A water and fire safety maintenance schedule for rentals
Put these on a calendar and you'll catch most problems while they're still small. Each item comes from a public safety source, linked at the bottom.
Every month (ask tenants to do it)
- Press the test button on every smoke alarm and CO alarm.
Every 6 months
- Inspect water heaters for leaks, rust and corrosion.
- Inspect ice maker supply lines.
- Flush water heater tanks to remove sediment (twice a year).
- Replace smoke alarm batteries, unless the alarms have 10 year lithium batteries.
Every year
- Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected by a professional.
- Before winter, check that tenants know where the main water shutoff is and what to do on the coldest nights.
Every few years
- Washing machine hoses: every 3 to 5 years, braided stainless steel.
- Dishwasher supply hoses: every 5 years, braided stainless steel.
- Water heaters: plan for replacement every 7 to 10 years.
- Smoke alarms: replace 10 years after the date they were made.
At every move-in
- Test every smoke and CO alarm.
- Turn each fixture shutoff once to make sure it moves.
- Show the new tenant the shutoffs, the breaker panel and the after hours number.
Teach it once, for every tenant. SaferResident sends each tenant a 20 minute phone course built around your building, with reminders, and gives you a certificate for every unit. $2 per unit per month, billed once a year as $24 per unit. Free for the first 60 days.
Sources
- How to Prevent Interior Water Damage from Plumbing and Appliances, Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS)
- Home Fires, Ready.gov (FEMA)
- Learn More About Smoke Alarms, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
- Heating Fire Safety, U.S. Fire Administration (FEMA)
- Carbon Monoxide Information Center, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
Updated October 1, 2026. General safety information. It doesn't replace your building's safety systems, local codes or your lease. In an emergency, call 911.