Maintain proactively

Funded reserves enable something crucial: the ability to address problems when they're small.

Deferred maintenance is a trap. A small roof leak that costs $5,000 to fix today becomes a $50,000 structural problem next year. A minor HVAC issue becomes a full system replacement. A hairline crack becomes a safety hazard.

Associations without reserves defer maintenance because they have no choice. Associations with reserves have no excuse.

Follow your maintenance schedules. Your property manager should advise on timing for inspections, servicing, and minor repairs. Trust their recommendations. When something needs attention, attend to it. This is what the reserves are for.

Proactive maintenance also extends asset life. A well-maintained roof lasts longer than a neglected one. Regular elevator servicing prevents early replacement. The money you spend on maintenance often saves multiples in avoided replacements.

There's also a safety obligation. Champlain Towers wasn't just an underfunding problem—it was a deferred maintenance problem. Warning signs were ignored because addressing them was expensive and inconvenient. The cost of that neglect was measured in lives.

Don't wait. When your reserve study or property manager identifies needed work, do it.