Maintenance Categories Every Property Manager Should Track

"We have a lot of plumbing issues."

Is that true? Or did you just have two big plumbing issues last week that feel like "a lot"?

In property management, feelings are expensive. Data is profitable. To run an efficient operation, you need to stop relying on your gut and start relying on categorized maintenance logs.

The 7 Essential Maintenance Categories

To get useful data without making your tracking too complex, use these seven core categories:

1. Plumbing

What's included: Leaks, clogs, water heaters, toilets, faucets.
Why track: Usually your highest volume category. High potential for property damage.

2. HVAC

What's included: Heating, cooling, thermostats, filters.
Why track: Most expensive service calls. Highly seasonal (spikes in July and January).

3. Electrical

What's included: Outlets, switches, lighting, breakers, smoke detectors.
Why track: High life-safety risk. Often involves small jobs that can be batched.

4. Appliance

What's included: Dishwashers, fridges, washers/dryers, ovens, microwaves.
Why track: Helps you decide when to "repair vs. replace." If a fridge has 4 appliance calls in 2 years, buy a new one.

5. Structural/Carpentry

What's included: Doors, windows, flooring, walls, cabinetry, locks.
Why track: Often related to tenant wear-and-tear. Important for security deposits.

6. Pest Control

What's included: Insects, rodents, wildlife.
Why track: Issues often affect multiple units. Helps you identify building-wide problems early.

7. Exterior/Landscaping

What's included: Gutters, siding, roof, lawn, snow removal.
Why track: Primarily preventative. Helps with long-term capital planning.

How Categorization Saves You Money

1. Identify "Problem Properties"

If one 10-unit building has 50% of your HVAC calls, there's a systemic issue that needs a capital investment, not more service calls.

2. Negotiate Vendor Rates

If you can show a plumber that you gave them 150 "Plumbing" jobs last year, you have the leverage to ask for a volume discount or preferred pricing.

3. Batch Your Repairs

Instead of sending a handyman to a property three times for three different "Minor" structural issues, you can batch them into a single "Maintenance Day" and save on service call fees. (Clear communication is key here; see our Work Order Template guide).

Implementation Tip: The "One-Click" Rule

Don't ask your team to write out categories. Use a dropdown menu in your spreadsheet or software. If it takes more than one click to categorize, people won't do it consistently.

OpsPilot Note: OpsPilot automatically categorizes every incoming request into one of these 7 buckets (and more). You get a clean, searchable database of your maintenance history without ever having to manually tag a single email.