How do you "harden" your rentals?
Dear Pocketers,
How do you harden / bullet-proof your rentals?
While I've never had anyone utterly trash a rental of mine, I've seen the damage they can do first hand (typically when buying the rental and seeing what the previous occupants did to it). Here are a few of the things I do:
One of my favorites, and easiest to do, is that I "frame" all wire racks, their support rods, towel holders, toilet paper holders, etc. using backer wood that is mounted to studs. If it's very visible, we'll route the edges and paint it like trim. If it's in a closet, it just gets wall color. This way, if the kids hang off the coat racks or someone abuses the towel holders, they may yank the hardware down, but it doesn't leave holes in the wall. It's also much harder to destroy them in the first place. Note the towel holder mounting:
When first buying a property, if it's easily accessible, I'll replace copper with Pex (plastic) plumbing from the get go, even if the copper is OK. I don't have to worry about it freezing and it's not a crime target.
We cage all of our A/C units now using custom fabricated 2 inch square tube, typically mounting them into the wall so the bolts have to be released from inside. I also lock exterior A/C circuit boxes and label the units, cage and circuit box with A/C specific alarm stickers that I had made up.
I will frequently install an inexpensive alarm system (not monitored) which gives me peace of mind between tenants and acts as a selling point when showing the units.
I've doubled up on door stops (to prevent doorknobs from going into walls). While I use the standard springy ones that mount into baseboard still, they tend to be targets for kids and end up missing, so I back these up with the plastic circles that affix to the wall where the handle would hit. (These are also great for just covering a previously made hole where the door knob hit the wall) They're expensive though, so I've started buying large, bulk packages of plastic, foam-backed pads that you set furniture on, and simply using double sided tape behind these. These cost maybe 30 cents apiece where the purpose built ones cost $3 apiece.
If I have to renovate a bathroom, I no longer use the plastic/fiberglass shower inserts. I've seen people put holes into both the tubs and crack the walls of these. For just a couple hundred more I'll have an iron tub installed and we'll tile the shower. It's a lot more attractive and seems to be a lot more durable in the long run.
What tricks have you learned to "harden" your own rentals?
Best,
- Chuck
Replacing a two prong outlet with a three prong outlet WITHOUT a ground is not safe and against national electric code. Doing so bypasses the design of the appliance that requires a ground.
You could save $ installing one GFI on the first receptacle on a circuit. The one GFI protects the all receptacles "down stream". Don't do this with any circuit with a large appliance like a refrigerator unless you want to reset the GFI every time it runs.
Hang on, like I said, is this armored cable (type AC), or do you not have any ground at all? In which case the GFCI will not function. Your electrician must like your money, because either way it's a huge waste of it. There's nothing to "like" about GFCI, it's a shock protection system for wet areas. Even in areas calling for several GFCI outlets a good electrician wires in one unit then daisy chains the rest using standard outlets from than one protecting the whole line.
Re "to each their own": this isn't a "taste" or "look" thing, excessive electrical stuff is wasteful and more to go wrong. You could also wire 15A circuits with 8ga wire instead of #14, "just to be safe" but it would be just as wasteful. For $50 you could put a dual GFCI/AFCI breaker on the circuit, be safer, latest code compliant, AND save a bucket of money assuming you have the typical 10 outlets per circuit.
One of my favorite topics on BP...
Glad to see it "bumped" over the years...
Here is one of my latest and simplest rental hardeners:
Tell Tenant in Onboarding--No Moving Appliances (Ever).
Why? It is not just wear and tear....
I have seen dryers pulled out and then the vent comes loose, sending hot humid air into the attic, unit, even inside the wall.
I have even had some expensive rot repair as a result (extensive rot). So a tenant may have gotten their lost quarter or detergent but left the landlord with thousands in repair costs.
Tenants in my experience do not properly unhook and reconnect the appliance lines--but just pull, pull, pull, (the harder the better they seem to think)...
A careless tenant could even pull off the water lines on a washer--an emergency disaster (not had that one yet, knock on wood). A frig with a water line (ice maker/water dispenser) could have the same issue (but I use plain jane, no frills).
I even had a couple of departing tenants turned oven pullers that yanked out the socket for the cord......
