4. Fix a leaky faucet
Did you know that the average home wastes approximately 11,000 gallons of water each year through leaks and drips? That's the equivalent of filling a swimming pool! A waste of money and natural resources.
Leaking faucets are a very common repair for landlords, not only frustrating for tenants but also costing water bill payers a huge amount of money.
They are also relatively easy to repair. We will focus on the most common type of compression faucet here.
The cause of leaks in compression faucets is the O-ring, a rubber washer designed to seal the valve, so fixing the leak usually comes down to replacing this small circular piece of rubber.
First, turn off the water to the sink as described above. Cover the drain to catch any parts that may be accidentally dropped.
Before you disassemble the handle, make sure you have a place to arrange the various parts so you know in which order they need to be put back together.
First, unscrew the faucet handle — the screws are often hidden under a decorative cap, but they're there.
Loosen the packing nut. You may need to use pliers or a wrench and some force.
Then remove the stem and unscrew the screw holding the problem O-ring in place. Pull the O-ring out and replace it with a similar sized one.
NOTE: You can take your old O-rings to a hardware store to get replacements, or you can purchase a standard kit that contains O-rings in various sizes.
Apply plumber's grease to the new O-rings before reassembly.
It's not as scary as it sounds, right?
5. Repair holes in drywall
In the Property Management Pro Course we talk more about tenant protections and how you can ensure that even small holes in drywall can be deducted from the security deposit, but you can still charge the tenant for the cost if you make the repairs yourself.
For small holes, you can also use putty or toothpaste, for medium sized holes, you can use a drywall patching kit.
Buy a drywall repair kit for $7, which includes a hard patch that you stick to the wall and can then sand and paint.
There is absolutely no hassle.
As a general homeowner repair, this is one that should definitely be in every homeowner’s repertoire.
6. Eliminate squeaky floorboards
Nobody likes squeaky floors, but they can be particularly problematic when selling a rental property, as many buyers (and renters) will hear squeaky floors and worry that the property has structural problems.
Luckily, this isn't usually a structural issue, but rather caused by floorboards settling slightly over time.
Before you do anything else, sprinkle some talcum powder between the problem floorboards — it's a simple and easy fix that often works.
If that doesn't work, you may need to add a new support below the squeaky spot, which is also easy, but may require cutting through the drywall above the ceiling to access the squeaky board.
And of course, any subsequent repairs will require more than just the adhesive patch mentioned above.
7. Paint!
The painting itself is easy and quick, what's not so quick is the prep work.
Anyone can figure out how to apply paint evenly to a wall with a roller or brush around a corner after five or ten tries – it’s not rocket science, as the saying goes (or is that where the line is…?).
But if you want clean color distinctions between different walls or between the wall and ceiling, taping requires patience and precision.
The trick? Use the same off-white paint on every surface in each room.
That way, the only areas you'll need to tape are around the cabinets and floor curtains. Make sure you protect your floors with a suitable covering before you start splashing paint on them.
Also, remove all hardware such as light switch covers, outlet covers, curtain rail holders, etc. This will only take 2-3 minutes per room and will save you time when you start painting.
Clean the walls of any dust or dirt, prime them and then paint.
One final tip for protecting your tenants: consider using semi-gloss or gloss paint, which will be easier to clean and less likely to scuff or mark.
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