PROACTIVE WINTER WEATHER MANAGEMENT FOR PROPERTY MANAGERS

10/6/2021 (Permalink)

Winter weather can cause serious damage to your property if you aren’t prepared.

If you are a property manager, then you probably dread the winter time. Winter weather can cause serious damage to your property if you aren’t prepared. Fortunately, there are things that you can do in order protect your property against the cold and snowy winter months.

Reserve Your Snow Clearing Contractor

It should be on your priority list to receive snow removal, plowing, and de-icing solution when managing residential properties. You can avoid a headache and save time by reserving a snow cleaning contractor ahead of time and remaining loyal to them over the months and years for repeat business. It is important for rental property management companies to be proactive about weather concerns, rather than reactive… ie: Late to make important calls.

Inspect the Outside of Your Property

If you will be expecting cold weather, then it is important for you to make sure that your property is in tip-top shape inside and out. Seemingly harmless imperfections can create major problems later on down the road from roofs, HVAC, exposed pipes, chimneys, windows, and doors, etc. There are so many facets to a home that can lead to not keeping that cold air/snow out while maintaining the warm air inside.

Check for Snow on the Roof

Roof problems are one of the biggest property issues that our Raleigh property managers have to deal with. Most of these issues depend on the age of the home and prior condition of the roof structure. There are some things that can be done to prevent issues from occurring in the future, like checking to make sure all the vents are free of debris so that the melting snow can drain properly. This is also a great time to check and clear all gutters on the home.

Take Fire Prevention Steps

Holiday activities increase the risk of fires such as space heaters, candles, and interior/exterior lights can all increase the risk. It’s highly important to check smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are in full working order. Also, have wood-burning fireplaces inspected regularly. It’s never a bad idea to review fire safety guidelines with your tenants.

Stock up on De-Icing Products

You can prevent falls by using de-icing and anti-icing products on walkways and sidewalks and patios. As the name suggests, de-icing products melt the ice and snow for more traction. Anti-icing products prevent the snow from building up. Our property managers recommend using a combination of both in order to get the best results.