Keep your property in top-notch condition as temperatures dip to ensure your tenants remain warm and cozy well into the winter season. Besides the discomfort of the biting cold, winter can be a tough season for landlords because rental properties face seasonal problems that can affect the home’s comfort and safety.
Imagine having to trudge through the cold to fix a broken HVAC system or calling the plumber to fix a frozen pipe at sub-30 degrees. If you don’t want your tenants lawyering up for creating inhabitable conditions, you need to plan well ahead. Thankfully, we’ve got you covered with this comprehensive winter maintenance guide for rental property owners.
Common Winter-Related Issues in Rental Properties
Icy Walkways and Driveways
Avoid a civil lawsuit by scheduling regular snow removal from your walkways and driveways. If you live in particularly cold cities, you’re probably familiar with putting salt or other ice-melting products on your walkways and driveways to keep the frost off them. As a result, it would be wise to schedule regular snow removals, knowing that your rentals also face the same challenges. You can also skip such tedious tasks altogether by using materials like rubber or textured concrete which are more slip-resistant during winter.
Frozen Pipes
Ensure water keeps flowing through your pipes by insulating them from the cold. When temperatures dip below a certain point, it’s common for water in these pipes to freeze, blocking the normal flow. Beyond the inconvenience of not having water, ice tends to expand which can form cracks and cause leakage in your pipes, leading to further water damage.
It would be best to insulate your pipes, particularly in unheated areas like your basement and crawl spaces. These solutions can also help lower utility bills during winter. However, if you don’t spend more on utilities to prevent an emergency call to your plumber, you can opt to maintain a consistent temperature or leave the water in colder rooms running to prevent stale water from freezing.
Leaky Roofs
Schedule a roof inspection to ensure your shingles are secure enough to prevent melting ice from leaking into your rental. It’s common for snow and ice to build up on your roof during winter, increasing the risk of water damage when it eventually melts. Apart from that, excess debris in your gutters such as sticks and leaves, can cause a blockage which prevents water flow and an eventual buildup that could damage your roof. That’s why expert property managers recommend performing regular roof inspections, particularly in the fall to fix any damage and clear debris before they become a nuisance. You may also consider installing a roof de-icing system that can automatically melt snow and ice, preventing unnecessary build-up.
Home Upgrade Considerations
Consider Upgrading Insulation
Protect your rental property from the cold by upgrading your insulation to keep your home nice and toasty. Undoubtedly, utility bills tend to skyrocket during colder months as tenants adjust their thermostats to stay warm. Thus, Bay Property Management Group Philadelphia suggests taking this time to improve insulation in your home to keep heating costs down. You can start by sealing air leaks and cracks around pipes, ducts, and ceiling grilles. Additionally, installing a reflective panel behind your radiator is an excellent way to reduce heat loss by redirecting the heat into your room instead of allowing the walls to absorb it.
Weatherproofing
Consider weatherproofing your rental to prevent cold air from getting in, while trapping hot air inside the house. As we highlighted earlier, it would be best to insulate your pipes, especially those in unheated areas like attics, crawlspaces, and basements with heat tape or fiberglass material. If filling the gaps in your entryway isn’t enough to keep the cold at bay, you can double up your insulation by adding weather strips around your doors and windows. You can also invest in a smart thermostat that automatically adjusts the temperature depending on the time of the day, or when tenants aren’t home.
Install New Windows
Splurge on a new set of windows to get the most out of them this winter. There’s only so much your decade-old single-pane windows can do to keep the heat in when the temperature starts to dip. As a result, it would be more energy-efficient to invest in new double or even triple-pane windows that are much better at regulating your home’s internal temperature. While the upfront cost might be discouraging, in the long run, new windows can significantly cut your heating bill making it a worthwhile long-term investment.
Conclusion
Protect your rental property from seasonal winter problems by following a maintenance guide that outlines the possible issues you could encounter. For example, icy walkways and driveways are a major risk for falls, while frozen pipes and leaky roofs can cause major water damage to your property. You may have to consider significant upgrades like improving your insulation by sealing cracks in the walls and weatherproofing your house. Also, if your windows are old, you may need a more drastic home upgrade like a new set of double or triple-pane windows.
