The Advantages of a Comprehensive Maintenance Plan for Multi-Housing Laundry
Any residential building with multi-housing laundry will require a detailed maintenance plan to ensure the facility can operate efficiently to withstand the daily rigors many residents place on the machines. A laundry facility in multi-housing residential units offers significant advantages for residents and property managers. However, these facilities require a well-organized maintenance plan to ensure managers can identify potential issues before developing into major repairs. A proactive maintenance approach for laundry facilities should include routine inspections of washing machines and dryers, as well as water heaters and ventilation systems to ensure all the equipment operates efficiently. Properly maintaining the best commercial washers and dryers for multi-family housing units helps extend the lifespan of all the equipment while increasing energy efficiency and adhering to safety regulations.
A comprehensive maintenance plan also enhances resident satisfaction and increases property value. When laundry facilities are clean and well maintained, residents are more likely to extend their lease due to the convenience of having easy access to a properly functioning shared laundry room. Regular maintenance also helps prevent and detect water damage and mold issues from growing and posing health risks to residents. Documenting and scheduling repairs can also help property managers better budget for repairs and replacements while ensuring service records are up-to-date in case warranties need to be used.
Do Multiplex Housing Units Have Shared Laundry?
Not every multiplex housing unit will have shared laundry facilities, but it is a preferred amenity among residents. Whether multi-housing units can have a shared laundry facility will depend on various factors, including:
- Access to in-unit laundry equipment: Many modern apartment complexes and higher-end properties provide washer and dryer hookups in each unit.
- Access to shared laundry rooms: Older apartment complexes often have shared laundry facilities serving multiple units. Some of these communities also have restrictions, whether due to building codes or the availability of a washer and dryer hookup.
- Having hybrid approaches: Some properties have shared facilities and in-unit options for residents. Having these options helps property managers expand price points to meet the demands of various tenants.
The decision on multi-housing laundry equipment options will depend on these factors:
- Building age and infrastructure
- Target market and rental price point
- Available space and plumbing configurations
- Operating costs and maintenance considerations
- Local market expectations and competition
Why Do Newer Multi-Housing Buildings Still Have Shared Laundry Rooms?
While the trend and need for in-unit laundry equipment are growing in today’s age of instant satisfaction, many new multi-housing developments continue to incorporate shared laundry facilities for economic and practical reasons. Installing individual washer and dryer hookups for each unit in a residential building can be expensive and take more planning to accommodate plumbing, electrical, and ventilation issues. The revenue generated from shared laundry rooms is also significant enough that many building owners request a shared facility during the design phase. A shared facility also lowers insurance premiums since only having one laundry area reduces the number of areas with water damage potential.
Shared laundry rooms can feature commercial laundry equipment offering superior cleaning performance and larger loads compared to residential equipment to lessen the amount of laundry residents need to conduct. Modern laundry facilities can also feature smart technology allowing residents to conveniently pay from a phone app or a preloaded card. These new features also enable residents to monitor when equipment is in use, adding another convenience factor. In-unit laundry rooms also take up valuable space while a shared facility can allow developers to add more rentable units. The energy and space efficiency combined with the added environmental benefits make commercial laundry facilities a continued benefit for modern residential buildings.
What Should Landlords Know About When to Replace Laundry Equipment Rather Than Fix It?
Knowing when to replace laundry equipment rather than fix it is one of the hardest decisions to make for property managers. A good guide for multi-housing laundry machines would be to follow these considerations to better understand how the equipment should be managed:
- The 50% rule: If a repair costs more than 50% of a new machine, replacing it altogether is typically a better financial decision.
- Consider the age: Commercial washers and dryers can last up to 20 years if properly maintained. However, once they reach the 10 to 15-year age range, investing in repairs becomes risky as paying for a temporary fix may cost more in the long run than purchasing a new unit.
- Availability of parts: COVID has made everything more expensive with parts for commercial laundry equipment harder to come by. Older models that are no longer made make finding the right parts harder with longer wait times and more expensive. Once parts become difficult to source, a full replacement should be considered.
- Energy costs: Older laundry equipment often requires more water and energy to operate than modern laundry machines. Newer Energy Star machines can reduce water usage by nearly 40% and cut electric costs by another 25%. These savings can make purchasing a new model worth it in the long run.
Overall, landlords and property managers need to consider the maintenance history of the equipment, warranty coverage options, and the impact the equipment has on resident satisfaction.
Does Replacing Shared Laundry Machines for Newer Efficient Models Save Money?
Yes, replacing laundry machines with newer models typically results in cost savings. However, the impact may not be felt right away. The reduced costs of newer washers are evident in the lesser amount of water needed, but new dryers also come with cost savings. New-age dryers often feature moisture sensors and enhance heating efficiency to help reduce energy consumption. In shared laundry rooms with each piece of equipment handling 10 to 15 loads a day, the money savings can quickly add up over time.
New machines also require less maintenance costs to operate, further increasing the cost savings. A new machine with better reliability means fewer refunds for failed washes and fewer times when not in operation. Modern machines also have payment systems that don’t require coins, reducing management and theft concerns. While seeing the cost savings of purchasing new commercial laundry equipment can take two to four years, the investment will eventually pay off as the overall costs of operating the facility decrease and the revenue increases.
Enhance Your Multi-Housing Laundry Facility By Contacting Commercial Laundries
Multi-housing laundry facilities require routine maintenance to ensure the facility can perform at the level residents expect and appreciate. With the laundry equipment needing to handle many daily loads, the importance of a proper maintenance plan cannot be understated. Laundry facilities are valuable forms of revenue for multi-housing buildings and not maintaining laundry machines properly can lead to costly repairs and decrease revenue. For property managers, a well-maintained facility can serve as a valuable amenity to attract and retain residents.
To help multi-housing property owners and managers build and maintain the best commercial laundry facilities, Commerical Laundries is here to handle all your equipment needs. From installation, maintenance, and repair to evaluating how your currency facility can be improved, we offer a full list of commercial laundry services. We offer the most well-known commercial laundry brands in the business and our service technicians can handle any and all of your maintenance needs. Please call Commerical Laundries at 305-889-7966 to learn more about how we can enhance your milt-housing laundry room needs today.
