The fall season is a time for wearing sweaters, jumping on piles of leaves, and making all the pumpkin-related recipes you can think of. But, it is also a time to make sure your rental property is in good condition by completing important fall maintenance tasks.
Essential Items to Include in Your Fall Maintenance Checklist
Maintenance ensures your rental property remains in tiptop shape. Not only is it part of your duties as a property manager or landlord, but it also attracts more tenants. Of course, that does not mean all maintenance and repair tasks should fall under your responsibility. It is still important to refer to your rental agreement to know which duties you must fulfill.
Here are all the fall rental maintenance items to complete before the season goes into full swing:
1. Take Your Outdoor Furniture Inside
Fall marks the start of the cold months, which means snowstorms and unforgiving weather are just around the corner. To avoid damaging outdoor furniture or the headache that comes with cleaning them, make sure to bring them inside.
If your rental property is occupied, remand your tenant to do the same. That way, you can keep your outdoor furniture in excellent shape until it’s time to bring them back out again.
2. Tend to Your Trees and Shrubs
One of the best fall maintenance tips anyone can give you is to care for the trees and shrubs on your property. Cold temperatures and harsh weather can damage your plants. Severe winds can even knock down entire trees. Consider hiring professional services to care for your greenery. Experts can identify early signs of poor health in trees and trim them accordingly to prevent falling branches.
The fall season will also cause leaves to fall. And while the sight of fallen leaves evokes a sense of whimsy and romance, too much stifles spring growth, especially in snowy areas.
3. Turn Off Outdoor Faucets
If you have a vacant rental property, make sure to turn off all the outdoor faucets and hoses as fall begins. This is particularly important if you live in an area where temperatures drop to freezing.
The cold weather can cause frozen pipes, which can burst and cause significant damage or injury. Before turning off your outdoor faucets, make sure to drain them first. If your rental property is occupied, remind your tenant to do so.
4. Clean Your Gutters
Rental property fall maintenance demands gutter cleaning or repair. Your gutters lead water to flow to the right places, avoiding water damage or flooding. When your gutters are dirty, they can become clogged, even more so once leaves start to fall.
Free your gutters from any debris and then clean them thoroughly. You can even call a professional for help with this. If you find that your gutters are damaged, make sure to repair or replace them immediately.
5. Secure Any Gaps
Cracks, holes, and crevices signal to potential renters that you have a poorly maintained property. They are also the perfect entrance for critters seeking warmth and solace from the cold season.
Apart from that, any gaps in your rental property can lower the temperature inside, causing you or your tenant to turn up the heat. This leads to more expensive heating costs. Thankfully, it is easy to avoid all these. Just make sure to seal all the openings you find, and you will be good to go.
6. Invest in Weatherstripping
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, drafty windows are the reason for 25-30 percent of heating energy use. To keep the cold air out and the hot air in, make sure to apply weatherstripping on your window frames. Weatherstripping is relatively inexpensive but very effective. Your doors can also have gaps underneath, allowing the cold air to enter. For that, the simple solution is to add door sweeps.
7. Repair Cracks in Your Driveway
If you have a driveway on your rental property, make sure to repair any cracks that you see. This is quite time-consuming and requires more effort, but it is certainly worth it.
When water seeps into the cracks, the cold temperature can cause it to freeze in between. The ice will then make the crack even wider or larger. Soon enough, these once-small, manageable cracks will turn huge and troublesome. As such, make it a regular part of your fall maintenance checkup to inspect your driveway for cracks.
8. Replace Your Filters
It is easy to forget about filters in your rental property. They remain largely out of view and can go on for months without a change. But, dirty and clogged filters can contribute to your swelling heating bills.
Check your filters at the start of the fall season to make sure they are clean. If they are not, clean them at once or tell your tenant to do so. It is also a good idea to make the task a monthly routine. This prevents dirt buildup and can lengthen their lifespan.
Keep in mind that not all filters can be reused multiple times. You can vacuum foam filters and use them again without replacement. On the other hand, disposable filters do need to be replaced, though you can reuse them once after the initial vacuuming.
9. Make Sure All Devices Work
Emergencies can happen at any time, which is why you (or your tenant) must always stay prepared. That means making sure all the safety devices in and around the property work properly.
Test your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide devices. Replace any dead batteries, and make sure to stock up on batteries as well. See to it that your fire extinguisher is still active and not expired. Check whether all necessary equipment, such as your snowblower, is working as intended.
Fall Maintenance Benefits
The transition from summer to fall marks a significant change in seasons. As temperatures become cooler, property managers and landlords must prepare accordingly. By including all these items in your fall maintenance checklist, your rental property can remain in excellent condition. It is also a good way to keep your tenant satisfied.
Juggling all these maintenance tasks can come as a challenge. Start your search for the best property management company, HOA management company, or real estate company in your area using Florida Property Management’s online directory.
RELATED ARTICLES: