Whether you live in an apartment in a large complex or rent from a private property investor, it’s important to know what the owners provide by way of apartment maintenance and what’s your responsibility. It will eliminate any confusion about who is responsible for the apartment upkeep, especially with regard to its plumbing and HVAC system.
Plumbing
As a tenant, you may be liable for misusing the plumbing system. Landlords are responsible for repairs related to normal wear and tear. Putting things down the sinks, toilets, or garbage disposal that don’t belong in them could cost you, not the landlord, when the bill arrives.
As a general rule, don’t dispose of these items in the plumbing:
- Kitty litter, baby and cosmetic wipes, paper towels, grease and oil. As a general rule, wipes and kitty litter don’t have time to disintegrate before they’ll cause a clog inside the pipes.
- If you can’t chew it, don’t put it in the garbage disposal. These appliances don’t have blades to chop food finely. Instead, they smash food and if it’s too hard, stringy, or starchy, it will hurt the disposal or clog the plumbing.
Air Conditioning and Heating System
Ask about air filter changes. Keeping the air filter clean will keep cooling bills lower and prevent some kinds of equipment failure. The apartment management or landlord should provide the exact type of filter you need. If they don’t, make sure you use the right size and type of filter for your equipment and check it monthly.
The last thing you want is to neglect apartment maintenance regarding the air conditioner and suffer for days without cooling. Under Arizona law, landlords have 48 hours to fix the A/C, but the law makes allowances for the time it takes to troubleshoot the problem and get parts. In the meantime, temperatures could become unbearable in your home.
Having a clear idea of what’s your responsibility for apartment maintenance for its important systems will avert the inconvenience and discomfort of preventable problems. To learn more, contact Hansberger Refrigeration and Electric Company, serving the HVAC needs for Yuma residents.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Yuma, Arizona about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about apartment maintenance and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 928-723-3183.
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