Common Maintenance Issues for Your Long Beach Rental

Dustin Edwards • November 4, 2021

Being Prepared for Common Challenges Can Reduce Stress

Garbage Disposal in Rental

As with any property, your Long Beach rental is bound to face some common yet inconvenient maintenance issues. Thus, you must be prepared for these problems and know how to fix them. This will not only save you time but also save you money on unnecessary and costly repairs. 


Below are some of the most common maintenance issues that landlords face and the best ways to remedy them. 


Garbage Disposals

Garbage disposals are very temperamental appliances that can have a variety of issues and cause your tenants unwarranted strife. 


Commonly, garbage disposals become jammed and, subsequently, cannot turn on or hum when turned on. To clear the garbage disposal, turn it off at the breaker box and free the blades with your hand. Remember to protect yourself with gloves. Afterward, remind your tenants that vegetable peels (especially potato peels), eggshells, fruit pits, bones, and non-food items should not go down the garbage disposal and will almost certainly cause feature jams.


Additionally, garbage disposals tend to smell over time, which may dissuade your tenants from using the sink. One way to remove the disgusting odor is by running lemon wedges and ice through the garbage disposal for a few seconds. The fresh, citrus fragrance can clear out any foulness. If that does not work, pouring baking soda and vinegar down the garbage disposal may help. 


Well-maintained garbage disposals can last for up to fifteen years. That being said, having numerous tenants come through your Long Beach rental likely causes added wear to all your appliances, including the garbage disposal. As such, you may need to replace it every eight years. 


Leaky Faucets

The sound of a leaky faucet dripping into the sink can be an irritating nuisance that keeps your tenants up at night. Furthermore, a leaky faucet that goes unfixed for any length of time can be a critical waste of water. 


Before repairing a leaky faucet, you should shut off the water supply below the sink. If there is no shutoff valve for the individual sink, turn off the property’s water supply. 

Then, you can remove the faucet handle. Start by identifying what kind of handle it is. If the handle has a set screw behind it, you can use a hex key to remove the screw. Conversely, if the handle has a top screw cover, you can remove the cover with a flat screwdriver and use a Phillips head screwdriver to remove the screw. 

Once you have successfully removed the screw, you can detach the faucet handle and now have access to the faucet stem. With a wrench, remove the faucet stem’s packing nut. Now, you can take out the faucet stem and replace it. If necessary, you can take the faucet stem to Home Depot or your local home improvement and use it to find a matching replacement. 


Before installing the new faucet stem, inspect the O-ring to ensure it is not broken. Afterward, you can put in the new faucet stem and reattach the faucet handle. Turn the water supply back on and see if the faucet is still leaking, or if there are any additional problems from installation. If you are still experiencing a leaky faucet, then there may be a larger issue that requires a plumber’s assistance. 


Broken Dishwashers

There are many reasons your Long Beach rental’s dishwasher may be acting up. Most times, these are minor inconveniences that require little or no maintenance. 


Most likely, your tenants will complain about the dishwasher leaking water during its cycles. Dishwasher leaks can have relatively minor solutions, such as using less detergent, stacking dishes correctly, or putting in fewer dishes. Perhaps the door seal is worn and needs to be replaced. The replacement seal can be identified in the owner’s manual.


Another typical issue your tenants may face is dirty dishes after a cycle. Similar to leaks, dirty dishes may be the cause of improperly stacking dishes or overloading the dishwasher. Additionally, the hot water stop valve under the sink may not be fully open. This means the water inlet valve may be clogged and needs cleaning. Clearing out the water inlet valve should allow your dishwasher to fill and heat properly, thus making your tenant’s dishes cleaner. 


If none of these resolutions work, then you may need to install a new dishwasher. On average, dishwashers last ten to fifteen years. However, as previously discussed, the constant turnover of new tenants shortens the lifespan of your Long Beach Rental’s appliances. It may also be beneficial to upgrade to an energy efficient dishwasher as they tend to be more reliable and more cost-effective. 


Having background on these common maintenance issues will make it easier to inevitably fix them for your tenants. If you need further assistance with caring for your Long Beach rental, we invite you to call us today at (562) 888-0247 or you can fill out our Owner Application online.


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