An HVAC checklist for New Orleans landlords and property managers

By Gail Barlow, HVAC Guides Editor · Updated September 2026

Between tenants

Turnover is the best time to look at the system properly. Replace the filter, check that the thermostat works and is set correctly, flush the condensate drain, look at the air handler and drain pan for rust or water, and clean the return grille and supply registers. If ducts are dirty or smell musty, cleaning them between tenants is easier than with someone living there.

Note the model, age and condition of each unit while you are there.

Filters: decide who changes them

Filters are the single biggest maintenance item, and in a rental it is easy for nobody to do it. Decide whether the tenant or the property manager changes them, put it in writing, and make the size and location obvious. A clogged filter freezes the indoor coil, causes water leaks and shortens the life of the system.

Many landlords drop off a supply of filters or schedule changes themselves to avoid the problem altogether.

The drain line and float switch

In attics and closets, a clogged condensate drain is the most common cause of water damage from an AC. A float switch shuts the system off before the pan overflows, which protects the ceiling. Make sure every unit has one, test it once a year, and have the drain flushed at the same time.

Tenants should know that a system shutting off with water in the pan is a call to make, not something to reset and ignore.

Twice-yearly maintenance

A spring cooling check and a fall heating check catch most problems before they become emergency calls. For a portfolio of units, a maintenance plan keeps the schedule on track and puts your properties at the front of the line when something does fail during a heat wave.

Ask for a short report on each unit so you can see which ones are aging.

Tenant instructions

A one-page sheet near the thermostat saves calls: keep the fan on AUTO, do not set the temperature extremely low, keep supply registers and returns clear, change or report the filter on schedule, and call immediately for water leaks, burning smells or no cooling in extreme heat. Include the number to call at any hour.

Short-term rental guests need even simpler instructions, since they will not stay long enough to learn the system.

Apartments and room units

Buildings with PTAC units or small split systems need a different routine: clean every unit's filter and coils on a schedule, keep the drain paths clear, and keep a few common parts on hand. Units that are failing repeatedly are often cheaper to replace than to keep repairing.

Keep a list of which room has which unit and when it was last serviced.

Plan replacements, do not wait for them

Systems in rentals tend to fail at the worst time: a tenant moving in, a holiday weekend, the hottest week of the year. If a unit is old and needing frequent repairs, budget for its replacement and schedule it between tenants or in a mild month.

A short list of each property's systems, ages and condition makes that planning simple.