If you want to keep your Airbnb in tip-top shape and ready to be rented out at any time, you just can’t ignore the importance of regular maintenance.

The more often these tasks are completed, the less maintenance will be needed on an ongoing basis. It’s a win-win. So, whether you’re a first-time vacation rental owner or you’re a seasoned expert, you need to take care of the property chores more quickly and easily whenever they come up. 

Six Maintenance Tasks You Can't Neglect If You Want to Keep Your Short-Term Rental in Tip-Top Shape

Maintenance is important even if you don’t live on the property because you want your Airbnb to look nice when guests arrive. Unfortunately maintenance looks cumbersome for most hosts and is the main reason why a lot of property owners are just reactive instead of proactive in their approach.  

However, you can practice scheduled maintenance to achieve better use of your time, resources and hence avoid unnecessary downtime.  Plus, once you do them regularly, you won’t have to deal with costly repairs down the road!

Checklist of Regular Maintenance

Clean Regularly 

Cleaning is one of the most important things you can do regularly. Not only does it keep your guests happy, but it also helps to prevent wear and tear on your property. A regular cleaning schedule will help you keep on top of things and make sure that your property is always looking its best.

Prune Trees and Shrubs

Ground and landscape maintenance can attract more visitors and also add value to your rental property. That’s why pruning trees and shrubs is a must-to-do task. You need to remove some of the oldest, woodiest stems all the way down to the ground. This encourages new growth and keeps the shrub looking its best. Be sure to add this task to your maintenance schedule for rental properties. 

Service HVAC

One of the most important maintenance tasks you can't neglect is servicing your HVAC system. This should be done at least once a year, but preferably twice. When you do service and maintenance regularly, you ensure HVAC to produce and distribute warm or cool air more evenly thereby reducing your energy bills. A properly working HVAC system will keep your guests comfortable, but it will also prevent expensive repairs.

Check for Water Damage & Mold

Water damage can cause all sorts of problems, from structural damage to mold growth. Mold can not only cause damage to your property, but it can also be a health hazard for guests. Be sure to check for any signs of water damage, such as audible water dripping or rushing within the walls, a general musty smell around the property, or visible discoloration.

Inspect Toilet Fixtures

This includes making sure that the toilet flushes correctly, the tank and bowl refill quickly, and that the shutoff valve is working properly. By keeping an eye on these things, you can avoid potential problems in plumbing and fixtures.

Check Water Heater

You might not think about your water heater very often, but it's an important part of your rental property. Flushing your water heater every six months helps remove sediment from the bottom of the tank. This can improve performance and prevent rust and corrosion. You should also change your water heater to its recommended setting to help conserve energy.

The Bottom Line

As a short-term rental host, you want to keep your guests happy and ensure they have a great experience so they can come back again in the future. In order to do that, you need to pay attention to the details and maintain your property.

By ignoring maintenance you may run the risk of having to fix costly and time-consuming issues. While most of the work will fall on your shoulders, it’s possible to outsource some of these tasks to help save you time and energy while still doing them effectively. You can always hire a property management company or hire a local professional to put your rental property maintenance on autopilot.