Importance of inspections and reserves reinforced

[Jennifer A.]

Today was our scheduled semi-annual inspections of all of our rental properties. During the winter months we hire a local heating contractor that we do our business with to inspect the furnace. Every year. And, in the summer they inspect the AC when we do our summer inspections.

We own one of rental properties with my in-laws. My father-in-law HATES that I would pay someone to inspect the furnaces. As far as he's concerned it is a waste of money. I do it to give me peace of mind and to try to prevent emergency services in the middle of the night.

Well, sure enough, on the rental property we own with my in-laws the heating contractor was testing the carbon monoxide and it registered at 4,000 ppm. Standard is that is should be below either 140 or 160 ppm (I can't remember which). He had just done my personal residence and it registered 17 ppm. While the carbon monoxide was not yet getting in the house, that was my fear. Apparently it can also cause the furnace to fail and soot to build in the vents (which would then have to be replaced). Fortunately no soot had begun to build. However, given the age of the furnace and the cost to repair the broken part, they strongly recommended a new furnace. Thank goodness we have a reserve fund with plenty of money to replace the furnace. The heating company boss (who got called down to our house by the contractor) deemed it so important to get replaced that he was pulling people from other jobs to get it done today.

Needless to say my father-in-law is now a believer in my inspections (we also found a moisture problem in the bathroom causing the paint on the ceiling to peel that had never been reported by the tenants and fire alarms that were not functioning properly) and I'm so glad that I have a reserve fund!!