A big part of your work as a property manager is to prep for all seasons, both in and outside of your building. Before it’s officially autumn, as an example, you should take care of some summer property maintenance to ensure that you are ready for potential new renters who arrive with September and beyond.
What’s Involved in Summer Property Maintenance?
The earlier you tackle some of these tasks, the better. “These chores and upgrades prepare your property for the upcoming season, avoiding costly repairs and the last-minute scramble to get things done.” To present your property in the best light, you should make an effort to get some of your intended changes accomplished; new renters don’t want to have to deal with construction noises on the first day at your location!
To begin with, you want to have a full-scale inspection of your property. This doesn’t just mean walking around with a clipboard, but should entail a thorough look-over of all your systems to ensure they are in working order as cold weather approaches. It also should include a trip up to the roof, which obviously keeps your property safe from weather and more and which should be maintained regularly. Similarly, make sure that the gutters are clean and clear of debris to ensure that they are functioning as they should. Finally, look for drafts around doors and windows, which can cost you big in energy expenses over time.
Next: “your tenants will likely not use air conditioning during the colder months, but you should still check the air filter and clean out any excess buildup.” This means looking over the heating system, too, which they will absolutely be using as the temperature drops. You want these systems to not only be working, but to be working “efficiently,” or you’re the one who will pay when your heating and cooling bills are higher than you expected. Summer property maintenance should also include a trip to look over your furnace, the life of which can be extended if you regularly have it inspected and maintained. Something as small as changing the filter can make a huge difference!
We mentioned drafts earlier, and part of keeping them from costing you big is to ensure that the property has good insulation. It “can wear down and become less effective over time—which most property owners don’t realize.” Be on the alert so that you can make any necessary changes before new renters arrive and complain about the heat… or the cold.
If you have plants and other greenery outside, then you may want to take the time to prune them, as is appropriate, for fall and winter. Again, this may seem preemptive, but summer property maintenance means getting things ready a little early to ensure they’re all shaped up for new renters. Also, they’re just plain necessary to keep your building running smoothly when it gets colder. So, “prepare for the weight of snow on the trees and bushes surrounding your house” by having any necessary pruning done so that your plant life isn’t damaged and, perhaps even more importantly, doesn’t damage your building in any way (i.e. broken branches).
Little checks and changes can make all the difference. That’s why we recommend SKYLINE Property Management and Accounting Software, which has the functionality to handle your facility maintenance and work orders, among other things. SKYLINE offers a huge variety of modules so that you can manipulate this system software and perform only the tasks relevant to your property management company. If you need electronic aid in your summer property maintenance, then SKYLINE’s maintenance-minded tools are the ones to do it for you. Of course, it has tons of other features that can help you to navigate all of the aspects of your work, so why not give it a try today?