As a landlord, it is crucial that you understand the various issues arising during the winter months well before the season starts. Heating issues, snow-covered walkways, and frozen pipes all tend to arise during winter and can be a potential headache if not dealt with properly.
This can be managed by being a little proactive and preparing the property before winter sets in. From making sure the pipes are insulated to snow removal, there is quite a lot that can be done in detail to ensure smooth functioning during winter.
Continue reading this article, as this will help you gain some great tips on how to minimize potential damage to your property while keeping your tenants satisfied during winter.
Preparing Your Property for Winter Weather
The winter season can be particularly difficult on rental properties; however, with proper maintenance, many repairs and complaints from tenants can be avoided. Ensuring pipes are insulated and heating systems are functioning properly, as well as putting weatherproofing protocols in place, helps protect the investment and safeguard tenants during the winter season.
Insulating Pipes to Prevent Freezing and Bursts
Increasingly lower temperatures greatly increase the chance of water pipes freezing. Besides bursting pipes, water damage is one major downside that comes with uninsulated pipes.
You can greatly reduce the risk by making sure all pipes located in vacant and cold places, such as the basement or outback, are covered. Suggest your tenant set the thermostat to a constant setting and slightly let the hot water faucet drip to keep the ice from building up.
Checking and Servicing Heating Systems for Efficiency
Maintaining heating systems properly ensures homeowners won’t have issues with systems like the furnace not switching on when it is chilly outside. Routine maintenance needs to be done prior to the winter season. Every component, such as the heat pump, furnace, or boiler, needs to be thoroughly examined in order to provide efficient operation.
Tenants and homeowners can incur high energy bills due to outdated systems, dirty filters, and worn-out parts. To maximize system performance, any guidance that prevents strain on the heating controls would be helpful.
Weatherproofing Windows and Doors to Reduce Energy Costs
Most people do not consider doors and windows as substantial participants in energy loss. However, these two components are massive drafty sources that can lead to heat loss. As an asset manager, it is crucial to examine these two carefully, as sealing them with weather-stripping or caulking can mitigate energy loss.
At the same time, putting up thermal curtains and even putting in reinforced storm windows can do a lot. Replacing the windows with new ones would lead to less spending on maintenance expenses, reducing the property’s costs.
Ensuring Proper Roof Maintenance to Prevent Leaks and Ice Dams
The roof of your property is susceptible to winter storms and snowfall. If the snow on the roof melts, the subsequent formation of ice on the edge of the roof inhibits drainage, which can drive leaks or other damage inside the home.
Make certain you clean the gutters frequently to ensure proper drainage, and verify that all shingles are robust and fastened securely to the roofing. Make certain you check the attic insulation because incomplete insulation leads to uneven heating, which poses a heightened risk of ice dams forming.
Who Is Responsible for Snow Removal?
As beautiful as snow-covered sidewalks may appear, they actually pose a great danger in terms of safety. Keeping pathways clear isn’t merely for aesthetics; it’s about avoiding slips, falls, and a host of legal complications. Snow clearing responsibility lies either with you or your tenant, which depends on your lease agreement and applicable local laws.
In some jurisdictions, snow removal is the obligation of the landlord, especially if it involves dealing with multi-unit properties. However, if you own single-family rentals, that’s the case where responsibility can be shifted to a tenant. Anyway, you look at it, snow removal neglect can be fined or lead to liability for accidents, so do check your local rules and regulations first.
Before the snow falls, ensure tenants know whether they are responsible for snow removal or if the landlord will handle it. If they are handling it, they should be provided with the necessary tools, but if you do the job yourself, inform them when and how frequently the task gets done.
5 Essential Tips for Managing Rental Properties During Winter
The holidays can be stressful for rental property owners due to the risk of walkways freezing over, pipes becoming blocked by ice, and promenades becoming snowed in. Regardless of the winter issues you encounter, winter prep helps in the maintenance of your property as well as helps in tenant safety.
Here are 5 tips to mitigate risk for both you and the property while in the optimal shape possible.
1. Insulate Pipes to Prevent Freezing
Make sure to take necessary precautions for winter weather safety by insulating pipes and checking heating systems. To avoid issues like this from occurring, wrap exposed pipes prone to freezing, more so in the unheated sections of the house, like the stairs and garage.
Sealing gaps around the pipes and checking for weaknesses in the plumbing system greatly reduces the chances of any failures from occurring. By taking these steps, not only can you avoid the need for emergency repairs, but ensure your plumbing system’s efficiency through the harsh winters.
2. Ensure the Heating System is Well-Maintained
Schedule a professional check-up for your furnaces, boilers, and heat pumps before the winter season so they can operate at optimal efficiency. Make sure to replace filters, attend to broken parts, and validate that the thermostats are functioning accurately.
Inform and encourage your tenants to remove any objects that may inhibit ventilation and report any problems concerning heating as early as possible. A good heating system will improve tenant comfort, eliminate unnecessary energy spending, and lower the chances of system failure in the heart of winter.
3. Set Clear Snow Removal Responsibilities
Allocation of the snow removal tasks should be done clearly in the lease agreement to prevent miscommunication. For the tenants, ensure that they are reminded to comply with local guidelines – for instance, clearing the sidewalks and driveways on the stipulated time.
If you have taken up the snow-clearing role, make sure the services are scheduled beforehand. Freeing walkways from obstructions also helps reduce the chances of injury or slipping for the tenants and improves the aesthetics of the property because of the positive impression.
4. Prepare for Winter Emergencies
Prepare an adequate amount of salt for de-icing, shovels, and emergency kits in your home. Provide instructions to your tenants on how to operate the backup heaters as well as how to report urgent issues.
You can also prepare tenants for possible power outages and ways to stay warm while the power is being restored. This way, tenants can stay safe and comfortable, irrespective of what happens during the cold season.
5. Conduct Regular Winter Inspections
Watch out for window leakages, delicate spots on the roof, and unclean gutters during the pre-winter period. Also, monitor the quantity of the insulation material to ensure energy efficiency and warmth.
This allows tenants to report issues reasonably early on, such as ineffective heating systems or inconveniently cold drafts of air. Tackling these issues while they are still small goes a long way in helping mitigate long-term damages while assuring users’ comfort for the entire cold season.
Conclusion
Winter does not have to be an overly stressful season for the property owner. If planned in advance, repairs become cheaper and are far easier.
As long as every tenant and homeowner follows through with proper insulation of pipes, maintenance of the heating unit, snow removal, and setting guidelines, everyone is able to remain safe and comfortable in the cold season.
For support and seasonal maintenance expertise, Northern Virginia Property Management companies can offer valuable assistance to keep your property running smoothly year-round.
