Winter is Coming Are Your Tenants Ready?

[Joe Splitrock]

For all those landlords operating properties in cold climates, please share your thoughts on winter readiness processes. 

We send tenants a letter or text alerting them to some common winter issues:

1. Disconnect garden hoses from the house to prevent frozen water lines and flooded basements.

2. Keep vehicles off the roads during snow emergencies and see city website for zone plowing schedule.

3. Remove snow and ice from driveway and sidewalks within 48 hours per city ordinance.

4. Have sprinkler systems blow out (if applicable)

5. Furnace filter should be changed every 3 months (or every month for certain types of filters)

Do you have any other steps you take as winter approaches to prepare your properties? Share your best practices. 

[Nathan Gesner]

Below is something I send all my tenants in September. I also send occasional reminders when we're expecting a storm or extreme temperatures.

FALL / WINTER PREPARATION

Cooler temperatures are headed our way! Use the checklist below to keep your home warm and safer for you and your family while keeping the heating bills down. Planning ahead can save you money and frustration. Not all of these items will pertain to your specific rental. Not sure? Email us and your property manager will help you out.

NOTE: Per the rental agreement, you may be held financially liable for any damage caused by neglect.

• Unhook garden hoses and turn off outside faucets if they are ?freeze-proof.? If the faucet is not freeze-proof, leave it open outside and turn off the valve to the supply line inside the house.
• If you have chains for storm doors, make sure they are attached securely to prevent the wind from catching and damaging the door.
• Test the heat now! If you wait until it is really cold, the technicians will be backlogged and you may wait days before we can restore heat. Turn it on and ensure it is working in every room.
• Is your filter clean? If you have forced-air heat or air conditioning, filters should be changed out every 3-4 months. This helps the furnace work efficiently and will keep your utility bills down.
• Funny noises? If you have a hot-water system and hear ?knocking? noises, you may have air in the line which can reduce efficiency.
• Keep the heat at 50 degrees or higher, even when gone on vacation. If you do go on vacation, be sure to turn the main water line off to prevent flooding while you are gone.
• During periods of extremely cold weather, leave the doors open on any kitchen or bathroom sink cabinets that are on an exterior wall. This allows warm air to circulate around the pipes and prevent freezing.
• If you will be away for more than two consecutive days this winter, let the office know. We will check the home if there?s a bad storm, power outage, or gas outage to ensure heat is back on and there?s no damage to the property.
• Test your smoke alarm(s). If you don't have one, or it doesn't work, let us know. Test them every month. Change the batteries on Daylight Savings so you remember when it was last done. You might want to consider buying a small fire extinguisher for your kitchen and garage, too. We greatly appreciate your efforts in helping to make sure your residence is kept as warm and as safe as possible during the upcoming winter months.
• Check your fireplace, wood stove, or pellet stove for proper operation. Your chimney should be cleaned and inspected every 1-2 years, depending on use. Contact the office for recommended companies that can service the home.
• Remove window air conditioning units and store them for the winter.
• Swamp coolers must be winterized and removed or covered. The water line should be turned off and drained.
• Unhook your garden hoses and turn off outside faucets if they are freeze-proof. If the faucet is not freeze-proof, leave it open outside and turn off the valve to the supply line inside the house.
• If you have an irrigation pump, be sure to disconnect it and drain it.
• If a pipe does freeze, do not try to thaw it out with a flame! Locate the main shut-off valve and turn the water off to the entire house. You may also want to shut off the water valve to the hot water tank. Contact our office immediately for additional assistance.
• Test your smoke alarm(s) and CO2 detectors. If you don't have one, or they don?t work, let us know. You should have at least one smoke detector per level and one in every bedroom or in a hallway shared by the bedrooms. CO2 detectors should be down low (knee or waist height) and located near gas appliances like the furnace or water heater. Test them every month. Change the batteries on Daylight Savings so you remember when it was last done. You might want to consider buying a small fire extinguisher for your kitchen and garage.
• For apartment complexes, be sure to notify us of any problems in shared spaces like laundry rooms.
• If your apartment complex has ice melt and shovels provided, let us know when supplies are running low so we can deliver more.
• Check the caulking and weather stripping around outside windows and door frames
• Close storm windows, if you have them.
• For single-family homes, be sure to clean the gutters of leaves or debris in the fall. Clogged gutters can back up under shingles, rot siding, flood basements or crawl spaces, etc. Check the down spouts to ensure they are connected and water is draining away from the building. If the gutters are too high to reach, call us!
• Clean leaves and debris from the flower beds and grass. If you don?t, it can kill the grass and create an expensive repair for you.
• Check and close all the vents to any crawl spaces under the building, if applicable.