So my script now is Never move any appliances. Ever. Never. The tenants need not pull these out to clean or for any reason (too much risk)... I will even come and help retrieve something for them (or lend them a grabber) to get behind any appliance. Rather than telling them about how to disconnect lines, pull it out, reconnect (too complicated) I just try and explain the catastrophic gates of hell opening scenario that can happen if they jerk these out from the wall carelessly.
Best of luck!
@Account Closed NEC does actually permit it...
Sec. 210-7(d)(3) permits any of the following installations when replacing a 2-wire ungrounded receptacle:
(a) Replace it with another 2-wire receptacle;
(b) Replace it with a GFCI-type receptacle and mark the receptacle with the words “No Equipment Ground;” or
(c) Replace it with a grounding-type receptacle protected by a GFCI device (circuit breaker or receptacle). Since the grounding terminals for the receptacles are not grounded, you must mark the receptacles with the words “GFCI Protected” and “No Equipment Ground”
While it is legal I doubt 1 in 100 tenants would have any idea what "no equipment ground" means to them. If they can plug it in, it's good to go. They'd be safer if you installed the GFCI breaker and left the 2 wire receptacles alone.
Originally posted by @George P.:
kyle is correct. it's actually against code to have caulk around to toilet.
They require it here for sanitary purposes. I always leave a couple inch gap on the far back so it can still run out.
Touche. Good to know you can if you warn the user. That does look nice lol
@Johann Jells you said "Hang on, like I said, is this armored cable (type AC), or do you not have any ground at all? In which case the GFCI will not function." This is not correct. It is true that the test button will not work, as there is no grounding path for the current to travel with he test button pushed in, but the breaker will still trip in case of an actual ground fault.
Think of it this way, place an amp meter around both the neutral and hot wires. You will see no current draw (with or without a load) because the hot and neutral (return path) are in balance (zero current). Now grab a hold of the hot wire (down stream from the meter) and allow the current to flow through you, now there is more current flowing through the hot wire then is returning back down the neutral (this is a ground fault), and the meter will show current flow. This flow will trip the breaker.
I have no problem with the rest of your argument, I would never install GFIs throughout a building either, I would use the 2 prong type. I may leave a couple of adapters for the tenants to use. Samantha Klein is correct that this is allowed. I hear that although it is allowed by the NEC, it is not allowed for Section 8, but I do know that for sure. I do no section 8.
@David Roberts good thread..
Whenever I replace kitchens in small single family rentals, I try to configure them to be in a straight line ( like a Gally kitchen ) so the replacement of them is easy and accessible at any home depot or Lowes. 8 ft long sectionals are extremely cheap and come with the countertop most of the time.
Originally posted by @Michael Boyer:
One of my favorite topics on BP...
Glad to see it "bumped" over the years...
Here is one of my latest and simplest rental hardeners:
Tell Tenant in Onboarding--No Moving Appliances (Ever).
Why? It is not just wear and tear....
I have seen dryers pulled out and then the vent comes loose, sending hot humid air into the attic, unit, even inside the wall.
I have even had some expensive rot repair as a result (extensive rot). So a tenant may have gotten their lost quarter or detergent but left the landlord with thousands in repair costs.
Tenants in my experience do not properly unhook and reconnect the appliance lines--but just pull, pull, pull, (the harder the better they seem to think)...
A careless tenant could even pull off the water lines on a washer--an emergency disaster (not had that one yet, knock on wood). A frig with a water line (ice maker/water dispenser) could have the same issue (but I use plain jane, no frills).
I even had a couple of departing tenants turned oven pullers that yanked out the socket for the cord......
So my script now is Never move any appliances. Ever. Never. The tenants need not pull these out to clean or for any reason (too much risk)... I will even come and help retrieve something for them (or lend them a grabber) to get behind any appliance. Rather than telling them about how to disconnect lines, pull it out, reconnect (too complicated) I just try and explain the catastrophic gates of hell opening scenario that can happen if they jerk these out from the wall carelessly.
Best of luck!
Tell Tenant in Onboarding--No Moving Appliances (Ever).
Good idea!
We had stellar tenants who took care of their apartment perfectly, but the day before they moved out, they moved the refrigerator to clean beneath it and tore the vinyl floor covering.
