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If you own or manage rental properties, you know the drill. The phone rings. A tenant reports a clogged kitchen sink. You dispatch a plumber. Three hours and $250 later, the problem is temporarily fixed. Then it happens again next week in another unit.

Plumbing issues, particularly clogged drains, represent one of the most frequent and frustrating maintenance challenges property managers face. Industry research shows that plumbing-related expenses can account for 15-25% of total property maintenance budgets¹. But what if you could prevent the majority of these calls before they happen?

The Real Cost of Plumbing Maintenance Calls

Before we discuss solutions, let's understand the true cost of reactive plumbing maintenance. Each service call includes:

Plumber fees: $150-500 per visit on average², with emergency calls costing 1.5 to 3 times more than regular service³
Administrative time: Scheduling, tenant communication, vendor management
Tenant dissatisfaction: Inconvenience affects retention and reviews
Property damage: Water damage from overflows or backups
Lost productivity: Time spent managing emergencies instead of strategic initiatives

For a 50-unit building experiencing just one plumbing call per unit per year, you're looking at $7,500-15,000 in direct costs alone. The indirect costs can easily double that figure.

The Primary Culprit: Kitchen Sink Clogs

According to industry data, kitchen sink clogs account for a significant amount of routine plumbing calls in residential properties⁶. Food debris, grease, and other materials that make it past standard basket strainers create blockages in drain lines.

Garbage disposals, often installed as a solution, actually contribute to the problem. They require regular maintenance, frequently malfunction, and encourage tenants to put problematic materials down the drain. The average garbage disposal lifespan is only 8 to 12 years⁴, with replacement costs ranging from $200-625 including installation⁵. Each disposal also uses significant water with every operation.

The Prevention-First Strategy

The most effective way to eliminate plumbing calls is to prevent the problems from occurring in the first place. Here's a comprehensive approach:

1. Install Permanent Sink Screens

The SemperScreen® permanent sink screen represents a fundamental shift from reactive repairs to proactive prevention. This professionally installed drain screen features proprietary double-walled technology that stops debris before it enters your plumbing system.

Unlike traditional basket strainers that tenants remove and lose, or garbage disposals that grind debris into pipes, SemperScreen® permanent sink screens stay are installed once and have no moving parts to fail. Property managers report that clogged drain lines in apartment buildings are significantly reduced after installation.

One property manager put it simply: "I am very excited about this. I am very impressed with the 12 I installed in 2022. Not only do I want to install in the rest of my properties but I also want to offer the product to my maintenance customers. Clogged kitchen sinks are such a constant in the rental industry." -Jason C, Home Run Maintenance and Properties

Key benefits:

No moving parts means nothing to break or maintain
Tenants cannot remove or lose it
Made of high-grade stainless steel for durability
Fits standard 3.5" kitchen sink drain openings
Easy to clean—just scoop out debris
Costs less than a garbage disposal with none of the maintenance

2. Educate Tenants on Proper Drain Care

Even with the best prevention systems in place, tenant education remains important. Include drain care guidelines in your move-in materials:

Never pour grease or oil down drains
Use the provided drain screen system properly
Run hot water after each use
Report slow drains immediately before they become clogs

3. Implement Regular Preventive Maintenance

Schedule annual drain inspections and cleaning for your properties. A camera inspection can identify developing problems before they cause backups. Professional drain cleaning as preventive maintenance costs far less than emergency calls.

4. Replace Problematic Fixtures

If you have units with old, corroded drain lines, consider strategic replacement during unit turns. Modern PVC drain systems are more resistant to buildup and last longer.

When replacing kitchen sinks, install SemperScreen® permanent sink screen units from the start. This one-time installation provides lifetime protection with no maintenance required.

5. Monitor and Document

Track all plumbing-related maintenance calls by unit and type. This data helps you identify problem units, patterns, and the ROI of your prevention efforts. You'll likely see dramatic reductions in call volume after implementing preventive solutions.

Real-World Results

Property managers who have implemented comprehensive prevention strategies report remarkable results:

"We installed a SemperScreen® sink screen in each of our units. Our tenants love saving money on water and I love not having to worry about broken garbage disposals or clogged drains anymore." — Bernardo, Resident Property Manager

"Clogged drain lines in our apartment buildings are significantly reduced after installing the SemperScreen® screens. This product pays for itself 5 times over with just the first blockage or repair it prevents." — Patrick and Robert, BLVD Capital

The ROI Calculation

Let's break down the numbers for a 50-unit apartment building:

Current State (typical):

50 units × 2 plumbing calls/year = 100 calls
100 calls × $200 average = $20,000 annually
Plus administrative time and tenant frustration

After Prevention Strategy:

Initial investment: SemperScreen® permanent sink screen units at $60 per unit = $3,000
Annual plumbing calls reduced by 95% = 5 calls
Annual plumbing costs: $1,000
Annual savings: $19,000
Payback period: 2-3 months

Implementation Steps

Ready to eliminate most of your plumbing headaches? Here's how to start:

Audit your current situation: Track plumbing calls for 3-6 months to establish a baseline
Calculate your costs: Include direct costs, time, and tenant impact
Start with problem units: Install SemperScreen® permanent sink screens in units with frequent clogs first
Install in all units during turns: Make it standard in vacant units before new tenants move in
Retrofit existing units: For maximum impact, retrofit occupied units
Educate tenants: Share the benefits and proper care instructions
Monitor results: Track the reduction in calls and costs

The Permanent Solution

Eliminating the majority of plumbing-related maintenance calls isn't just possible—it's practical and profitable. The key is shifting from reactive repairs to proactive prevention.

The SemperScreen® permanent sink screen is specifically designed for rental and commercial properties where durability, reliability, and low maintenance are essential. Built to commercial specifications with heavy-duty stainless steel construction, it's the last sink strainer you'll ever need to install.

No more emergency calls about clogged drains. No more broken garbage disposals. No more frustrated tenants. Just permanent peace of mind and dramatically reduced operating expenses.

[This article was written by an AI, and edited by a human.]

References

Genuine Property Management. "What Is The Average Maintenance Cost for an Apartment Complex?" Retrieved from https://genuinemanaged.com/library/what-is-the-average-maintenance-cost-for-an-apartment-complex/ ↩
Angi. "How Much Does an Emergency Plumber Cost? [2025 Data]." Retrieved from https://www.angi.com/articles/emergency-plumber-cost.htm ↩
HomeGuide. "How Much Does an Emergency Plumber Cost? (2025)." Retrieved from https://homeguide.com/costs/emergency-plumber-cost ↩
HomeGuide. "2025 Garbage Disposal Installation Cost." Retrieved from https://homeguide.com/costs/garbage-disposal-installation-cost ↩
Angi. "How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Garbage Disposal? [2026 Data]." Retrieved from https://www.angi.com/articles/what-s-it-cost-replace-garbage-disposal.htm ↩
Crest Plumbing. "When Should You Call a Plumber for a Clogged Kitchen Sink?" Retrieved from https://crest247.com/blog/when-should-you-call-a-plumber-for-a-clogged-kitchen-sink ↩

Ready to stop the endless cycle of plumbing service calls? Visit SemperScreen.com to learn more or find a store near you.

Top 5 Ways to Reduce Plumbing-Related Maintenance Calls