electricity carry inherent risks. Also, if you think that you turned off the power, you?re probably wrong. And if you?re not fully confident about your wiring job, you could damage light fixtures, appliances, and more. Even small mistakes can result in you electrocuting yourself or cause an electrical fire. Either way, instead of setting aside yourself some cash, you have now triggered new, more costly and troublesome ones? and possibly put your tenants at harm also. These are all good reasons to consider hiring a licensed electrician to perform even basic electrical repairs and maintenance.
The same thing is correct for plumbing repairs. Simple fixes like changing a toilet stopper or installing a new shower head are things that most do-it-yourselfers can handle safely. Mostly if it is more of a maintenance task than an urgent repair, basic plumbing fixes, it should not take a lot of effort or expertise.
Though, the more serious the circumstances, the more likely you will be better off calling a professional. When your tenant approaches you in a panic over a broken pipe, a backed-up drain, or malfunctioning garbage disposal, this is not the time to try and figure out how to fix it yourself. The longer water is flowing unchecked into your rental home, the more damage it will cause. As a property owner, you have to address urgent plumbing repairs in the most effective, most reliable manner possible. And most of the time, that means calling a plumber who can offer high-quality service.
Even if you are not dealing with critical circumstances, sometimes calling an electrician or plumber is always the best alternative. Although it will charge you more than if you?ve handled the job on your own, it is necessary to understand that hiring a professional always brings valuable benefits. Professionals typically carry the right insurance, have the proper tools and equipment for any task, and can do the work quicker and more efficiently. All things considered, it might be best to hire someone to handle all of the electrical and plumbing work your rental property needs.
To avoid the stress of finding a maintenance team, contact the Ankeny property management professionals at Real Property Management Iowa, and inquire about our services.