We had a tenant whose brother helped him set up a washer and dryer. The guy forgot to tighten the washer water exhaust hose and it fell off, resulting in a whole washer full of water dumping out onto the floor, from the laundry room to the kitchen and even into the dining room carpet. The tenant sopped up the visible water and was not going to tell us what happened, but water ran into an area near the hot water heater and set off one of our water alarms. The tenant couldn't stand the noise of the alarm and called us. Water was under the refrigerator, range and in the hot water heater closet. Even the carpet in the dining room had to be lifted up for proper drying. Can't overemphasize the value of water alarms placed in key locations... near hot water heater, laundry, kitchen sink cabinet...
When tenants move-in or move-out their own appliances, there is a greater chance for damage to floors, walls and woodwork. We provide instructions regarding move-ins and move-outs to mitigate damage to our property. Not only for appliances, but for other big furniture items too.
Originally posted by @Marcia Maynard:
Originally posted by @Michael Boyer:One of my favorite topics on BP...
Glad to see it "bumped" over the years...
Here is one of my latest and simplest rental hardeners:
Tell Tenant in Onboarding--No Moving Appliances (Ever).
Why? It is not just wear and tear....
I have seen dryers pulled out and then the vent comes loose, sending hot humid air into the attic, unit, even inside the wall.
I have even had some expensive rot repair as a result (extensive rot). So a tenant may have gotten their lost quarter or detergent but left the landlord with thousands in repair costs.
Tenants in my experience do not properly unhook and reconnect the appliance lines--but just pull, pull, pull, (the harder the better they seem to think)...
A careless tenant could even pull off the water lines on a washer--an emergency disaster (not had that one yet, knock on wood). A frig with a water line (ice maker/water dispenser) could have the same issue (but I use plain jane, no frills).
I even had a couple of departing tenants turned oven pullers that yanked out the socket for the cord......
So my script now is Never move any appliances. Ever. Never. The tenants need not pull these out to clean or for any reason (too much risk)... I will even come and help retrieve something for them (or lend them a grabber) to get behind any appliance. Rather than telling them about how to disconnect lines, pull it out, reconnect (too complicated) I just try and explain the catastrophic gates of hell opening scenario that can happen if they jerk these out from the wall carelessly.
Best of luck!
Tell Tenant in Onboarding--No Moving Appliances (Ever).
Good idea!
We had stellar tenants who took care of their apartment perfectly, but the day before they moved out, they moved the refrigerator to clean beneath it and tore the vinyl floor covering.
We had a tenant whose brother helped him set up a washer and dryer. The guy forgot to tighten the washer water exhaust hose and it fell off, resulting in a whole washer full of water dumping out onto the floor, from the laundry room to the kitchen and even into the dining room carpet. The tenant sopped up the visible water and was not going to tell us what happened, but water ran into an area near the hot water heater and set off one of our water alarms. The tenant couldn't stand the noise of the alarm and called us. Water was under the refrigerator, range and in the hot water heater closet. Even the carpet in the dining room had to be lifted up for proper drying. Can't overemphasize the value of water alarms placed in key locations... near hot water heater, laundry, kitchen sink cabinet...
When tenants move-in or move-out their own appliances, there is a greater chance for damage to floors, walls and woodwork. We provide instructions regarding move-ins and move-outs to mitigate damage to our property. Not only for appliances, but for other big furniture items too.
Tenants not telling you or the managers about water damage is the worst! I also try to get some water sensor when possible and I try to be very clear that tenants should call for these things.
For plumbing, use the "nice" supply lines. We had a new plumber come in and replace a few toilets and had used the cheaper plastic supply lines. One of them of course failed when the tenant was not home, a few thousand dollars later of repairs and we made sure the supply lines were all in good shape...
The other tip is for student rentals we started tiling the entire bathroom and adding a floor drain, we also added urinals to any of the bathrooms that had room for it. Not only can you take a house and wash the whole room down (rarely needed) but people actually love having the urinals, even if it is a house full of girls.
Originally posted by @Jarrod Kohl:
The other tip is for student rentals we started tiling the entire bathroom and adding a floor drain,
How is the floor drain plumbed, do you have a trap primer valve to keep the drain trap full? Otherwise, if the trap dries out you get sewer stink.
Originally posted by @Johann Jells:
Originally posted by @Jarrod Kohl:The other tip is for student rentals we started tiling the entire bathroom and adding a floor drain,
How is the floor drain plumbed, do you have a trap primer valve to keep the drain trap full? Otherwise, if the trap dries out you get sewer stink.
