Are you a property manager? Do you fear what the winter weather could do to your rental properties? If so, now is as good of a time as any to start taking action.
We’re deep in the throes of winter, after all. Winter-related abuse is likely already taking place.
Are you curious about the measures that property managers should be facilitating in winter in Newport Beach? Here are some property management tips for you to utilize.
Inspect the Roof
When winter rolls around in Southern California, rain becomes more prominent. As a property manager, you must make sure to inspect the roofs on your properties.
Ensure that there are no shingles missing, cracked, or warped. If any of the shingles are damaged, they will need to be replaced. Failure to replace a damaged shingle could allow precipitation to reach the structural components of the roof, resulting in long-term damage.
Clean Out the Gutters
If your properties have gutters (and they should), you’ll want to clean them out before the winter season arrives. As was noted, it rains more in the winter than it does during the other parts of the year. So, you’re going to want your gutters to be as functional as possible.
If you don’t clean your gutters, they could end up trapping rainwater. If this occurs, that water could cause damage to the bottom portions of your roofs.
Inspect the HVAC System
Not only should you inspect the roofs of your rental properties but the HVAC systems as well. You want the furnace or boiler to be able to get through the cold season without trouble. An inspection will ensure that everything is working as it should be.
Call up a local HVAC company and bring an HVAC specialist in for an inspection. He or she will open the unit up, clean it, test it, and make sure it’s safe for use.
The last thing you want is for a tenant’s furnace to break down in the middle of winter. This would require emergency repair, which would cost more money than a simple precautionary inspection.
Trim Trees
Though Newport Beach winters are fairly tame, they can still put stress on certain trees. High winds, increased rainfall, and colder weather could cause branches to snap. If branches snap, they could fall onto the buildings that sit below them.
For this reason, before winter sets in, you need to make sure that you’ve trimmed up the trees on your properties. Ensure that they’re not hanging over roofs and parking lots and try to keep them relatively short in general.
Falling branches can do quite a bit of damage to roofs, vehicles, and any other property that they may fall on. They could even be dangerous to human beings. Protect both your properties and your tenants by trimming those branches up.
Fill Gaps
Another thing you need to worry about when winter comes rolling around is rodents. When the temperatures fall, rats and other such pests seek refuge in any structure they can find. This includes rental properties.
As such, the next of our tips for property management is to go to your rental properties and fill any gaps that would allow a pest to pass through. You might find these gaps on their roofs or siding or even in their doorways.
Generally speaking, you can patch up these gaps with caulk or another sealant-type substance. In some cases, you might have to use wire mesh.
Clean Chimneys
If any of your rental properties contain fireplaces or wood-burning stoves, you’re going to want to clean out their chimneys. If you don’t clean out these chimneys, they could restrict the flow of smoke, causing it to back up into the properties. This would necessitate a call to the fire department and might also cause smoke damage within the property.
Though it’s possible to clean chimneys on your own, we recommend calling a chimney cleaning professional. They have all of the tools and resources needed to clean chimneys thoroughly.
Insulate Windows and Doors
When winter weather comes around, cold air tries to travel through the small cracks in doors and windows. If these cracks are on the large side, they can allow air to come through, resulting in drafty and uncomfortable rooms.
These drafts can have adverse effects on furnaces and boilers, causing them to work harder than they would have too otherwise. This can result in increased energy bills as well as a reduced furnace or boiler lifespan.
As such, before the winter weather sets in, you need to take measures to insulate the windows and doors on your properties. Put insulative screens over your windows and make sure that the seals on your doors are equipped to get the job done.
Check Thermostats
Thermostats are battery-powered entities. Because of this, they can go out at any time.
Of course, the last time you want a thermostat to go out is in the middle of winter. For this reason, the last of our property management tips and tricks is to check the batteries in your properties’ thermostats.
A single battery change at the beginning of the season will do. Thermostat batteries generally last 8 to 12 months.
These Newport Beach Winter Property Management Tips Make a Difference
Winter is rough, particularly on rental properties (and, of course, the property management companies that manage them). That’s why you need to put these winter property management tips into effect. They’ll keep your properties as safe as possible, allowing them to last for as long as possible.
Need help managing your property? If so, we here at Genuine Property Management can help.
Contact us now to discuss your needs.
