Hurricane season brings us into fall and winter here in Florida. It’s important to make sure your rental homes are properly maintained for the upcoming months. If you’re not sure where to start, check out our list of home maintenance tips for the fall.
Check for Exterior Damage
Your properties need a thorough examination as hurricane season comes to an end. Heavy rain and winds can cause damage to roofs, siding, or window seals. With any exterior damage, problems can find their way indoors. Walk the area around your property and examine the exterior of any buildings for visible damage. If you see an issue, don’t try to fix it yourself. Call a professional to make repairs.
- Clear gutters, yards, and flowerbeds of debris
- Examine the roof for missing shingles or holes
- Check exterior lighting for broken bulbs or loose wiring
- Make sure all siding or mortar is intact without cracks or missing pieces
- Wash windows and make sure all windows are sealed
- Disconnect water hoses and cover exterior spigots
- Adjust sprinkler systems for winter watering
After you’ve made notes and repairs about the outside of your property, it’s time to move indoors.
Interior Maintenance Prevents Emergencies
Much like your walk around the exterior of your property, walk through each room of the interior. Repair issues right away.
Room by Room
- In bathrooms, check tub or shower caulking, toilet and window seals, GFCI plugs, and faucets for leaks.
- In bedrooms, check window seals, light fixtures, and electrical outlets.
- In the kitchen, check seals, sinks, and faucets. Be sure all appliances work correctly with no exposed wires. Check GFCI plugs and the garbage disposal.
- In the laundry room, clean the vent and make sure there are no water or gas leaks.
Check additional rooms for similar issues. Make a list for repairs and encourage tenants to use caution with anything on the list until it’s repaired.
Don’t Forget the Attic, Garage, or Basement
In the attic, check for evidence of rats or squirrels. If you find droppings or nests, call an exterminator right away. If you noticed exterior or roof damage during your outdoor maintenance walk, do a thorough inspection of the attic. Look for water damage or holes. Check ductwork for damage. In the garage, check automatic garage door openers. Open and close the garage door while looking for any issues with springs or rails. If the home has a basement, be brave and spend some time down there for an inspection. Check for leaks in walls or the ceiling. Make sure the sump pump works. Clean the screen and remove any debris that could back up the pump.
General Prevention
Throughout the home, check and replace smoke detector batteries as needed. If the house has a fire extinguisher, make sure it’s up to date. If it’s cold enough for the heater, have an HVAC professional perform a safety check before tenants use it. Replace dirty air filters and clean any vents with accumulated dust. As an extra precaution, notice if any holiday decorations are a potential a hazard. Help tenants move any candles placed near flammable decorations. Keep an eye out for extension cords that might overtax an outlet. Be sure your tenants know where the fuse box is located in the house. Encourage responsible decorating for a safe fall and winter.
Don’t Let Fall Maintenance Be an Afterthought
As a Sarasota property owner, preventive maintenance is one of the best ways to save money on larger repairs. Preventing problems and repairing issues right away helps you get the most out of your investment. You’ll also have happy tenants if they live in a safe home that’s ready for each season as they come.
It can be an overwhelming task to keep up with maintenance and repairs on your properties—especially if you own multiple homes or multi-family buildings. Even your unoccupied properties need routine maintenance to keep them in shape for their next tenants. There’s no need to let the day-to-day and season-to-season work of maintaining your properties create a headache for you. Save time and money on these tasks and repairs by working with a professional property management company.
Real Property Management of Sarasota & Manatee is here to help. We offer a free consultation on your properties. There’s no risk to contact us and talk through how we can help you save time and improve your bottom line. With our services, maintenance and repairs are a breeze. Our network of contractors and schedule of property inspections helps us be everywhere we need to be to take care of your properties. Plus tenants can let us know of maintenance issues 24/7. We work hard to have happy owners and happy tenants. We are the experts when caring for properties in the Sarasota and Manatee areas. Contact us today!
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