When summer ends and fall colors move in, you turn your focus to preparing your home for winter. However, that isn't the only home you should think about. If you own rental property, you need to prepare this home also.
This guide will provide you with rental property maintenance tips to ensure that all of your properties are ready for winter.
Have the gutters Cleaned
People travel from all over the country to see the fall foliage’s stunning colors in the Blue Ridge. However, those leaves have an unwanted side effect. They will accumulate and clog your gutters. Making sure the gutters are clean will prepare your rental home for winter and the following spring.
Clogged gutters encourage standing water accumulation, which promotes the buildup of water on your roof and foundation. It also puts your gutters at greater risk of detachment from the weight of ice dams.
Touch Up the Landscaping
Now that the leaves are falling from the trees, it’s the perfect time to do some landscaping. Walk around the property and look for branches that hang over the house. These could be an issue during inclement weather. Remember, branches become heavier and harder for the tree to support when they’re weighed down by snow or ice.
It’s much more affordable to have the trees trimmed now than to pay for repairing a broken window or caved in roof.
Take a look at the driveway; if it’s gravel, then you may need to re-level it. The summer rains and excess water could have caused deep ruts in the driveway. Hire someone to tough up the driveway and possibly add more gravel if needed.
Check the Window and Door Seals
When temperatures drop, your tenants will want to heat their home, but if there are leaks, warm air goes outside instead of staying in. This results in higher heating costs for your tenants.
Visually inspect all of the windows and doors. The seals and frames should be in good condition and create a tight seal. Replace any weather stripping or caulking that may need it.
Service the Furnace
You can prolong the life of your furnace by having it regularly serviced. You’ll also make your tenants happier by reducing the risk of it breaking down when they need it most. So before your tenants blast the heat, have the system cleaned and the filters replaced.
Chimney and Fireplace Inspection
If your rental home has a fireplace, it’s probably been neglected during the spring and summer months. So now is the time to have it checked and serviced. That way, it’s ready for use when winter hits.
Have a professional come and clean and inspect the fireplace, chimney, flue, and vent. They’ll remove any obstructions or possible fire hazards.
Clean the Decking
If you have a vacation rental, then you’ll probably have the home winterized for the cold weather since summertime is the busy rental season. Part of this means packing away the outdoor patio furniture.
With an empty deck, now is the perfect time to pressure wash the decking. This removes the mold and mildew growth that happens from the moist environment of the summer.
Do These Fall Rental Property Maintenance Tips
By following these rental property maintenance tips, your Blue Ridge rental property will be ready for the colder temperatures of winter.
If your property is empty, then these tasks are as simple as scheduling the service. If you have tenants in the property, then you’ll want to make sure they’re ready for someone to come out and provide these necessary property maintenance tasks.
Contact our team today and let us help you prepare your rental property with our extensive network of contractors and service professionals.
