While here in Australia there are probably not too many months of the year when indoor fireplaces are actually useful. However, your tenants are probably feeling pretty lucky right now, if your rental property has one.
These cooler nights are the perfect excuse to get the fire cranking… if you are one of the fortunate ones. The warmth… the ambience… are a lovely way to enjoy a home, but if maintenance is not kept up they can be pretty unsightly. A house full of black smoke is not going to be well received by a tenant. Not only that, a damaged or blocked fireplace could also pose a potential fire risk.
If your property has a wood heater in place, it is good practice to include it under regular maintenance of the property.
There a few considerations when it comes to wood heaters, which may be determined by the amount your tenant uses the heater and the type of wood being used. If wood being used is not dry seasoned hardwood, it can cause a build-up of ash and high amounts of oil and gas residue in the flue, which may lead to a chimney fire. Proper inspection of the flue will ensure it is in good working condition.
While wood heaters, and gas heaters for that matter, aren’t listed as ‘essential services’ for a property in Australia (except in Tasmania), landlords are required to keep their property in good, safe condition.
For tenants who may not have ever lived in a property with a heater or fireplace, they may simply not know how to maintain it responsibly. Therefore regular checks and maintenance, especially at tenant changeover, may be beneficial for not only the safety of your property, but your tenants health and wellbeing.
More and more we are seeing properties built with (and older properties’ fireplaces replaced with) reverse cycle air conditioning for heating purposes. These too need to be regularly maintained to ensure effective use.
If your property has a wood or gas heater, or open fireplace, and you’re unsure when it was last inspected, have a chat to your property manager to ensure you are meeting your maintenance requirements associated with your property.