Fall Checklist for Property Managers

With summer quickly coming to an end (sigh), the end of a season is always a great time to do some preventative and routine maintenance on your property. Having a fall checklist is crucial to avoid major problems during the harsh winter – the absolute worst time to have anything go wrong! Take a look at our list below to keep your property in the best condition and prepped for winter.

Heating

• Fall is the most ideal time to check your heating systems, not only to make sure they are running properly and efficiently, but to also check to see if the filters are clean. If there is an issue, checking now will give you plenty of time to have repairs made before the cold sets in and having not-so-happy tenants.

Gutters/ Eavestrough

• Make sure that gutters and eavestroughs are not blocked so that they can properly channel water away from your building/buildings. If trees are near the buildings, it is ideal to wait until the trees have finished dropping all of their leaves.

Trees

• If you have tree branches hanging near or over your buildings, it is best to have those removed. You never know how much snow is going to fall and if the weight will snap the limb or not. Also, check the property to see if any tress are hanging near electrical lines for the same reason.

Door and Windows

• Check the caulking around doors and windows to make sure that there is nothing that needs to be touched up. Not only will this help with heating expense during the winter, but also to keep it dry, thus, preventing water damage.

Smoke Detectors and Carbon Monoxide

• Even though it is recommended for smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors to be checked once a year, there is no harm in making this part of your quarterly routine. This just ensures that it does get done yearly and everything is working properly.

Inspect the Roof

• Thoroughly inspecting the roof to make sure that it is in good shape is important because ice, rain, snow, and wind combined with rapidly changing temperatures and humidity can wreak havoc on roofs. Look for loose or missing shingles and replace them immediately. The roof if the first defense in protecting the building.

Insulation

• Aside from making sure your building is properly insulated, now is a good time to check pipes that are located on an outside wall and wrap insulation around them if there is none in the wall. Better to have it done, then scramble when a sudden cold snap hits. Frozen pipes can burst causing extensive damage.