How Landlords Can Prepare Their Property for Winter
Making sure that your building is properly ready for winter can be a long and tedious process, but this is a necessity for the safety and satisfaction of your tenants. Landlords can prepare their property for winter before the season begins to stop any potential problems that may arise. Be thorough in your inspections and hire the aid of professionals when needed.
Clear Out the Snow
Making sure that your property and its pathways are salted and free of snow are of prime importance. Neglecting this can result in trapped cars, ice build-up, and other unsafe surfaces for your tenants that may result in injury. Hiring a proper and reputable snow plowing team is crucial, making sure that the snow is removed in a timely and thorough manner for the sake of the tenants. Also, having buckets of salt easily available at certain points on the property can encourage tenants to spread it in areas that they see as hazardous.
Check the Heat Vents
Make sure that the heating vents are not obstructed by any clogs or contain any faulty vents. A lack of heating in the dead of winter can prove dangerous to tenants, whether it results in sickness or even potential death. Warn your tenants not to put any large or solid objects over the vents that may stop the airflow. Having the furnace inspected before the season is also necessary to make sure that it is in a condition to provide adequate heat and that it doesn’t risk breaking down during the season.
Seal Windows and Doors
Heating will not do much when the doors and windows are not properly secured and sealed. Cold air will easily enter in through these cracks and overpower the heating system, rendering it largely useless. This can result in higher-than-normal heating bills, as tenants will try to offset the cold air with more heat. Well-sealed doors and windows will not just keep the cold out, but will be better at keeping heat in, having the effect of reduced heating bills.
Be proactive in your precautions for the winter season. Tenants know that landlords can prepare their property for winter, and when they see that preparations have not been made, they will look for better living conditions.