Fall is a good time to catch problems in a Texas rental. The summer heat is over, the weather is mild, and it's the last easy window before cold weather tests the heat and the pipes.
Home / Insights / Fall Maintenance
A few hours of checks in the fall can prevent some of the most expensive calls of the winter. Here's what to look at, and why each one matters in Texas.
Have the furnace or heat pump serviced, replace the air filter, and confirm the thermostat switches over to heat. If the home has gas heat or a gas water heater, make sure any carbon monoxide alarms in the home are working.
Spring and summer storms can loosen shingles and flashing without leaving damage you can see from the ground. A fall roof check can catch it before winter rain finds it. Clean the gutters once most of the leaves have fallen, and make sure downspouts carry water away from the house.
Much of North Texas sits on expansive clay soil, which shrinks when it dries out and swells when it gets wet. After a long, hot summer, that movement can show up in the house.
Walk the property and look for new cracks in brick or drywall, doors or windows that start to stick, or gaps between the soil and the slab. The goal around a foundation is steady soil moisture, not soaking it, so check that sprinklers and downspouts aren't putting all their water in one spot.
Under Texas Property Code Section 92.258, a landlord must confirm smoke alarms are in good working order when a tenant moves in. During the lease, the landlord must inspect and repair them when the tenant reports a problem or asks.
A quick fall test is a simple safeguard beyond what the law requires. If the alarms were working at move-in, the law doesn't require the landlord to supply replacement batteries after that, so remind tenants to test their alarms and replace batteries as needed.
According to a U.S. Fire Administration report, failure to clean was the leading factor in home clothes dryer fires, and those fires were more common in fall and winter. Have the vent line cleaned all the way to the outside, and remind tenants to clean the lint filter every load.
If the home has a fireplace, the National Fire Protection Association standard NFPA 211 calls for chimneys, fireplaces, and vents to be inspected at least once a year. Fall is the time, before anyone lights the first fire.
Check weatherstripping on doors, caulk around windows, and close gaps where pipes and wires enter the house. It helps keep heat in and gives pests one less way inside as the weather cools.
The National Weather Service puts the average first freeze at DFW on November 22, and it has come as early as late October. Fall is the time to insulate exposed pipes, cover outdoor faucets, and protect the sprinkler system's backflow preventer.
Every Alta-managed home gets two inspections a year, so seasonal issues get caught and fixed before winter. Ask how it works.
Talk to Alta ResidentialPrefer to talk it through? Call 214-775-0807, Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM.
No. Texas Property Code Section 92.258 requires a landlord to confirm smoke alarms work at the start of a tenancy, and to inspect and repair them during the lease when the tenant reports a problem or asks.
If the smoke alarm was in good working order when the tenant moved in, Texas law does not require the landlord to provide replacement batteries after that.
Much of North Texas sits on expansive clay soil that shrinks when it dries out and swells when it gets wet. Changes in soil moisture move the slab that sits on top of it.
Sources: Texas Property Code Section 92.258, U.S. Fire Administration, NFPA 211, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, and National Weather Service Fort Worth. This guide is general information for Texas rental owners, not legal advice. Alta Residential · 325 N. St. Paul St., Suite 3100, Dallas, TX 75201 · 214-775-0807.