We use floor drains all the time in laundry areas ... you just need a trap and a back water valve.
Originally posted by @Roy N.:
We use floor drains all the time in laundry areas ... you just need a trap and a back water valve.
That's interesting, but would not pass code here. You need a trap staying full of water. They would net even approve a primed trap for a floor drain under the washer on the same drain line as the washer standpipe, said suds could come up out of it.
Originally posted by @Johann Jells:Originally posted by @Roy N.:
We use floor drains all the time in laundry areas ... you just need a trap and a back water valve.That's interesting, but would not pass code here. You need a trap staying full of water. They would net even approve a primed trap for a floor drain under the washer on the same drain line as the washer standpipe, said suds could come up out of it.
If you have a backwater valve (nominally closed type), the sewer gas should not come-up through it even if the trap were to dry out. We typically run the drain line from the HRV (as we often mount them in the laundry rm/space) into this floor drain so it's improbable that it will dry out (any more than the trap on the vanity sink ... which would only occur with prolonged vacancy).
... but code always gets the last word :-)
@Roy N. I'm not sure I'm following the flow. You run the washer standpipe into the pipe with the floor drain after the backflow and then into a trap? Any chance you have a drawing? The one true thing about check valves and backflows is they can jam with crap. I'm in a low lying area and everyone has check valves on their main sewer so they don't get their basements full when the sewer floods. Tales of failure are rampant, some people put 3 in a row.
Originally posted by @Johann Jells:
@Roy N. I'm not sure I'm following the flow. You run the washer standpipe into the pipe with the floor drain after the backflow and then into a trap? Any chance you have a drawing? The one true thing about check valves and backflows is they can jam with crap. I'm in a low lying area and everyone has check valves on their main sewer so they don't get their basements full when the sewer floods. Tales of failure are rampant, some people put 3 in a row.
Johann:
The floor drain has its own trap as does the stand-pipe. The back flow valve is between the floor drain and where it joins the 2" line running from the washer (or, in some cases, the 3" line from the unit).
We use a 4" or 6" main line backwater valve on all our buildings - the bottom hinged (backflow lift) versus the top hinged (directional flow open) valves fail less frequently. That said, proper functioning of backwater valves is something we try very hard to test annually.
Ok, that's kinda what I thought. I'm not certain, but it seems to me the risk of something getting down the floor drain and blocking open the backflow allowing in sewer gas would nix that here. I've never heard of any connection without an actual water filled trap, and since the floor drain normally has no usage it would go dry. I tried to use a trap primer, a valve on the cold water line to the washer that bleeds a little water to the trap when it's in use, but that was not allowed.
The trap on the floor drain is {theoretically} water filled ... the condensate/drainage line from the HRV sees to that. The backflow valve is a requirement on floor drains here (at least on, or below grade ) to prevent other parts of the house from backing into the living space.
I know some landlords in a low rent area that hang a sign on their door that says all pex pipe. They also paint "stolen" on the water heater and furnace. ( who wants to sell a furnace that say stolen on it ) Some leave the doors unlocked so they don't have to fix the doors ( going to get in anyway)
Before I had a PM I never supplied stove and fridge. Never had an issue it was great. Now my PM required that I supply. ( it's BS they make money off it)
I own a window company I recommend buying double hung or double sliding windows ( vs single hung single sliders) that way if glass breaks you can just take the sash into the shop for 1/3 the price.
Also fiberglass doors are less likely to dent. And are Just as secure.
Originally posted by @Jeff Weaver:
I own a window company I recommend buying double hung or double sliding windows ( vs single hung single sliders) that way if glass breaks you can just take the sash into the shop for 1/3 the price.
How about casement/awning windows? They are a more energy efficient design than single/double hung or horizontal sliders (about the worst).
Yes casement / awnings are more efficient ( I have in my own home) however they cost more and most people tend to over tighten the crank. Witch will make them strip out .
Originally posted by @Jeff Weaver:
Yes casement / awnings are more efficient ( I have in my own home) however they cost more and most people tend to over tighten the crank. Witch will make them strip out .
Only ever had that happen once .... simply replaced the mechanism and sent the bill to the tenant :-)