If you live in an apartment you probably know it is sometimes not clear who’s responsible for certain tasks, including HVAC maintenance. It’s always good to have things pertaining to apartment maintenance spelled out in the lease, but sometimes there are gray areas that may be open for discussion between a landlord and a tenant.
Following are some tips regarding HVAC maintenance in apartments:
Whose Responsibility?
If air conditioning and heating are provided in your lease agreement, then it is the landlord’s responsibility to keep up the HVAC system. If you have a window unit that you installed yourself or a portable air conditioner, it’s your responsibility.
Concerning changing air filters, most landlords provide filters and even see that they are changed. That way, they can be sure that it is done properly and there will be no question that some kind of malfunction has been caused by either not changing the filter regularly or doing it improperly.
However, there may be situations where the tenant agrees to change the filter, so this should be spelled out very carefully in the lease.
Tenants may also be responsible for caring for the thermostat. They should be given a manual or shown how to work the thermostat properly, how to blow dust off it to clean it and if it’s battery operated, how to change batteries.
Things to Look Out For in a Lease
- Some states set minimums and maximums for heating and cooling in apartments so ask about this if it’s not mentioned in the lease. You don’t want to rent an apartment where you’re likely to freeze or have heat stroke.
- You may also want to look into whether an apartment has suitable ventilation. Ventilation is, after all, an important part of HVAC. Having ceiling fans will make you feel cooler, while exhaust ventilation in the bathroom and kitchen can help remove moisture and stale odors and improve air quality. Discuss responsibility for ceiling fans and ventilation systems if it’s not in your lease.
To learn more about apartment maintenance involving HVAC contact Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing of Indianapolis.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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